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  • Altus AFB, local community partner to 'grow' mechanics

     Altus, Okla., is known for its agricultural community and an Air Force base. Together, they are not only growing crops, they are "growing" mechanics through the Grow Your Own Mechanic program.The GYOM program is an aircraft maintenance technician internship program. It was developed in 1999 under

  • Maintenance Airmen cut time with technology

    A group of Airmen here are part of a unique shop created to help identify maintenence issues in MC-130 aircraft faster.The 353rd Special Operations Maintenance Squadron wire analysis shop is a test bed for automatic wire test sets. Air Force Special Operations Command officials initiated the AWTS

  • FAST members provide much needed security at remote airfields

    An aircraft commander has plenty to worry about while flying in potentially hostile environments: What are the landing conditions like? Is there security at the landing site? Are my crew and the aircraft safe? Do I have enough fuel? Do I have any mechanical issues? Thanks to U.S. Air Forces Central

  • Cadet, cancer patient realizes dream of flying

    In between chemotherapy treatments, a 16-year-old Air Force Junior ROTC student joined the Air Force Reserve Command's 920th Rescue Wing for the thrill of flight. "Absolutely amazing, best thing I've done in a long time," Coleton Wells said as he disembarked from one of the 920th RQW's HH-60G Pave

  • Reservist's daughter is youngest blackbelt

    The tenets of taekwondo are pretty similar to the Air Force's core values: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self control and indomitable spirit. One McChord Field reservist's daughter followed all of those tenets to become the world's youngest taekwondo black belt, and it all started because of a

  • Reservist's wife battles MS with mixed martial arts

    Dawn Fiore has been studying martial arts for 17 years, but it was only last year she went public about her toughest opponent -- multiple sclerosis. The wife of Maj. Christian Fiore, a Reserve C-17 Globemaster III pilot assigned to the 326th Airlift Squadron here, was diagnosed with MS in 2005 and

  • Twin legacy: 2nd-generation twins gain independence while attending Academy

    Cadet 3rd Class Kerri Schmidt will never forget the moment she reunited with her twin sister after the two were separated for two weeks during Basic Cadet Training.During intense training and drills here, for the first time in their lives, the girls couldn't see or communicate with each other. As

  • VanOhlen takes Air Force wrestling to higher level

    Ask Air Force wrestling head coach Joel Sharratt what's helped the team compete at a higher level, and he'll give you one answer: the leadership and competitive spirit of senior wrestler Cole VonOhlen.VonOhlen, a native of Jackson, Minn., is easily among the best wrestlers in the NCAA, with a 21-2

  • 24 SOW strengthens force through resiliency programs

    Special Tactics Airmen have held the forefront of combat operations for more than a decade, undertaking the most dangerous missions. These mission-ready operators are the first ones there. They cannot be mass produced and are in great demand.The U.S. Special Operations Command's Preservation of the

  • Focus under fire: EOD keeps troops safe

    In the mountains of Afghanistan, embedded with Soldiers, an Airman works to remove an improvised explosive device from the side of the road. While trying to concentrate, his group comes under fire, forcing him to fire back as he continues his task. Somehow, despite the pressure he is under, he is

  • Highly-skilled dance performed at 25,000 feet

    When most people think about skillful dancing, the thought of a couple moving gracefully across a dance floor comes to mind. If you are part of the KC-135 Stratotanker refueling crew, you're probably picturing two planes less than 50 feet apart bouncing around at 25,000 feet while trying to connect

  • Total Force: Behind the music

    (Editor's Note: This is the second article in a series about the U.S. Air Forces Central Band, the only assigned Air Force Band to the Central Command Area of Responsibility. Based in Southwest Asia, the current band "Total Force" is comprised of deployed Airmen from the Band of the U.S. Air Force

  • Airman saves lives during round-trip flights

    A Reservist assigned to the 920th Rescue Wing here found himself in not one, but two life-saving situations during flights to and from his November unit training assembly . Col. (Dr.) Lewis D. Neace, the 920th Aeromedical Staging Squadron commander, was called to action during the flight from

  • U.S. flag strengthens bond of Air Force father, son while deployed

    A simple U.S. flag. It's traveled thousands of miles, seen numerous deployments -- six to be exact -- and one stint at Air Force basic military training. Even today, it's still traveling, looking dusty and dull from all of its miles and years. But for one Air Force father and son duo, it's more than

  • Self-sustaining unit builds improvements

    Throughout the Air Force, units depend on each other to successfully complete the mission. For example, without supply, maintainers wouldn't have the parts needed to make repairs. Very few units can function independent of other support elements. Here at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, there is

  • The last days of an Airman's best friend

    Two months ago, I spent a lot of time with the Military Working Dogs at Minot Air Force Base, N.D.; learning about their mission, getting to know them and even allowing myself to overcome one of my greatest fears of being attacked by a dog during their training. I had established a connection, not

  • South American air forces bridge gap through AFSOUTH liaison program

    A reality for members of the armed forces is relocation, be it another state or another country. For the South American airmen, one of the most coveted positions includes living thousands of miles from their country, fellow military members, family and friends -- working with the U.S. Air Force as a

  • A Reservist looks back at Haiti after the Earthquake

    The rock in the water does not know the pain of the rock in the sun.-Haitian ProverbNearly three years after Haiti's lethal earthquake, and the 439th Airlift Wing's humanitarian response, I visited the recovering country.On January 12, 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, with the

  • Biological detection team trains to keep Andersen AFB safe

    "Out of sight; out of mind," is never the policy of the 36th Medical Group lab detection team, who work year-round to ensure Airmen here are always prepared in case of a biological attack or a medical epidemic.The 36th MDG lab technicians take proficiency exams to stay current on training for

  • New day, new job for expeditionary Airlift Squadron at Kandahar Airflield

    On one sortie they may be airdropping food, ammo and fuel to Special Operations troops at a remote forward operating base. On the next, they might transport troops to or from an austere location, move prisoners to a secure facility, provide airlift to Afghan National Army allies, perform aeromedical

  • Airmen learn vital combat skills

    Crack, crack, crack.A whirlwind of excitement and confusion spurred around the camp. Gunfire echoed through the tents as the Airmen scrambled to find cover.They peered out from the safety of makeshift bunkers as they searched for the source of the sound.Reports flooded across the radio of a team

  • Bagram Airmen deliver care packages as holidays approach

    Mail deliveries have been an integral part of deployed military life since the postal delivery process began. Getting a care package or card might be greatly appreciated, but the men and women who spend much of their day processing that mail tend to remain unsung heroes. Fortunately for Bagram

  • Deployed Airmen orchestrate remote connection to thank Ohio students

    It's not uncommon for deployed military members to receive boxes of goodies and letters from organizations and schools back in the United States. Letters of thanks are also common but the connection forged by the 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron Airmen was a little out of the ordinary.

  • TACP brethren work together for mission success

    Described as a little brother, big brother relationship, the Tactical Air Control party members have a lot more at stake than just family rituals. Both TACP members, the joint terminal attack controller and the radio operator maintainer and driver not only depend on each other to get the mission

  • Ohio native answers call to fly

    The toy trains went into a box and the toy planes came out after his first plane ride. He was only five years old, but after that first ride, he was hooked and knew he wanted to be a pilot. Capt. Brian Dicks, HH-60G Pave Hawk combat rescue pilot with the 26th ERQS here is a native to Alliance, Ohio,

  • Families unite through WWII bayonet

    Clyde Sparks never spoke much about his time in the U.S. Army. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, where he earned a Purple Heart Medal for wounds suffered in Luxembourg. It was his silence that always marked him as a veteran of the Second World War.It wasn't until Staff Sgt. Scott Martin, who is

  • Virtual simulator provides alternative shoot, no-shoot training

    The 51st Security Forces Squadron offers a different way to engage in a shoot or no-shoot scenario at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. The Engagement Skills Trainer 2000 is a virtual firearms simulator that uses life-like, life-size weapons to practice marksmanship skills and engage in real-world

  • Care across the continents

    Consistent quality is always a priority when it comes to medical care. Successful innovations and greater efficiency can send a hospital's credibility and patient reviews to new heights.Medical emergencies in the military community can be more complicated than a civilian emergency due to the nature

  • Ramstein Rabbits push Airmen to succeed

    Several things may go through a person's head when he or she receives that email saying it's time to take a physical training test.The message could be shrugged it off with confidence, or the person could start working out every day and stress over it.But if it's the running component that is the

  • A wish come true: Colorado native becomes cadet for a day

    An 11-year-old boy became the U.S. Air Force Academy newest cadet when he arrived for "duty" Sept. 28 here.Wyatt, from nearby Parker, Colo., was welcomed into the Cadet Wing through the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Academy's Cadet for a Day program.For Wyatt, the whole day was a surprise waiting

  • 908th EARS refuels aircraft in fight

    It's 4:30 a.m., and four Airmen have already had breakfast and a pre-flight briefing as they leave their squadron. They grab water and more food before heading to their aircraft.Music and friendly banter wafts within the cockpit as the crew performs pre-flight checks with their ground crew.But

  • Deployment brings family together 22 years later

    Before Senior Airman Joyce Tucker arrived at the 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron to start her six-month deployment, she had another mission in mind.For the first time in 22 years, Tucker finally had the opportunity to meet the two members of her extended family she has longed to unite

  • Charlie: The guy with the backpack

    Charlie, the guy with the backpack, is something of a local figure.He roams the Kunsan Air Base nightlife scene with his survival-kit backpack, prepared to help however he can, whether it's assisting a fellow Airman home or "super gluing" a girl's broken heel.Parched? He has water. Bug bitten? He

  • Academy firefighter to receive national award

    An Air Force Academy firefighter will receive the National Image, Inc., Meritorious Service Award during a presentation in Los Angeles Sept. 13.Elaine Perkins, a Honolulu native and captain of Fire Station 3, won the award for numerous achievements, including a 15-percent improvement in emergency

  • Defenders on the Line

    The population of Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, represents a melting pot of the ongoing international effort to support stability in Afghanistan. Service members from America's four major military branches, military members from several NATO member nations, civilians and Afghans, all work together

  • Air Force tanker crew assists stricken jet fighter

    When the 22nd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron crew stepped into their large tanker aircraft for a recent mission and departed the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, they believed they had just begun another "normal" day over Afghanistan. This day, however, proved to be anything but normal as

  • Maintainers unPhased under pressure

    Hiding on a corner of the flight line, a team of maintainers rolls one A-10 Thunderbolt II after another through their makeshift hangar; an oversized tent. Their workload is both intense and intensely important. They complete their deployed tasks in a fraction of the time allotted in training, while

  • USAF Honor Guard 'motivated' during CSAF transition

    Don't move. Don't move a single muscle. Hours of drill and ceremony, dress rehearsal and uniform preparation have all come down to this. Don't move. All eyes are on you. Standing sharp, crisp and motionless, in full U.S. Air Force Honor Guard service dress, you know how important a day like today

  • Academy UAS program continues to mature

    Cadets participating in Expeditionary Survival and Evasion Training aren't alone. Throughout the day, winged guardians watch over them, protecting them from harm.The guardians are Aerosonde Mark IV remotely piloted aircraft, operated by cadet pilots in the 557th Flying Training Squadron facility