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  • Reserve pilot gives Minnesota boy the gift of life

    Just what does it take to save a human life? Would you believe a simple bulletin board?For Air Force Reserve Capt. Robert Wilson, the mundane act of getting up from his desk for a break would plant a seed in his mind. That seed would grow into the decision to provide a live-saving bone marrow

  • A man with a mission

    People often say, "You should never make a life changing decision while you are deployed," but two Reservists, one from the Pentagon and the other from Minnesota, chose to defy this mentality when they got engaged in a combat zone. Before deploying to the transit center here to become the 376th Air

  • Airman makes career out of Turkish

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories and commentaries focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Lt. Col. Stephen W. Meginniss, a force support officer, has pursued language, region and culture opportunities throughout his career and

  • Pearl Harbor survivor retraces steps, pays tribute to Airmen

    A U.S. Army Air Corps veteran, who survived the Dec. 7, 1941, attacks on then Hickam Field and Pearl Harbor, returned to the Hawaiian island of Oahu to see the place he was forced to become a man so early in his life.Nearly 70 years after the infamous day, Durward Swanson, a 90-year-old native of

  • Airman brings space to ground forces

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories and commentaries focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Satellite communications and Global Positioning Systems are common battlefield tools for U.S. and coalition forces in today's overseas

  • Abracadabra! Story of part-time magician, full-time Airman

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories and commentaries focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)"I will make this dove disappear!" the tall, silver-haired magician confidently says to the crowd.His audience, a small group of

  • Chiefs groups honor local 'Charter Chief'

    Members of the National Capital Region and Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Chiefs Groups took time to honor one of the Air Force's "Charter Chiefs" during a small ceremony at the Air Force Memorial recently.Retired Chief Master Sgt. Francis Collier was one of the original 625 enlisted Airmen promoted

  • Wounded warrior program cares for injured Airmen

    When his convoy was hit Sept. 15, 2009, by an explosively formed penetrator blast, .50-caliber gunner Staff Sgt. Phillip Newlyn was taken back to his forward operating base in Baghdad, Iraq, then evacuated to Balad Air Base before being transported to Landstuhl, Germany, and onward to Walter Reed

  • A life for a life: By saving her, he saved himself

    Rescue: to free from confinement, danger or evil. - Merriam-Webster DictionaryTen years ago when former Senior Airman David Sharpe adopted a pit bull puppy from a rescue shelter, he thought he was saving her life. In a dramatic twist of events just a few months later, she ended up saving his.Sharpe

  • 'Fit Plate' gives Airmen healthy option

     Look out, waistlines! There's a new tool for keeping Airmen "Fit to Fight," changing the eating habits of Team McChord each day. This new tool is called the "Fit Plate", and it can be found everyday during breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Olympic Dining Facility on McChord Field. Prominently

  • Veterans Day honors service, sacrifice

    Until the 1960s, veterans groups used the red poppy as the symbol of Veterans Day. In Great Britain, it still is.The symbol comes from a poem, "In Flanders Fields," written by Canadian doctor John M. McCrae in 1915.The first two verses of McCrae's three-verse poem read:"In Flanders fields the

  • Spooky dreams may be just what the doctor ordered

    Ghoulish figures, demonic clowns, man-eating zombies and vampires. There was enough frightening stuff out there this Halloween that even the most fearless may have been spooked this year. So which of these nightmares are still keeping you up at night? For some individuals out there, Halloween was

  • Medical technician aids rescue team

    Jumping out of C-130s, rappelling out of helicopters, and saving lives are all in a day's work for the pararescuemen of the 212th Rescue Squadron here.The 212th RS members have 56 saves this year, and Tech. Sgt. Darrell Mathieu, the squadron's individual duty medical technician, plays a key role in

  • FAST provides security for flights throughout Afghanistan

     In desolate areas of Afghanistan, where few roads can be found, C-130 Hercules and C-27 Spartans land on dirt runways to transport personnel and cargo to remote forward operating bases. Fly Away Security Team members provide security for those flights where they seldom have the luxury of a secured

  • Joint patrols hinder threats to Kandahar

    As a golden sun falls behind a cluster of mountains north of Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, a foot patrol team of international airmen comb through surrounding villages, farm fields and terrain occupying the area's ancient dry lake bed. They make use of what little daylight is left. Working into

  • 9/11: Former AF surgeon recalls Pentagon post-attack response

    The attackScores of people were injured, trapped. Before he made his way to the triage area where medics from all services would gather to treat and send off victims in ambulances, the senior Air Force medic waded through fire, smoke and chest-high debris looking for victims inside the Pentagon.

  • Real or reality?

    What is real? If it's what you can see, hear and feel, then the MI-171E simulator here is real. The simulator is a training tool for the two MI-171E squadrons here and is mainly used for emergency procedures and simulated instrument meteorological-conditions flight.The process of obtaining the

  • Osan sim center: Ultimate "gaming" spot for peninsula warfighters

    When it comes to real-world simulations and war-gaming scenarios, the Korea Air Simulation Center here plays full force in military gaming technology. The KASC's mission is to provide realistic, simulation-driven training and exercise events, which are integrated with the actual wartime C4I systems,

  • MTI's road trip swings through Cooperstown

    For one military training instructor here, honoring U.S. veterans and meeting with baseball heroes along a near month-long trek to Ground Zero was an experience he will not soon forget.Staff Sgt. Craig LeBlanc, assigned to the 331st Training Squadron, was selected as one of several military

  • Operation 'Woobie' is comforter for local villages

     In an effort to give back, increase community relations and recycle, deployed service members from across the area of responsibility have melded together to make a strictly volunteer mission, Operation "Woobie," a success. "'Woobie' is an old-fashioned military term used for blankets or items of

  • Airman becomes Belgian Hero, completes Tour of Death

    The sound of the finish line could be heard from a half a mile through the deafening throbbing of shin splints, swollen feet and tight ankles. "When I heard the drums and people cheering at the finish line I knew that I made it," said Airman 1st Class Arturo Nunez, an 86th Communications Squadron

  • Mortuary committed to honoring fallen heroes

    It's been a week since 30 fallen heroes were given the dignity, honor and respect they deserve that Tuesday afternoon Aug. 9, at a dignified transfer. Those Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen died Aug. 6 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed. That

  • Deployed medics care for, bond with Soldiers

    When Soldiers go on missions outside the wire, they are susceptible to any number of threats, ranging from extreme weather conditions and rocks being thrown at them, to small-arms fire and roadside bombs. Having well trained medical professionals attached to Army units ensures a quick response in

  • Airman surprises family after deployment

    Aug. 4 began like every other day for Melissa Drago, the spouse of a 65th Security Forces Squadron deployed defender. After a long hike, which took almost all day, she planned to go to the airport to welcome the "Tibbals" family.As the 65th SFS key spouse, welcoming a new family to Lajes is a

  • 'Feds Feed Families' campaign benefits local food pantry

    His eyes glisten with tears when he begins to talk about how appreciative families using the Community Interfaith Food Pantry are for the food people at nearby Scott Air Force Base are donating this August."Whatever you donate here is going to help the needy families in the area," said retired Chief

  • Chaplain assistants play vital role in religious accommodation

    On any given Sunday, you can find chaplain assistants setting up the base chapel for service; however, the enlisted force of the chaplain corps does much more on a daily basis. "We partner with chaplains for religious program planning," said Tech. Sgt. Matthew Teets, the NCO in charge of Kunsan Air

  • Don't drive on the road

    A small unit of Soldiers sits shoulder-to-shoulder in their helicopter hovering over the Afghanistan desert.The helicopter lands near the only thing in sight -- a remote border police station. The Security Forces Advisement Team makes their way out of the helicopter along with two Airmen, who blend

  • Armament shop keeps weapons in the fight

    The armament back shop in the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron keeps the weapons systems here ready to bring the fight to the enemy whenever aircrews need them."We take care of any equipment assigned to the jet that can carry fuel tanks or weapons," said Tech. Sgt. Calyn Coffee, the

  • JBER service members capture skeet-shooting award

    Skeet shooting has a long history with the military. It was used in World War II to help teach the fundamentals of aerial gunnery. After the war, "World Wide Military Championships" were held, and the Air Force Air Defense Command took charge of hosting the competitions until 1975. As a good way to

  • Air Force sniper team practices at Joint Base Lewis-McChord

    Senior Master Sgt. Nathan Brett and Staff Sgt. George Reinas practiced as an Air Force sniper team on a range here, July 27. They are among a rare group of individuals in the Air Force security forces field.Brett and Reinas are both certified Air Force snipers with the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary

  • Graphic design artist impacts recruiting efforts

    Graphic design images cover the walls of a local Air Force Military Entrance Processing Station sergeant's office. Many of the images are designed by the sergeant himself and his talents are having an impact on Air Force recruiting efforts.Tech. Sgt. David Hahn, the MEPS liaison supervisor here, has

  • Air Force doctor brings unique skillset to Afghanistan

    Many wounded Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in Afghanistan have suffered injuries that have changed their lives forever, but one doctor at the Craig Joint Theater Hospital has made it his mission to support those who need it most.Lt. Col. (Dr.) Carlos Ayala, the chief of ear, nose and throat

  • Airman's selfless act gives renewed life to cousin

    An Airman and his wife decided to fly to Florida for a vacation during the month of June in 2010. This Airman had a cousin living in the Gainesville area and decided to give him a call so they could hang out. What started out as a normal easygoing conversation, quickly turned into a discussion

  • The fire inside: an Air Force chef's journey to culinary excellence

    As he handled a yellow bell pepper, Staff Sgt. Ghil Medina gazed inquisitively at its smooth, golden exterior."There's more to the ingredients than meets the eyes," the 633rd Force Support Squadron services journeyman said, motioning a hand over the capsicum. "It's about unlocking the potential of

  • Champion powerlifting Airman: 'It's all about fitness'

    It doesn't matter that he holds 21 military national weightlifting records; or that he set eight American powerlifting records; or that he lifted a record-setting 1,492 pounds at the recent 2011 Raw World Powerlifting Championships; or that he has been selected for the rank of chief master sergeant.

  • Stepping into the ring

    Those looking to knock off a few pounds or rev up their fitness routines can check out classes at their base fitness center, such as the boxing class taught by Gregory Leschishin. Leschishin serves as the 66th Force Support Squadron's school age program assistant, but he is also an Olympic-style

  • Soccer players fly U.S. military athletes to Brazil for CISM games

    Military Team USA soccer players Capt. Wendy Emminger and 1st Lt. Mandi Messinger were the pilots for a July 13 KC-10 Extender mission that flew teammates and track and field athletes from here to Galeao Air Base in Brazil to compete in the 5th CISM Military World Games.Created in 1948, members of

  • Air Force life motivates Airman after devastating incident

    Some Airmen may face a challenge in taking the Air Force fitness test, especially after being on fitness profile after an injury. But Master Sgt. Monica Strong, the 65th Logistics Readiness Squadron's quality assurance superintendent, faced that same challenge and overcame it.Strong recently