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  • Security Forces Airmen advise Afghan counterparts on base security

    Since 1943, security forces Airmen have toed the line of defense for U.S. Air Force bases in America and abroad, and sometimes in hostile environments.Helping to build capability similar to that of the U.S. Air Force security forces, Airmen deploy on six-month rotations to Shindand Air Base in Herat

  • Running to success

    The sound of dozens of feet pounding the treadmills can be heard inside the fitness center here. Some are trying hard to maintain their pace, while others seem to be moving with ease.Soon, a voice yells out to the runners, "Increase your incline to eight percent."The runners follow the voice's

  • Man and Machine: Airman shares 30-years of service with first KC-10

    Aircraft 79-0434, the first KC-10 Extender delivered to the Air Force, landed at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., March 17, 1981. At the same time, four hundred miles away, a young trainee enduring the rigors of basic training was unaware that his career -- and his life -- would be so deeply tied to

  • Airmen preserve heritage, restore aircraft

    Sparks were flying inside one airplane hangar near the flightline here March 4, as active-duty and Reserve maintenance technicians worked to restore an air mobility artifact.For decades, a C-118 Liftmaster stood on display near the passenger terminal here, but in October 2009, it was towed to a

  • Building our Air Force: former MTIs transformed through service

    "Get off the bus! Get off the bus now!" shouts the giant in the Smokey Bear hat after stepping onto the bus.The mismatched group of stragglers awkwardly grabs their belongings while attempting to get off the bus."You're taking too long!" shouts the man in the hat. "Now get on a dot and drop your

  • Air Force firefighters stay ready to fight any blaze in Iraq

    They laugh and they joke, but when the call comes, they move with absolute seriousness. They relax and they play, but when they are needed, they move like they knew it was coming.They are a team of 35 firefighters ranging in rank from airman first class to chief master sergeant. Each walks with a

  • 376th ELRS Airmen run a tight ship

    Acronyms like FRA, BWI and ORF don't amount to much to the untrained eye. However, for a small group of transit center Airmen, it's all about location.Airmen assigned to the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron cargo section here ensure incoming and outgoing shipments reach the correct

  • Squadron marks 30 years of honoring fallen comrades

    Members of the 1st Special Operations Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, marked the 30th consecutive year of honoring their fallen brethren of call sign STRAY 59 as two loadmasters from GOOSE 99 released a ceremonial wreath from the ramp of an MC-130H Combat Talon II here Feb. 26.Eight of the nine

  • Taking time to honor veterans

    A veterans' home near here is home to 112 veterans representing all services, many of whom have combat experience, some of which dates as far back as WWII.On the third Wednesday of each month, members from here and the Air Force Sergeant's Association Chapter 984 have lunch at the Eastern Nebraska

  • The heart of a pararescueman

    When many people hear the odds are against them, they simply give up. But for Master Sgt. Robert Disney, he does just the opposite and says "challenge accepted."Nearly 14 years ago, when a 19-year-old Robert Disney walked in to the Air Force Recruiting office and told the recruiter he had dreams of

  • Malmstrom chaplain shares story of contemplating suicide

    Chaplain (Capt.) John VanderKaay knows what it is like to contemplate suicide. He also knows what it's like to seek help for his feelings and begin the healing process. He has been there and shares his story with anyone it might help.Three months after returning from a tour in Iraq, he made a

  • Phase inspectors keep A-10s in the air

    Every 500 flight hours, each A-10 Thunderbolt II goes through a phase inspection to search for hairline cracks, missing bolts or chafed hydraulic lines. In the five months the current inspection team of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing has been here, they've completed twenty phase inspections and

  • Last frontier for tactical air control

    Weather can often be the deciding factor on an aircraft landing. As soon as a weather system moves out, operations generally resume their normal tempo. That is, unless the airstrip in question is in the middle of an Afghan mountainside. These mountainside airstrips at austere locations have minimal

  • Bringing more bark to fight in Afghanistan

    To counter the growing improvised explosive device threat in Afghanistan, as well as detect the well-established drug trade here, the increased use of military working dogs have become a critical part of daily operations. Not only can they detect explosives and drug hoards, they can actively engage

  • Committed to caring: When your Airman is deployed, stay connected

    A deployed Airman who witnessed his wife giving birth to their child via live Internet video recently said the experience "was amazing...there are really no other words to explain it."Though deployed, the Airman had a front-row seat to an important life event. His supervisor, a master sergeant, also

  • Ensuring the right Airmen are in the right jobs to benefit Iraq

    When people think about the Air Force making a difference in Iraq, what may come to mind is airplanes projecting airpower, but for one Airman and his team, it is people who make the difference.Maj. Darrell Board, the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Iraq chief of manpower and personnel,

  • Airmen provide confidence, combat power for ground forces

    Poised on the helipad of an isolated forward operating base, they wait. Hoping for the best, they are prepared for the worst. Their mantra, "a slow day for the Pedros is a good day for coalition forces."The 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron's dual-role mission of conducting personnel recovery and

  • Combat control candidates vie for shot at scarlet beret

    When the muscle burn set in and it became a struggle to breathe, a shot at earning a scarlet beret was enough to push through.Thirteen servicemen traveled from as far as Washington and North Dakota to participate in the 371st Special Operations Combat Training Squadron's third combat controller and

  • 375th AES sergeant trains Afghan medics

    The Afghan soldier was in trouble. With his eyes sitting heavy and glazed-over in their sockets, his condition had worsened. He now had to be removed from the C-27A Spartan aircraft that had been flown to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, to transport him, and other Afghan National Security Force

  • 451st AEW members give flags wings to fly

    Whether as a unique thank you, a patriotic souvenir or a solemn reminder, more than 3,000 flags have been flown over the skies of Afghanistan by the combined aircraft of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing over the past six months. Wing aircrew carry flags on routine missions over Afghanistan. It's an

  • A century of memories

    When Mildred McDowell saw her first "flying machines" above the family farm near Brownstown, Ill., she couldn't imagine she would one day become one of the nation's first female Airmen.A few years before the United States entered World War I, the 8-year-old was herding cows when the airplanes first

  • Understanding life as a loadmaster

    While frequent missions and a high-operations tempo can make life stressful, Tech. Sgt. Ron Strayhorne said that he wouldn't trade his seven years as a loadmaster for anything in the world.At the 62nd Airlift Wing, loadmasters are assigned to one of four flying squadrons and constantly operate in

  • Airman provides gateway for Iraqis to American training

    Passport with a visa -- check. Plane ticket with an aisle seat -- check. Luggage with extra socks -- check. For most foreigners traveling to the U.S., this is all they would need, but for Iraqis seeking a seat inside an American school house, an Airman and an English language proficiency exam are

  • Senior NCO creates, strengthens partnerships between two countries

    Helping others navigate through unfamiliar territory and toward a successful future is a difficult task. With great leadership skills, patience, respect and professionalism, a senior NCO deployed from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., broke through language and cultural barriers to create and

  • Crash team clears runway

    The single runway here has specialized teams to keep it running smoothly. In the case of a crash, for example, members of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing crash recovery team are responsible for all U.S. aircraft with in-flight emergencies and emergencies on the airfield.A challenge for any crash

  • Surviving the odds

    As the dust settled, confusion began to set in. Unable to see or hear, the 16-year explosive ordnance disposal veteran tried to make sense of what just happened. As the disorientation slowly began to wear off, the technical sergeant realized there had been an explosion. He couldn't feel his left arm

  • TACP Airmen hone skills at joint exercise

    Mention the term "air strike" these days and a lot of people will think you're talking about playing "Call of Duty," a popular combat-style video game franchise. In this game, players are able to "call in" virtual air strikes on their opponents as a reward for earning a certain amount of "kills."

  • Airman qualifies for national fencing tournament

    The fencer prepares for a match by studying his opponent closely. With an eagle eye, he breaks down his opponent's strengths and weaknesses and starts to formulate a game plan.Airman 1st Class Devin Zayas, a 673rd Communications Squadron network integration technician, has been fencing for more than

  • Chapel hikes deliver food, good will to remote villages

    The Friendship Chapel here sponsors monthly hiking trips that partner members of Joint Task Force-Bravo with community leaders, members of city hall and World Food Program officials to provide support to surrounding villages in need of food and supplies.The most recent hike took place Jan. 22.Chapel

  • Veteran speaker entertains, inspires members at Balad

    Veteran, author and inspirational speaker Dave Roever knows a thing or two about scars."Everybody has scars," he told a group of more than 150 people here in an event sponsored by the base chaplains. "Mine just happen to be on the outside."Everybody gets hurt," he said. "That's not the question. The

  • Airmen start next of kin notification process

    If you blink, you might not see them. Four Airmen are working seamlessly with 91 Soldiers supporting joint operations at the Contingency Operating Base Speicher Combat Support Hospital, Iraq.The Airmen are assigned to the 467th Casualty Liaison Team, 467 Air Expeditionary Squadron, which is

  • Cadets honor Challenger's memory

    On the surface, it was a reveille ceremony like any other. Cadets were lined up in formation waiting for the first note to sound. The honor guard was in place, prepared to hoist the flag, and a bugler was standing by, waiting for his queue. However, this was anything but a typical reveille ceremony.

  • CAF: Retired chief says 'it's about a culture of caring'

    Speaking to wing commanders and command chief master sergeants from across Air Mobility Command Jan. 24 for the command's first Comprehensive Airman Fitness, or CAF, conference, retired Chief Master Sgt. Rod Ellison's message came back to the same thing: "It's about a culture of caring."Chief

  • Airman's MTI lineage spans three generations

    Growing up, Staff Sgt. Jason Paxton knew it was only a matter time before he would follow in the family's boot prints.While it's not uncommon to see family lineages in military service, what makes the Paxton family stand out is how they chose to spend part of their Air Force careers.Sergeant Paxton

  • Glider program gives cadets wings

    Cadet 2nd Class Charlie Meyer and Cadet 1st Class Justin Lennon are members of the glider aerobatic team here.Academy glider pilots compete in two categories: sportsman and advanced. The former is for juniors, the latter for seniors. One of the unique aspects of competitions in this sport is that

  • CAF: Mental fitness leads to a more resilient Airman

    Since the Comprehensive Airman Fitness culture took shape in July 2010, officials said that one of the top goals in shaping the culture has been to build resiliency among Airmen."Airman resilience is a structured program designed to train Airmen in the physical, mental, social and spiritual fitness

  • Bringing the fallen back home

    Images from the Korean War are in black and white and those from the Vietnam War are in color. But for many, those images are old and faded.With the current conflict in Afghanistan, it can be easy to forget those who have fought in previous wars and have not returned home.But there are people in

  • Airmen keep COB Speicher connected to the world

    Airmen are an integral part of Operation New Dawn and joint operations throughout Iraq. The communications site, or Task Force Palmetto, at Contingency Operating Base Speicher is no exception.The 30 contractors and 34 service members, including 18 Airmen, assigned to the task force are responsible

  • 30th Annual Frostbite Road Race runs well

    Nearly 7,000 runners and another 3,000 spectators braved the brisk winter air for the 30th Annual Frostbite Road Race here Jan. 16.The race affords a unique opportunity to develop the friendship between Yokota Air Base Airmen and its Japanese hosts, while the proceeds support a number of private

  • Edwards engineer wins hearts one song at a time

    The crowd at Fresco II was packed and engaged for nearly three hours as Jennifer Housholder played her guitar and sang from her heart.The 419th Flight Test Squadron Radar lead engineer entertained a standing-room-only Friday-night crowd at Fresco II in Palmdale, Calif. Jan. 7.While patrons were