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  • Test team aims at new machine gun for Pave Hawk

    Arriving in the rain, an HH-60G Pave Hawk landed Jan. 5 at Edwards Air Force Base to begin testing the ballistic dispersion of a GAU-21 .50-caliber machine gun. The Pave Hawk will be at Edwards AFB until Jan. 22 where the 412th Test Wing and 418th Flight Test Squadron are providing the facilities,

  • AF Safety Center marks 20th anniversary

    This year the Air Force Safety Center commemorates the organization's 20th anniversary. Since its designation, the basic mission has remained the same: preserving lives and combat capability through mishap prevention.

  • IRS Form 1095 available on myPay

    All active-duty, Guard, Reserve, retiree and civilian Airmen will need proof of health care coverage when filing their federal tax returns for 2015. A hard copy form is scheduled to be mailed to each employee and the form will also be available electronically through myPay under the taxes section.

  • US conducts B-52 bomber overflight in South Korea after nuke test

    A U.S. B-52 Stratofortress from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, conducted a low-level flight in the vicinity of Osan Air Base, South Korea, in response to a recent nuclear test by North Korea, according to a U.S. Pacific Command news release issued Jan. 9.

  • USAFE switchboard operators connect, assist globally

    "USAFE switchboard operator, how may I help you?" is a short phrase that many U.S. Air Forces in Europe consolidated switchboard users may be familiar with. The 40 members of the Telephone Operations Facility, located on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, work 24/7, 365 days a year to service not only

  • Airman keeps serving after overcoming rare cancer

    "Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back." -- Maximus. This quote from the movie “Gladiator” rings powerful and true to Tech. Sgt. LaPaul Williams, who said, "I don't believe death is to be feared." Williams, a 5th Air Support Operations Squadron fighter duty technician stationed at

  • More sexual assault reports show growing trust in system

    More military service academy cadets and midshipmen in the 2014-15 school year reported instances of sexual assault and harassment, indicating growing trust in the reporting system, a Defense Department official said Jan. 7.

  • McChord Airman saves girl from drowning

    In or out of uniform, Airmen are required to uphold the Air Force’s core values at all times, and should always be aware of their surroundings. Staff Sgt. Matthew Siegele, the 627th Force Support Squadron sports and fitness NCO in charge, had his situational awareness tested Jan. 1 when a little

  • OSI eulogizes fallen heroes from its 'darkest day'

    More than 650 people overflowed the U.S. Marine Memorial Chapel here Jan. 7 to mourn the loss and remember the lives of the six Airmen killed by a suicide bomber near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 21.

  • KC-135s surpass 100,000 combat hours

    The KC-135 Stratotanker fleet at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, flew more than 14,700 sorties in 2015 accumulating 103,419 combat hours in support of Operations Inherent Resolve and Freedom’s Sentinel.

  • 2015 Air Force Year in Photos

    This 2015 Year in Photos feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This yearly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • Airman balances cycling with Air Guard mission

    With endurance cycling, nearly every part of the sport is tough; from the demands of distance and the quality of the competitors, to the changing natural elements on any given day. For Tech. Sgt. Dwayne Farr, those difficulties pale in comparison with splitting his time between the grind of bicycle

  • Yokota's pest control

    The role of entomology Airmen is far reaching; from performing disease vector surveillance to providing pest control services for insects and wildlife at Yokota Air Base, these Airmen utilize both preventative and immediate response maintenance practices to ensure that facilities remain pest free.

  • Deployed loadmasters fix problems ‘on the fly’

    A weasel is characterized by its tenacity, persistence and keen senses. It is an animal also known for its ability to react quickly in any given situation. An airlift squadron at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, shares these characteristics. Airmen of the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron encompass

  • AF officials announce civilian reduction in force

    In a continuing effort to meet Defense Department funding targets and rebalance the civilian workforce, some Air Force installations will implement civilian reduction in force authorities effective through April 4.

  • Tech Report: Orbital launch systems

    The Atlas V, Delta IV and Falcon 9 are three rockets used by the Air Force to launch national security payloads into space. For many years, the United Launch Alliance has been the exclusive manufacturer of rockets used by the Air Force for national security; however, in 2015 the Air Force certified

  • Dancing with a dragon: A pilot’s tale

    Gliding more than 13 miles above the Earth’s surface, the U-2S reconnaissance aircraft, also nicknamed Dragon Lady, flies unnoticed and silent to all but a select few. The U-2S is a single-seat, single-engine, high-altitude, reconnaissance, and surveillance aircraft capable of providing signals,

  • TRICARE pharmacy copays change Feb. 1

    Military pharmacies and TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery will remain the lowest cost pharmacy option for TRICARE beneficiaries when some TRICARE pharmacy copays change Feb. 1. Most copays for prescription drugs in the home delivery program and retail network pharmacies will increase slightly.

  • Maintainers keep KC-135s flying downrange

    The 340th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, maintains the largest KC-135 Stratotanker fleet in the world of more than 40 aircraft valued at roughly $2 billion.

  • Into thin air: Liquid oxygen keeps pilots flying

    As an aircraft reaches a higher altitude, the air pressure decreases, sometimes leaving aircrews little air to breathe. When this happens, pilots and crew members are able to utilize the liquid oxygen provided by Airmen from the 36th Maintenance Squadron, thus enabling them to complete the mission.

  • Childhood adversity tests Airman's resilience

    The alarm rings. Yelling is heard from the nearby hallway. As footsteps get closer, Vickie Tippitt knows she is in a world of trouble. Her grandmother bursts through the door. With a rope in hand, Tippitt feels the wrath of child abuse come down on her by her own flesh and blood. That was the life

  • Green Dot to roll out across the Air Force

    Airmen will take the first step of a five-year strategy to decrease interpersonal violence across the service in January when 1,500 Airman implementers attend one of 22 Green Dot prep sessions worldwide.

  • Falcons fall to Cal in bowl game

    California's passing game was too much for the Air Force Academy Falcons to overcome as they fell to the Golden Bears 55-36 in the Armed Forces Bowl Dec. 29.

  • BLUE: The Spirit of Exploration

    Have you ever dreamed of going into space? In this episode of BLUE, we meet two Air Force astronauts who share their experiences and give us a glimpse into the future of space exploration.

  • Coalition airstrikes kill 10 senior ISIL leaders in December

    A high-value Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant leader killed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes Dec. 24 was just one of 10 ISIL leaders targeted and killed so far this month, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren confirmed Dec. 29.

  • Former Academy QB under center as deployed orthopedic doc

    It’s 1999 and he steps onto the gridiron as a leader. It’s his team now. With big shoes to fill left by a record-setting signal caller, senior Cale Bonds is about to begin the final season of his college career as the starting quarterback of the U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons football team.

  • Top 10 most viewed AF stories of 2015

    The Air Force News Service has compiled a list of the top 10 stories on AF.mil for 2015. The stories were placed in order based on the number of views.

  • Air Force Medical Service’s Year in Review

    In 2015, the doctors, nurses and technicians of the Air Force Medical Service (AFMS) made a difference in the Air Force’s mission, while new AFMS technologies and training exercises ensured air and space superiority.

  • AF, Marine and Army EOD techs train, learn from each other

    Air Force, Marine and Army explosive ordnance disposal technicians deployed to Southwest Asia came together for the first time to train at an undisclosed location Dec. 14-18. The five-day training exercise included more than 40 staged improvised explosive device scenarios simulating common incidents

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • Bagram honors fallen Airmen

    Service members from Bagram Airfield came together Dec. 23 to honor the memories of six Airmen killed in an improvised explosive device attack two days earlier.

  • AF Reserve chief delivers holiday message

    Lt. Gen. James Jackson, the chief of Air Force Reserve, and his wife Barbara wish all Airmen and their families a season’s greetings in a video holiday message.

  • DOD identifies Air Force casualties

    The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of six airmen who were supporting Operation Freedom's Sentinel. They died Dec. 21 of wounds suffered when their patrol was attacked by a suicide bomber on a motorcycle near Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.

  • Welsh shares holiday message

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and his wife Betty; Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein and his wife Dawn; and the Air Staff wish all Airmen and their families a wonderful holiday season.

  • Airman helps troubled youth ‘Focus’

    Even while deployed to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, Tech. Sgt. Tyron Fields is making a difference for the youth in his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, through a nonprofit mentorship program called “Focus.”The program aims to help direct kids and

  • Marilyn Thomas selected as Presidential Distinguished Rank Award winner

    The deputy chief management officer, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, was named the Air Force’s top Presidential Rank Award winner and recognized at the “Unlocking the Full Potential of America’s Federal Workforce” event hosted by the Office of Management and Budget Dec. 15.

  • Air Force cancels 2016 season of Tops in Blue

    Air Force officials announced on Dec. 21 that Tops in Blue, the service-unique entertainment program, will cancel its 2016 season, allowing an extended review of the program.

  • James shares holiday message

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and her husband, Frank Beatty, wish all Airmen and their families a wonderful holiday season.

  • Luke F-35 team competes for first time in load crew competition

    A Luke Air Force Base F-35A Lightning II crew competed for the first time in a load crew competition Dec. 18, against legacy F-16 Fighting Falcon crews.Quarterly load crew competitions showcase the combat readiness and effectiveness of load crew teams to safely and properly arm an aircraft within

  • NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance aircraft arrives at Edwards

    NATO's first Alliance Ground Surveillance aircraft arrived at Edwards Air Force Base Dec. 19 completing its first flight. The test flight marked the start of six months of ground and airborne testing at Edwards AFB before the aircraft is sent to its new home in Sigonella, Italy.

  • CSAF awards Silver Stars to Vietnam vets

    A star pendant necklace bought in 1984 has been tucked away for 30 years since its purchase. The necklace was a gift to Sue Roberts from her husband, Eric Roberts II, as a thank you for her efforts toward getting the Distinguished Flying Cross awarded to him and Ronald Brodeur’s upgraded to a Silver

  • FAA announces small UAS registration rule

    The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration announced Dec. 14 a streamlined and user-friendly web-based aircraft registration process for owners of small unmanned aircraft systems.

  • Munitions Airmen build bombs at record pace

    The 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron Munitions Flight at Al Udeid Air Base is setting a new record with each bomb they build. The team of nearly 60 Airmen has assembled almost 4,000 bombs since July, surpassing the previous record by more than 1,600.

  • Welsh named 2015 Great American Patriot Award recipient

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III has been named the 2015 Armed Forces Bowl’s Great American Patriot Award recipient. The award honors a candidate in recognition of their exemplary service to this nation.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • Campaign behind the hat

    During a push to gain military training instructors, then Staff Sgt. Chi Yi found himself donning the under-the-brim stare that welcomed him to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, years before.The former vehicle operations specialist accepted the challenge of molding future Airmen, an ambition

  • AF introduces enlisted Global Hawk pilots

    Air Force officials announced a new initiative Dec. 17 to enhance the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance mission by integrating enlisted remotely piloted aircraft pilots into the force.

  • 525 selected for promotion to chief

    The Air Force selected 525 out of 2,521 eligible senior master sergeants for promotion to chief master sergeant for a 20.83 percent selection rate.

  • Al Udeid firefighters, medics prepare for mass casualty incidents

    A car is driving down the road when suddenly the driver loses control and crashes. Eight people are seriously injured in the wreck and several suffer life-threatening injuries. The driver and passenger are still trapped inside.This was the scene as 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron

  • Former Marine serves as Air Force contract administrator

    From base landscaping to office computers, nearly everything found at Ellsworth Air Force Base flows through the 28th Contracting Squadron.Among the Airmen leading the charge is Staff Sgt. Chris Meyer, a contract administrator with the squadron. Meyer provides contracting support and business advice

  • SMART program keeps medics ready for any contingency

    Military medical professionals have to always be ready for war and for whatever contingency the future brings. They need to either improve or remain current in medical skills necessary for any future battlefield, with its host of wounds and injuries, and for humanitarian assistance or disaster

  • McChord performs during Rainier War exercise

    In today's military, aircrews have to be trained and ready to handle any type of combat scenario, and recently, members of Joint Base Lewis-McChord and other bases participated in exercise Rainier War to help hone their skills.

  • Norwegian F-35 flies for first time under Norwegian command

    Maj. Morten Hanche, a Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35 Lightning II student pilot training with the 62nd Fighter Squadron, flew the first Norwegian F-35 sortie here Dec. 14. Hanche has been training at Luke Air Force Base under the instruction of American pilots for the past several months in order to

  • Airmen honor WWII veteran's last wish

    Roy Mullinax enlisted in the Air Force shortly after the end of World War II, and his years of military service led to his recognition with a veteran’s pin through his hospice center in Newton, Kansas, by the 22nd Air Refueling Wing Honor Guard.

  • Airman Handbook desktop icon available Dec. 18

    Airmen will be able to access the Airman Handbook via a desktop icon slated to begin Dec. 18.The Airman Handbook is a compilation of policies, procedures and standards that guide Airmen’s actions within the profession of arms.

  • Misawa pilots save Iraqi civilians, earn 2014 Mackay Trophy

    Stranded on Mount Sinjar, Iraq, without food, water, medical care, facing starvation and dehydration, and under constant enemy gunfire, more than 40,000 Iraqi Yazidis were saved by a multinational coalition force led by Misawa Air Base F-16C Fighting Falcon pilots during an airstrike Aug. 9, 2014.

  • Pentagon exhibit showcases Reserve leaders

    The Office of the Air Force Reserve unveiled 13 portraits of Air Force Reserve leaders during the Profiles in Leadership display ceremony here Dec. 7. The display celebrates and honors citizen Airmen’s contributions in serving the nation.

  • 2,500th C-130 lands at Moody

    Fifty-nine years after the first C-130 Hercules was delivered to the Air Force, the 2,500th Lockheed Martin Corp. manufactured C-130 joined the 71st Rescue Squadron's fleet and legacy here Dec. 11.

  • Deployed Airmen, others come together to support injured teen

    Deployed service members at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, joined representatives from Boeing and the Qatar Emiri Air Force to send a care package to a teenager recovering from an all-terrain vehicle wreck.Gregory is a high school junior, an Eagle Scout and a Civil Air Patrol cadet. He likes hunting,

  • Storied career of a flight engineer

    Everyone waits for his approval before the plane takes off.He is Master Sgt. Curtis Stark, the 7th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron superintendent. In nearly three decades of service, Stark has flown more than 400 combat missions in the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar

  • 12 for 12

    On the 12th day of the 12th month, service members here took action to ensure 12 security forces defenders were honored with a 12-kilometer ruck march.

  • AF Materiel Command to transition to AcqDemo

    About 13,000 Air Force Materiel Command non-bargaining unit civilian employees will transition to the Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project pay system in June 2016, according to AFMC officials.

  • Lackland spouses’ club diversifies with male president

    The Lackland Officers’ Spouses’ Club recently elected Caesar Jordan Nafrada as the club’s first male president. Nafrada initially joined as a way to repay a group that helped him in the past. When he graduated from Kadena High School in Okinawa 20 years ago, Nafrada received aid for college from

  • AF leaders gather to talk professionalism

    Air Force leaders discussed the future of professionalism in the total force and how to forge better Airmen during a summit here Dec. 2-3. Nearly 80 leaders from all major commands joined stakeholders from Headquarters Air force, Air University, U.S. Air Force Academy, and the Air Force Guard and

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • ACC charts path for remote aircrews, units

    Air Combat Command officials announced the results of their study into the remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) community in an attempt to normalize operations and ensure long-term mission success.

  • Comm Airmen keep OIR mission connected

    The demand for communication capabilities is on the rise at Incirlik Air Base with the addition of aircraft and service members in support of Operation Inherent Resolve missions. The 39th Communications Squadron is hard at work meeting those demands, keeping the lines of communication open and

  • Aircraft with a cold shoulder

    While the roads and parking lots on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, have snow plows clearing the way, global ground-support aircraft deicers clear aircraft for the skies.

  • Enhanced Use Lease brings 30-MW solar energy project to Eglin AFB

    As part of an Air Force Community Partnership and Energy Program initiative, the Air Force and Gulf Power Company signed an Enhanced Use Lease Nov. 24 to develop a 30-megawatt photovoltaic solar energy project on a 240-acre parcel of land on Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

  • Airman achieves lifelong dream of becoming pro bodybuilder

    The technical sergeant stood on the 2015 National Physique Committee National Bodybuilding Championships stage, Nov. 21, in Miami, Florida, in front of thousands of people. The blazing spotlights were on him as the announcer read off the winners -- the moment when his dream came true.

  • AMC C-17 facilitates airdrop for Missile Defense Agency test

    Over the summer, the Air Force Test Center sent a C-17 Globemaster III with air and maintenance crews from Edwards Air Force Base to Hawaii, but it was no vacation. The crews worked 24-hour shifts for several months to support a Missile Defense Agency test of the Ballistic Missile Defense System