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U.S. Air Force News

  • Airmen assist Iraqis with maintenance training

    On the flightline, in hangars and in backshops here more and more Iraqi air force members are repairing their own helicopters with less and less instruction from American Airmen.Airmen assigned to the 721st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron help the Iraqi air force become self-sustaining by

  • Aug. 3 airpower summary: F-15E provides cover for disabled convoy

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Aug. 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force B-1B Lancers provided air support for friendly

  • Obama: Health care reform won't affect VA, Tricare

    In ongoing discussions about health-care reform, President Barack Obama offered assurance Aug. 4 to those receiving medical care through Tricare or the Department of Veterans Affairs: Your benefits are safe. Eligibility for health care under VA or Tricare "will not be affected by our efforts at

  • Guam Guard members leave mark in Dili

    An 11-member team from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, recently provided much-needed civil engineering assistance as part of Operation Pacific Angel 2009 in Dili. Pacific Angel is a Pacific Air Forces humanitarian and civic assistance program conducted in the Asia-Pacific region and led by 13th Air

  • Shoplifting, and resulting costs to military community, down in '08

    High-tech electronic article surveillance systems, eagle-eyed closed circuit television cameras and an aggressive youth shoplifting awareness campaign helped take "a bite out of crime" at Army & Air Force Exchange Service facilities last year as shoplifting cases dropped 15.7 percent, from 7,635 in

  • Photo essay: Academy football drills

    The U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons coaching staff began looking for the starting lineup during the second day of football practice at the Academy in Colorado. The Falcons host the Nicholls State Colonels Sept. 5 in their home opener. View slideshow.

  • Pace team in place to help marathoners reach goals

    The Air Force Marathon pace team will be on-hand to help both first time and experienced marathoners looking to reach their running goals for the Sept. 19 race here. The pace team is a group of experienced marathoners that will lead runners through the entire 26.2 miles of the course at even,

  • Pentagon officials weigh social networking benefits, vulnerabilities

    Defense Department officials here are weighing the benefits of social networking and other Web 2.0 platforms against potential security vulnerabilities they create. In a memo issued in late July, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III directed a study of social media sites like Twitter,

  • Officials urge parents to check students' immunization records

    Department of Defense Education Activity officials here are reminding parents to review their children's immunization records to ensure they're up to date by the first day of the school year. "Updating students' immunizations is an important part of back-to-school preparations," said Mary Patton,

  • Command chief master sergeant screening board convenes

    The command chief master sergeant screening board for calendar year 2009 recently selected 200 candidates out of a field of 740 eligible chief master sergeants to fill 80 expected requirements. A significant change in this year's selection process was the "all-in" concept approved by the Air Force

  • Photo essay: Bagram Airmen destroy explosives, munitions

    Airmen from the 755th Air Expeditionary Group's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight destroyed several hundred pounds of mixed ordnance, including discarded Soviet munitions from the 1970s, Aug. 2 at a disposal range several miles from here.  View the slideshow.

  • Photo essay: Photographer captures mission

    Aerial still photographer Tech. Sgt. Michelle Desrochers documents a C-17 Globemaster III refueling mission over the Pacific Ocean July 30. The aircraft is assigned to the 336th Air Refueling Squadron out of March Air Reserve Base, Calif. Sergeant Desrochers is from the 4th Combat Camera Squadron

  • Installation Acquisition Transformation revises implementation plan

    Air Force officials here recently completed a comprehensive restructuring of installation acquisition within the continental United States, dubbed Installation Acquisition Transformation, and adopted a revised implementation strategy. The Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century high-value

  • SOUTHCOM officials embrace two-way impact of social media

    Social media has become all the rage throughout the military as a growing number of senior leaders turn to blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter entries and other social networking venues to get word out about their activities and engage new audiences. Command officials exploring the best way to get

  • WaveRider test vehicle meets B-52

    Airmen successfully mated the X-51A WaveRider flight test vehicle to a B-52 Stratofortress July 17 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The fit check followed integration earlier in the month of the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne scramjet propulsion system into the X-51 at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale,

  • Tricare deputy director highlights new programs

    Tricare officials are enhancing programs and services as part of an ongoing commitment to provide quality health care for military families, the new deputy director of Tricare Management Activity said. One of the key Tricare initiatives is to enhance the contact beneficiaries and their family

  • Major force protection contract awarded

    A team of professionals led by Hanscom's 642nd Electronic Systems Squadron recently ensured Air Force security forces around the world will have access to cutting edge integrated base defense systems for the next five years. On July 24, the Air Force awarded a Force Protection Security System

  • Operation Allied Force comes alive through 'Tanker Living Legends' series

    Four veterans of NATO's 78-day air war, Operation Allied Force in 1999, recalled their experiences through the "Tanker Living Legends" speaker series July 30 at the Global Reach Planning Center at Scott Air Force Base. Among the "living legends" who spoke included Lt. Gen. Vern M. "Rusty" Findley

  • Ophthalmology residency program receives top accreditation

    The San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium Ophthalmology Residency Program at Wilford Hall Medical Center here has obtained the highest level of accreditation.Officials with the Accreditation Counsel for Graduate Medical Education have awarded the residency program a five-year

  • Obama: New GI Bill renews commitment to troops

    President Barack Obama today saluted the implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill Aug. 4 during a ceremony at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. Signed into law June 20, 2008, the new GI Bill is a Department of Veteran Affairs-sponsored program that provides the most comprehensive educational

  • LeMay Center holds first Service Core Function Symposium

    The developers at the LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education here concluded a symposium July 28 that helped define the new service core functions enabling Airmen to accomplish the full gamut of missions the Air Force provides to the joint force. "The Air Force's first Service Core

  • DOD personal property program actively seeks servicemembers' input

    Have you ever had your household goods moved and at the end of the process, thought, "That was the best move I've had. I hope my next move is that good." Or conversely, "That move was horrible. I hope no one else has to use movers like these."Well, you now have a say in which moving companies the

  • Aug. 2 airpower summary: HH-60G transports medevac patients

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Aug. 2, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs were providing armed

  • Air Force aeromedical evacuation teams give British soldier fighting chance

    Three Air Force aircraft along with multiple aircrew, aeromedical evacuation teams, and agencies from around the world gave a British soldier a fighting chance at life in late July after the soldier sustained multiple gunshot wounds and had his blood supply replaced more than 10 times at a military

  • Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman cites Coast Guard's 219th birthday

    Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton convinced Congress to authorize construction of 10 topsail schooners Aug. 4, 1790, for the U.S. Revenue-Marine to combat widespread smuggling. Our nation proudly celebrates that day 219 years ago when the U.S. Coast Guard was born. Since then, thousands of men

  • Silver Flag provides contingency training for USAFE Airmen

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe Airmen participated in a week-long contingency operations training exercise here July 27 through 31. Silver Flag consisted of five days of classroom training and two days of field training. Airmen from various Air Force specialty codes had to work together to set up and

  • Photo essay: Airmen deploy

    Airmen from the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., deploy to Southwest Asia in support of operations. View the slideshow.

  • Scientists use virtual world to support troops

    Scientists are using virtual online worlds to improve the flow of information and support to servicemembers returning from deployments. Jacquelyn Morie of the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies discussed the "Transitional Online Post-deployment Soldier Support in

  • Air Force officials focus on information protection

    The recent spate of cyber attacks against government systems has gotten the attention of the administration and the DOD. Just as flight altered the way the Air Force operated in the 20th century, the information explosion promises to shape the way the nation fights and wins its wars. In a recent

  • Investing in energy conservation expected to save millions

    More than a dozen Energy Conservation Investment Program projects will soon break ground Air Force-wide and are expected to save the Air Force more than $4 million a year. The Fiscal 2009 Military Construction appropriation to the Office of the Secretary of Defense provided $22.6 million for ECIP

  • Operation Lone Star underway

    Operation Lone Star, which provided health care to more than 11,000 South Texas residents in just two weeks last year, has expanded this summer to provide free health clinics in even more locations. Military personnel, state and county officials and hundreds of volunteers are providing free health

  • National Resource Directory contains a wealth of information

    The National Resource Directory is an online resource for wounded, ill and injured servicemembers, veterans, their families and those who support them. The NRD provides information on, and access to, medical and non-medical services and resources across the country which will help them reach their

  • Explosion injures 2 Airmen

    Two Airmen were injured in a landmine explosion Aug. 2 about 12:30 p.m. at an off-base location near Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. The Airmen were transported to the Craig Joint Theater Hospital here. The Airmen are assigned to the 755th Air Expeditionary Group, which reports to the 455th Air

  • Aug. 1 airpower summary: B-1Bs conduct precision strikes

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Aug 1, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs employed shows of force with

  • July 31 airpower summary: F-16s quells enemy attack

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations July 31, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, F-16 Fighting Falcons employed strafing runs on a group of

  • July 30 airpower summary: F-15Es eliminate IEDs

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations July 30, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Sangin, an Air Force MQ-9A Reaper responded to an enemy threat by

  • Air Force officials to host UAS Symposium

    Air Force officials will host the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Symposium Aug. 4 to 6 at the University of North Dakota, in which participants will address representatives of academic institutions and industry as well as local military leaders regarding the Air Force UAS vision.Air Force leaders

  • Historic first step taken to join bases in San Antonio

    A milestone in San Antonio's long military history happened here July 31 as Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz , commander of Air Education and Training Command, officiated the activation ceremony for the 502nd Air Base Wing with Brig. Gen. Leonard A. "Len" Patrick taking command. "Today's activation of the

  • Sheppard, AF officials retire workhorse of pilot training

    More than 50 years of dependable service is a lot to ask, especially from a tool used to train thousands of people in a critical and sometimes dangerous business. But as men and women in the U.S. Air Force said farewell to the T-37 Tweet July 31, they did so knowing they got all they asked for and

  • Photo essay: Preparing a city

    Airmen at Osan Air Base, South Korea are making preparations for Ulchi Freedom Guardian, a joint bilateral exercise set to start in August. More than 550 military members will participate in the exercise. UFG is a regularly scheduled summer exercise involving forces from both South Korea and the

  • F-16s scramble to unresponsive pilot over West Virginia

    Officials from the 601st Air and Space Operations Center here responded to a call from Federal Aviation Administration officials at approximately 8 p.m. Eastern time July 30 when radio calls to a civilian pilot went unanswered. F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots flying under the command and control of

  • GI Bill transferability set to begin

    With the Post-9/11 GI Bill's option to transfer unused educational benefits to eligible family members taking effect Aug. 1, it's no surprise that more than 25,000 servicemembers have pre-applied, a Pentagon official here said July 31. The wave of applicants has far exceeded the Defense and Veterans

  • Goodfellow veteran relives experience for Airmen

    Five years ago a rocket attack in Iraq left a former 17th Security Forces Squadron defender without legs and a right arm. Brian Kolfage Jr., a retired senior airman, shared his story in Airman magazine, numerous newspapers, online magazines, patriotic Web sites and medical magazines. He was also in

  • Captain brings entertainment to servicemembers

    When most servicemembers think of their concert experiences here, they recall punching their fists into the desert sky, rocking out to old favorites and meeting new friends. Capt. Joshua Daniels, on the other hand, remembers long hours, black coffee and some of the most rewarding days of his

  • Space Fence program awards contracts for concept development

    Last month's award of three $30-million concept development contracts for the Space Fence program will yield an outcropping of risk reduction activities designed to improve the overall space surveillance network. "This is truly a classic multi-contractor, prototyping risk-reduction effort, and a

  • Flight test shows small antenna can do big things

    Electronic Systems Center and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory personnel demonstrated the powerful capabilities of a small antenna during a flight test conducted earlier this summer here. The 7-inch-high-by-14-inch-wide antenna performed so well that only one flight test was

  • Contract awarded to clean up former Castle and Norton Air Force bases

    Air Force officials have awarded a multi-year performance-based contract to CH2M HILL, Inc. to perform environmental activities at the former Castle Air Force Base near Atwater, Calif., and the former Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, Calif. This $8.18 million contract runs through 2015. The

  • Wright-Patterson employee to receive 'Extreme Home Makeover'

    A Wright-Patterson Air Force Base civilian employee living in Beavercreek, Ohio, will receive a complete home redo and be featured on ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" television program tentatively planned to air this fall. Show producers selected James Terpenning, who is confined to a

  • Physical therapists keep servicemembers in the fight

    Aircraft mechanics make sure the airframes they are assigned to are in impeccable condition, fine tuning them, ensuring there isn't any excessive wear and tear so these precision machines are ready to do their part in the today's fight. The human body is also a precision machine and needs to be well

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force. View the Week in Photos slideshow.

  • Special Ops Command opens new headquarters

    Special Operations Command Central officials opened a new home with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for their new building July 29 here. The headquarters will allow SOCCENT members to better accomplish its mission of exercising operational control of more than 7,000 special operations servicemembers in

  • Air Force officials release F-22 accident report

    Air Force Materiel Command officials here July 31 released an accident investigation report that determined that human factors associated with high gravitational forces caused the March 25 crash of an F-22 test aircraft 35 miles outside of Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The test pilot, David Cooley,

  • Uncertainty about military suicides frustrates services

    The most frustrating part about suicide prevention is the uncertainty about what causes troops to take their lives, top military leaders said here July 29. This near-unanimous chorus was sounded on Capitol Hill when the second-ranking military officers of each service testified about military mental

  • AMC Airman earns national recognition

    An Air Mobility Command NCO here recently earned the National Defense Transportation Association International Junior Executive Leadership Award. Tech. Sgt. Alisha Cua, an air transportation specialist assigned to AMC standardization, programs and resources branch, will be recognized at the NDTA

  • Commander discusses multinational airlift operations from Hungary

    For the first time, 12 nations have come together, independent of NATO, to fly in support of their national requirements under the provisions of the Strategic Airlift Capability program, a U.S. military officer in Papa, Hungary, said July 29. "While we don't take operational directions from (NATO),

  • Minot Airmen use AFSO 21 to save $1 million annually

    Members of the 5th Maintenance Squadron Aerospace Ground Equipment Flight here recently initiated an Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century process to increase the unit's effectiveness with a $325 investment that is expected to yield a return and more than $1 million annually. An increase

  • July 28 airpower summary: Tankers fuel coalition aircraft

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations July 28, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. Near Surkhabad, coalition aircraft and Air Force B-1B Lancers provided

  • July 29 airpower summary: F-16s strike enemy positions

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations July 29, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. Near Asadabad, Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons provided armed overwatch

  • Airmen save Iraqi girl's life after IED blast

    Security forces Airmen, emergency medics and hospital staff here saved an Iraqi girl after an improvised explosive device detonated at her feet in July near Joint Base Balad. The girl and her family had just attended a Joint Base Balad-sponsored clothing-and-toys distribution for local children at

  • H1N1 cases identified at Hurlburt

    Four Hurlburt Field Airmen have tested positive for the H1N1 virus in July and 59 others currently have symptoms consistent with the H1N1 virus. Most of the illnesses are clustered within one work center and a few are roommates with members who are from that work center. All are recuperating well,

  • Airmen step back as Iraqis take control of mission support

    American Airmen don't run dining facilities for the Iraqi military here. They don't pump fuel and they don't make runs to ammunition storage points. At least not any more. All of these daily tasks that require the utmost attention to detail to supporting mission readiness are handled directly by

  • Airmen build ties with Iraqi families

    Forty-five Airmen volunteered to visit and distribute donated items to local families here July 24 as part of the Sather Air Base Good Neighbor Program. This program, which is sponsored by the Sather AB Rising Six, is made up of volunteers who take a trip once a month to distribute care packages to

  • Photo essay: Raptors at Red Flag-Alaska

    An F-22 Raptor pilots braved a rainy day of flying July 27 during Red Flag-Alaska here. Red Flag is a field training exercise for U.S. coalition forces that provides joint offensive counter-air, interdiction close air support, and large force employment training in a simulated combat environment.

  • Bombers fly down under

    Members of the 96th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron here completed 10 sorties flying more than 110 hours while participating in Talisman Saber 2009 July 15 through 24 over Australia. The bilateral command post and field training exercise was designed to increase interoperability between U.S. and

  • General says Air Guard facing recapitalization issues

    One of the biggest challenges facing the Air National Guard today is replacing its fleet of aircraft that are approaching the end of their service lives, a senior Air National Guard official said July 29. "A big problem we have in the Air National Guard is figuring out how to recapitalize our aging

  • Air Force Marathon registration fees to increase Aug. 2

    The registration price for the Air Force Marathon, half-marathon and 5K races will increase Aug. 2.Through Aug. 1, registration for the full marathon, which includes wheeled and visually impaired divisions, costs $75, the half-marathon is $60, the 10K is $35 per person and the 5K (also including a

  • Photo essay: Field training at Jacks Valley

    Basic cadets participate in the field training portion July 21 at the Jacks Valley Assault Course near here. Basic cadet training started June 25 and continues through Aug. 1.  The fall semester begins Aug. 6. View the slideshow.

  • July 27 airpower summary: B-1B provides overwatch

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations July 27, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. Near Shurakian, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and coalition aircraft

  • Post-9/11 GI Bill guidance sent to Airmen

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here provided updates to the field recently on the Air Force implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The updates, effective Aug. 1, include guidance on how eligible Airmen can choose to transfer part or all of their educational benefits to family members

  • Hundreds show for fallen Marine's return home

    About a thousand people lined Harmon Drive from the 12th Flying Training Wing headquarters to the main gate here the morning of July 26 to honor fallen Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Brandon Lara as a motorcade bringing his body home passed. The 20-year-old from New Braunfels, Texas, was on his second tour

  • Photo essay: Drone recovery

    A crew from Florida Offshore demonstrated the recovery of a BQM-167 Air Force Subscale Aerial Target recently in the waters off of Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.  The Florida Offshore crew is contracted through the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron to help recover sub-scale drones after they are shot down

  • War hero brought home, laid to rest after 40 years missing in action

    As three rifle vollies rang throughout Chapel Hill Memorial Cemetery July 27, the sounds meant a Vietnam War veteran who had been missing in action for more than 40 years was finally home to rest . Active-duty members, retirees and their families gathered at Chief Master Sgt. Quincy Adam's final

  • Air Force team to assess Iraqi air defense needs

    Air Force officials are sending an assessment team to Iraq to look at how the Iraqi military can field an air defense once American forces leave in 2011. The team is expected in the country shortly, said Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, during a roundtable July 28

  • Air Force doctor wins national award

    An Air Force doctor here was one of 10 receipients recently selected for the 2009 American College of Rheumatology Distinguished Award. Capt. (Dr.) Angelique Collamer is a physician, teacher and researcher assigned to the 59th Medical Wing, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, but works in the

  • Lackland officer wins Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Award

    The operating room flight commander at the 59th Surgical Operations Squadron here recently was selected the 2009 recipient of the Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Military Award at the field grade officer category by the Tuskegee Airmen Incorporated. Lt. Col. Jacqueline Mudd will be presented with the

  • Photo essay: Working the night shift

    Airmen from the 100th Air Refueling Wing here participated in an operational readiness exercise in preparation for an operation readiness inspection later this year. The exercise is designed to prepare Airmen to do their jobs in a deployed environment and in a worst-case scenario. View the

  • New process to drastically change programmed maintenance

    A C-130 Hercules is scheduled to arrive at Robins Air Force Base July 31 to mark the beginning of what is expected by Air Force officials to be a dramatic change in the way aircraft maintenance is done. The Air Mobility Command plane will be the first validation aircraft for high-velocity

  • Academy ranked among nation's best colleges

    The U.S. Air Force Academy's professors are among the most accessible in the nation, according to The Best 371 Colleges guide released by Princeton Review July 28. Faculty availability is an expectation at a military service academy, and the Academy ranks fourth in the nation in professor

  • Airmen aid coalition with multilanguage skills

    Thought not traditional Air Force linguists, two multilingual Airmen bring a unique skill to Manas Air Base. Capt. Jecek Dempnaik and Staff Sgt. Maria Hudgeons, who speak a combined seven languages, reduce communication barriers between Air Force members and coalition forces through written

  • Joint Base Balad troops aid first sergeant during heart attack

    Whether Joint Base Balad servicemembers have a wingman or a battle buddy, the ethos of helping a comrade in need arose during a basketball game here July 14. Headed by their coach, Army Sgt.1st Class Anthony Jones of the 699th Maintenance Company, a basketball team compiled of Airmen and Soldiers

  • Center gives troops tools to combat stress while deployed

    An innovative restoration program in Afghanistan is giving troops the tools they need to "stay in the fight" by helping them overcome the stresses and challenges of being deployed, the director of the Freedom Restoration Center at Bagram Airfield said recently. Army Capt. Donald Hawkins and his

  • AMC officials unveil official travel Web site

    Air Mobility Command officials here recently unveiled its first official, command-level AMC Travel Web site. People planning to travel the AMC military travel system can now point their Web browsers to http://www.amc.af.mil/amctravel/index.asp for the latest in AMC travel information. The site,

  • July 26 airpower summary: C-17s help sustain coalition operations

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations July 26, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. Near Surkhabad, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and coalition aircraft

  • CMSAF meets with Afghan counterpart during Rodeo

    The top enlisted members of the Air Force and the Afghan National Army Air Corps met July 23 to 24 during the Air Mobility Rodeo 2009 here Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy came to McChord Air Force Base and observed the air mobility competition with Command Sgt. Maj. Abdul Malik of

  • 'One of a kind' war records staging facility gets Air Force, national review

    Air Force and the National Archive and Records Administration officials visited the only Air Force war records staging facility in existence for the first time during a trip here June 30 to July 2. The Air Force records officer and NARA representatives toured the Air Forces Central Staging Facility

  • First Iraqi student graduates from Aviation Leadership Program

    Iraqi air force 2nd Lt. Omar AlNuaimi became the first Iraqi to complete the Air Force Aviation Leadership Program upon his graduation from aviation training July 24 here after three years of training. The Iraqi airman earned his pilots wings with his fellow student pilots of Specialized

  • 12 nations activate groundbreaking Heavy Airlift Wing

    Senior diplomatic and defense officials representing 12 nations as well as NATO witnessed July 27 the official activation of a first-of-its-kind multinational strategic airlift unit at Pápa Air Base, Hungary. "I want to extend my thanks to all of the nations that chose to participate in SAC," said

  • Academy officials add unmanned aircraft system into curriculum

    U.S. Air Force Academy officials here integrated unmanned aircraft systems into the school's curriculum. "The Air Force has made unmanned aircraft systems a priority for our service, and the value of these capabilities is evidenced on a daily basis in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Lt. Gen. Michael C.

  • Exercise Talisman Saber concludes

    Officials from the 13th Air Force here were at the nerve center for airpower during Talisman Saber 2009, a bilateral command post and field-training exercise between U.S. and Australian forces that concluded July 25. The two-week exercise, held jointly by U.S. Pacific Command and the Australian

  • Gold Bar Recruiter program returns

    Eighteen second lieutenants completed the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Gold Bar Recruiter program first annual training course here July 23. This is the first group of lieutenants to go through the 10-day Gold Bar training course since the program was converted to a contract in 2002,

  • Winners announced for Rodeo 2009 competitions

    Air Mobility Rodeo 2009 ended here July 24 with a closing ceremony and the announcement of 74 awards including the coveted "Best of the Best" Award. The competition is the Air Force's and Air Mobility Command's premier mobility competition and included seven international competitors and observers

  • Remote base uses natural energy to power facilities

    A small Air Force Space Command base on the British-owned island of Ascension uses natural energy to help power its facilities. Called Ascension Auxiliary Airfield, the small base serves as a satellite tracking station for the 45th Space Wing.Located in the South Atlantic Ocean several thousand