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  • Effectiveness of commercial air cargo augmentation under review

    U.S. Central Command's Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, or CDDOC, has initiated a test to determine the cost and effectiveness of using commercial air cargo aircraft to augment military aircraft in delivering supplies to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The purpose of this initiative,

  • Hickam AFB welcomes its final C-17

    Hickam welcomed "The Spirit of Kamehameha-Imua" today -- the last of its eight C-17 Globemaster IIIs. The arrival marked the successful transformation of the 15th Airlift Wing from a support unit to an operational strategic airlift wing. Earlier this year the 15th AW had no strategic cargo aircraft

  • Air Force ready to help with Lebanon evacuations

    Airmen are ready on the East Coast to fly in at a moment's notice to help with the movement of Americans fleeing the chaos in Lebanon. A group of Airmen from one of three contingency response groups at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., is ready to deploy where needed -- if needed, a base spokesman said.

  • OSI agent overcomes IED injuries, back to the job

    The morning of Feb. 20 was like any other for Air Force Office of Special Investigations Special Agent Adele Loar, who was assigned to the Strategic Counterintelligence Directorate in Baghdad, Iraq. Her mission, along with the joint team assembled there, was to gather information from Iraqi civilian

  • 45th Space Wing supports successful shuttle mission

    The 45th Space Wing provided continued support of the Space Shuttle Discovery from its launch on July 4 to its landing at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on July 17.The Department of Defense Manned Spaceflight Support staff operated an around-the-clock Support Operations Center for STS-121 at Patrick

  • Assistant secretary to join bike ride across Iowa

    An Air Force official charged with finding alternative fuel sources for the Air Force will demonstrate his commitment to the cause by riding in the Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, or RAGBRAI. The cyclist is William "Bill" Anderson, assistant secretary of the Air Force

  • Milwaukee Reserve unit begins move to North Carolina

    The timeline for the permanent transfer of the 440th Airlift Wing to Pope Air Force Base, N.C., and the closure of General Mitchell International Airport Air Reserve Station has been released. The 440th AW will be a North Carolina Air Force Reserve unit by May 2007 and the Air Reserve Station will

  • U.S., Parwan governments build ‘bridge to future'

    In the culmination of more than a year's efforts, the Parwan deputy governor cut the ribbon on a bridge July 11 in the northern part of this province connecting Afghans to their country. The new bridge spans a river in the mountains and was built with the future in mind as it accommodates both foot

  • Airmen stay in spiritual shape in combat zone

    When Airmen deploy to combat, they expect a mission-focused environment. Without the daily demands of home life and the distractions of fast-paced America, many use their limited spare time to develop themselves in new ways. "Some people get in shape at the gym," said Chaplain (Capt.) Jose Tate,

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 18.In Afghanistan July 17, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, a B-1B Lancer, a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle and Royal Air Force GR-7s provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with anti-coalition

  • 93rd Bomb Squadron is Litening pod combat-capable

    The 917th Reserve Wing's 93rd Bomb Squadron here is the first B-52 Stratofortress squadron to complete the training requirements for combat use of the Litening AT targeting pod. "This new mission capability is a first for the B-52 and gives the combatant commander another weapon in his arsenal in

  • Total force at work in RIMPAC

    Seven F-15 Eagle fighter jets assigned to the Hawaii Air National Guard fired AIM-7 Sparrow missiles at drones dropped from a Navy F-18 July 16. Pilots fired the missiles in the Pacific Missile Range Facility off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii, as part of the 2006 Rim of the Pacific Exercise, known as

  • AFA looking for former Outstanding Airmen of the Year

    The Air Force Association is looking for all former recipients of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year award program. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the award, which has been presented to more than 700 Airmen.The AFA will honor all former award winners at the Air Force anniversary dinner

  • Military Equal Opportunity works to right wrongs

    The time was the early 1970s -- just a few years after President Lyndon B. Johnson enacted the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Race relations were affecting society as a whole, so it also affected the military. "The military was going through a large transition at that point with integration of military

  • Air Force announces developmental education opportunities

    Air Force officers interested in 2007 developmental education opportunities must begin the application process in August. A completed Air Force Form 3849, PME/AFIT/RTFB Officer Worksheet, and senior rater nomination are due by Aug. 18 for officers applying for the Olmsted Scholarship, White House

  • Accident report released on Predator crash

    Pilot error caused an MQ-1L Predator unmanned aerial vehicle to crash March 20 during a reconnaissance mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to an aircraft accident investigation report released today. There were no injuries in the incident and the aircraft crashed in an

  • Air Force leaders meet in Ohio for Corona

    The Air Force's top leaders met for a forum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, on July 12 to 14 to discuss the global war on terror, the state of readiness for Airmen and Air Force modernization. Army Gen. John Abizaid, U.S. Central Command commander, spoke with the leaders about his area of

  • Service demographics offer snapshot of force

    The Air Force Personnel Center here recently published its quarterly demographics report, offering a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force as of June 30. More information can be found at the center's analysis branch Web site: http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/demographics/.

  • Muster to test deployment capable numbers

    The Air Reserve Personnel Center conducts a muster for nearly 150 individual ready reservists July 20 and 27 at the Buckley Annex here to test the readiness of the force.The IRR Muster Program, mandated by U.S. law, exists to enhance readiness and ensure the Air Force can "reach out and touch" the

  • Airmen, Soldiers thwart terrorists emplacing IED

    The combined efforts of Air Force Airmen and Multi-national Division-Baghdad Soldiers foiled the efforts of terrorists today attempting to put into place an improvised-explosive device south of Baghdad.Airmen from the 11th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron's Joint Terminal Attack

  • Air Force notifies lieutenants of special board results

    The 127 lieutenants in the 2002 and 2003 accession year groups who were reconsidered for retention should be notified by their senior raters today of the special board's results.The special board, which convened June 26 at the Air Force Personnel Center here, selected 22 of the lieutenants for

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 17.In Afghanistan July 16, an Air Force B-1B Lancer conducted precision strikes on Taliban extremist locations near Musah Qal'eh. The B-1B expended guided bomb unit-38s on extremists' buildings, destroying the

  • Air Force big hit at big show

    Capt. Brett Clutter was not exactly sure what to expect as he traveled here in his B-52 Stratofortress from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., to participate in the Royal International Air Tattoo. But as the big event got under way, it seemed like it was for him that the thousands of spectators were

  • Elmendorf unit saves thousands

    Airmen at the 3rd Equipment Maintenance Squadron Nondestructive Inspection Laboratory here have found a way to save the Air Force more than $200,000 annually.The lab is responsible for inspecting all aircraft assigned to the 3rd Wing for internal problems that are hard for the naked eye to see."We

  • Cameras enhance forecasting of sun-generated storms

    Every 100-plus minutes, while orbiting approximately 50 miles above the Earth onboard the Coriolis satellite, the Solar Mass Ejection Imager experiment scans the darkness of space-seeking, sun-generated magnetic clouds of particles intent on striking the planet. Since becoming operational in January

  • USAFE football reunion to be held at Andrews

    Servicemembers who played for the U.S. Air Forces in Europe football team will gather together with their teammates at a reunion here Sept. 1 and 2. The reunion will be a celebration for the men who competed against each other on the football field while serving their country, said Tech. Sgt. Scott

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 16.In Afghanistan July 15, an Air Force B-1B Lancer and Predator unmanned aerial vehicle conducted a precision strike against a Taliban extremist's position near Musah Qal'eh. The B-1B expended guided bomb

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 15. In Afghanistan July 14, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and French Air Force M-2000s provided close-air support for coalition forces taking small arms fire from Taliban extremists near Tarin Kowt. The A-10s

  • A potential for disaster

    The two green lights staring down 1st Lt. Michael Seltzer were a problem. A third light, which remained dark, indicated trouble: the landing gear at the nose of the lieutenant's F-16 Fighting Falcon was not down and locked into place. Low on fuel after a five-hour mission over Iraq, and flying hot

  • Educators important in military children's lives

    It is important that teachers and other school officials understand factors affecting children of military families, a senior Army general said here July 13. A military lifestyle often is characterized by frequent moves and parents who are deployed for long periods of time, Army Gen. David D.

  • Industry leaders headline Air Force technology conference

    The 2006 Air Force Information Technology Conference, themed "Dominating Cyberspace," takes place Aug. 13 to 17 at Auburn University's Montgomery, Ala., campus. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John D.W. Corley will speak on the conference's opening day. Microsoft chief executive officer Steve

  • Air Force names pararescue award winners

    Air Force officials announced today the combat rescue officer and pararescuemen of the year. The 2005 award winners are: Combat Rescue Officer of the Year: Capt. Jose L. Cabrera, 38th Rescue Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Pararescue Senior NCO of the Year: Master Sgt. Douglas Isaacks, 342nd

  • Air Force names combat controller, special tactics officer award winners

    The winners of the Air Force's 2005 annual awards for combat controller and special tactics officer were announced today.The award winners are: Special Tactics Field Grade Officer of the Year: Maj. Michael Martin, 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, N.C. Special Tactics Company Grade

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 14.In Afghanistan July 13, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1B Lancer provided close-air support for coalition forces taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near Musah

  • Oregon-based KC-135 unit begins drawdown

    The first KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft from the 939th Air Refueling Wing departs Portland International Airport today, marking the beginning of a change in mission for the Air Force Reserve unit.Under the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process, all eight of the refueling aircraft and 900

  • IA program provides political-military, cultural experts

    Air Force officers can expect to gain international insight, foreign language proficiency and cultural understanding by becoming international affairs specialists, said an Air Force executive here. "Under the old foreign area officer program, international skills were self-obtained," said Bruce

  • RIMPAC 2006: Perfecting air operations

    Airmen and Sailors working in the Pacific Air Operations Center here are getting unique command and control training during the Rim of the Pacific exercise, known as RIMPAC 2006. Seven Pacific Rim nations and the United Kingdom are participating with the United States in the major maritime exercise,

  • Uniform board to release updates to AFI

    An update to Air Force Instruction 36-2903, Air Force Uniform Dress and Appearance, will soon be released, said Air Force officials. A key feature of this updated instruction will be the return of heritage to the enlisted corps -- chevrons on the sleeves and circles around the U.S. insignia. "Over

  • AFMC leads ICE Breaker

    Three Air Force Materiel Command organizations will team up with six other Air Force agencies and three industry partners to participate in an ICE Breaker July 17 to 21. In this case, the ICE Breaker is not a social event. It refers to the Air Force Integrated Collaborative Environment. The Air

  • Air Force, Army tell industry networks will be similar

    Air Force and Army officials say their plans for network modernization are similar to one another. Army Lt. Gen. Steven Boutelle, the Army chief information officer, and Lt. Gen. Michael W. Peterson, Air Force chief of warfighting integration and chief information officer, spoke at a conference for

  • Air Force cyclists join annual bike ride across Iowa

    Several riders representing the Air Force are taking part in the Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, or RAGBRAI, July 23 to 29.The annual seven-day bicycle ride across the state, in its 33rd year, has been attracting Air Force cyclists since 1995. What began as a small group

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 13. In Afghanistan July 12, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle provided close-air support for coalition forces under small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban

  • C-130 Hercules crew delivers critical supplies

    A C-130 Hercules crew assigned to the 738th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron provided critical support to an Army operating location in Afghanistan on July 6 by airdropping essential supplies before a potential enemy attack. Aircraft commander Capt. Travis Sjostedt and his crew just completed their

  • Lakenheath tests small-diameter bombs

    Four F-15E Strike Eagles loaded with the electronically simulated version of the Air Force's newest small-diameter bombs flew their first training mission July 10.The 494th Fighter Squadron aircrews tested the capability of the GBU-39 -- guided bomb unit -- and trained with aircraft modifications

  • Second phase of NSPS begins in October

    The Defense Department announced plans July 12 to transfer more than 66,000 additional DOD civilian employees into the new National Security Personnel System beginning in October. The plan, delivered to Congress earlier this week, ushers in the second phase in implementing the new

  • Airmen handle missions big and small in Afghanistan

    Tech. Sgt. William Long likes a challenge, but a couple weeks ago, one challenge seemed insurmountable. Air Force officials notified an Airman deployed to a remote forward operating base that his wife was gravely ill. The Air Force placed him on emergency leave, and then tried to figure a way to get

  • Rules of engagement set for political participation

    Political freedom is something the military has defended since the founding of the United States. But, while free to participate in the political process, there are some rules military members need to know. "Our main job is to follow the orders that come down our chain of command, which has an

  • Program offers chance to work with foreign air force

    Officers from almost any specialty, and some NCOs, can have the opportunity to live and work as a foreign air force member through the Military Personnel Exchange Program, which allows nations to learn how other air forces operate. Maj. P.K. Carlton, currently serving as a Royal Air Force instructor

  • Civilian personnel system integrates under one umbrella

    A symbolic ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the Air Force Personnel Center here to mark the Directorate of Civilian Force Integration's initial operating capability. Maj. Gen. Tony Przybyslawski, AFPC commander, praised the civilian Airmen for what they have accomplished and reminded them of

  • KC-135 to celebrate 50 years of flying

    The Air Force will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the KC-135 Stratotanker here Sept. 8-9. The ceremony will honor a tanker aircraft that is still supporting operations for Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps aircraft as well as aircraft of allied nations around the world. The KC-135's principal

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 12.In Afghanistan July 11, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, a B-1B Lancer and a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle provided close-air support for coalition forces taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire

  • Cooperative Cope Thunder brings international participants

    Forces from the United States, Canada, Japan, Sweden, Mongolia, NATO, South Korea, Germany, Slovak Republic and Australia will arrive in Alaska July 15 to participate in exercise Cooperative Cope Thunder 06-3.This Pacific Air Forces field training exercise for U.S. forces and its allies is the

  • Letter to Airmen recognizes the Total Force

    In the latest Letter to Airmen, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne recognizes the Total Force. “As a leader in the Total Force Integration, the Air Force continues to benefit from one powerful, cohesive team formed by our Active Duty Airmen, Air National Guardsmen, and Air Force Reservists.

  • From Holloman to Hollywood, Transformers make movie magic

    Lights, camera, action! Airmen at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., home to the Air Force's only operational F-117 wing, got to experience a new kind of rush as Hollywood invaded their base. The DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures live-action film "Transformers," set to release in July 2007, will feature

  • ACC releases details on Shaw F-16 crash

    An F-16CJ Fighting Falcon pilot ejected from his aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean April 5 after experiencing a gravity-induced loss of consciousness and awaking to find his aircraft in an unrecoverable dive, according to an Air Combat Command report released today. The pilot suffered serious

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 5. In Afghanistan July 4, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and French Air Force M-2000s provided close-air support for coalition forces taking small arms fire from Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Deh Rawood.

  • Officials encourage purchase of renters insurance

    With hurricane season in full-swing, military officials are encouraging servicemembers who don't own their own homes to purchase renters insurance to protect their personal property."Hurricane season is now upon us. We urge you, particularly if you live in an area prone to nature's fury, to examine

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 11. In Afghanistan July 10, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops under fire from enemy forces near Musah Qal‘eh. The A-10 expended guided bomb unit-12s destroying an enemy

  • Airmen are battlefield innovators

    Airmen are adapting to the battle space and an evolving enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan, said the commander of U.S. Central Command Air Forces. Lt. Gen. Gary North told Airmen here during a visit July 5, they are always ready to support ground commanders despite an increased operations tempo. "This

  • Air Force officials consolidate network ops

    Air Force officials have formally consolidated the service's network operations and created the Air Force Network Operations, or AFNETOPS, command structure at 8th Air Force here. The AFNETOPS, pronounced "AF Net Ops," Command stood up in a ceremony July 5.The move is part of a larger Air Force

  • Security forces officer shows Iraqis how to defend freedom

    For more than 12 years Maj. Jeffery Prindle has honed his skills as a professional police officer, working both as a military security forces officer and a deputy for the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. In that time, the 315th Airlift Wing reservist developed the tools necessary to assess

  • Iraqi tells Gold Star Mothers their sacrifice not in vain

    More than 40 American Gold Star Mothers and their guests from around the country came together here yesterday to honor the children they've lost in the country's conflicts. The ceremony, held at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial here, included a roll call honoring servicemembers from World

  • KC-135 bringing fuel to fight

    Whether refueling a fighter, bomber or a cargo aircraft, the KC-135 Stratotanker continues to play a vital role in military air operations and the war on terrorism."Everything we do has a direct impact on the war on terror and how the (United States) is viewed elsewhere in the world." said Lt. Col.

  • 13th EBS prepares for busy deployment

    Aircrew and support members from the 13th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron deployed here last week to provide a continuous bomber presence in the region and help maintain stability and provide security for the Asia-Pacific region.The squadron replaces the 393rd EBS, which returned home July 1. The B-2

  • 13th month of recruiting success more than luck

    Defense officials are attributing the 13th consecutive month in which every military service met or exceeded its active-duty recruiting goal to more than just good luck. Bryan Whitman, deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, cited the high priority every service has placed on

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 10. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1B Lancer provided close-air support to coalition troops taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists in the vicinity of

  • C-17 deployment length, efficiency increase

    In a break from the past, C-17 Globemaster IIIs and Airmen supporting the aircraft are deploying to the theaters and operating from one location for an entire air and space expeditionary force rotation. Previously a squadron traveled to an area, flew 14-15 days, then returned home. About one-third

  • Space support key to warfighters

    Supporting warfighters on the ground is the overarching mission of everyone deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Carrying out this earthly mission from thousands of miles above the ground, though, is a responsibility coordinated by the Combined Air Operations Center here.

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 9. In Afghanistan July 8, an Air Force B-1B Lancer conducted a precision strike on a cave complex used by Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Orgun-E. The aircraft expended joint direct attack munitions. Air

  • Reservist saves lives at accident scene

    A head-on collision on Washington's State Route 101 between Sequim and Port Angeles July 3 brought out the heroism in 12 strangers who stopped to help. One of those heroes was Tech. Sgt. Phillip White, a reservist with the 446th Airlift Wing here.Sergeant White was with his family when a Ford

  • Command and control focus of new research project

    The Air Force Office of Scientific Research, in cooperation with Binghamton University in New York, has started funding a research project targeted at improving the strength and availability of command and control networks. The team, led by Dr. N. Eva Wu, professor in the department of electrical

  • Active duty associate squadron a first for Air Guard

    In a ceremony at Cheyenne Municipal Airport today, the 30th Airlift Squadron became the first active-duty associate squadron, marking a groundbreaking partnership between Air Mobility Command and the Wyoming Air National Guard. Under the active-duty associate concept, the 30th AS will be the first