Start date for new personnel system pushed back three months

Defense officials have scaled back the initial group of civilian employees to fall under the new National Security Personnel System to 11,000 from a previously scheduled 60,000, officials announced Jan. 17. The implementation date was also changed from Feb. 1 to April 30. Personnel officials have

ROBE upgrade sets KC-135 on forefront of battle communications

A KC-135 Stratotanker here was fitted with upgraded communications equipment recently which will revolutionize battle space and the way the United States and its allies fight wars. After 18 months on the drawing board, the Roll-On Beyond Line-of-Sight Enhancement Spiral 2 program, ROBE, has been

Airman 'slugs' his way through D.C. assignment

Rush-hour traffic in the national capital region can be frustrating. To fend off the bumper-to-bumper blues, several servicemembers and civilians have taken to "slugging" -- the nickname given to instant carpooling here. To use the high occupancy vehicle lanes on many of the highways here, drivers

Airmen teach islanders construction skills

Members of the all-Air Force civic action team working here are not content with just building construction projects -- they want to teach Palauan how to do it. Eleven islanders are employed under the team’s apprenticeship-training program. Each works with a team member for training in the Airman’s

Joint patrol helps keep Kunsan Airmen safe

The 8th Security Forces Squadron Town Patrol, together with elements of the Korean National Police, or KNP, are conducting patrols of Kunsan City areas popular with base members. They actively patrol restricted areas and popular destinations of Kunsan City, said Master Sgt. Aaron Hascher, 8th SFS

Reservists attend first safeguard training exercise

While many Airmen were glued to the tube watching the NFL playoffs, the 939th Air Refueling Wing went to training camp to learn how to better survive and operate in a war, contingency or emergency. The 43 Reservists went to the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center at Camp Douglas, Wis., to

CENTAF releases daily airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released its daily airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 50 close-air-support missions Jan. 18 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and

Infrastructure team makes the 'POInT'

A group of Air Force civil engineers huddle in front of a large wall map at the back of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), 1st Brigade Combat Team’s headquarters here. The red and green lines that meander from dot to dot across the large white map command their attention. They are the Power

Balad add-on armor shop comes to a close

After the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, a need for extra armor on convoy vehicles arose. Insurgents were killing Airmen and Soldiers through roadside improvised explosive devices. Airmen here have been protecting convoys and the people who ride in them since then by installing extra armor to

Predeployment briefings

Winter training

Last WC-130H departs Keesler

The last of a generation of aircraft lifted gently off the runway here Jan. 12. “This is the end of an era. For years the H model performed magnificently meeting the needs of the weather mission; however, it is time to move on,” said Brig. Gen. Rich Moss, commander of the 403rd Wing. “The increased

Air Force announces selections to captain

The Air Force has selected 1,027 first lieutenants for promotion to captain, with a selection rate of 98.28 percent. The list of selectees is posted on the Air Force Personnel Center's officer promotions homepage at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/offprom. The calendar year 05C Captain Selection Process

F-15 painters using new environmentally safer fluids

Aircraft painters can breathe a little easier thanks to the development of a new material used for stripping and painting F-15 Eagles. The Air Force is continuing its path toward environmentally friendly mission execution. A partnership with the University of Missouri-Rolla; Air Force Research Lab,

Air Force to replace combat search and rescue helicopters

Air Force combat search and rescue teams will use a new helicopter -- the now under development CSAR-X -- to help recover downed pilots around 2012. The new helicopter will replace 101 HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters Air Force combat search and rescue teams now use. The Air Force expects to begin

Alaska Airmen operate out of Guam

The 168th Air Refueling Wing was the first Air National Guard tanker unit deployed to Guam after Sept. 11, 2001. Five years later, the Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Airmen are back on the island with their KC-135 Stratotankers as part of a theatre support package for U.S. Pacific Command flying

CENTAF releases daily airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released its daily airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 52 close-air-support missions Jan. 17 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and

Refuel over the Pacific

Global Hawk UAV 'arrives'

Flight showcases future Weapon Data Link Network

Two-way communications with a weapon after it's released from an aircraft is at the forefront of all new weapons technology, and standards for it has become a priority. Such standards were successfully implemented and demonstrated during a recent series of flight demonstrations here for the Weapon

Trainees learn attention to detail through 'warrior' mindset

You won't find today's basic trainees hunched over brown T-shirts, tugging at them with tweezers to make perfect 6-inch squares. Instead, you will soon find Airmen who have mastered the M-16 rifle, can identify its components, field-strip and clean it, and reassemble it without the slightest

Air Force bowls over competition

The Air Force swept the individual and team efforts in the Armed Forces Bowling Championships at the National Bowling Stadium here Jan. 11. Kristen Elmore of Geilenkirchen Air Base, Germany, and Martin Bedford of Hill Air Force Base, Utah, won the women's and men's divisions, respectively. Elmore

Think of safety first

Keeping Airmen here safe is not a task taken lightly by the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s ground safety office. "Our job is to prevent the loss of life or damage to government equipment," said Tech. Sgt. Clyde Lathon, 332nd AEW ground safety manager. "We are the Air Force equivalent to the

Guam-based conservation helps save endangered species

Conservation efforts here are protecting endangered species and allowing for the re-introduction of two bird types. Andersen Air Force Base has a national wildlife refuge covered by a limestone forest, a sensitive island ecosystem that supports native fauna and flora, including threatened and

Airmen extend knowledge and manpower to island of Palau

For only the second time since the mid-1970s, the civic action team program in Palau is composed entirely of Airmen from around the world. Thirteen Airmen are living and working on the island made famous a year and a half ago on the reality television series “Survivor.” But the Airmen aren’t here

Command post keeps Balad secure

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- Senior Airman Jeff Mangalin of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing command post, talks to an aircraft preparing to taxi into the base here. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bryan Franks)

Andersen AFB: growing to meet its mission

The eyes of U.S. military leaders are once again focused here to provide peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. “The strategic importance of Andersen is rejuvenating,” said Col. Michael Boera, the 36th Expeditionary Air Wing commander. “No longer is Andersen the sleepy hollow it’s been

Civil engineers plan for the future

Expansion plans here have civil engineers drawing up blueprints for construction projects for next year, the next five years, even the next decade. “We’re planning for the future so that 50 years from now people will be glad we designed everything right the first time,” said Lt. Col. Marvin Smith,

Kadena pilot in good condition

An F-15 Eagle from the 44th Fighter Squadron here crashed at approximately 10 a.m. today during an air-to-air training mission. The location of the crash site was at an area known as W-173, an over-water training zone about 65 miles (55 nautical miles) northeast of here. The fighter jet was part of

'Air and Space Power Journal' winter edition available

The College for Aerospace Doctrine, Research and Education at Air University has published and distributed the Winter 2005 edition of the Air Force's professional journal, "Air and Space Power Journal." Published here, the Air and Space Power Journal serves as an open forum for the presentation and

AMC completes KC-135 accident investigation board

Air Mobility Command has released the results of its investigation into the May 15, 2005, mishap involving a KC-135R Stratotanker assigned to the 128th Air Refueling Wing, Milwaukee, Wis. An accident investigation board, convened by AMC, concluded the cause of the accident was unforeseen,

B-1s at the ready

CENTAF releases combined airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the combined airpower summary report for Jan. 13 to 17. Coalition aircraft flew 50 close-air support missions Jan. 16 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction

Monster recruiter

Remembering MLK

New C-17 Globemaster III honors President Reagan

Former first lady Nancy Reagan today helped dedicate the Air Force’s newest C-17 Globemaster III to honor her late husband, former President Ronald Reagan. The Spirit of Ronald Reagan is assigned to Air Force Reserve Command’s 452nd Air Mobility Wing here. It is the first Reserve unit to fly its own

Rex the Dog finds new home

A 21st Security Forces Squadron Airman is the first military working dog handler allowed to adopt her K-9 partner from active duty. Tech. Sgt. Jamie Dana, a military working dog handler, has been waiting since August for the official word after she requested to adopt her K-9, Rex. The two were

Langley celebrates Raptor's initial operational capability

The 1st Fighter Wing held a ceremony here today to celebrate the F-22A Raptor's initial operational capability. The event comes after the 27th Fighter Squadron was officially declared IOC on Dec. 15 by Gen. Ronald E. Keys, commander of Air Combat Command. The IOC declaration proves the F-22A is

President's physician receives first star

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 Dec. 31. More information can be found at online at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/demographics. Statistics rounded to the nearest tenth.

Preflight inspection

Radar check

Combat tactics

Back home

Training Ravens

Medevac flight keeps warfighters in the fight

Moving the wounded, sick or injured to where they can receive the right level of care is the focus of a group of medical specialists deployed here supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. From coordinating airlift to providing medical care while in flight, Airmen from the 455th Expeditionary

Improved armored vests reflect changing enemy tactics

U.S. military members serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and other dangerous areas will soon receive revamped armored vests that provide more side protection, senior officials said here today. The vest changes are designed to prove effective in protecting servicemembers from shrapnel fragments, especially

SERE instructor takes training to a new level

As nightfall approaches, the temperature drops to single digits. The layers of clothing that seemed more than adequate earlier, now offer little protection from the bone-chilling breeze and icy ground. But, that is the least of the survivors’ concerns. “They’re not just surviving,” Tech Sgt. Micheal

F-16 pylons receive upgrade

Wiring for pylons on F-16 Fighting Falcons are being upgraded by the 309th Commodities Maintenance Squadron at Ogden Air Logistics Center here, enabling the jets to handle 21st century smart munitions. The cables that deliver the pilot's commands to the munitions must be more complex as weapon

Airman killed in aircraft crash

An Air Force officer was among four killed Jan. 10 in the crash of a T-39 Sabreliner training aircraft in Walker County, Ga. First Lt. Jason Davis, 28, was a student navigator with Training Squadron 86 at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. He entered the Air Force on Nov. 14, 2001. The others killed

B-1B Lancers rotate into Andersen

B-1B Lancers from the 34th Bomb Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D, have deployed here. The rotation was seamless for the 34th BS because they traded the rotation with another Ellsworth squadron, which left its bombers behind for them to use. “The support we’ve received from Andersen has been

Tactical entrance

Air Force looks to be best in acquisition

The Air Force hopes to be the model within the Department of Defense for how best to procure goods and acquire weapons systems. "Five years from now, (we want) people to consider the Air Force the premier acquisition service in the DOD ... that we are heads and shoulders above everybody else in how

SECAF celebrates welcome to the blue

Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne was “welcomed into blue” during a ceremony here today. He was received by a hundreds of Airmen, the Air Force Honor Guard and Air Force Band. Gen. T. Michael Moseley, chief of staff of the Air Force, presided over the event and told everyone present it was

German-based Airmen put French on ice

CENTAF commander visits deployed Airmen, Sailors on last trip to Afghanistan

As part of his final trip to Afghanistan, the commander of U.S. Central Command Air Forces visited deployed Airmen and Sailors here Jan. 10 to 11. During a troop call, Lt. Gen. Walter E. Buchanan III addressed Airmen and Sailors who are deployed to Bagram as part of Air and Space Expeditionary Force

Post-Katrina relief operations bolster community recovery

Keesler is at the forefront of the battle to restore the Mississippi Gulf Coast of Hurricane Katrina’s wake. After the storm devastated the base and surrounding communities Aug. 29, Keesler’s training mission temporarily stopped as it recovered and began humanitarian relief operations, or HUMRO. The

Accident report: B-1B fire caused by brake

Leaking hydraulic fluid and sparks from its wheel being gouged caused a fire in a B-1B Lancer's right main landing gear as it touched down on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, after a mission Sept. 15, said Air Force investigators. The aircraft, assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force

45 selected for test pilot training

Forty-five pilots have been selected for the Air Force test-pilot program by a selection board at the Air Force Personnel Center. Most of those selected will attend the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. One will attend the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School at Patuxent

CENTAF releases airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces released today’s airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 52 close-air support missions Jan. 11 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

Exercise, exercise, exercise

Health and wellness centers help some keep resolutions

Health and wellness centers Air Force-wide can help smokers kick their habit. Smoking cessation programs are offered for active duty personnel, retirees and Reservists. At the center here, the six-session program is combined with drug and patch therapy, psychological tips and physiological

Winter race

Give and take, teach and learn -- building an Iraqi Air Force

Reality is often at odds with expectations when Airmen deploy. This difference can be extreme when the mission is to provide military training to a recent enemy. But several Airmen near the end of six-month deployments as advisory support team instructors say they would rather stay here than go home

Air Force announces medical, dental officer promotions

The Air Force has selected 67 lieutenant colonels, 173 majors and 308 captains in the medical and dental corps for promotion. The list of promotion selects is posted on the Air Force Personnel Center's officer promotions homepage at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/offprom. The board considered 1,310

Battlestar Galactica docks for sneak-peek at Columbus

The Sci-Fi Channel’s mantra -- “Fuel the Imagination” -- was the theme of the night as Battlestar Galactica television series fans invaded the Columbus Club for a celebrity-style sneak preview. The Season 2 premiere episode of Battlestar Galactica was shown a day early -- Jan. 5 --to approximately

CENTAF releases daily airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's daily airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 56 close-air-support missions Jan. 10 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and

Improved earpieces reaching Falcon pilots

F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots here will soon start using an earpiece that will afford better hearing protection and an improved mission focus. The 4th Fighter Squadron's "Fighting Fuujins" will receive the new attenuating custom communication earpiece system this month. The earpiece was developed at

AF selects four Airmen to vie for GEICO awards

The Air Force selected four Airmen to compete for the 2005 Government Employee Insurance Company Military Service awards. The Airmen are now authorized to wear the Air Force Recognition Ribbon and will compete against the nominees selected by the other military services. -- Staff Sgt. Lindsay J.

F-16 receives special care at Hill

Specialists at the Ogden Air Logistics Center’s, 649th Combat Logistics Support Squadron used their unique equipment and skills to repair a damaged F-16 Fighting Falcon. The squadron's role was pivotal since it is the only active-duty maintenance unit capable of making such repairs, said 1st Lt.

Billing date changes for government travel card

Air Force government travel card billing cycles for individually billed accounts will begin closing out on the 22nd of each month beginning in March. The current cycle ends the third day of every month, so cardholders will experience a long cycle running Feb. 3 through March 22. Bank of America will

Strato work

4 million combat miles logged

Wynne: AF needs to recapitalize

With the combination of aging and heavily used equipment, the Air Force needs recapitalization across the board, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne said. In past discussions about Air Force recapitalization, aircraft usually took center stage. Although aircraft still need to be

CENTAF releases daily airpower summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces released today's airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 40 close-air-support missions Jan. 9 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist

Privatized housing now available at Scott

The Air Force closed a housing privatization deal recently at an Illinois base, bringing the total of privatized homes across the service to more than 16,000, said housing officials here. Scott Air Force Base, Ill., will benefit from $250 million in total development of 1,593 homes within the first

Mission is out of this world

Its material is found nowhere else on Earth but here, while its mission is out of this world. Detachment 5, 22nd Space Operations Squadron has an antenna that uses a durable Kevlar mix as its cover, the first of its kind in the world. They use it because the material must withstand 195-mph typhoon

Airman saves career through yoga

If a picture can say a thousand words, Staff Sgt. Bonnie McKinley’s picture of herself would tell you of a time when she, at 5-foot-4-inches and 25 years old, weighed 215 pounds, putting her at risk of a heart attack or stroke. Not to mention, her Air Force career was in jeopardy. She did something

Cannon visitor explores BRAC options

As directed by the final 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommendations, the Air Force is exploring new mission options here. Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Logistics William C. Anderson visited here Jan. 4-5 to gather information in an attempt

Leaner processes working at Kirtland

The Air Force is becoming leaner without the help of fad diets or abs-crunching exercise regiments. Logistics and maintenance programs imported from the private business sector, like Lean, are turning once-bloated processes into models of streamlined efficiency. The payoff is less cost, improved

Air mobility operations Airmen keep cargo aircraft moving

Airmen deployed to the Detachment 5, 721st Air Mobility Operations Group, traveled thousands of miles to help the Air Force enable the global aspect of "global vigilance, reach and power." The 35 Airmen who work at the detachment are responsible for the maintenance, launch and recovery of all

Air Force improving production with Smart Operations 21

The Air Force used the best parts of several civilian efficiency programs to develop an Air Force-unique process-improvement program called "Smart Operations 21," Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne said. The program will take the Air Force forward in a journey of self-improvement, the

Guard, Reserve benefit from 2006 defense authorization

The 2006 National Defense Authorization Act signed into law Jan. 6 provides new or enhanced benefits for National Guard and Reserve members, a senior defense official said. President George W. Bush signed the legislation Jan. 6, providing a variety of benefits designed to bring reserve-component

2006 defense budget increases military pay and benefits

President George W. Bush ushered in an across-the-board 3.1 percent military pay raise, effective Jan. 1. It includes a variety of new or enhanced benefits for servicemembers and their families when he signed the 2006 National Defense Authorization Bill into law Jan. 6. In addition to a pay raise

CENTAF releases combined daily air power summary

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released today’s combined air power summary. Coalition aircraft flew 28 close-air-support missions Jan. 8 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to

CMSAF visits troops downrange

Demolition complete

New Mexico Tech to build on Kirtland

The Air Force conveyed more than eight acres of base land to the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology during a ceremony here Jan. 6. The agreement is designed to stimulate business efficiencies and technological advancement through the construction of new facilities. The land conveyance, a

Group chops away at space system’s weaknesses

Several times a year, a group of junior U.S. military officers and federal government employees use open source databases -- such as the Internet and libraries -- in an attempt to reveal potential weaknesses in the Department of Defense's space systems. More often than not, participants in the Space

23:59:60… Atomic clock takes quantum leap

A leap second. It’s a time on the clock that doesn’t come along very often, and it’s a subject of debate between astronomers and clock watchers. Outside the debate is the job of making sure everyone who relies on the leap second receives it. That job, in the hands of the 2nd Space Operations

Boarding time

Patrick auto hobby shop achieves Air Force first

The 45th Services Squadron auto hobby shop earned the highest honor any automobile repair facility can earn -- the National Institute for Automotive Excellence Blue Seal of Excellence. After 10 years of automotive knowledge tests, equipment inspections and certifications, the auto hobby shop earned

U.S. forces airdrop cold weather supplies in Afghanistan

U.S. forces dropped eight bundles of humanitarian assistance supplies near Bamyan in central Afghanistan to help hundreds of families survive the harsh winter, military officials here said. The bundles contained winter clothing, as well as beans, rice, cooking oil, tarps, health kits, tool kits and

Hercules row

Keeping up the fleet

Ellsworth Airmen provide security in Iraq

Security forces from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., are serving in southern Iraq this winter. Twenty-four of the more than 300 Airmen who make up the 586th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron are from the 28th Security Forces Squadron at Ellsworth. They provide base, convoy and area security

Security forces assist Korean community

The “Wolf Pack” worked side-by-side with the Korean Army and Kunsan City firefighters to help a local farmer. Nineteen security forces members, along with approximately 50 Korean soldiers and firefighters helped clear a farmer’s greenhouses. The building collapsed under the weight of record-breaking

Long convoy duty is no easy task

By dawn, Airmen of the 424th Medium Truck Detachment had finished preparing for their mission -- move Army 4th Infantry Division supplies and material from Kuwait into Iraq. These Airmen do not fly their cargo, and it’s quite possible they may go their entire deployment without even seeing a

CENTAF releases airpower summary report

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary. In Iraq, coalition aircraft flew 44 close-air-support missions Jan. 5 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and

Air power key to many 2005 successes

More than 75,000 Airmen rotated in and out of the theater to 12 locations during 2005 and helped coalition forces take part in historic events and record-breaking accomplishments. From ensuring millions of people in Iraq and Afghanistan had the opportunity to vote, to providing humanitarian aid