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  • Civilian personnel system allows employees control over advancement

    The National Security Personnel System, which will go on line soon, will provide a more performance- and market-based system of hiring, pay and evaluation. With NSPS, Department of Defense civilians can influence the amount of money they will receive by their performance, their value to the

  • Bagram Airmen spread cheer, share smiles

    Airmen fighting the global war on terrorism from nearby Bagram Air Base took time to spread cheer and share smiles with the people of a village here. As part of an adopt-a-village visit Nov. 3, Airmen distributed more than 1,200 pounds of winter clothes, blankets, school supplies and toys, said

  • Rescue squad puts training to test

    The blades of the Army UH-60 Black Hawk medevac helicopter beat the air as four firefighters rushed to it with 200 pounds of specialized extrication gear. The 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Airmen knew this time it wasn’t a drill. Two trucks were in a near head-on collision 10 minutes

  • National Veterans Awareness Week continues

    A Senate resolution designates Nov. 6 to 12 as National Veterans Awareness Week. The week focuses on programs to make students in elementary and secondary schools aware of the contributions of veterans and their importance in preserving American peace and prosperity, said Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden,

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    Officials at U.S. Central Command Air Forces released today’s airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 58 close air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 8 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities,

  • Changes on horizon for PME

    The Air Force professional military education process has developed grade-related education and education opportunities that support specific jobs for officers. "On the enlisted side, the Air Force has long had a continuity of PME programs that are associated with rank advancement, but you also have

  • VA program promotes employment among new vets

    The Department of Veterans Affairs is promoting job opportunities for those leaving military service with a new program. R. James Nicholson, the VA secretary, spoke to the American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel in anticipation of National Veterans Awareness Week, which began Nov. 6

  • Development division helping equip security forces

    The 820th Security Forces Group here reorganized itself and now includes a division dedicated to testing and evaluating new equipment for Airmen deploying to Iraq. The new combat development division -- created in mid-October -- aims to supply the group with more effective gear, while also saving

  • Communications keep Cope India Airmen connected

    Setting up complete operational communication support for 250 deployed Airmen in a foreign country doesn’t just happen overnight. But the 35th Communications Squadron’s 10-person theater deployable communication package did that in 48 hours. The unit from Misawa Air Base, Japan, is here to support

  • Newest vets get VA medical care priority

    Some 120,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans receiving Department of Veterans Affairs medical care are getting top priority at some of the world's best-quality medical treatment, the secretary of Veterans Affairs said. R. James Nicholson spoke to the American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon

  • Health program will help returning troops

    Servicemembers returning from deployments will now participate in a post-deployment health reassessment program that all the services are instituting. Defense Department officials said the new program will assess the health -- both physical and mental -- of servicemembers from 90 to 120 days after

  • 76 recruits ‘sign up’ at 49ers game

    Seventy-six delayed entry program recruits swore into the Air Force before a crowd of 70,000 at a San Francisco 49ers game here Nov. 6. The recruits -- some traveled 100 miles to the Monster Park football field -- enlisted through the 364th Recruiting Squadron out of Sacramento, Calif. The annual

  • Special ops reservist helping rebuild Iraqi air force

    During a deployment to Iraq, Brig. Gen. Frank Padilla led a team of Air Force and coalition partner experts to plan for and help to rebuild a more robust and effective Iraqi air force. The group’s mission is to help the Iraqis establish the very best air force possible with the resources they have

  • Air Force facing higher energy bill

    Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were summer events, but their impact will probably be felt this winter. And that impact will not just be on the Gulf Coast, but across the nation and on military installations as facility energy prices continue to increase, Air Force officials said. The storms caused

  • Defense directive sets detainee interrogation policy

    The Defense Department has a new policy on detainee interrogations.Officials began writing the directive in December 2004. Acting Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England signed the directive Nov. 3. It is the first formal defense directive on this policy. DOD Directive 3115. 09 -- DOD Intelligence

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    Officials at U.S. Central Command released today’s airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 53 close air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 7 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and

  • Conference prepares people for today’s, future cyber crimes

    The Defense Cyber Crime Center and Joint Task Force – Global Network Operations will host a cyber crime conference here in January. The conference -- Attacking Cyber Crime -- the Evolving Professions -- will cover all aspects of computer crime. That includes intrusion investigations, cyber crime

  • Pandemic flu Web site online

    The Defense Department went “live” today with a Web site to help meet the objectives outlined in President George Bush's national strategy for pandemic influenza. The address is: deploymentlink.osd.mil The site offers information about pandemic flu and avian flu. It has a section of frequently asked

  • Eagles, Raptors team to deter ‘attack’

    Every day, F-15 Eagle instructor pilots here teach dozens of student pilots how to fight and win in combat. But the instructors rarely get a chance to showcase their own warfighting skills. Fortunately, some 1st Fighter Squadron instructors got a chance to test their skills against the toughest and

  • U.S., Indian Airmen take next step in growing relationship

    The U.S. and Indian air forces opened the next chapter in their growing relationship when exercise Cope India 2006 began here Nov. 7.About 250 Airmen from Pacific Air Forces join several hundred of their Indian counterparts for the two-week, dissimilar air combat training exercise in which simulated

  • Officers chosen for education, cross-flow duties

    More than 210 officers from 18 career fields were selected to attend developmental education or for cross-flow assignments beginning in summer 2006. The development team special program selection and Air Force Institute of Technology boards considered officers from various fields. They included

  • Army edges Air Force, 27-24

    They did what Soldiers do best, take ground and hold it. Thanks to three long scoring marches totaling 210 yards -- and chewing up 18:05 off the clock -- Army held on for a 27-24 victory over Air Force Nov. 5. There were a season-high 44,782 fans at Falcon Stadium. The win snapped the Black Knights’

  • C-130J Hercules undergoes new test

    As part of the second phase of the C-130J Hercules qualification test and evaluation, the aircraft will fly airdrop and formation-drop operations later this month. The aircraft from here will take part in an exercise at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La., from Nov. 13 to 17. The

  • Airmen start deployment training early

    Members of air expeditionary forces nine and 10 here began preparing for their deployment by learning essential combat skills. The 88th Air Base Wing readiness section started the expeditionary combat skills training course last month to cover the 19 hours of training troops need before deploying.

  • Job fair highlights veterans' skills and commitment

    Employers anxious to tap into the skills and discipline military service instills in its members converged at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center here during the first Salute Our Heroes Veterans Job Fair and Career Expo. There were also thousands of job-seeking veterans at the Nov. 3 event.The

  • Schriever's rabbi teaching Hebrew class

    The 50th Space Wing chaplain’s office held the first “Beginning Hebrew” class for people interested in learning the basics of the language. From the first base bulletin advertising the four one-hour sessions, the response has been nothing but positive, base officials said. “When we first advertised

  • CENTAF releases today's airpower summary

    Officials at U.S. Central Air Force have released today's airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 50 close air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 6 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and

  • AETC closes global address lists Nov. 19 to 20

    All Air Education and Training Command Microsoft Exchange e-mail users will find something missing from their global address lists Nov. 19 to 20. E-mail services will be available all weekend. But as part of a planned upgrade to the system, command e-mail users will not be able to view any

  • Air Force selects 589 new chief master sergeants

    The Air Force selected 589 senior master sergeants for promotion to chief master sergeant. The Air Force will release the promotion list Nov. 9. The complete list of selectees will be available by 5 p.m. CST that day at http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/eprom/. A total of 2,580 senior master sergeants

  • Wynne: Air Force needs more joint role

    Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne said as the Air Force evolves to a new global war on terrorism era he wants it to participate in more joint operations. The Air Force is operating “as a joint service, right now -- today," the secretary said. But he said the service needs to foster a more joint

  • French finish coalition flying mission

    After three months of flying support and combat sorties, the French air force successfully fulfilled its mission here today. The French air force flew Operation Enduring Freedom began close air support, armed reconnaissance and convoy-escort missions in support of the parliamentary elections in

  • Operation Ruthless Raven: OSI cracks down on drug smugglers

    The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is heading up Operation Ruthless Raven, a joint task force to combat drug smuggling. Ruthless Raven Task Force goals are to identify vulnerabilities in the Air Force transportation and mail systems and to leverage internal and external capabilities to

  • Skeet shooters bring home victory for Air Force

    The Air Force Skeet Team presented a plaque to the director of the AIr Force SErvices Agency in a ceremony at the Pentagon here Nov. 2, capping a season that blasted Navy, Marines and Army teams in competition. Maj. Vernon Lucas, who represented the skeet team and works at the Pentagon, expressed

  • CFC opened new frontiers for NASA scientist

    Terry Morris was about 4 years old when his parents pushed him out the front door into the snow-covered streets of Chicago. They didn't want him to come back. In that world, the Windy City's newest homeless child found towering drifts, more ash gray than white and more ice than snow, instead of the

  • C-130s drop humanitarian aid into Pakistan

    Two C-130 Hercules aircrews left here Oct. 29 and airdropped an estimated 50,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies to victims of the Oct. 8 earthquake in Pakistan. Fourteen containers filled with food, water, shelter and supplies descended by parachute to people below. “As far as the C-130 goes, you

  • SOC shutdown marks end of era at Blue Cube

    With each flip of a switch, the room grew eerily quieter as the end of an era drew closer. The equipment room of the Satellite Operations Center-52 inside the Blue Cube here ceased operations recently, after 36 years of around-the-clock support to the space community. Members of 21st Space

  • Second Air Force CV-22 arrives at Edwards

    The Air Force’s second CV-22 Osprey arrived here Oct. 27.  -- two months earlier than the contract’s due date. The first Air Force CV-22 was delivered for electromagnetic testing to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., Sept. 16 and will arrive at Edwards in December. The third CV-22 will be

  • 23rd EFS protects Baltic skies

    Providing security over the Baltic countries of Eastern Europe is no easy task.But the 23rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron is constantly training, even while deployed, to effectively address any airborne threats to the area. The 23rd EFS is provides 24-hour air policing coverage over Lithuania,

  • Vehicle revs up to shatter land speed record

    It looks like a plane, sounds like a plane and even goes as fast as a plane, but it never leaves the ground. What is it? It's the North American Eagle, a land vehicle attempting to bring the world land speed record back to the United States. In preparation for this feat, the NAE team tested their

  • Summit helps young children, families cope

    A Defense Department summit today addressed how trauma and stress impact children's well-being and what interventions work to support their healthy development and family competence. The summit, titled "When Duty Calls -- Supporting Military Families Through Challenging Times" -- ends Nov. 5. More

  • Commissary, Fisher House offer scholarships

    The Defense Commissary Agency and the Fisher House Foundation have teamed up again to offer educational scholarships to children of military families and retirees. The Scholarships for Military Children Program is marking its sixth year, DeCA spokesman Kevin Robinson said, with the goal to provide

  • CENTAF airpower summary for Nov. 4

    U.S. Central Air Force's airpower summary for today is: Coalition aircraft flew 35 close-air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 3 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter

  • Pentagon Channel Adds Podcasting to Product Line

    The Pentagon Channel will add podcasting as a means of distributing the channel's military news and information targeted to servicemembers beginning Nov. 7."We are excited about leveraging technology that allows for more programming choices for our men and women in uniform," said Allison Barber,

  • DoD extends deadline for increased SGLI coverage for Katrina victims

    The Department of Defense announced today the deadline for reducing or declining increased Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance coverage has been extended for servicemembers affected by Hurricane Katrina. Maximum SGLI coverage increased to $400,000 on Sept. 1. On that date, members eligible for SGLI

  • Guam unit continues providing Global Strike capabilities

    Four B-1B Lancers from the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron here participated in Exercise Koa Lightning last week -- continuing their mission of providing Global Strike capabilities for Pacific Air Forces and Pacific Command. During the exercise held in Hawaii, the B-1s dropped inert weapons and

  • Shaw volunteers help build community for 54 local families

    Three times a week, volunteers here help build Habitat for Humanity housing for families in need. For some, building new homes has become a way of life.Master Sgt. Christopher Krohn, one of the lead volunteers from Shaw, is working on his 16th Habitat for Humanity house. Volunteers started their

  • Elections, security will determine size of force in Iraq

    Iraqi security forces are now shouldering more security burdens, said Marine Lt. Gen. James T. Conway, director of operations for the Joint Staff. "Iraqi security forces continue to grow in capability and confidence," he said. The Iraqi army and police have more than 210,000 members trained and

  • SECAF: Integrity first

    The newly confirmed Secretary of the Air Force has set a strong emphasis on both individual and organizational responsibility and accountability -- one of his goals for his tenure. "We have to … continuously emphasize the integrity of purpose and integrity of the individual," Secretary Michael W.

  • Academy cadets get lunch-time treat, witness history

    The new secretary of the Air Force was sworn in at the academy’s Mitchell Hall cadet dining facility today during the cadet noon meal. Michael W. Wynne was sworn in by acting Secretary of the Air Force Pete Geren. Secretary Wynne said he accepted the mantel with great pride and added he could not

  • Weaver selected to play in Hula Bowl

    Academy senior offensive lineman Ross Weaver has been selected to play in the Hula Bowl all-star football game. The game is Jan. 21, 2006, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. Weaver is the 33rd Falcon to be selected for the Hula Bowl since 1964. He is the seventh offensive lineman and the first since Ben

  • Center redesign promises to improve production

    Continuous process improvement is alive and well at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. For proof, look no further than the 76th Maintenance Wing's new F100 Business Unit being stood up as part of a landmark $500 million, 10-year process of transforming maintenance, repair and overhaul, or MRO,

  • Cutting edge micro-satellite achieves milestones

    A 220-pound micro-satellite developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate here recently accomplished significant mission milestones when it rendezvoused with the upper stage of a Minotaur I launch vehicle at distances between 1.5 kilometers and 500 meters. The Air Force

  • Base fire department responds to unauthorized landing

    Firefighters here responded to an unauthorized landing that took place Oct. 25 near the fire department’s truck maintenance area. The flyer was taken into custody, and when he responded to interrogators’ questions with unintelligible clicks and whistles, he was placed in a cage and given nothing but

  • 7th Fighter Squadron vet receives medals

    Sixty years after serving in the Army Air Corps, a 7th Fighter Squadron pilot received a Distinguished Flying Cross and an Air Medal. First Lieutenant James Costley, a P-38 pilot in World Word II, received the last of his military decorations in front of three generations of his family, friends and

  • Wynne sworn in as 21st secretary

    Michael W. Wynne was sworn in today in front of 4,200 U.S. Air Force Academy cadets, during their noontime meal, as the 21st secretary of the Air Force. In this role, he is responsible for the affairs of the Department of the Air Force, including organizing, training, equipping and providing for the

  • Military postal agency offers advice for holiday mail

    "Pack it well" and "mail it early" are two tips a military postal official offered today for holiday mail being sent to servicemembers overseas. The Defense Department announced recommended holiday mail dates Oct. 31. The first deadline occurs Nov. 12 for parcel post items headed overseas to APO and

  • Afghanistan’s busiest runway undergoes repairs as mission continues

    Age, weather and more than 3,000 operations every week take their toll on the busiest runway in Afghanistan. Without a continual effort to repair the runway here, the mission would virtually come to a halt. A nine-man spall-repair team from the 455th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron spends more

  • New SECAF sends 'Letter to Airmen'

    The following is a "Letter to Airmen" from Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne:"It is an honor to serve as Secretary of the Air Force, and I look forward to working alongside you in keeping our Nation safe. Because of your dedication, skill, and sacrifice, the U.S. Air Force gives an

  • Save-A-Life tour is an eye-opener

    Travis members experienced the dangers of driving under the influence this week when the Save-A-Life tour visited here. The tour uses a drunk-driving simulator that allows people to experience first-hand how alcohol impairs their driving skills. The machine has an instrument panel and three screens,

  • Brooks City-Base entomologists demonstrate pioneering techniques

    They don't "kill bugs dead" as the advertising slogan suggests, but they're finding them a lot faster now before deadly microorganisms can cause havoc through disease outbreaks. Air Force medical entomologists here have developed an innovative capability that could have a profound impact in

  • CENTAF airpower summary for Nov. 3

    U.S. Central Air Force's airpower summary for today is: Coalition aircraft flew 36 close-air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 2 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter

  • Air Force repeats as Armed Forces rugby champion

    Air Force cruised past Navy 46-14 in the championship match of the 2005 Armed Forces Rugby Championship Oct. 21. The match was a repeat of the 2004 championship, in which Air Force defeated Navy 23-12. The competition was wide open after the first day of round-robin play Oct. 19. Air Force had been

  • ESPN360 will air Air Force-Army grid contest online

    Air Force football fans with high-speed Internet connections can view ESPN's telecast of the Commander in Chief's Trophy clash online Nov. 5.The Falcons will face the Army Black Knights online as part of a special offering coordinated by ESPN360. The game will also be televised in the United States

  • Space, missile career field seeks officers

    Air Force company grade officers in the 1997 to 2000 commissioned year groups looking to expand their horizons may want to consider applying for retraining into the space and missile career field. Officers must have at least one year time on station as of March 15 and be released from their current

  • Training teaches medics how to 'operate' in hostile areas

    A Tyndall Airman quickly took a position in the dirt and aimed his M-16 rifle as a group of suspicious-looking men carrying AK-47 assault rifles hid behind a bush.However, the men left without incident and the Airman avoided a potentially deadly firefight. This may sound like a dangerous

  • Airmen lend helping hand to enlisted village residents

    Airmen here gave up their free time help their neighbors during Make a Difference Day Oct. 22 and 28. Residents of Bob Hope and Theresa villages and Eglin’s Thrift Shop benefited from these Airmen’s labors. The annual event is the most encompassing national day of helping others -- a celebration of

  • Virtual commissary opens for business

    Defense Commissary Agency shoppers looking for a different kind of gift can let their fingers do the clicking at the new Virtual Commissary. Commissary officials said Virtual Commissary will open up new options of Internet shopping for authorized users. “We’re excited about DeCA’s first adventure

  • Airmen bring airpower to Central American air shows

    Approximately 150 Airmen and 14 Air Force aircraft brought airpower to Central America Oct. 23 to 30 to participate in two international air shows, as part of U.S. Southern Command’s cooperation efforts with Guatemala and El Salvador. Under the direction of U.S. Southern Command Air Forces

  • Coalition force brings Tornadoes to fight

    The British Royal Air Force and its aircraft have been heavily used by ground forces in Iraq. The RAF flies the Tornado GR4, a supersonic, twin-engined, swing-wing jet bomber.“We have supported both British and American operations by giving an eye-in-the-sky airborne commentary so the troops on the

  • Transportation commander discusses separation of commands

    Change, not only in the delineation of command responsibility among Air Mobility Command and U.S. Transportation Command, but also in the way USTRANSCOM projects military power, was the theme of the opening address at the 37th Annual Airlift/Tanker Association Conference here Oct. 28. Gen. Norton

  • Joint Fires Center of Excellence begins training

    The Joint Fires Center of Excellence opened its doors Oct. 17 as the U.S. military’s only Europe-based joint firepower education center. The U.S. Air Forces in Europe-inspired initiative is designed to enhance close air support operations by providing a convenient training environment for

  • Educating Airmen on medication misuse, abuse may prevent future deaths

    While the Air Force continues to focus on suicide prevention and awareness, one specific issue Airmen should understand is proper medication use and suicide attempts. Drug overdose and self-poisoning are two of the most common methods used in suicide attempts, said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Donald Christensen,

  • Air Force must stay the course with FTF, AEF

    The Air Force must transform through Future Total Force and stay the course with the Air and Space Expeditionary Force concept, said the directors of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. The Future Total Force concept is the Air Force's plan to better integrate the Air National Guard, Air

  • CSAF reading list announced

    Officials announced the new Chief of Staff of the Air Force reading list Nov. 1. "Our Air Force has an incredible heritage… a heritage built on courage, valor, brilliance and perseverance," said Gen. T. Michael Moseley. The reading list focuses on history and heritage. Understanding history allows

  • Wilma visits couple during Mexican honeymoon

    They enjoyed long walks on the beach, romantic dinners and winds of 159 miles per hour? Master Sgt. Leon Palmer and his new bride, Staff Sgt. Rena Palmer, both members of 22nd Security Forces Squadron, had an unexpected visitor during their honeymoon earlier this month in Cancun, Mexico. “We were in

  • DoD web page supports President's plans against pandemic flu

    The Defense Department's deployment health officials have posted a Web page as part of President Bush's strategy to combat the possibility of a flu pandemic. Officials said the page includes frequently asked questions, information geared to servicemembers and links to other resources. The president

  • Officials express confidence in new Civilian Personnel System

    Pentagon officials want to emphasize to civilian employees that the changes in their personnel system are all about improving national security. After a two-year process, officials have designed the new National Security Personnel System to be faster, more flexible and more agile, said Michael

  • New technology 'dazzles' aggressors

    A laser technology weapon will be the first man-portable, non-lethal deterrent weapon intended for protecting troops and controlling hostile crowds. The weapon, developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate, employs a two-wavelength laser system and is a hand-held,

  • Navy maintainer saves life of Air Force medic

    For a Navy maintainer and Air Force medic, both stationed at this forward-deployed location, their first meeting was an unforgettable one. Petty Officer 1st Class Jerry Lego, Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One structural mechanic, performed the Heimlich maneuver on Lt. Col. Lois MacDonald, 379th

  • Air Force authorizes Berlin Airlift streamers

    Nearly 60 years after the operation, Air Force units involved in the Berlin Airlift are now authorized a new streamer to add to their unit guidons. “A question was raised to Dick Anderegg (the Air Force historian) a couple months ago if the Berlin Airlift was a campaign, and if so, do we have a

  • TRICARE Reserve Family Demonstration Benefit extended through Oct. 31, 2007

    The TRICARE Reserve Family Demonstration Benefit that was due to end Oct. 31, has been extended through Oct. 31, 2007. The Department of Defense extended the benefit for an additional two years to ensure continuity of care for family members of approximately 170,000 National Guard and Reserve

  • UAVs hunt ponderosa pine parasites

    Researchers in the Academy’s Department of Biology here are developing a low-cost solution to detect infected trees using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. There are more than 9,884 acres of woodland forest on the academy, dominated by ponderosa pine trees. Several years of severe drought thinned the forest

  • USCENTAF air power summary for Nov. 2

    U.S. Central Air Force's air power summary for today is: Coalition aircraft flew 34 close air support and armed reconnaissance sorties Nov. 1 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to Coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to