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  • Airmen saving lives in New Orleans, Mississippi

    Air Force bases nationwide are deploying hundreds of Airmen to Louisiana and Mississippi to save lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.Search and rescue missions are under way around the clock to evacuate hurricane victims stranded along the Gulf Coast.Two 50th Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules

  • Lackland supports Hurricane Katrina evacuation

    Airmen here played a critical role in San Antonio’s hurricane evacuation operation.Over a 55-hour period, Lackland received 9,788 evacuees aboard 89 aircraft. Working in partnership with San Antonio first responders, Airmen helped unload passengers, provide medical assistance and prepare evacuees

  • Airmen evacuate hurricane victims

    Three Airmen flew their first humanitarian mission together here as part of the effort to evacuate Hurricane Katrina victims. After the storm hit New Orleans on Aug. 29, tens of thousands of residents there were left behind, trapped by the floodwater. They had little food and drinking water and no

  • Defense leaders praise Keesler resolve, spirit

    The military’s highest-ranking officials leading post-Hurricane Katrina relief efforts toured here Sept. 4 and personally delivered reassuring words to the storm-battered base’s troops and family members.The visiting delegation, led by Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, included Gen. Richard

  • Special unit provides airfield operations in New Orleans

    Without the quick deployment of an Air Mobility Command special unit, the air evacuation plan here would not have happened.The 818th Contingency Response Group from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., arrived Aug. 31, a day after Hurricane Katrina demolished the area. They instantly provided relief to

  • Katrina floodwaters a biohazard-laden ‘soup’

    Airmen who continue to fly search and rescue missions must protect themselves from a host of biohazards in the floodwaters from where they pluck survivors.Contact with the polluted water, now called “the soup,” can cause rashes, illness and disease, said Col. (Dr.) Lewis Neace, a reserve flight

  • AFSPC Airmen support recovery efforts

    The magnitude of devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina may take months to realize. But help is needed fast, and Air Force Space Command is responding quickly.Examples of this expeditious effort lie with some of the command’s deployed officers.Col. Jay Santee, 21st Space Wing vice

  • 1st AF provides command, control for Katrina relief efforts

    When the Federal Emergency Management Agency requested Department of Defense resources to help with Hurricane Katrina relief operations, 1st Air Force here established the 1st Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force-Katrina Operation.The 1st AETF is the Air Force organization designated to perform

  • Air Force expands child care for hurricane-affected Airmen

    Air Force families affected by Hurricane Katrina and those involved in hurricane relief operations are eligible for free or subsidized child care.Air Force officials opened the Air Force Extended Duty Child Care Program to those involved with relief efforts and those affected by the hurricane,

  • Barksdale helps hurricane evacuees, families

    The family assistance control center here continues to help relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina.Hundreds of servicemembers and Department of Defense civilians have fled to the Bossier City and Shreveport area in northern Louisiana seeking a safe haven, said Theresa Marvin, family support

  • Recruiting service seeking hurricane-affected future Airmen

    Air Force Recruiting Service officials here are seeking contact from members of the delayed entry program who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina.Those affected may contact the recruiting service at (210) 671-2951 Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. CDT. After normal business hours,

  • NRO director supports hurricane relief, warfighter

    As a newly minted physicist, one of the first sets of experiments Dr. Donald M. Kerr worked on involved the use of small rockets. Today, many years later, Dr. Kerr is no longer simply experimenting with rocket science; instead, he is leading it as the new director of the National Reconnaissance

  • Civil engineers use 'Dominator' for rescue

    Noah's Ark came here disguised as a big blue vacuum truck during Hurricane Katrina.While preparing for the Aug. 29 storm, the 81st Civil Engineer Squadron here loaded the tank of the "Dominator" with water to ballast the vehicle so it would not be swept away by the anticipated flood waters. The

  • Keesler Airmen, Sailors, Marines rally to aid local community

    Military and civilian volunteers here are reaching out to help the local community after surviving and beginning recovery operations after Hurricane Katrina struck Aug. 29. More than 12 Airmen from the 81st Training Wing here provided medical aid, food, water and ice Sept. 3 to about 450 Biloxi

  • Guard chief describes Katrina response operations

    The chief of the National Guard Bureau declared the National Guard's role in Hurricane Katrina response operations "a great success story," after a recent trip to the Gulf Coast where he saw guardsmen providing almost three-quarters of the military's uniformed response.General Blum said he was

  • RC-26 assists Hurricane Katrina recovery operations

    The RC-26 is normally tasked to assist law enforcement in a counterdrug role, but now has now been tasked to assist state and federal officials in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.In the immediate aftermath of the devastating hurricane, the 147th Fighter Wing here dispatched its RC-26 to fly photo

  • Offutt services crew provides comfort to hurricane victims

    Some Airmen may wear the uniform for quite a while before they truly learn what it means to be in the Air Force.But for Airman 1st Class Keith Torgersen, it only took 10 months.Airman Torgersen is a services specialist with the 55th Services Squadron. He, and about 20 of his peers from Offutt Air

  • CLEP testing saves money, time, headaches

    There is a way for Airmen to earn their degrees using knowledge gained from work and personal study, while at the same time saving money and shortening time spent in classes.The College Level Examination Program and the Excelsior examination program are available to servicemembers in pursuit of a

  • Edwards tests production Global Hawk for possible deployment

    Global Hawk flight test efforts were completed Aug. 28, bringing the latest version of the aircraft one step closer to warfighter employment.The tests on the unmanned aerial vehicle, conducted here by the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center's Detachment 5, the 31st Test and Evaluation

  • Airmen build tent city for relief workers

    While helicopters continue to airlift victims of Hurricane Katrina to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, a group of Airmen are constructing a massive tent city for relief workers.More than 70 Airmen of different backgrounds and units have come together to form the beginnings of

  • Pararescuemen hoist survivors to safety

    Though it is a city without electricity, rescue crews see plenty of lights as they fly over New Orleans each night searching for survivors in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.Sporadic fires burn wildly, but through their night-vision devices, combat search and rescue crews from the Air Force

  • Falcons rally late to win opener

    For more than three quarters Air Force was, arguably, "sleepless in Seattle." The Falcons trailed the University of Washington Huskies, 17-6, nearly five minutes into the fourth quarter and needed a wake-up call in their 50th season opener.They got it from backup quarterback Adam Fitch.Less than

  • A city underwater gets help from above

    With their homes and city underwater, many citizens of New Orleans have been looking to the skies for help from helicopter rescue crews of the Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard and active duty.Hoisted aloft from rooftops and carried aboard from broken bridge spans and other locations isolated by

  • Eglin provides for displaced families through Airman’s Attic

    It is not unusual to see vehicles lined up, five to six deep, patiently waiting in the aftermath of a hurricane. Usually these long lines are for fuel to power cars and generators. Here, however, these cars are lined up for a different reason: they are waiting to donate goods to those in need.A

  • Rumsfeld, Myers visit New Orleans airport

    The secretary of defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited here to witness efforts to evacuate thousands this struggling city.Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Richard B. Myers toured the airport and visited with some of the more than 1,000 servicemembers living and working at the

  • Deployed Airmen prepare for life at Keesler after Katrina

    In most cases, when a loved one deploys it is the families back home who are worried, but for some the tables have turned here after the destruction Hurricane Katrina caused.A group of Airmen here who are deployed from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., experienced the frustration of being away from

  • More active, Guard troops join Katrina response

    President Bush announced Sept. 4 the deployment of 7,000 more active-duty forces to support hurricane relief operations along the hurricane-devastated Gulf Coast.There, they will join 5,000 other active forces and almost 22,000 National Guardsmen already on the ground evacuating stranded people,

  • Retirement home residents recall Katrina's wrath

    It was hot, muggy and scary. Temperatures hovered above 95 degrees in the 11-story high-rise home built for more than 600 military retirees, and there was no power or water as the aging veterans peered through windows watching the total devastation Hurricane Katrina left behind, including cars

  • Price family glad to leave New Orleans

    Ralph Price Sr. had a smile on his face Sept. 3 when he and his family got off the C-9 Nightingale aircraft that brought him here from New Orleans.He and his family had finally escaped what he called “the hell-hole of New Orleans.” And, he said, the nightmare of the New Orleans airport.The waters

  • World War II vets honored at 60th anniversary of war's end

    World War II veterans gathered with military, political and diplomatic leaders and the public to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the war's end Sept. 2 at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall here.Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld sponsored the event, and military leaders from every

  • Air Force MASF last stop for some hurricane victims

    Usually, this airport is pretty sterile. With waxed floors and fresh air, everybody moves through quickly and nobody plans staying long. That was before Hurricane Katrina. Now, instead of businessmen and vacationers, a different kind of traveler packs the airport -- evacuees trying to catch a plane

  • Air Force support of Hurricane Katrina continues

    A week after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, the Air Force continues its fever-pitch support effort to aid the people it has affected.Airmen, aircraft and equipment from bases nationwide are playing a vital role in the Federal Emergency Management Agency-directed Hurricane Katrina

  • Volunteers help keep Airmen safe by searching vehicles

    Several Airmen here recently received a small taste of what it is like to part of security forces for a day when they volunteered to help at the visitor control center search pit here.“Providing security for the base is our first duty as Airmen,” said Senior Airman Ben Abbott, a 407th Expeditionary

  • Holiday greetings teams begin worldwide tour

    Four teams of broadcasters from the Army and Air Force Hometown News Service here will begin their annual worldwide holiday greetings tour Sept. 10, giving thousands of servicemembers and Department of Defense civilians stationed overseas a chance to send a message to their families back home.The

  • After recovery, Keesler’s future uncertain

    Hurricane Katrina tried to give Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., a knockout blow. But though it left a huge path of destruction in its wake -- it did not succeed. The massive storm devastated the base. No doubt about that, base officials said. And it claimed the base’s once vibrant training mission.

  • Air Force announces OTS selections

    More than 60 men and women from throughout America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for a commission, officials here announced Sept. 2. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 467 applications as part of Officer Training School Selection

  • Hurricane-affected Airmen to redeploy

    More than 300 active-duty and Reserve Airmen deployed from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., will return early from their deployments to attend to their families’ needs and aid in base recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.Nearly 100 Airmen who were scheduled to deploy from Keesler will remain

  • Airmen provide communications capabilities

    Several Airman from the 5th Combat Communications Group left their families here Sept. 1 to provide communications capabilities for servicemembers in the devastated Gulf Coast region. Airmen from all four squadrons of the 5th CCG loaded about 25 pallets of communications equipment and headed to

  • Safety enforced by motorcycle club

    Motorcyclists here know there is safety in numbers, which is one reason they created a motorcycle club.Missileers on Bikes is a private organization dedicated to offering motorcyclists here an opportunity to meet fellow riders, ride in a group, learn from more experienced riders and participate in

  • Air Combat Command Airmen provide hurricane relief

    More than 500 combat engineers, communication specialists, medics and helicopter crews from Air Combat Command are providing relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.The 823rd Red Horse Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., deployed to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., along with an 88-person ACC team

  • Raptor releases JDAM during first 'follow-on' evaluation mission

    Members of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron here flew the first F/A-22 Raptor Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation mission Aug. 29, releasing Joint Direct Attack Munitions on the Utah Test and Training Range.In one of the largest Raptor test phases to date, Air Force organizations are

  • Tricare benefits continue for hurricane victims

    Tricare beneficiaries and their families affected by Hurricane Katrina will continue to receive health benefits, service and support during this time of tragedy, said Tricare Management Activity officials.“We are aware that many of our active duty servicemembers, retirees and their families have

  • Aeromedical evacuation hub established at Lackland

    Patients from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport are now being flown to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, where a hub has been established to support Hurricane Katrina aeromedical evacuation operations.Base officials said the location was chosen as a hub because of its ramp

  • Eglin Air Force Base support evacuees

    Official here received a request to support two 250-person hospitals, a medical staff of more than 200 people and a 1,000-person evacuee camp.The facilities will be set up at the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds in Fort Walton Beach.The request came from Joint Task Force Katrina officials at Camp

  • Lackland Airmen turn office areas into living spaces

    Airmen from nearby Lackland Air Force Base turned a building of office cubicles into living spaces Sept. 2 for as many as 2,500 people displaced from Hurricane Katrina.About 200 Airmen were part of a citywide effort to prepare a 350,000 square foot office building, located at Kelly USA here, for

  • Little Rock, Tyndall, Guard Bureau helping evacuees

    As recovery efforts continue in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Air Force bases are opening their doors to help evacuees."We will do everything we can to get (families) situated here and to be comfortable," said Brig. Gen. Joseph M. Reheiser, 314th Airlift Wing commander at Little Rock Air Force

  • AAFES waives interest, suspends payments for hurricane victims

    Army and Air Force Exchange Service officials said they are waiving interest and suspending monthly payment requirements to exchange credit program cardholders displaced by Hurricane Katrina. “According to our records, there are approximately 15,000 accounts impacted in undeliverable zip codes,”

  • Civil engineers provide hurricane relief at Keesler

    The Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency here is assisting in hurricane recovery efforts at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.The agency’s civil engineer maintenance, inspection and repair team sent three trailer-sized generators to help provide emergency power to the base. Each generator is capable

  • General Moseley swears in as Air Force’s 18th chief of staff

    Gen. T. Michael Moseley was sworn in as the Air Force’s 18th chief of staff in a ceremony here Sept. 2 that also featured the retirement of Gen. John P. Jumper after 39 years of service.Acting Secretary of the Air Force Pete Geren presided over the ceremony. Also taking part in the ceremony were

  • ‘Stop Movement’ lifted for greater Pensacola area

    Military officials lifted the “Stop Movement” order for the greater Pensacola, Fla., area Sept. 2.Servicemembers and their families may now travel to and from the area.Airmen returning to the area should pay close attention to travel warnings associated with damage from the hurricane. If a travel

  • AF support missions intensify after wake of Hurricane Katrina

    As thousands flee in a mass exodus from Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, hundreds of Airmen nationwide are flocking to the region to help recover from Hurricane Katrina's devastation.Dozens of Air Force aircraft have flown missions supporting Federal Emergency Management Agency humanitarian

  • AMC response groups establish airfield operations for hurricane relief

    In support of massive relief operations to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, several elements of the Air Mobility Command Contingency Response Group deployed to Louisiana and Mississippi Aug. 30 and 31 to establish air mobility operations.On Aug. 30, a four-person assessment team from the 615th

  • Hurricane Hunters rebound, gear up for next storm

    For a week and a half, Air Force Reserve Command's Hurricane Hunters from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew in and out of Hurricane Katrina around the clock gathering data.The Airmen provided the National Hurricane Center in Miami with critical information on the monster storm as it

  • Maxwell serves as staging facility for hurricane operations

    As evacuees continue to surge here fleeing the devastating affects of Hurricane Katrina, officials are bracing for the 1,300 Keesler Air Force Base training students expected here Sept. 3. So far, 750 hurricane refugees from flooded coastal regions have made their way here to escape what President

  • EMS team deploys to New Orleans

    Airmen with the 375th Medical Group here deployed to hurricane-ravaged New Orleans on Sept. 1 to provide additional medical support to relief agencies already present in the area.The Expeditionary Medical Support Team, comprising about 80 doctors, nurses, medical technicians and support personnel,

  • Airmen spruce up living space for retirees displaced by Katrina

    Fifty Airmen applied several hours’ worth of old-fashioned elbow grease Aug. 31 to prepare building nearly 400 military retirees displaced from Gulfport, Miss., by Hurricane Katrina.“(I want to) make it look nice and clean, so when the folks from Gulfport arrive … they can say, ‘Hey, somebody here

  • Minot helicopter flight supports hurricane relief efforts

    Four 54th Helicopter Flight Airmen and one UH-1N Huey helicopter departed here early Sept. 2 en route to Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., to assist in the Hurricane Katrina disaster response.The crew, comprising two pilots, a flight engineer and a civilian maintenance crew chief, along with two

  • Air Force takes care of Keesler’s expectant mothers

    Kimberly Harris knew things were bad when the water started creeping up her legs in the Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., hospital basement Aug. 29, but the nine-months-pregnant senior airman knew it was getting a lot worse when another expectant mom had an emergency cesarean section -- by

  • Hotline links deployed troops, hurricane-struck families

    With thousands of troops from the hurricane-stricken Gulf Coast deployed thousands of miles from home and worried about their families, a program operated by the National Guard Bureau is providing a vital communication link and assurance that families are being taken care of.Army Col. Anthony Baker

  • DFAS gets pay out on time

    Defense Finance and Accounting Service officials have processed on schedule all payrolls for servicemembers, retirees and annuitants, and federal civilian employees who have pay accounts with the agency.Direct deposit funds were transferred on schedule to financial institutions, officials said.

  • AFPC announces corrected CJTF credit guidelines

    Officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here announced updated guidance to state cumulative credit awarded for combined joint task force deployments cannot be combined with present or future joint duty assignments.Also, full joint credit for JTF deployments can only be awarded if the total

  • Air Force Aid Society establishes relief fund

    In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Air Force Aid Society has established a nationwide relief fund to help Air Force families affected by the hurricane.Donations to the AFAS Hurricane Relief Fund will be accepted directly from individuals, corporations and organizations, both military and

  • AF helicopter crews rescue 221 hurricane victims

    Air Force special operations helicopter crews from the 347th Rescue Wing rescued more than 200 people stranded in areas hard hit by Hurricane Katrina through Aug. 31.Flying from Jackson-Evers International Airport, Miss., these and other Air Force Special Operations Command aircrews are continuing

  • Hurricane Katrina relief effort total force response

    Airmen from across the Air Force are continuing to search for, rescue, evacuate, treat, feed and comfort Hurricane Katrina’s millions of victims.Most of the Airmen helping with relief operations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are deploying with units as part of a total force response. And

  • Jumper reflects on challenges facing Air Force

    During his final media availability session here Aug. 29, the departing chief of staff of the Air Force discussed his vision of the future force, Base Realignment and Closure and the challenges he faced as the service's senior military leader.Gen. John P. Jumper said he believes the F/A-22 Raptor is

  • AMC focusing on Katrina aeromedical evacuations

    The Tanker Airlift Control Center here is working to move as many aircraft as possible into the New Orleans airport to evacuate wounded.“If we can get three more planes in by nightfall (Aug. 31), we might be able to save another 100 people,” said Col. Jeff Franklin, a control center controller.There

  • Mail service to Keesler AFB suspended

    U.S. Postal Service officials announced a suspension of express mail service, and standard and periodicals mail acceptance -- from any source -- to several ZIP codes in the gulf coast region struck by Hurricane Katrina, including Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.The emergency actions have been taken as

  • Airmen help on 'front lines' in New Orleans

    In a cramped conference room, Airmen from the 122nd Air Support Operations Squadron here operate and monitor a satellite radio linked to tactical air control party Airman in New Orleans to help coordinate disaster relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Controllers from the squadron, who

  • Power outages across Gulf Coast

    The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was captured by an Air Force meteorological satellite from the Air Force Weather agency here as it flew over the southeastern United States.The image taken Aug. 30 shows the widespread power outages across the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the area.

  • Airman receives medal for water rescue

    Rescuing an elderly woman from a Florida canal earned an Air Force sergeant an Airman’s Medal, presented by the Air Force chief of staff in a ceremony here Aug. 31.Tech. Sgt. Michael Downey II, assigned to the office of the Air Force chief of staff, received the highest award for heroism in

  • Hurlburt combat engineers rush to aid of Keesler Airmen

    Combat engineers capable of rapid deployment into war zones are proving to be effective first responders in bringing aid to areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Airmen with the 823rd Red Horse Squadron here left early Aug. 30 bound for Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., one of the worst-hit areas in

  • Foglesong honored with Order of the Sword

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander was bestowed the enlisted corps highest honor Aug. 26.Gen. Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong, who has led USAFE since August 2003, was inducted into the Order of the Sword before nearly 600 enlisted Airmen and guests representing every base within the command.General

  • Rescue squad brings experience to Cooperative Key

    More than 50 Airmen, along with two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters from the 56th Rescue Squadron at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, made the trip here to bring their special rescue skills to exercise Cooperative Key 05.The exercise, which began Aug. 24 and ends Sept. 5, is a multinational

  • Drowsy driving cause for concern

    In July 2004, three Airmen at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., and the 16-year-old brother of one of them were involved in an automobile accident that changed their lives forever. It was an accident that Air Force safety officials said is all too familiar -- falling asleep at the wheel.What started

  • Families say goodbye as Alaskan units deploy

    About 100 servicemembers from the Air Force and the Alaska Army National Guard deployed from here Aug. 30 to the Middle East.The servicemembers did not express much apprehension about the mission ahead of them, but their family members showed signs of uneasiness.Erin Ellingwood, wife of Staff Sgt.

  • Industry-wide gasoline shortages hit some AAFES stations

    The closure of refineries and offshore oil platforms, as well as oil pipeline failures in the southeast United States, are impacting fuel availability at Army and Air Force Exchange Service gas stations. Citing the destruction left by Hurricane Katrina, many AAFES suppliers have given notification

  • Air Force provides support to hurricane relief effort

    The Air Force is part of the national support network that is providing aid to victims of Hurricane Katrina in disaster stricken regions of Mississippi and Louisiana.The 1st Air Force at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., is the lead for planning, orchestrating and overseeing Air Force support to Joint

  • Watch live broadcast of chief of staff change ceremony

    The swearing in of Gen. T. Michael Moseley as the Air Force’s 18th chief of staff will be broadcast live Sept. 2 from Andrews Air Force Base, Md. The live broadcast is scheduled for 10 a.m. EDT and will be available on the Pentagon Channel and on Air Force Link at www.af.mil/csaf/player.html The

  • Contact information available concerning Hurricane Katrina

    For information relating to Hurricane Katrina, to include Stop Movement and entitlements, the following phone numbers and Web sites are available:The Air Force Personnel Center Personnel Readiness Center can be contacted toll free at (800) 435-9941. The PRC can provide information about bases

  • Officials address defense pay issues in Katrina's wake

    Banks and credit unions in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi have implemented contingency procedures in the wake of Hurricane Katrina that will mean a normal payday for those expecting Defense Finance and Accounting Service automatic deposits Sept. 1, DFAS officials announced.DFAS has completed

  • Hurricane Katrina patients evacuated to Wilford Hall

    Two aircraft loaded with patients and expectant moms landed here Aug. 30 as aircrews and medics evacuated patients from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Critical Care Air Transport Teams and one obstetrics team from Wilford Hall Medical Center flew to Keesler earlier

  • Flyover to honor chief of staff change

    Old and new fighter aircraft will perform a farewell flyover for the outgoing Air Force chief and welcome the new chief during a ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on Sept. 2.Gen. John P. Jumper, the current Air Force chief of staff, will retire and pass the flag to the current vice chief of

  • People venture outside Keesler shelters

    For the first time since Hurricane Katrina forced them into shelters, 6,000 people at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., ventured outside for a breath of fresh air.That was late in the day on Aug. 30, just after eating their first hot meal since the devastating hurricane nearly blew the base and that

  • Columbus cleanup now under way

    People at this flight training base in northern Mississippi are breathing a collective sigh of relief as damage assessments and cleanup efforts continue.The base did not sustain any storm-related fatalities or injuries, base officials said.While Hurricane Katrina did not pass directly over the base,

  • Air Force Reserve flies missions to storm-ravaged areas

    Within hours after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, Air Force Reserve Command people and aircraft were headed toward disaster areas to help survivors.Three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters from the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., flew to Jackson, Miss., late Aug. 30 to

  • CCAF unlocks doors of opportunity

    Many Airmen could be closer than they think to a degree from the Community College of the Air Force.Among work, family, temporary duty and deployments, many Airmen may feel they do not have enough time to finish their degree.“One of the biggest obstacles is discouragement,” said Tiffany Dalmida, the

  • SGLI coverage takes effect Sept. 1

    The Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance maximum coverage will increase to $400,000 on Sept. 1, Department of Defense officials said.Servicemembers eligible for SGLI will automatically be insured for the maximum coverage of $400,000. The monthly premium remains $3.25 per $50,000 of coverage, so the

  • FEGLI 2004 open season elections take effect

    Federal employees who elected or changed their Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance during last year’s open season will have their elections take effect the first day of the first pay period that begins on or after Sept. 1.For most Air Force-serviced civilian employees, the effective date will be

  • AF clarifies hurricane evacuation entitlements

    Air Force officials want to ensure Airmen, their families and Department of Defense civilian employees evacuated during Hurricane Katrina are aware they may be eligible for certain entitlements.Eligible people may be entitled to limited evacuation allowances and expenses for lodging, transportation,

  • Regni nominated as academy superintendent

    Lt. Gen. John F. Regni has been nominated by the president to be the next U.S. Air Force Academy superintendent, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced Aug. 29.If confirmed by the senate, General Regni would be the academy’s 17th superintendent.Currently, he is Air University commander at

  • Gulfport Armed Forces Retirement Home residents evacuate

    Officials at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport, Miss., announced plans Aug. 30 to evacuate 416 now-homeless veterans from the hurricane-decimated home and move them to its sister facility here.Most of the veterans were preparing to leave Gulfport on Aug. 30 by charter bus for the Armed

  • Military providing full-scale response to hurricane relief effort

    Joint Task Force Katrina is setting up Aug. 31 at Camp Shelby, Miss., as the Defense Department's focal point to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency's relief efforts along the Gulf Coast, said Maj. Eric Butterbaugh, a U.S. Northern Command spokesman.Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, 1st U.S.

  • AMC answering humanitarian call in aftermath of Katrina

    The Tanker Airlift Control Center here started generating missions Air Mobility Command aircrews will fly supporting Hurricane Katrina relief operations in Louisiana and Mississippi.The Federal Emergency Management Agency, through Northern Command and U.S. Transportation Command, asked for airlift

  • Katrina takes heavy toll at Keesler

    Hurricane Katrina smashed “a good 95 percent” of Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., turning it into a pile of debris and mud, said a base spokesperson.Lt. Col. Claudia Foss, 81st Training Wing public affairs officer, said water surges from the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of Biloxi reached depths of five

  • Commission wraps up BRAC decisions

    The Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission wrapped up four days of deliberations in final actions Aug. 26 and 27 by voting to turn Pope Air Force Base, N.C., into an Army airfield and recommending sweeping recommendations to revamp the Air National Guard and consolidate its operations.The

  • Guard, NORTHCOM respond to hurricane aftermath

    Twenty-four hours after Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast, about 7,500 National Guardsmen from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi were on duty supporting civil authorities, distributing generators, providing medical care, and setting up shelters for displaced residents.In addition,

  • Stop Movement lifted for Tyndall; Keesler remains in effect

    Base officials have reinstated all permanent change of station and temporary duty travel to Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. Stop Movement is still in effect for the following areas: Keesler AFB, Miss.; 361st Training Squadron, Detachment 2, Pensacola, Fla.; and 366th Det. 6, Gulfport Naval Air

  • Buckley’s AADD volunteers save lives, careers

    In just more than 18 months, the Airmen Against Drunk Driving program here has helped save lives and careers by giving free rides to about 300 Airmen and Department of Defense civilians who may have had too much to drink.The program started in February 2004, and dozens of volunteers have helped

  • New center helps promote records classification review

    A governmentwide effort to declassify documents that no longer need protecting took a big step forward recently with the official opening of the Interagency Referral Center in College Park, Md.The new center, at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, is part of an initiative launched

  • K-9 teams keep Kirkuk safe

    Being on the frontlines in a combat zone is never an easy task, which is why the military relies heavily on teamwork. The Airmen of the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron military working dog flight work long days, face continual training and execute a crucial mission that never ends.