HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Air Force officials approve force shaping Phase II

    As personnel officials review the last remaining applications for retirement or separation under the force-shaping program, a more extensive second phase of the plan has begun.The new initiatives include expanded waivers for a number of programs including active-duty service commitments and

  • F-16 technology links allied nations' aircraft

    Warriors in future conflicts will see United States and coalition nations sharing more of the battlefield load thanks to U.S. and allied countries' F-16 Fighting Falcons getting an upgraded software program.The U.S. version of the software underwent large-force operational testing during a recent

  • Osan officer convicted of unprofessional relationships

    An officer accused of being improperly involved with two enlisted women and misusing government e-mail for the relationships was convicted May 21.Lt. Col. Anthony Williams of the 51st Maintenance Group was convicted on two counts of conduct unbecoming an officer for having an unprofessional

  • Officials approve wear of expeditionary medal

    Air Force officials have authorized wear of the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal which was approved by President Bush in 2003.The Department of Defense campaign medal applies to active-duty, Reserve and Guard servicemembers deployed abroad on or after Sept.11, 2001, for operations

  • Pro baseball player spends day as Airman

    Major League Baseball pitcher Al Leiter swapped his New York Mets uniform May 24 for an Air Force flight suit to become a boom operator here for a day.While here, the left-hander who has played in three World Series and has 146 career wins, learned the ropes of refueling from Senior Airman Chardo

  • Risk management, clear thinking key to safe summer

    Losing 66 Air Force people to private motor vehicle and seven to nontraffic-related accidents in 2003 prompted officials to carry out the most aggressive 101 Critical Days of Summer safety campaign in recent history.Air Force commanders are sending the word out to their people: Be safe!In a letter

  • New system saves money, manpower

    Air Force Materiel Command experts are replacing decades-old instrument landing systems at six locations with state-of-the-art equipment.The new systems will save money and manpower and allow quicker maintenance. They work off circuit cards and computers rather than tubes and older hardware

  • Yokota C-130 helps rescue six lost at sea

    A C-130 Hercules aircrew from the 36th Airlift Squadron here helped a search-and-rescue mission May 21 when they spotted a missing 20-foot Micronesian sailing vessel about 120 miles off of the coast of Guam. Six people, including a 10-year-old boy, were brought to safety after being lost at sea for

  • Air Force takes 5-3 win over BYU

    Sixth-seeded Air Force Academy advanced to the second day of the 2004 Mountain West Conference Baseball Championships after snapping a 34-game losing streak. A solid pitching performance from Clayton Couch clenched a 5-3 win over fourth-seeded Brigham Young University here May 26. Couch improved

  • Price is right for Nellis Airman

    Watching the “Price is Right” game show faithfully for years, an Airman here was invited to “Come on Down,” for his chance to bid in contestants row.“It has been my dream to be on a game show,” said Senior Airman Roger Thomas, an information manager with Air Combat Command Training Support

  • Airmen ride to nation’s capital for Memorial Day

    Fifteen motorcyclists from here started a three-day road trip May 26 to participate in Memorial Day activities at the nation’s capital. The team will join thousands of other riders paying tribute at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. They will be part of the annual Memorial Day “Rolling Thunder”

  • B-1B supports French, Afghan troops

    A B-1B Lancer dropped four Joint Direct Attack Munitions to help French and Afghan troops fighting against Taliban forces in Afghanistan on May 25.The 40th Air Expeditionary Group crew was patrolling south of Kabul as part of Operation Enduring Freedom when they received the call for

  • Pilots train on gunnery marksmanship

    Firing on a banner pulled behind a slow-flying aircraft, F-15 Eagle pilots worked on their gunnery marksmanship near here May 17 to 21.The training simulates air-to-air combat by using a Learjet 35 to drag a 68-pound banner 1,500 feet behind the aircraft. Pilots shoot at the banner as it is pulled

  • Military, civilian medics join forces

    About 400 civilian and military medics joined together here recently for a high-level medical conference held by the Air National Guard’s medical service.The Readiness Frontiers Medical Conference explored, among other matters, the relationship between the civilian and military medical

  • Rumsfeld defers tanker lease decision

    Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld has deferred a decision on the tanker recapitalization program until additional studies now under way can be completed. Officials said the decision was based in part on recommendations made by the Defense Science Board’s aerial refueling task force.The data

  • Officials announce annual medical-service awards

    Air Force Medical Service officials announced the winners of the annual medical-service awards for 2003.Lt. Gen. (Dr.) George Peach Taylor Jr., Air Force surgeon general, thanked the winners for their voluntary commitment to America and devotion to their profession. "As Americans, and especially as

  • Guardsmen bring hospitals to field

    The Air National Guard’s air surgeon and director of medical services explained what expeditionary medical support systems mean for the Air National Guard during a recent conference here.“They move us from an ambulatory-care mission to a critical-care mission,” Col. Randy Falk said during the Air

  • Airman carries on female family tradition

    Throughout history, men in the same families have served side by side and generation after generation.Grandfathers, fathers and sons fought together in the Revolutionary War. Brothers clashed with brothers during the Civil War. It was not unusual to find brothers, uncles and in-laws serving

  • Firefighting aircraft deploy to Arizona

    Two Air Force Reserve Command C-130 Hercules aircraft and their crews deployed to Mesa, Ariz., May 23 to prepare for fire season in Arizona.The planes, equipped with the modular airborne firefighting system, are being pre-positioned to augment the Forest Service. The system disperses a liquid fire

  • Airmen help rural Thai preschool

    More than 12 Airmen from Kadena Air Base, Japan, helped a preschool near here May 19, offering supplies, building materials and a playground renovation.Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Group arrived at the rural school, located 30 miles south of here, at about 10 a.m. They began

  • Common sense key to safety

    Air Force officials want Airmen to use common sense and not fall victim to accidents during the “101 Critical Days of Summer.”These 101 days fall between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This is the time period when the Air Force sees a rise in off-duty injuries caused by increased activity and risk

  • Joint weather team aids Cobra Gold aircrews

    Multinational, multiservice weather forecasters here put their skills together in predicting curveballs Mother Nature may throw at Cobra Gold 04 participants.Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan, joined forces with U.S. Marine and Thai weather forecasters

  • Americans teach Thai teenagers English

    Passakorn Bungaow never spoke English with a foreigner before. That changed May 21 when Airmen visited a local school to help teach Thai students studying English. The visit was part of the speaking and listening program run by English teacher Sompong Phothijark.“The (Airmen) are very, very good at

  • Airmen destroy grenade launchers

    More than 600 rocket-propelled grenade launchers collected by coalition forces throughout southern Iraq, were recently destroyed by Airmen of the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron here. Normally destroyed using explosives, this amount of weapons required too much. “In order to destroy

  • Firefighters, community preserve Air Force history

    People of the 49th Civil Engineer Squadron fire and emergency services department here recently finished restoring a 1958 O-6 Cardox fire crash truck. They presented it to the military firefighter’s heritage museum at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, during a dedication ceremony May 18.Mark

  • Deadline set to apply for developmental education

    Mission support officers considering basic developmental education programs in 2005 have until June 15 to apply.Available programs include:-- Air Force Institute of Technology.-- Education with industry.-- Space-lift education and crossover program.-- Space and missile acquisition exchange

  • Airmen make drops in Thailand

    “Kanto 95, winds are light, you’re cleared to drop.” As the C-130 Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, rumbled overhead at 600 feet, the cargo was released and floated under a full canopy into a dormant rice paddy.Five people from the 353rd Operations Support Squadron’s

  • Falcons swept with three doubleheader defeats

    The Air Force Academy team (5-47 overall, 0-28 in the Mountain West Conference) dropped its third-consecutive doubleheader in as many days here May 22 against Brigham Young University (28-28, 18-12). It was Air Force’s final regular season games. In Game One, a four run, eighth inning proved to be

  • Airman makes children smile in Cambodia

    Children here have already figured out that if they stop by the hospital here in the afternoon, they are almost sure to be in for some type of treat. The first day it was coloring books. Then it was lollipops and high-fives. May 23 it was clothes. But while the handouts have been random, there is

  • NCO loses leg, doesn’t miss a step

    He wishes he could be out on the flightline supporting the maintainers who work on F-117A Nighthawks, like he did before he lost his leg.With his right leg amputated below the knee and using a prosthetic, his stump is still not strong enough to allow him much time there.“I’m proud of my

  • Now showing: May 24 edition of AFTV News

    The affect of extended activations on Air Force reservists, Air National Guardsmen, their families and employers, spotlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Tech. Sgt. Bill Scherer travels to Pennsylvania to profile Jillian Mentkewicz, a senior airman in the Air Force Reserve who is

  • Tyndall aircraft crashes

    An F-15 Eagle crashed into the Gulf of Mexico at about noon May 21.The plane, assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing here, was on a training mission. Lt. Col. Patrick Marshall, 1st Fighter Squadron commander, piloted the aircraft and is reported in good condition.A board of officers will investigate the

  • Man becomes Airman, dreams of flying

    His destiny hit him in a flash, as an 8-year-old child watching television in his family’s home.“I just got a push,” said Senior Airman Kamarudini Raimi, a 509th Munitions Squadron supply liaison. “It came while I was watching TV. I saw pilots with their headsets and suits and I thought it was

  • Last Randolph T-38A simulator shut down

    After 26 years of training thousands of pilots, the last full-motion T-38A Talon simulators here was retired. The once state-of-the-art equipment is being replaced by virtual reality trainers designed to reproduce the cockpit of the new T-38C aircraft. Ron Hamada, now a training manager at the Air

  • Medics treat more than 620 in Cambodia

    U.S. military medics have treated more than 620 patients and have scheduled 100 surgeries in a small hospital complex in Cambodia since May 17. “Ten hours after the mission started, the surgery schedule was fully booked with 100 cases,” said Lt. Col. Diep Duong, team leader for a 20-member blast

  • Airmen, Iraqis dig up ancient site

    An ages-old mystery is being unearthed here thanks to some amateur archeologists serving with the 506th Air Expeditionary Group.Iraqi archeologists have determined the air base has at least one site with artifacts dating back to between 1200 B.C. and 2600 B.C., possibly predating the ancient

  • Luke F-16 crashes

    A Singapore pilot assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing here was killed when his F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed May 19. Singapore air force Lieutenant Brandon Loo was on a night training mission in the Sells Military Operating Area south of the Barry M. Goldwater Range when the crash occurred.The

  • AF commercials begin filming

    Air Force officials want potential recruits to know “we’ve been waiting for you.”That is the message of four new commercials under production at various locations in California.In filming May 19, three Airmen from Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., floated for seven hours with the aid of cable

  • Three Airmen participate in dog-sled expedition

    It is one thing to appreciate the hardened life of the Inuit; it is another to actually live it. Three tenderfoot Airmen, 1st Lt. Lance Brenneke, Tech. Sgt. Dan Rea and Staff Sgt. Chris Knabe, got a taste of arctic frontier life while on a six-day dog-sledding expedition from Qaanaaq to Siorapaluk

  • Airmen help bring Iraqi infant to America

    Medical teams from the 791st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron here assisted with the medical evacuation of a critically ill 8-month-old Iraqi girl May 18 and 19.Fatemah Kalil Hassan was transferred to the Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, to undergo specialized treatment for an

  • Medics distribute mosquito nets in Cambodia

    Tech. Sgt. Bryan Gray spent the morning of May 20 handing out 300 mosquito nets to three Cham-Muslim villages near here, something he said is extremely rewarding.“To help poor people by giving them something that will help them from getting sick is rewarding. Especially since there is no medical

  • AF family gives two Chernobyl children health, hope

    On April 26, 1986, the world’s worst nuclear power accident occurred at Chernobyl in the former Soviet Union, now the Ukraine.Plant workers noticed something drastically wrong with a reactor and began an emergency shutdown -- a procedure that only takes 20 seconds. Unfortunately, that was 13

  • Guard Airman participates in Lewis and Clark bicentennial

    When Lewis and Clark began their expedition 200 years ago, the National Guard, as colonial militias, was already 167 years old.To help with the bicentennial celebrations, the Montana Air National Guard’s Tech. Sgt. Al Garver will portray an early 19th century Soldier for the National Guard

  • Two Airmen among recipients of GEICO award

    Two Airmen were among the recipients of the annual Government Employees Insurance Company Military Service Awards. The Airmen were chosen for the award because of their work with drug- and alcohol-abuse prevention programs, officials said. Air Force award recipients for 2003 are: -- Senior Master

  • Civilian guards tapped to control base gates

    People entering the gates at 11 Air Force bases are being greeted by some new faces. About 400 contracted civilian guards began providing entry controller services at selected active-duty bases May 18. The bases gaining civilian guards are Andrews Air Force Base, Md.; Bolling AFB, D.C.; Hill AFB,

  • Air Force wins triathlon championship

    The Air Force team won the 2004 Armed Forces Triathlon Championship held May 12 to 16 at Naval Base Ventura County, Calif.This armed forces championship is an Olympic-distance course at the base’s Point Mugu. The course includes a 1,500-meter (0.93-mile) swim, a 40-kilometer (25-mile) bicycle route

  • Air Force wins women’s soccer championship

    The Air Force team won the 2004 Armed Forces Women’s Soccer Championship in a double round-robin championship at Fort Eustis, Va., May 8 to 15. The first game of the tournament saw the Army team defeat the Navy team, 3-1. The goal by the Navy team later proved decisive in determining the

  • Geocaching: ‘X’ marks the spot

    Pirates sailed the high seas looting ships and left the bounty for future treasure hunters: Indiana Jones, Lara Croft and geocachers. What do all these have in common? Well, if “X” marks the spot, then buried treasure is the answer. Techno junkies have reinvented the wheel with geocaching,

  • Military brings Iraqi children gifts from America

    More than 300 Iraqi children from a small village near here thanked the Airmen and Soldiers who delivered a large number school supplies and toys from American children.About 30 Airmen and Soldiers traveled May 17 to the village to hand out school supplies and toys to the children. The items were

  • Officials return Vietnam War remains to family

    The remains of an Airman missing in action from the Vietnam War were returned to his family May 18 for burial. They have been identified as Col. Lester Holmes, from Plainfield, Iowa, who was missing since May 22, 1967.Senior Master Sgt. Roger Holmes, a first sergeant with the 36th Aerial Port

  • Sergeant wins Vanguard Award for heroism

    Staff Sgt. Joshua A. Swartz is the Air Force's 2004 recipient of the annual Vanguard Award for heroic action.Sergeant Swartz is a pararescueman assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, N.C.The award, sponsored by the Non Commissioned Officers Association, recognizes a

  • Airmen complete Marine Corps martial arts training

    Staff Sgt. Eric Earp does not necessarily consider himself athletic, but that did not keep him from completing a “grueling” weeklong Marine Corps martial arts training program. “I wanted to see if I could complete a Marine Corps program,” said Sergeant Earp of the 735th Expeditionary Communications

  • Yokota mail detachment is largest, busiest

    Detachment 2 of the Air Postal Squadron here operates the Air Force’s largest and busiest central mail processing activity. Its 48-person team of Airmen and local Japanese workers oversee the movement, sorting and distribution of more than 50 million pounds of mail annually.Det. 2 also has remote

  • Pilot killed in F-16 collision

    One pilot was killed and another injured when two F-16 Fighting Falcons collided during a training mission over the Indiana and Illinois border May 17.The pilots and aircraft were assigned to the Indiana Air National Guard’s 181st Fighter Wing at Terre Haute.Maj. William E. Burchett, from Arlington,

  • Nellis holds firepower demo

    More than 2,500 people witnessed the first Air Force firepower demonstration since February 2003 at the Nevada Test and Training Range near here May 12.The demonstration showcased the Air Force’s air and space capabilities. After being put on hold, the original quarterly demonstration will now be

  • Bagram Airmen keep safety a priority

    Air Force safety rules are just as important here, in the heart of the worldwide war on terrorism, as they are at bases outside of the “war zone.”Challenges to maintaining a safe environment are all around here -- literally. There are land mines placed by the former Soviet military and the Taliban.

  • Medics help with war stress

    Their stories and experiences are harrowing: improvised explosive devices and small-arms fire attacks, comrades killed and injured in action and near-death experiences. It is the unfortunate reality of a combat environment that many U.S. servicemembers are confronted with daily throughout Iraq.

  • Center ensures blood ships safely

    No matter who you are, they have your type.“They” are the six-person staff at the blood transshipment center here. The team, part of the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group, is the first rotation here since the one-of-a-kind center was relocated in March. The Airmen ship blood supplies everywhere in

  • Access to pay information gets easier

    Defense Finance and Accounting Service officials announced May 12 that Airmen can receive personal identification numbers for myPay through their official Air Force e-mail accounts.Airmen can expect to receive a new or updated PIN within two hours of requesting it on the myPay Web site.The e-mail

  • Four Falcons claim championship titles

    Four members of the Air Force Academy’s track and field program claimed conference titles May 14 and 15 at the 2004 Mountain West Conference Outdoor Championships in Las Vegas. For the third consecutive year, the men earned a third-place finish with 161.5 points, while the women finished seventh

  • Major accident response tested at Air Force station

    A little known Air Force station in New Hampshire was the focal point for hundreds of emergency workers May 15 as they responded to a simulated terrorist attack involving a weapon of mass destruction.The exercise, named Granite Thunder 2004, encompassed more than 20 local, state and federal agencies

  • Airman dies in Iraq

    An Airman deployed to Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq, died May 15 as a result of nonhostile injuries while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, Department of Defense officials announced May 17.Senior Airman Pedro I. Espaillat Jr., 20, of Colombia, Tenn., was a weapons loader assigned to the 4th Aircraft

  • Leader discusses multiservice, multimission installations

    A base is not just what is inside the fence. A base involves the community in which it resides, an Air Force official said.Raymond DuBois, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment, said military families want good schools, good health care, safe and secure neighborhoods,

  • Airman sentenced to life in prison for murder

    An Airman from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., was sentenced to life in a federal prison May 17 for murdering an Airman based here.Col. Mary Boone, chief circuit trial judge for the central circuit, convicted Staff Sgt. Jason Arindain, a fuels technician, of unpremeditated murder May 15. The

  • Senior citizens punch, kick their way to health

    While some people may retire to a rocking chair, Nancy Newell is spending her retirement punching and kicking her way to a healthier lifestyle.And she is not alone.Seventeen senior citizens put up a “fight” at the fitness center here for a senior Tae Bo class May 10 -- a special feature to the

  • Medics provide multifaceted care

    Medical technicians here are perfecting the art of multitasking.Although they receive initial training in a variety of jobs, at a home base the technicians are usually only assigned one job at a time, said Master Sgt. Bill Wnek, the 447th Expeditionary Medical Squadron’s nursing services

  • Leaders show off Raptor, Joint Strike Fighter at air show

    Air Force senior leaders took advantage of an open house here to tell reporters and visitors about the service’s newest fighters, the F/A-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche held a press conference before a static display of both aircraft May 14

  • U.S. military medics assist in Cambodia

    Military medics are here caring for people injured by mine blasts and suffering from other war-related traumas in a former stronghold of the Khmer Rouge, officials said May 17. The blast resuscitation and victim assistance mission will continue through May 29. The medics began by screening patients

  • Falcons swept at New Mexico with 16-6 defeat

    Joe Salas and Daniel Stovall hit two back-to-back home runs to lead the University of New Mexico to 10-run rule shortened 16-6 seven inning win and series sweep over Air Force Academy in Mountain West Conference baseball here May 16. The Lobos improve to 22-25-1 overall and 18-9 in the conference,

  • Deployed surgical team keeps troops close

    While light rock ‘n’ roll plays in the background, he has a look of fierce concentration. A facial mask covers his nose and mouth, white rubber gloves cover his hands and green scrubs cover the rest of his body as he works to repair a fractured wrist.Maj. (Dr.) Warren Kadrmas, who is deployed from

  • New commands in Iraq replacing combined joint task force

    Two new military commands will stand up in Iraq on May 15, replacing the current coalition military organization. Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq will replace Combined Joint Task Force 7.Coalition military spokesman Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, at a Baghdad news conference

  • Crew returns Phantom jet to Florida sky

    Arizona-based technicians saved the military $620,000 when they rebuilt a QF-4 Phantom II full-scale aerial target drone. The drone had suffered extensive missile damage to its aft section during a warfare exercise over the Atlantic Ocean near here.Even though shrapnel had shattered the QF-4's

  • Secretary, chief send Armed Forces Day message

    The following is an Armed Forces Day message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“Since 1949, America has paid tribute to its men and women in uniform by celebrating Armed Forces Day on the third Saturday in May. Grateful Americans in

  • Millwrights are jacks-of-all-trades

    Floyd Mixon loves his job. Why else would the 65-year-old millwright still get a twinkle in his eye whenever he and his co-workers describe their trade?“I love seeing big things move,” said Mr. Mixon, a 38-year millwright. “We can do almost anything.”A millwright is a mechanic who builds, sets up

  • DOD officials expand Pentagon Channel

    The Pentagon Channel, the Defense Department's news and information television source, officially expanded its service May 14 with a live broadcast from Andrews Air Force Base, Md. The Pentagon Channel, which previously existed as an information channel within the Pentagon, is now distributed 24

  • Airman struggles to save her family

    Soon, Airman 1st Class Ayaan Nduli hopes to sleep well at night.It would mean 15 years of worrying and waiting were over.It would mean her family is safe.The story of Airman Nduli, an honor guard member here, begins in Somalia in 1981, when her mother, Sahra Cali Sherwac, was pregnant with her, the

  • Members of ‘greatest generation’ visit memorial

    They have been called the “Greatest Generation,” and now a fitting tribute to them adorns the National Mall here, set between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.“It is A-No.-1-plus,” retired Master Sgt. Paul Bradford said of the World War II Memorial. “But it’s 50 years late.”Sergeant

  • Airmen haul Operation Secure Tomorrow cargo

    The instant a C-141 Starlifter stops taxiing at its designated spot on the runway here, 84th Aerial Port Squadron reservists rapidly unload its cargo and immediately load material for the return flight. In a matter of minutes, without ever shutting down its engines, the cargo plane is airborne

  • Battlelab improves in-flight patient care

    Specialists at the Air Mobility Battlelab here have resolved a significant lighting deficiency aboard aeromedical evacuation aircraft by developing a portable lighting kit prototype.Because of insufficient lighting, several care providers reported having difficulty assessing patients, observing

  • Large Package Week puts the ‘air’ in airborne

    A U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules passed overhead and green parachutes dotted the evening sky above nearby Fort Bragg on May 11. Eight seconds later, the first Soldiers from the Army’s 18th Airborne Corps charged across the ground launching a simulated airfield assault.The Large Package Week

  • Recalled officer retires -- again

    An Airman who began his military career as a Marine Corps rifleman in 1962 is retiring for the second time.Lt. Col. Theron Sims, who is on terminal leave, rejoined the Air Force on May 15, 2002, as part of the Rated Officer Recall Program. Colonel Sims was the service’s senior lieutenant colonel,

  • Groups arrange foster care for military pets

    Deploying overseas means leaving friends and loved ones behind. For servicemembers with no one to take care of their beloved dog, cat, bird or other pet, it once meant also having to abandon or turn the pet over to a shelter -- never to see it again.Thanks to two nonprofit groups -- the Military

  • Air Force garners 18 Presidential Rank Awards

    White House officials recently named the 2003 Presidential Rank Award recipients.The awards program was established to recognize career senior executive service employees and senior professionals who exemplify the highest level of integrity, leadership and personal conduct.Awards are given in two

  • Airmen participate in Combined Endeavor 2004

    Airmen from the 735th Communications Squadron and the 1st Combat Communications Squadron arrived here for exercise Combined Endeavor 2004. In roughly a day, a group of 26 communications experts from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, provided access to phones, the Internet and e-mail for more than 200

  • Air Force announces aviation resource management awards

    Air Force officials recently announced the winners of the 2003 Outstanding Air Force Aviation Resource Management of the Year Awards. The 2003 winners are: -- Headquarters Aviation Resource Management of the Year: Master Sgt. Andrea Wilcox from Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

  • Air Force takes four White House-level environmental awards

    The Air Force received 2004 White House Closing the Circle awards for four environmental programs.Closing the Circle awards are presented to federal agencies that demonstrate outstanding achievement in environmental innovation, recycling, and waste and pollution prevention.The 2004 Closing the

  • Robins employee sheds 150 pounds

    An employee here replaced her size 28 pants and more than 150 extra pounds with a size 16 and a new lease on life. Irish Frederick, 35, of Byron, Ga., said she is slimmer, fitter and “lookin’ good.”The classroom program assistant at Robins’ Child Development Center said she lost weight by changing

  • Personnel Center changes phone systems

    Offices at the Air Force Personnel Center here will convert to a new telephone system starting May 17. Although the switch to the new telephone system should be transparent, customers encountering problems can call the Air Force Contact Center at (800) 616-3775, DSN 665-5000 or commercially at (210)

  • Investigation determines cause of T-1A accident

    Air Force officials completed their investigation of an accident where a T-1A Jayhawk ran off the runway Aug. 16 after landing at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. The accident caused an estimated $2.5 million in structural damage to the aircraft.Accident investigation board officials determined the

  • General Sherrard relinquishes command, retires

    Lt. Gen. James E. Sherrard III relinquished command of Air Force Reserve Command during a ceremony here May 11. The ceremony was presided over by Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Force chief of staff.Maj. Gen. John J. Batbie Jr., AFRC vice commander, will lead the command until General Sherrard’s

  • VA reaches out to newest combat veterans

    The Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding its efforts to reach veterans of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to ensure they are aware of benefits they have earned.Anthony Principi, VA secretary, is sending a letter to more than 150,000 veterans of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring

  • Female cadets no longer face short haircut

    Female academy appointees no longer have to experience the most “hairifying” part of inprocessing. Rules regarding hair length have been changed allowing women to avoid the traditional extreme haircut, so long as they are able to remain within Air Force standards.Starting July 1, the longstanding

  • NASA selects servicemembers to explore space

    Four servicemembers were among 11 candidates NASA has chosen to be the next generation of space explorers, officials announced May 6.Maj. James Dutton, 35, and Marine Corps Maj. Randolph Bresnik, 36, were chosen to be space shuttle pilots. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Cassidy, 34, and Army Maj. Shane

  • Sergeant rescues boy from dog attack

    A sergeant assigned to Detachment 1 of the 7th Weather Squadron in Wurzburg, Germany, was honored with the Bavarian Rescuers Medal on May 7 for rescuing a young boy being attacked by two dogs. Tech. Sgt. Sean Hansen, a combat weather forecaster, is being credited with saving the 7-year-old German

  • Blood donors necessary in war, peace

    It may seem like blood centers are always asking for more. The fact is, there is a constant need for blood.Technological advances have a lot to do with this continuous need for blood, said Capt. Christine Murphy, the 48th Medical Group executive officer here. More and more, there have been

  • News anchor, base cook swap jobs

    A grill cook here saw what the view was like on the other side of the camera in the newsroom May 7 when she co-anchored the local news’ “Midday Edition” with host Rachel Wheat.Kimbra Lyons, a grill cook at the 360th Training Squadron's dining facility, earned her minute and a half on the air through

  • T-6A belly lands at Lackland

    A training aircraft landed with its gear up at Kelly Field Annex here May 10. The pilot declared an in-flight emergency because of a landing-gear malfunction. The T-6A Texan II is assigned to the 12th Flying Training Wing at nearby Randolph Air Force Base.The two-man crew of the aircraft was

  • Meester court-martial set for June 7

    The judge in the motions hearing for Cadet 3rd Class Douglas Meester denied the motion to dismiss the case May 7, and the case now goes to court-martial June 7.Col. Barbara Brand, judge in the hearing, denied the defense’s motion that there was undue command influence in Cadet Meester being

  • Special athletes compete at Yokota

    Pouring rain did not stop about 3,000 volunteers, athletes and spectators from participating in the 25th annual Kanto Plains Special Olympics here May 8 and 9.“It was a little soggy and cold, but seeing the smile and joy on the kids faces makes you feel warm inside,” said Master Sgt. Shari Wicks,

  • Now showing: May 10 edition of AFTV News

    Man’s thirst for flight highlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Stories from Staff Sgts. Melissa Allan and Leigh Bellinger illustrate two different ways flying has occupied and enriched two people’s lives.Sergeant Allen profiles Maj. Andrew Lurake. Despite having his leg