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  • EOD Airman receives Purple Heart

    More than 10 years after his injury, Tech. Sgt. Douglas Smits, 90th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal team leader, received a Purple Heart medal at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, Jan. 5, 2018.

  • Basic Training to Al Udeid: Two Air Force careers reunited after 21 years

    It all started in 1996. One kid from Prattville, Alabama, and another from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, took a bus to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. They were both a little scared and excited to become the U.S. Air Force’s newest Airmen. Though they grew up about 400 miles apart and spent six weeks

  • Delivering MRAPs safely downrange

    Delivering mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles downrange to U.S. troops is vital to their safety and overall mission success. Logistics Airmen at the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing show their commitment to making this happen safely every day.

  • AF selects 1,648 in CY17B captains quarterly selection process

    The Air Force selected 1,648 first lieutenants for promotion to captain during the Calendar Year 2017B Captain Line of the Air Force, Chaplain, Line of the Air Force – Judge Advocate, Nurse Corps, Medical Service Corps and Biomedical Sciences Corps quarterly selection process. To view the lists, go

  • Around the Air Force: Jan. 4

    On this look around the Air Force the 418th Flight Test Squadron assists NASA and Airmen can now enroll in the new Blended Retirement System.

  • Air Force saves Airmen time, no longer requires first year evaluations

    Air Force officials announced Jan. 4, 2018, Enlisted Performance Reports are no longer required for regular Air Force Airmen in the grade of airman first class and below with less than 36 months’ Time-In-Service or Air Reserve Component Airmen below the grade of senior airman.

  • Year-end review: 386th AEW remembers banner year

    As the world celebrated the passing of another year, and looked to the future with optimistic hope, the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, and its leadership, reflected on its accomplishments.

  • Is there a medic onboard?

    While returning from leave, an Osan Air Base Airman sprang into action, saving the life of a fellow passenger mid-flight, Nov. 11, 2017.

  • Around the Air Force: Dec. 29

    On this look around the Air Force deployed service members are treated with a USO show and Vandenberg Air Force Base assists in a Space X Falcon 9 launch. Hosted by Airman 1st Class Jasmine Vanderheyden.

  • Around the Air Force: Dec. 27

    On this look around the Air Force the Air Force Research Laboratory develops new antibodies, the 22nd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron flies more than a dozen flights a day on deployment, and Airmen volunteers assist the base post office during the holiday season. Hosted by Airman 1st Class Cory

  • Deployed parents see their children open toys

    Master Sgt. Shalenna Mitchell, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing finance budget analyst and Tech. Sgt. Randle Mitchell, 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron assistant chief of fire prevention, share their experiences and feelings during the holiday season while deployed at an undisclosed

  • Air Force dual-military retention improves thanks to Airman’s idea

    The day comes when that final project is due for class. The project is ready and prepped for presentation or thrown together within twenty-four hours. Either way it has to be ready without delay. Despite being an academic project, sometimes there are cases where it could be implemented in real life.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • Around the Air Force: Dec. 22

    On this look around the Air Force Nellis AFB hosts a Joint Forcible Entry exercise, Operation Ham Grenade provides ham and other goods for service members, and North American Aerospace Defense Command tracks Santa. Hosted by Staff Sgt. Samantha Ducker.

  • Government charge card required for Air Force travel

    A recent change to a Defense Department travel instruction strengthens enforcement of an Air Force policy that requires travelers to use a Government Travel Charge Card, also known as an Individual Billing Account.

  • Air Force finance workshop offers training for technicians

    Financial customer service technicians from around the Air Force will visit San Antonio in late January for three days of training designed to enhance their skills and abilities to meet issues and challenges they face at base level finance offices.

  • Air Force selects 63 officers, civilians for test pilot school

    The Air Force has selected 63 primary and alternate students to attend training at the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Naval, British and French test pilot schools, with classes starting next summer.The selection board met in July and considered total force officer and civilian candidates for test pilot, test

  • AF releases 2018 squadron command slection list

    More than 550 officers from more than 20 career fields, including support, medical, test and others, have been matched to squadron commander positions across the Air Force.Using the previously published squadron commander candidate lists, wing and group hiring officials selected individuals to fill

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: Operation Santa

    FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) – What started as a simple typo, turned into yearly tradition where every year the North American Aerospace Defense Command helps children all over the world track Santa. Track Santa this year at www.noradsanta.org.Yesterday's Air Force is a history and heritage

  • SecAF visits Maxwell AFB, emphasizes importance of leadership

    Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson visited Maxwell Air Force Base, Dec. 11-13, 2017, to discuss some of her priorities with Airmen across the base.One of the main points Wilson underscored during her visit was that she and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein view the squadron as

  • Around the Air Force: Dec. 20

    On this look Around the Air Force, the Silver Star Medal is awarded to a special tactics chief master sergeant, the Pacific Air Forces commander visits the Philippines and MQ-9 Reapers are used to track wildfires in southern California.

  • Happy Holidays from Air Force senior leaders and spouses

    Secretary of the Air Force Heather A. Wilson and her husband, along with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright and their spouses, wish all Airmen and families season’s greetings.

  • Blended Military Retirement System to take effect Jan. 1

    One of the most wide-reaching and significant changes to military pay and benefits over the last 70 years goes into effect Jan. 1 with the implementation of the Uniformed Services Blended Retirement System, known as BRS.

  • Helping Haiti’s children: 315th AW delivers school buses

    Reserve Airmen of Joint Base Charleston’s 317th Airlift Squadron, with support from three additional Reserve Airmen of the 514th Air Mobility Wing from JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, transported school buses in a C-17 Globemaster III from JB Charleston to Port-au-Prince, where they were

  • Military branches come together for combat training

    The 366th Fighter Wing is located in the middle of nowhere in southern Idaho, nearly an hour away from a large city. Not exactly the description of a place one would expect military forces from every U.S. service and foreign allies would be excited to visit. In reality, Mountain Home AFB’s

  • Boom operator reaches 5,000 flying hours

    Just east of Denver, Nov. 29, 2017, McCrillis anticipated the moment he would complete his goal of reaching 5,000 flying hours. It came just after he completed refueling his favorite receiver, the B-52 Stratofortress.

  • Advisor serves as career guidebook

    Hikers who climb a mountain without a guidebook could probably still reach the summit, but they might run into obstacles they could have avoided, or miss things like shortcuts and unique landmarks. Career assistance advisors are like a guidebook. They can help Airmen avoid obstacles, find the

  • Airman wins on and off the court

    The Airman’s Creed is a promise to the United States and a rallying cry for Airmen to remain the world’s greatest Air Force. The words, “My mission is to fly, fight and win,” hold true for 20th Air Force’s Tech. Sgt. Corey Rucker, a world champion who embodies the creed both professionally and

  • Edwards AFB members win top DoD maintenance award

    Members of the 412th Test Wing’s Emerging Technologies Combined Test Force and the 412th Maintenance Group won the Department of Defense 2017 Maintenance Innovation Challenge People's Choice Award for using small unmanned aircraft systems to conduct exterior maintenance inspections on large

  • Finding the way: Special tactics chief awarded Silver Star

    Chief Master Sgt. Michael West, 24th Special Operations Wing special tactics operator, utilized 58 coalition aircraft delivering 24,000 pounds of munitions, turning the tide of battle, and now he’s receiving the Silver Star Medal.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • Viper Patrol first layer of defense downrange

    Defenders of the 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron stand ready to protect lives and secure the installation in a deployed environment by going outside the wire each day as part of Viper Patrol.

  • Around the Air Force: Dec. 15

    On this look around the Air Force the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Goldfein announces deployment changes, and Royal Air Force joint terminal attack controllers train with Airmen in South Dakota. Hosted by Airman Marqus Williams.

  • ANG provides aerial imagery support for Southern California fires

    Air National Guard members from the 195th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group at Beale Air Force Base are providing aerial imagery support to fire departments battling fires in Southern California. The 163rd Air Attack Wing is providing video of the Thomas Fire to the 195th ISRG by

  • Total force medical team transports Sailor home

    When a 34-year-old Navy Ssailor suffered multiple traumatic injuries during a mission in Syria, a Total Force team of medical professionals and mMobility Airmen sprung into action, intent on saving the life of a fellow service member.

  • AF names primaries, alternates for advanced studies

    Air Force officials announced the selection of 86 officers as primary or alternate participants for advanced studies at the nation’s advanced war fighting schools during the 2018-2019 academic year.

  • Operation Christmas Drop launches

    The 66th iteration of Operation Christmas Drop took to the sky Dec. 11, 2017 as military leaders ceremoniously pushed the first pallet of donated toys, food, supplies and educational materials into a C-130J Super Hercules at Andersen Air Force Base.

  • Around the Air Force: Dec. 13

    On this look around the Air Force, Airmen will soon have the option to use the new Blended Retirement System and Reserve Airmen at Little Rock Air Force Base, receive a new C-130J Hercules. Hosted by Airman Marqus Williams.

  • Cyber operations Airmen 'Hack the Air Force'

    Within 30 seconds of receiving the order to “start hacking,” researchers at the Hack the Air Force 2.0 event discovered two vulnerabilities—exactly the result the organizers were hoping for.The researchers were cyber security specialists invited to the Dec. 9, 2017 event in New York to identify

  • JTACs, aircrews participate in joint exercise over PRTC

    Aircrews from Ellsworth Air Force Base worked side-by-side with members of the 582nd Helicopter Group out of F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming and joint terminal attack controllers from the England’s Royal Air Force during a joint-training exercise over the Powder River Training Complex in western South

  • Airmen encouraged to update their vRED, SOES information

    Airmen should review and update their virtual Record of Emergency Data and their Servicemembers’ Online Election System information annually, before deploying and each time they experience a major life change, such as marriage or divorce, permanent change of station or birth of a child.

  • Air Force announces change to deployments

    The Air Force announced another milestone under the chief of staff’s number two focus area: Strengthening Joint Leaders and Teams.Airmen deploying on individual taskings will now deploy in teams of three or more. This move will provide mutual support during the entire deployment continuum. This

  • Columbus AFB AFE keeps pilot production going

    The Air Force is known for its air supremacy around the globe, and pilots are recognized for their ability to keep the skies safe from America’s enemies. But who keeps the pilots safe?

  • Hill AFB F-35A maintainers passing the Pacific TSP test

    Five weeks into the first F-35A Pacific Theater Security Package deployment the 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit team is at full stride.Maintainers in the Pacific location and in Utah, home of the 34th AMU under the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings are coming together to make the first TSP a success and

  • 386th AEW MOC gatekeeper of a broader scope

    The Airmen of the maintenance operations center are responsible for recording the mission capabilities of all aircraft under the 386th AEW purview. The information gathered helps analysts determine trends in aircraft maintenance needs, creating opportunities to preclude long-term problems. The

  • Four MAJCOMs join forces, upgrade C2 systems

    Four Air Force major commands joined forces to overhaul command and control systems at Naval Station Rota, Spain, Dec. 4, 2017.Airmen assigned to U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Space Command, and Air Force Materiel command conducted major upgrades to

  • Around the Air Force Dec. 8

    On this look around the Air Force the Joint Space Component gets a new commander, U.S. and South Korea forces exercise together during Vigilant Ace 18, and the Civil Air Patrol celebrates 76 years of service

  • AF awards recognize pilot excellence

    With a continued focus on solving the pilot retention problem and maintaining air dominance, Air Force senior leaders look to celebrate the culture and flying expertise of their pilots.

  • Innovative PT program increases readiness downrange

    With the help of a colleague, Capt. Eric Walter, 386th Expeditionary Medical Group physical therapy element chief, has developed a proactive approach to physical therapy at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.

  • Double take: Brothers’ bond extends far beyond twin upbringing

    It is well known that twins share a unique bond that transcends other sibling relationships. It’s common for twins to live, work and recreate within close proximity to each other throughout their lives.But for one pair of Air Force twins, they’ve taken that commonality several steps further.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • Upgrades to missile detection radar earns civilian recognition

    Dr. Donald Hoying, the radar’s program manager at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, leads a team of 50 military and government civilians and contractors who are working to upgrade these SSMs while improving the radar’s satellite, space-borne object and missile detection capabilities. In November,

  • 25th OWS Science and Training Team awarded Thor’s Hammer Trophy

    The 25th Operational Weather Squadron Science and Training Team channeled the spirit of the ancient god as they won the inaugural Thor’s Legions Forecast Challenge and received the Thor’s hammer trophy from Lt. Gen. Mark Nowland, Air Force deputy chief of staff for operations, at the Pentagon in

  • 35th FW relocates for Vigilant Ace 18

    The 35th Fighter Wing relocated 18 F-16 Fighting Falcons and more than 280 personnel to participate in Vigilant Ace 18, an annual flying exercise at Osan Air Base, South Korea, occurring Dec. 4 - 8, 2017.

  • SecAF, CSAF direct review of all Air Force programs

    Air Force senior leaders have directed a Zero-Based Review of all Air Force programs, budget accounts and associated manpower authorizations in preparation for assembling the Fiscal Year 2020 Program Objective Memorandum and Future Years Defense Plan.

  • Nomination window open for 2018 AF innovation award

    Application packages for the 2018 General Larry O. Spencer Innovation Award, based on contributions occurring between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018, are due to the Air Force’s Personnel Center by April 20, 2018.

  • Around the Air Force: Dec. 5

    On this look around the Air Force, we take a look at the Hurricane Hunters’ mission and this month marks the 66th anniversaryof Operation Christmas Drop. Hosted by Airman 1st Class Cory Kuttler.

  • Airman lunges for knockout debut

    A Florida native, Tech. Sgt. Andre Penn, 20th Civil Engineer Squadron unaccompanied housing manager at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, has been preparing for more than a decade to achieve his dream of becoming a professional boxer.

  • Combat RPAs integral in defeating ISIS

    U.S. forces, coalition partners and Syrian Democratic Forces liberated Raqqah, Syria from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’s control in early October 2017. ISIS used the city as its capital for terrorist operations since January 2014.

  • Evolution of the Airman Safety App

    The evolution of the Air Force Safety Center’s Airman Safety App reached an important milestone with recent software updates Dec. 1, 2017.This simple, web-based tool provides a streamlined process for all Airmen, their families and anyone accessing the base to report safety issues as they encounter

  • Chief Wright to Airmen: Know your retirement options

    If I had to pick just one thing I’m most passionate about as the Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force, without a doubt it would be taking care of our Airmen and their families professionally, physically, spiritually and financially. I’m a firm believer that these four things go hand in hand. In order

  • Could flying faster save the Air Force fuel?

    On a Sunday morning just outside of Anchorage, Alaska, a group of Hawaii Air National Guard fighter pilots gathered around a desk at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to hear the day's operational briefing after three weeks of training at Red Flag Alaska.

  • AF Installation Cyberattack Plans tested during national grid exercise

    Recently, 32 Air Force installations and representatives from Headquarters Air Force took part in the two-day national Grid Security Exercise IV, or GridEx IV, to simulate a coordinated response to cyber and physical security threats to North America's electricity grid and other critical

  • First Afghan UH-60 pilots graduate

    Six Afghan Air Force members became the first ever AAF UH-60 Black Hawk pilots, after graduation from Aircraft Qualification Training during a ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Nov. 20, 2017.