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  • 'Vigilant Skies' brings ESC-infused NATO, Russian effort to fruition

    When NATO and Russian representatives wrapped up a joint international airspace demonstration June 10, it marked a great success for an effort Electronic Systems Center officials helped set in motion.Dubbed "Vigilant Skies 2011," the joint demonstration was sponsored by the NATO-Russia Council

  • Allied Strike 2011 kicks off in Germany

    Allied Strike 2011, the largest joint terminal attack controller and close-air-support exercise in Europe, kicked off here this morning with an opening ceremony which included three airmen jumping out of a C-130J Super Hercules and a welcome address by the commander of the 4th Air Support Operations

  • Air Force officials announce selections to lieutenant colonel and major

    The 2011A Lieutenant Colonel Line of Air Force and Medical Services Corps and the Major MSC Central Selection Boards selected 1,171 majors and 75 captains for promotion.The entire list can be found at the below locations.CY11A MAJOR (MSC) CY11A LIEUTENANT COLONEL (LAF/MSC) The boards considered

  • Air Force officials urge safe July 4th weekend

    With summer in full swing and the July 4th weekend approaching, officials at the Air Force Safety Center want to remind Airmen of steps they can take to minimize the potential for mishaps.Maj. Gen. Greg Feest, Air Force chief of safety, said although there are many activities to enjoy during the

  • Civil Air Patrol cadets experience pilot training

    Airmen here recently hosted members of the Civil Air Patrol cadet program as they learned about undergraduate pilot training.CAP was by the Department of Defense in 1941 to help the U.S. during World War II. After the war in 1947, Congress declared the mission of CAP to focus on aerospace education,

  • Mullen endorses Afghanistan drawdown plan

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Congress June 23 he endorses the president's plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen testified before the House Armed Services Committee following President Barack Obama's announcement June 22 that 33,000 U.S. troops now in

  • Air Force Week in Photos

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

  • Air Force officials host joint library workshop

    DOD library professionals will communicate, collaborate and connect during a library tri-service training workshop June 21 through 24 in New Orleans. The Air Force, Navy and U.S. Marines Corps Librarians' Training Workshop will feature speakers from the non-profit military organization Blue Star

  • New vehicle affects future of Air Force firefighting

    Soon Air Force firefighters will have a new weapon in their arsenal. The P-34 Rapid Intervention Vehicle will be in production by late September 2011. The Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency here has been the driving force behind this initiative."This will be the first firefighting vehicle in

  • Fairchild Airmen help save homes from flooding

    Forty student candidates and instructors from the 336th Training Group Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape School here filled roughly 10,000 sandbags in Pend Oreille County, Wash., June 9, reportedly saving three homes from being flooded and making elderly homeowners extremely grateful and

  • Gates says Afghanistan withdrawal capitalizes on success

    U.S. service members have made tremendous progress in degrading the capability of the Taliban while enhancing Afghan security forces, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said following the president's announcement June 22, regarding withdrawal of U.S. forces.Below is the secretary's full

  • Obama announces troop reductions, way forward in Afghanistan

    Thanks to the tremendous progress U.S., coalition and Afghan troops have made, the United States will draw down the number of troops in Afghanistan by 10,000 this year and 33,000 by the end of summer 2012, President Barack Obama said here June 22."The tide of war is receding," the president said

  • Yokota Airmen share new cargo-rigging techniques at Cope West

    Airmen from Yokota Air Base, Japan, explained low-cost, low-altitude bundle rigging techniques to members of the Indonesian army and air force June 22 as a part of Exercise Cope West 11, at Halim Air Base, Indonesia.The training seminar, one of several scheduled during the exercise, was designed to

  • Tips to check for testicular cancer

    Testicular cancer is the most common type of cancer in men between the ages of 20 to 34 years. It is almost always curable if treated early. This is why monthly testicular self-examinations are so very important. It is easy for a man to overlook or even ignore the early subtle signs of testicular

  • Minot Airmen brace for flood

    Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen, Minot city officials, the National Guard and the Corps of Engineers prepare June 21, 2011, for potentially the worst flood in this city’s history. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. John D. Comer)

  • Partnership links military spouses with employers

    June 23, 2011 - Defense Department officials are launching a new partnership June 29 that's intended to expand job opportunities for military spouses by connecting them with employers actively seeking to hire them.Microsoft, Home Depot, Starbucks and the Navy Federal Credit Union are just a few of

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a look around the service

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," Airmen from the North Carolina Air National Guard head to New Mexico to help fight fires there. And, Air Force Academy officials flip the switch on their newest power source. Plus, Airmen at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., test new brakes for the C-130

  • AF clubs offers scholarships

    For the 15th year in a row, the Air Force Services Club Program will award $25,000 in scholarship funds. The Air Force Services Club Membership Scholarship Program is a club member-only program intended to help club members and their families defray the cost of higher education. Twenty-five winners

  • Officials announce E-6 selection stats

    Air Force officials selected 8,545 of 34,257 eligible staff sergeants for promotion to technical sergeant, for a selection rate of 24.94 percent.The average score for those selected was 320.48, with an average time-in-grade of 5.55 years and an average time-in-service of 10.61 years. The average

  • Minot Airmen aid community affected by flood

    For the second time in a month, city officials have ordered citizens of Minot, N.D., including more than 950 Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen and their families, to evacuate downtown homes here.Minot Mayor Curt Zimbelman, said water levels are expected to reach the highest volumes ever in

  • Arrival ceremony welcomes fallen U.S. military members home

    Three unidentified American heroes returned from war June 17. They were greeted here by friends and fellow service members, with full military honors. Although their return was sad because they were ones who had paid the ultimate sacrifice, their return also was joyful because they are fallen heroes

  • 2011 AFA Outstanding Air Force Civilians of the Year announced

    Air Force officials have announced the winners of the 2011 Air Force Association Outstanding Air Force Civilian of the Year awards.Each year, the AFA recognizes four Air Force civilian employees for outstanding achievement in any career field. This year's recipients were:Civilian wage employee of

  • IAAFA continues to expand security cooperation initiatives

    The Air Force has implemented education and training institutions such as the Defense Language Institute English Language Center and the Inter-American Air Forces Academy to meet the demand for security cooperation initiatives, officials said here June 20. "Graduates of IAAFA build relationships

  • Nominations open for GEICO Public Service Awards

    Air Force officials are seeking nominations for the 2011 Government Employees Insurance Company's Public Service Awards. The GEICO Public Service Awards were established in 1980 to recognize the contributions of hard-working and talented government employees.This award is open to both civilian and

  • Senate confirms Panetta as defense secretary

    The U.S. Senate voted unanimously June 21 to confirm Leon E. Panetta as the next secretary of defense.Mr. Panetta received broad bipartisan support following his June 9 confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in which he said his foremost mission as defense secretary would be

  • CAPEX tests Kunsan's bomb-building abilities

    The Combat Ammunition Production Exercise is underway here June 6 to 10, to test the 8th Fighter Wing Airmen's capabilities to build munitions to support combat sorties. Inspectors from across the Air Force, including instructors from the Air Force Combat Ammunition Center at Beale Air Force Base,

  • Airman solves fuel-flow transmitter problem, saves Air Force thousands

    An Airman here was recently awarded a check worth $10,000 through the Innovative Development Employee Awareness program.Tech. Sgt. Tremaine Smith, the 51st Maintenance Group technical order distribution office manager, was recognized for an idea that fixed a fuel-flow transmitter problem, saving the

  • C-130s maintain steady ops in Afghanistan

    Every day there are Airmen here supporting combat airlift missions for Operation Enduring Freedom through the use of the C-130 Hercules. The C-130s at Bagram Airfield are deployed with the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, which is part of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing. Its Air Force fact

  • Marines keep an eye on the sky in Alaska

    Marine Air Control Squadron One, from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., recently ventured to Alaska for the first time to participate in the U.S. Pacific Command exercise Northern Edge 11. The Marines, who normally train at their home station, plan to take advantage of the unique training

  • Abandoned paintings make Air Force history

    Nine paintings depicting the evolution of air and space, which are displayed in the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station technical support building lobby, will be adopted into the Air Force Art Program this year. The paintings were rescued years ago after being abandoned inside a storage closet at

  • SMART scholars visit D.C. to learn about their new jobs

    Students ranging from undergraduates to PhD candidates will visit Joint Base Andrews, Md., in June, to learn more about their future with the Department of Defense.The students, as Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation program scholars, represent a $50 million investment in the DOD

  • U.S. military, aircraft highlighted at international air show

    U.S. military pride, strength and technology are on display at the 49th International Paris Air Show at the Le Bourget Airport here June 20 through 26. Held every two years, the Paris Air Show provides an opportunity for the U.S. to showcase the best the Department of Defense has to offer in people,

  • Experts teach March Airmen to run injury-free

    Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, the medical consultant for the Air Force Marathon, and Ian Adamson, an ultra-athlete and three-time record holder, shared information on proper techniques and methods for injury-free running during two, three-hour running clinics June 12 here. Dr. Cucuzzella, an associate

  • U.S., Indonesian airmen begin Cope West 11

    Airmen from the 374th Airlift Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, and their Indonesian air force counterparts gathered at a ceremony to officially mark the beginning of the U.S. and Indonesian tactical airlift exercise called Cope West 11 June 20 here.Three C-130 Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron,

  • Enlisted members selected for nurse commissioning program

    Twenty-four enlisted Airmen will head back to the classroom in August following their selection for the 2011 Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program.The NECP selection board meets annually in May to review records and identify the top applicants for a commissioning opportunity in a critical career

  • Chief Roy visits 438th AEW Airmen

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force, on a tour throughout the area of responsibility, visited and spoke with members of the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing here recently. While visiting the wing, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy had lunch with wing enlisted leaders, visited the

  • Mobility teams gearing up for Air Mobility Rodeo 2011

    Air Mobility Rodeo 2011, sponsored by Air Mobility Command officials, is set to take place July 24 to 29 at McChord Field on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Rodeo is a readiness competition that "focuses on improving our worldwide air mobility forces' professional core abilities," AMC officials

  • AFNORTH officials increase wildfire suppression support

    Air Forces Northern officials deployed two additional C-130 Hercules and an emergency planning liaison officer to support wildfire suppression efforts in the Southwestern United States.Upon request from the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, the North Carolina Air National Guard 145th

  • Officials seek input to update MWR services

    Defense Department officials intend to use input gained from customer satisfaction surveys to bolster morale, welfare and recreation programs and meet the up-to-date needs of service members and their families, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy said

  • NATO chaplains integrate ideas for better chaplain care

    Chaplains from nine NATO countries met here June 13 through 16 to discuss the best way to care for chaplains returning from the theater of operations.The idea is called "Care for the Caregivers," and it allows chaplains returning from a theater deployment to head out on retreat to decompress and

  • Gates says Libya strategy 'absolutely right'

    The U.S. strategy toward Libya is "absolutely right," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said on "Fox News Sunday" June 19.The secretary, who will retire June 30, also discussed Afghanistan, the fiscal future of the department and what he will miss about the job during one of his last interviews as

  • SecAF visits, thanks Airmen in Western Europe

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley visited Airmen serving with the 313th Air Expeditionary Wing and the 496th Air Base Squadron here June 17 to thank them for their service and meet with unit commanders.Upon Secretary Donley's arrival, he was greeted by Brig. Gen. Roy E. Uptegraff, the 313th

  • Fiscal crisis requires responsible approach, Lynn says

    A fiscal crisis that's putting the squeeze on defense budgets and related industries requires difficult choices for leaders and a responsible approach that manages the spending slowdown while retaining military effectiveness, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here June 19.In a

  • Military leaders discuss past, future ops at Air Boss Conference

    Leaders from around the world met here June 15 through 16 to discuss one important mission - strategic airpower in Korea."The Air Boss Conference is an annual conference that's hosted by the (Air Component Command commander)," said Col. James McGovern, the 607th Air and Space Operations Center

  • SecAF meets with Ramstein Airmen, visits LRMC

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley visited here June 17 to 18 to meet with Airmen and command leaders and thank them for their service. During his visit, he received updates on U.S. Air Forces in Europe efforts to build partnership capacity and ongoing contingency support for Operation

  • Academy cadets get taste of deployed life

    Approximately 60 U.S. Air Force Academy cadets are in Southwest Asia, observing deployed operations first hand and meeting deployed Airmen.Cadets receive leadership training, but it can become limited to what happens in the Academy's training environment. However, the opportunity to experience Air

  • SecAF visits Airmen at Aviano AB

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley visited here June 16 and 17 to meet with Airmen and tour the installation.During his visit, the secretary received briefings on the wing's mission and operations, dined with junior enlisted Airmen, conducted an Airmen's call and participated in an Airmen

  • Online unit deployment manager course launches

    As part of the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's continuing goal of leveraging technology to assist in training, members of the Expeditionary Center's Mobility Operations School celebrated the launch of the online unit deployment manager, or UDM, course this month.The eight-hour online course

  • Okinawan intern hones English skills at Kadena

    For the second year, an intern from Okinawa, Japan, is working with the Airmen and locally hired staff at the fitness center here.Ryo Oshiro, a17-year-old student from Kagamigaoka Special Education School, is working for the base to gain further knowledge of American customs and the English

  • Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force visits Airmen at Camp Eggers

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force visited Airmen at the NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan headquarters at Camp Eggers here June 17. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy spoke with the troops on current events in and out of the U.S., such as the recent natural disasters that has

  • Airmen pick up pieces before historic handover

    More than 35 Airmen and Soldiers volunteered to clean up the Victory Over America Palace at Camp Slayer June 5 through 7. The palace, which is one of 70-plus palaces Saddam Hussein built throughout the country, will soon be returned to the Iraqi government. The three-day cleanup effort was

  • TRICARE does not retire when you do

    When beneficiaries retire from active duty, they may have big plans for how they are going to spend their time. Along with choices about where to live and their next great adventure, they must make choices about their health care. Understanding these choices will help beneficiaries and their

  • Second hypersonic flight ends prematurely, brings new flight test data

    The X-51A Waverider flew its second test flight at the Point Mugu Naval Air Test Range over the Pacific Ocean June 13, bringing significant hypersonic research data despite a less-than-successful flight.The hypersonic aircraft was successfully boosted to just over Mach 5 and the scramjet engine lit,

  • Gates, Mullen support 'Stand up for Heroes'

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke for the need for enduring support for service members at a fundraising event for wounded warriors and their families.The Defense Department leaders spoke before a crowd of about 800 who gathered

  • Dr. Biden urges cable industry to support military families

    Dr. Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, called on the cable television industry June 16 to use its vast reach to help educate the public about military families and rally national support for "the very best of our country."Dr. Biden, speaking at the National Cable and

  • Retiring chief honors father: Bronze Star Medal presented after 40 years

    Following 27 years of service, an Air Force Space Command chief master sergeant used the occasion of her retirement ceremony to take care of one last troop. The troop was the chief's father, who was finally presented the Bronze Star Medal he earned more than 40 years earlier.At her retirement

  • Lynn outlines new cybersecurity effort

    Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III outlined a pilot program here June 16 in which the government helps the defense industry in safeguarding the information their computer systems hold.In a keynote address at the Center for Strategic Decision Research's 28th International Workshop on Global

  • Obama salutes military dads

    With Father's Day nearly at hand, President Barack Obama took time to single out military dads yesterday, thanking them for their service to the nation."Thank you for your dedication," he told the dads gathered for a special screening of the Disney-Pixar movie "Cars 2" on the White House complex.

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a look around the service

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," Offutt Airmen fill sandbags to prepare for the rising Missouri River. And, you will tag along with the Wisconsin National Guard as they play a part in Northern Viking. Plus, wounded warriors ride 325 miles to recovery. Those stories and more are available this

  • Air Force Week in Photos

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

  • Service members deliver food to Honduran village

    More than 120 Joint Task Force-Bravo personnel hiked two miles up steep terrain to deliver food to people living in an isolated village near Comayagua, Honduras, June 11. JTF-Bravo Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine hikers carried 160 bags of food in backpacks as part of a bimonthly Chapel Hike to

  • French citizens hold exhibition honoring 48th Fighter Bomber Wing

    Today, the 48th Fighter Wing is located in England, but that wasn't always the case.From 1952 to 1967, the 48th Fighter Bomber Wing, predecessor to the 48th FW, operated out of Chaumont Air Base, in northeastern France, with 75 jets and 2,500 American Airmen at its peak.Recently, a group of French

  • DeCA, farmers markets to offer fresh fruit, veggies July 1-3

    Fresh fruits and vegetables are often part of the menu for many commissary customers as they plan their Fourth of July celebrations. As a result, the Defense Commissary Agency is offering farmers-market sales events July 1-3, said its sales director."This is the first time the commissaries are

  • Air Force officials announce selections to lieutenant colonel and major

    The 2011A Lieutenant Colonel Line of Air Force and Medical Services Corps and Major MSC Central Selection Boards selected 1,171 majors and 75 captains for promotion.The entire list can be found at the below locations. CY11A MAJOR (MSC) CY11A LIEUTENANT COLONEL (LAF/MSC) The boards considered

  • Photo essay: Airmen participate in NORTHERN EDGE 2011

    Airmen participate in the NORTHERN EDGE 2011 exercise here June 13. NORTHERN EDGE is a joint training exercise designed to practice operations, techniques and procedures, and enhance interoperability among the services.View the slideshow.

  • Donley congratulates grads, marks strategy school's 20th anniversary

    The graduation of the 20th class of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies June 15 also marked the 20th anniversary of the school's founding, a fact highlighted in the commencement address by Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley.Secretary Donley said the ceremony honored not only this

  • Nellis to receive Air Force's first MTC flight simulator

    Delivery is underway for a first-of-a-kind flight simulator here, with completion and operational turnover set for October.The Air Force's first Mission Training Center simulator is being set up here as part of a $109.1 million contract with L-3 Link Simulation and Training.The F-16 MTC includes

  • More veterans gain federal employment

    Thanks to President Barack Obama's Veterans Employment Initiative, more veterans are now federal employees.Federal agencies hired 72,133 veterans in fiscal 2010, about 2,000 more than in 2009, U.S. Office of Personnel Management officials said in a recent news release."Through the president's

  • Controllers step it up a notch during Northern Edge

    Every two years, the U.S. Pacific Command exercise Northern Edge brings nearly 150 aircraft together to hone pilots' aerial combat skills in Alaska. The largest exercise in the state also brings additional challenges to the base's air traffic controllers.The controllers must adapt to stressful

  • 'Biggest Loser' brings success to determined Airmen

    Several headquarters-based Airmen recently credited the health and wellness center's "Biggest Loser" program for helping them lose weight and bond with each other along the way.The program is inspired by the hit television show that features contestants vying to shed the most pounds in a specified

  • Felts Field open house displays AMC lineage

    The Experimental Aviation Association shared a piece of Air Mobility Command history with the local community here recently.One of 12 flight-capable B-17 Flying Fortresses rumbled through the sky and landed for tours for aviation enthusiasts and two World War II B-17 pilots during Felts Field's

  • Mullen discusses fiscal 2012 budget proposal with Senate committee

    Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told the Senate Appropriations Committee today that he supports the fiscal 2012 budget proposal, and that it funds service members in harm's way in Afghanistan and Iraq.The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the proposed 2012 budget fully funds deployed service members,

  • Gates calls for superb military, not hollow force

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he'd rather have a smaller "superbly capable" military than a hollow force.Secretary Gates told the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee June 15 that even as the department looks for savings, there has to be an admission that reductions will

  • Gates, Mullen protect family programs from budget cuts

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the service chiefs to "fence" two areas in the budget options the military is contemplating: training and family programs."I don't want any money taken out of those," he told the Senate Appropriations Committee June 15.Secretary Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen,

  • 50th Space Wing completes GPS constellation expansion

    The 50th Space Wing successfully completed a two-phase GPS constellation expansion known as "Expandable 24" June 15. The expansion increased global GPS coverage and is now providing civil, military and commercial GPS users with a more robust signal and a higher probability of signal acquisition in

  • Macedonian general officially closes MEDCEUR 11

    The 2011 Medical Training Exercise in Central and Eastern Europe officially closed during a ceremony here June 15.MEDCEUR, an annual chairman of the joint chiefs of staff-sponsored regional and multilateral exercise, was designed to provide medical training and operational experience in a deployed

  • Deadline near for National Public Service Award

    The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2012 National Public Service Award to the Air Force Personnel Center is Aug. 1.The National Public Service Award recognizes individuals with agency-wide responsibility who exhibit the highest standards of excellence, dedication and accomplishment over

  • CMSAF visits, tours Transit Center at Manas

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader visited members of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing here June 11 during a Central Command area of responsibility tour.During the visit, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy toured the Transit Center and spoke with Airmen during an "all hands" call.One

  • Pros, families ride in 2011 Air Force Cycling Classic

    Hot and humid weather didn't deter the more than 2,300 cycling enthusiasts from around the world and the approximate 600 on-lookers, who came out to cheer for teams and riders in the 2011 Air Force Cycling Classic held June 11 and 12, in Northern Virginia.The goal of the two-day event was to foster

  • Lynn: Energy strategy will help forces adapt for future

    Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III released the Defense Department's new operational energy strategy June 14, saying it is consistent with efforts to adapt the forces to emerging threats.Mr. Lynn said he and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates have been consistent in speaking of the need to

  • Defense Department leads nationwide food drive

    The Defense Department is taking a leading role in a nationwide campaign challenging federal employees to donate to their local food pantries.The "Feds Feed Families" campaign, announced by the Office of Personnel Management on May 26, will run through the end of August, said Pat Tamburrino Jr., the

  • Columbus T-38C accident investigation complete

    The investigation of the Feb. 11, 2011, T-38C Talon mishap at Ellington Field, Texas, found the mishap was due to the pilot mistaking the landing runway, losing altitude too quickly and allowing his airspeed to fall below a safe level. This resulted in catastrophic damage to the T-38's landing gear

  • U.S. service members, Japanese mourn lives lost during World War II

    Members here participated in a memorial ceremony June 11, in Shizuoka City, Japan. U.S. Airmen have been invited to take part in the event each year since 1972, bringing the U.S. and Japanese communities together to mourn a shared loss.The tragedy occurred June 20, 1945, when two B-29 Superfortress

  • Mullen discusses Afghanistan, Iraq, on Letterman

    America's top military officer explained what members of the U.S. military have gone through during 10 years of war to the audience of the "Late Show with David Letterman" June 13.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told David Letterman that the American people need to

  • Energy strategy improves capabilities, savings, official says

    The Defense Department's new operational energy strategy challenges assumptions about battlefield energy usage, paving the way for a more secure, agile and flexible fighting force, the Pentagon official who oversees the strategy said June 9.The strategy, included in the last Quadrennial Defense

  • Mullen calls veteran support initiative 'terrific beginning'

    The nation's top military officer spoke here June 14 at a press conference announcing the "Community Blueprint," a resource designed to help local leaders focus support to veterans and their families.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his wife, Deborah, both

  • Reserve Airmen fuel up NATO forces in Iceland exercise

    Air Force Reserve Airmen and KC-135 Stratotankers from the 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md., took part in Northern Viking 11, a biennial NATO air-space and maritime protection exercise here June 3-10, 2011.This year approximately 450 NATO military members from the U.S., Norway,

  • Investigation nabs 30 Air Force spice users

    In April,  the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Det. 114 here completed a two-month Spice-use investigation that resulted in the identification of 30 Airmen. The Airmen, who are assigned to six units within Air Force Materiel Command, Air Combat Command and Air Force Space Command, have

  • Air Force inspector general focus group realizes efficiencies

    In an effort to further minimize the effects of inspections on missions throughout the Air Force, the Air Force inspector general held an Inspection System Efficiencies Conference May 23 through May 26 in Lansdowne, Va., officials said here June 2.Conference participants included approximately 170

  • Teens soar at 11th-annual aviation camp

    Thirty-six teens from around the Air Force participated in the 11th-annual Teen Aviation Camp here June 4 through 8.All of the 16- and 17-year old campers come from Air Force families and have parents who are active duty, retirees, reservists, or members of the Air National Guard. Teens and their

  • Global Strike Command tests nuclear readiness without skipping a beat

    Airmen with Global Strike Command recently completed the first command-wide nuclear operational readiness exercise, called Constant Vigilance, without taking a break from scheduled wing-level activities, exercises and training."This operation energized every part of the command," said Maj. Scott