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Radiology staff provides reliable, rapid response in Iraq

The third Monday of February did not bring the radiology flight a day off from work, like it did for most of their counterparts in America on Presidents Day. The radiology staff kept uttering the phrase, "Man, we've been very busy today." As the sixteenth hour of the day passed, 38 patients had been

First JPADS improved system airdrop over Iraq a success

Eight aircrew members from the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing's 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron used the Joint Precision Airdrop System, or JPADS, mission planning software for the first time over Iraq Feb. 16 to deliver six 1,200-pound Improved Container Delivery System, or I-CDS, bundles. The

Basketball: No. 14 Falcons fall to UNLV, 60-50

The nationally ranked No. 14 Air Force Falcons fell to the UNLV Rebels, 60-50, on the road Feb. 20, breaking the Falcons' three-game winning streak.For the complete story, visit the academy sports Web site at www.goairforcefalcons.com. (The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by

Reserve pararescuemen help rescue Mount Hood climbers

Air Force Reserve pararescuemen from 304th Rescue Squadron, Portland International Airport, Ore., were called Feb. 18 to assist in the search and rescue effort for three stranded climbers. While attempting to descend Mount Hood, Ore., the three people and a dog, who were roped together, fell through

Bagram unit opens new bridge, road

When local contractor Asil Khan first thought of building a bridge over the Gogamanda River, he was knee-deep in it, evading the Soviet army on a trip to Pakistan to procure weapons for the mujahedeen. More than 15 years later, that idea became a reality, as Gov. Jabar Taqwa officially opened the

Air Force leaders speak at annual AFA convention

History and heritage, recapitalization and mission readiness and accomplishments were just a few of the topics covered by the Air Force's senior leaders at the Air Force Association's 23rd annual Air Warfare Symposium here Feb. 8 and 9. Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne introduced his

Firefighters free pilots from cockpits in worst case scenarios

Firefighters use exercises as a venue for training in specialized scenarios. Extended hours and varied shifts for the Misawa AB members recently provided firefighters the opportunity to conduct training sessions that require extra attention and set up. One such scenario is pilot extraction. If a

General swears in new Airmen at Daytona 500 race

Airmen, start your engines! Thirty six delayed-entry-program recruits were sworn into the Air Force Feb. 18 by Gen. Ronald Keys, Air Combat Command commander, before the NASCAR Daytona 500 race. The event took place outside the track at the Air Force recruiting booth, which featured large scale

Air Force continues support to communities affected by BRAC

Across the nation, communities are being reshaped by the military's transformation due to Base Realignment and Closure changes. At a conference for these communities, mayors, engineers, construction companies and others met to discuss the best way for their neighborhoods faced with base closure or

New command may change USAFE's role in Africa

U.S. Air Forces in Europe Airmen have played an active role in Africa since the 1970s, but future participation has yet to be defined due to the recent establishment of U.S. Africa Command. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced the creation of AFRICOM Feb. 6, but how that will affect Airmen

World powers bring soft touch to African neighbors

World powers!  The words often bring to mind the image of a military might with continuous armed presence around the world. Although this is definitely a key capability, there is also a softness demanded of world power leaders and that is exactly what people of Africa have found in their western

Wing responsible for wide range of support, missions

Coalition forces have supported operations in Afghanistan for more than five years and the Airmen of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing here perform a wide range of missions in support of those operations. Afghanistan operations are broken up into five regions that operate under the International

Ramstein tower renovations on schedule

Baby, it's cold outside

Pope Airmen to honor fallen member

Airmen at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., are preparing to honor a pararescueman assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron who was among those killed in an MH-47 special operations helicopter crash Feb. 18 in Afghanistan. Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M., and seven others were

Feb. 20 airpower: Coalition tankers refuel the fleet

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Feb. 20. In Afghanistan Feb.19, Air Force F-15 Eagles conducted a strike against an enemy staging point in a cave near Pech. The F-15s dropped guided bomb unit-31 joint direct attack munitions one meter above the cave

Hill supports warfighters with software products

Simulated warfare found in popular video games can take months of detailed planning and encoding. In the real world, the lives of American warfighters rely on quality software products. Factoring in the Department of Defense's need for flawless systems management in support of the real deal gives

We're ready!

DOD identifies Air Force casualty

The Department of Defense announced Feb. 19 the death of an Airman who died Feb. 18 when the coalition MH-47 special operations helicopter he was riding in crashed in eastern Afghanistan. Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M., was assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope

Baseball: Air Force sweeps Kansas Wesleyan in doubleheader

Timely hitting and strong pitching for the second-straight day carried Air Force to a doubleheader sweep of Kansas Wesleyan (1-6) Feb. 19 at Falcon Field. The Falcons took game one 8-2 and game two 5-4 and improved to 4-4 on the season. The three-game series sweep was the Falcons' first since 2003,

Hockey: Two Falcons earn Player of Week honors

Two Air Force hockey players earned conference player of the week awards from the Atlantic Hockey Association. Senior left wing Andrew Ramsey was the league's offensive player of the week. Ramsey had a hand in six of AFA's seven goals in the two-game series vs. Canisius, Feb. 16-17. He had one goal

Survivors of Afghan helicopter crash airlifted to Germany

Only hours after a helicopter crashed in Afghanistan, Airmen from an aeromedical evacuation control team in Southwest Asia got 11 of fourteen injured survivors onboard a C-17 Globemaster III bound for Germany."That really made a difference in saving lives" said Lt. Col. Lenora Cook, the evacuation

Feb. 19 airpower: close-air support missions

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Feb. 19. In Afghanistan Feb. 18, 30 close-air support missions were flown in support of International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, and Afghan troops, reconstruction activities and route patrols. Ten U.S. Air

Raptors arrive at Kadena

Ten F-22 Raptors arrived here Feb. 17 and 18 for the first overseas deployment of the Air Force's newest air supremacy aircraft. The aircraft, assigned to the 27th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Va., started their deployment to Kadena almost 10 days previously with a stop at Hickam AFB,

Airmen kick off part two of Falcon Condor 2007

A crowd of more than 15,000 Peruvians watched in amazement as the skies above Las Palmas Air Force Base in Lima, Peru, were filled with Peruvian and U.S. aircraft during a joint air show that kicked off here Feb. 17. The air show, Falcon Condor 2007, is in addition to a joint exercise that took

Baseball: Falcons defeat Kansas Wesleyan

Strong pitching by a trio of freshmen and timely hitting propelled Air Force to a 9-5 win over Kansas Wesleyan in baseball action Feb. 18 here at Falcon Field. The Falcons improved to 2-4 on the season and the Coyotes fell to 1-4.Falcon starter Gary Whiteman (1-1) picked up his first career win with

Air Force supports NASA mission to study auroras

Airmen from the 45th Space Wing supported the Feb. 17 launch of a Delta II booster carrying five NASA probes on a mission called "THEMIS," which will study auroral substorms, an avalanche of solar wind powered magnetic energy that intensifies the northern and southern lights. "We made history. This

379th responds to increased operations

The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing kicked into high gear to support ongoing operations in Iraq, while still providing a presence in Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa. Flying squadrons and maintenance units throughout the wing responded to the call for an increased display of airpower to back the

Feb. 18 airpower: F-16s provide over watch for search team

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Feb. 18.In Afghanistan Feb. 17, U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornets conducted a strike against insurgents Near Qurya. The Hornet strike-fighters dropped guided bomb unit-38 joint direct attack munitions on insurgent compounds and

Basketball: Air Force downs Colorado State, 67-58

The U.S. Air Force Academy men's basketball team defeated the Colorado Rams 67-58 here Feb. 17, extending the nation's longest home court winning streak to 30 for the 17th nationally ranked Falcons.For the complete story, visit the academy sports Web site at www.goairforcefalcons.com (The appearance

DOD recognizes Travis medical center

David Grant Medical Center has been honored with the 2006 Team Performance Patient Safety Award in recognition of outstanding achievement in creating a safer patient environment. The award, presented at the 2007 Military Health System conference in Washington, D.C., is the highest honor within the

Air Force band builds relations in Peru

An Air Force regional band is on tour here sharing the Air Force story through music and entertainment while supporting Airmen participating in a joint military exercise and air show this weekend. The Air National Guard Band of the Southwest, located at Port Hueneme Naval Station, Calif., is

Hockey: Air Force shuts out Canisius 5-0

Air Force goalie Ben Worker stopped all 21 shots he faced and Andrew Ramsey scored two goals as the Falcons beat Canisius 5-0 in an Atlantic Hockey Association game Feb. 17 at the academy's Cadet Ice Arena. Air Force snapped a five-game losing streak with the victory and improved to 14-15-5 overall

Wrestling: Falcons defeat Utah Valley State 38-6

A day after turbulent weather and road closures caused the cancellation of its match against Wyoming, the Air Force wrestling team recorded a solid 38-6 victory Feb. 17 over Utah Valley State. With the win, the Falcons improve to 5-10 on the season, 2-1 in the Western Wrestling Conference, while the

Basketball: Falcons drop 57-47 contest to New Mexico

Unable to pull off the upset, the Air Force women's basketball team fell to New Mexico 57-47 Feb. 17 at Clune Arena.The Falcons drop to 5-19 overall, 1-12 in the Mountain West Conference, while the Lobos move to 19-7, 9-4 in the MWC. An early 9-0 run by Air Force gave the Falcons an 11-4 advantage

First F-22 Raptors arrive at Kadena

The first two F-22 Raptors arrived at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Feb. 16 for their first overseas deployment. The remaining aircraft will follow in the coming days. A software issue affecting the F-22's navigation system was discovered while the aircraft were en route to Kadena Feb. 10, which delayed

Patrick reservists practice astronaut rescue

Reservists from Air Force Reserve Command's 920th Rescue Wing here took part in a Mode 7 Exercise at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Feb. 13. Helicopter crews from the wing's 301st Rescue Squadron provide range security during space shuttle launches. Pararescuemen in the wing's 308th RQS are on

Hockey: Canisius took first period lead for 4-2 win over Air Force

Canisius scored three goals in the first period and held on for a 4-2 win over Air Force in an Atlantic Hockey Association game Friday, Feb. 16, at the Academy's Cadet Ice Arena.Canisius jumped into eighth place in the league with the win and improved to 9-21-2 overall and 8-16-2 in the AHA. Air

Osan remembers Battle of Bayonet Hill

Osan held its annual remembrance ceremony for the Hill 180 "Battle of Bayonet Hill" Feb. 9. The crowd of 200 people included distinguished guests such as Lt. Gen. David Valcourt, 8th Army commander, and Larry Lyons from the Pacific Area Veterans of Foreign Wars.It was here 56 years ago that nine

Training prepares Airmen to handle violent situations

In most schools, students are expected to behave. At Homestead, one group of students not only fought with their instructors, but it was encouraged. Twenty-five security forces Airmen took part in unarmed defensive tactics training here Feb. 10. The class taught skills such as law enforcement

Feb. 17 airpower: A-10s provide over watch

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Feb. 17.In Afghanistan Feb. 16, U.S. Navy F/A-18 Horntes provided close-air support for International Security Assistance Force troops receiving small arms and mortar fire from enemy forces near Musa Qal'eh. A Joint

Andersen takes small dental clinic of the year honors

The 36th Medical Operations Squadron Dental Clinic was awarded the USAF Small Dental Clinic of the Year for 2006."Our dental readiness at Team Andersen is outstanding," said Maj. James Kutner, 36th MDOS officer in charge of the clinical dentistry and laboratory dentistry elements. "This is a very

New Pentagon Channel Web site debuts Feb. 19

The Pentagon Channel launches a redesign of its Web site Feb. 19, improving its line of products that distribute the channel's military news and information to men and women in uniform. "The Pentagon Channel's focus for 2007 is to leverage the interactivity of Web 2.0 to more efficiently and

Air Force's top leaders address service concerns

The Air Force secretary and chief of staff took the opportunity to discuss the service's challenges and ongoing efforts in the war on terrorism Feb. 8 at the Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla.Michael Wynne and Gen. T. Michael Moseley spoke about the challenges of force

Airmen foster relations as ambassadors

It was smiles galore as Airmen paid a visit to a local foster home Feb. 16, while here for a joint air show with the Peruvian Air Force. More than 400 children were treated to a performance by the Air National Guard Band of the Southwest and conversation with Airmen. The children, some of whom are

Newest 'Chief's View' highlights conduct

In his latest Chief's View video, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley reminds Airmen that they are a reflection on the service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Chief McKinley said Airmen serve as ambassadors for the Air Force, both on and off duty. "You've heard the term 'first

Tax assistance benefit yields big returns

Despite recent manpower and budget cuts, Air Force bases are still offering personal tax assistance programs to their active duty, guard, reserve, civilian, and retiree populations.Last year, Air Force tax center teams filed more than 132,000 federal returns and 74,000 state returns, and saved

Lieutenant pops question in national magazine

A McGuire AFB lieutenant will be taking his new bride on a dream honeymoon in South Africa after their 2008 nuptials -- a trip which the couple won this week following an extreme marriage proposal in Essence Magazine's February love issue.1st Lt. Kerry Mackey Jr., a 305th Comptroller Squadron budget

Feb. 16 airpower: F-15s show force

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Feb. 16. In Afghanistan Feb. 15, F-15 Eagles provided close-air support for International Security Assistance Force troops in contact with enemy forces near Pashsbad. The F-15s investigated suspected enemy activity and

New chiefs inducted into elite group

Two senior master sergeants were recognized as the newest members of the chiefs group in a ceremony Feb. 9 here. The two chief selectees, Denise Mikolajczyk and Steven Lantz, lit candles representing each of the nine enlisted grades achieved over their careers in order to remind them of where

Lajes NCO's job saves water, money

A Lajes Field NCO may not fly a jet or drive a tank, but carrying a pipe-wrench for the 65th Civil Engineer Squadron can be just as important. "We're here for the main plumbing and water distribution," said Staff Sgt. Kellen Buss, who works in the utilities shop. "Any water that goes from the wells

Ramstein inbound section delivers

Each year an average of 30,000 packages pass through the Cargo Movement Center's inbound section helping ensure Ramstein Air Base runs smoothly. Nestled on Ramstein's southside is a large warehouse. It is the home of the inbound section and just down the road from Ramstein's flightline. "We touch

Eagle Flag role players: Airmen helping Airmen

In a matter of minutes, one master sergeant here became a "chief" during a briefing for Exercise Eagle Flag 07-3 Feb. 5 at Fort Dix, N.J. "As a role player, you're deployed here to help push the students to do better, but we learn right beside them," said Master Sgt. James Gardner of the 60th

820th Red Horse starts 'New Horizons' project in Nicaragua

The opening ceremony for New Horizons Nicaragua was held here Feb. 15, marking a new beginning for the citizens of this small village in the Carazo District.  New Horizons is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored readiness training exercise.The town will now have a new school and medical clinic, thanks

Medical teams provide priceless gift

Most people get cards, chocolate and flowers from someone special on Valentine's Day. On this particular day, the treatment, care and attention patients in a C-17 Globemaster III received from a combined aerial medic team far surpassed any typical Feb. 14 gift. The critical care air transport and

Officer reduction in force subject of this week's Roll Call

Meeting the Air Force's lower authorized end strength will result in approximately 40,000 active-duty Airmen separating from the service. This week's Roll Call explains one of the ways the Air Force is ensuring it has the right mix of skill sets.The Air Force needs to maintain its combat capability

Firefighter brotherhood reaches across international borders

Thirteen could prove to be a lucky number for Iraqi citizens in An Nasiriyah as that is the number of firefighters whose abilities have been enhanced through training with Airmen deployed here. Airmen firefighters from Air Expeditionary Forces 3, 4, 5 and 6 introduced the Iraqis to American

Defending freedom

Federal marshals thank Ravens for Lebanon evacuation role

Air Mobility Command's premier security forces were recognized by the Federal Air Marshal Service during a ceremony here Feb. 12. Master Sgt. Shawn Larkin, the superintendent of Phoenix Raven and contingency operations for AMC, accepted the FAMS' appreciation award on behalf of 26 active duty and

Propane plant fuels utility alternatives for Moody

Members of the 23rd Civil Engineer Squadron are using a new propane-air mix system to create an alternative source of fuel, allowing the base to avoid paying high contract fees for natural gas. The system, which Moody AFB officials began using in November, substitutes propane for the natural gas

New Horizons kicks off in Nicaragua

More than 500 Nicaraguans along with deployed members of the United States military celebrated the official start of the New Horizons 2007 humanitarian exercise Feb. 15. New Horizons is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored readiness training exercise designed to help Nicaraguan people in Santa Teresa

Combat camera videographer receives Purple Heart

Within an hour of waking up in the Air Force Theater Hospital on the morning of Feb. 11, Staff Sgt. Kathryn Robinson was presented with the Purple Heart. Sergeant Robinson, a videographer assigned to the 4th Combat Camera Squadron in March Air Reserve Base, Calif. , was shot once in the left forearm

Basketball: Defense carries Air Force over San Diego State, 60-52

Coming up with big defensive plays in the second half, the Air Force women's basketball team defeated San Diego State 60-52 Feb. 15 in Clune Arena for its first conference win of the season. The Falcons improve to 5-18 overall, 1-11 in the Mountain West Conference, while the Aztecs fall to 11-11,

Boxing: Hard-hitting bouts highlight Wing Open quarterfinals

The Wing Open Tournament continued Feb. 15 as the Air Force boxing team hosted the quarterfinal round of action in the Upper Boxing Room of the Cadet Gym. There were 11 bouts that featured experienced veterans and tough newcomers, as each contender vied for a spot in the next round. The Falcons

Program encourages troops to save money, reduce debt

A new Defense Department program encourages servicemembers to become better money managers by paying off or avoiding credit card debt and starting savings accounts, a senior official said Feb. 15. "Military Saves" is an ongoing, DoD-wide program that also sponsors money management seminars titled,

Academy provides update on cheating investigation

Academy officials provided the latest numbers of cadets interviewed and the number of cases being forwarded for further action in the cheating incident involving some members of the Class of 2010 Feb. 15 here. Since the interviews began Feb. 2, a total of 39 cases have been investigated as of Feb.

Emergency crews practice techniques in mock car crash

To test how fire, medical and security forces respond to a real emergency, exercise planners put together a mock car crash using two battered cars and three crash victims Feb. 14 at Yokota AB. "Basically, we like throwing different things at our units to see how the personnel handle this," said

Convoy reduction flights keep Airmen out of harm's way

Convoys transporting Airmen and supplies on the highways of Iraq face a constant risk from terrorist attacks. In an effort to reduce the number of convoys going out, the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron performs regular airlift convoy reduction missions out of Balad Air Base, Iraq.The focus of

Airmen honored for combatant deployment roles

The Air Force recently named three Fort Hood, Texas, Airmen the first recipients of three new awards during a ceremony at the Hall of Heroes in the Pentagon. The new awards honor members of the tactical air control party career field. Two of the awards are named after TACP Airmen who gave their

Leaders focus on Air Force priorities at Corona South

The secretary of the Air Force, the Air Force chief of staff and other key service leaders met for Corona South to discuss key strategic issues, priorities and initiatives of the Air Force Feb. 12 to 14 at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.Michael W. Wynne and Gen. T. Michael Moseley led the meeting, with

Feb. 15 airpower: F-16s provide convoy watch

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Feb. 15.In Afghanistan Feb. 14, Navy F/A-18 Hornets provided close-air support for International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, troops in contact with enemy forces near Forward Operating Base Carlson. In total, 34

AAFES adjusts gas pricing overseas

Army and Air Force Exchange Service officials began a new gas-pricing plan Feb. 1 that should make buying gas overseas easier on a person's budget as prices are now updated on a weekly basis instead of monthly changes. The decision is based on customer feedback for more immediacy in the price

Falcons ready to leave the nest

Expeditionary combat skills

F-22s make mark at Red Flag

The F-22 Raptor flew in its first Red Flag exercise that started Feb. 3 here, showcasing its stealth, super cruise and other advantages absent in legacy fighters. Pilots from the 94th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Va., are flying F-22s against Red Flag aggressors, with pilots from the

Lessons learned program to improve deployments

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have established a program to help solve problems and improve things for new people rotating into the area of responsibility. The CENTAF Office of Lessons Learned, established in October 2004, has increased its staff and now has two specialists working to

Air Force trauma specialists train civilian counterparts

Air Force trauma specialists here are training civilian medical personnel on emergency airway management skills. The training, held Feb. 7 at Wilford Hall Medical Center here, was the first under a new agreement signed by the 59th Medical Wing Trauma Department and San Antonio AirLife. The

U.S., Peruvian Air Forces reach milestone

With the final latch of the helicopter's door and a ride away from a deserted terrain of Peru, the U.S. and Peruvian Air Forces completed their first joint combat search and rescue exercise in South America. Coordinated with both countries by military and U.S. Embassy personnel, the combat search

Basketball: Air Force dominates Utah 69-43

The U.S. Air Force Academy men's basketball team defeated the Utah Utes 69-43 here Feb. 14, extending the 17th nationally ranked Falcons home win streak to 29. For the complete story, visit the academy sports Web site at www.goairforcefalcons.com (The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute

Simulation center provides edge to medics

For nearly two years, Wilford Hall Medical Center's simulation center has been preparing Airmen for real-world medical scenarios here and in the deployed setting. The center was established as a task to create a needs assessment for the incorporation of medical simulation into Air Force Medical

Fuels flight pumps out record

Airmen with the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's petroleum, oil and lubricant, or POL, flight pumped a lot of gas recently. In fact, they set a record for the highest number of gallons of fuel issued in a single month over the last three years. POL Airmen received and issued a

Combat skills training prepares security forces

The 60th Security Forces Squadron here offers a two-day expeditionary combat skills training course to prepare Airmen for deployments."(We want to) give the students a set of basic skills to work with so if they ever encounter a force protection scenario, it'll give them that basic skill set to act

Air Force Reserve A-10s get 'smart' systems

You can build just about anything on a good foundation. Air Force reservists from the 442nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 303rd Fighter Squadron here are being reminded of that as five of the 442nd Fighter Wing's A-10 Thunderbolt IIs are being equipped with "smart" multi-function color

Revisions made to operational doctrine

The doctrine publication that describes the Air Force's role in countering the threat or use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons at the operational level of war was revised recently.Maj. Gen. Allen Peck, commander of the Air Force Doctrine Center, approved the revision and

Horn of Africa task force welcomes new commander

Formations of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers and Marines provided the backdrop Feb. 14 as Rear Admiral James M. Hart accepted command from Rear Adm. Richard W. Hunt in a ceremony on the flightline of Camp Lemonier, Djibouti.Admiral Hart addressed his vision for

Planning critical to Red Flag - Alaska success

Coalition and American pilots, aircrews and support members need a realistic training environment, and Red Flag - Alaska provides some of the most realistic training on earth. Coordinating this training is the responsibility of the 353rd Combat Training Squadron members, who plan and prepare each

Refueling maintainers run largest 'gas station' in Atlantic

Imagine pushing your vehicle down the road to a service station to refuel. Now imagine pulling a more than 30,000 pound F-16 Fighting Falcon to an island in the middle of the ocean to get gas. Airmen at Lajes Field like Senior Airman Justin Madsden keep the biggest gas station in the Atlantic

Hurricane Hunters fly Atlantic winter storm

Hurricane Hunters from here flew toward an impending winter storm Feb. 13. Forecasters expected more snow for the northeastern seaboard the next day. Better known for pinpointing tropical storms and hurricanes, Air Force Reserve Command's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron WC-130J aircraft

North Korea agrees to nuclear disarmament

North Korea has agreed to shut down nuclear operations and allow international inspectors into the country, President Bush announced Feb. 14 here, hailing it as an important step toward a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. At six-party talks in Beijing, North Korea said that within 60 days it will shut

Mission failure means 'lights out' for engineers

Every Air Force job is vital to accomplishing the mission. But the work of civil engineers affects anyone who uses power; if there is no one do to their job, it's lights out. Staff Sgt. Brian Sawyer is one of those civil engineers. When asked what he loves most about his job, Sergeant Sawyer

Feb. 14 airpower: F-15s conduct successful strikes

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Feb. 14.In Afghanistan Feb. 13, Air Force F-15 Eagles conducted a strike against enemy forces near Musa Qal'eh. An F-15 expended a guided bomb unit-12 on a vehicle, successfully destroying it and stopping an enemy

Airmen help neighbors through Operation Iraqi Child

Members of Air Expeditionary Force 5 and 6 are reaching out to their host nation neighbors while lending a helping hand through Operation Iraqi Child."Many members of AEF 5/6 have voiced the desire to help the Iraqi people outside the gates of our base," said Chaplain (Capt.) Christine Blice-Baum of

Vandenberg Airman sparks change throughout DOD

When she stood in front of senior leaders Dec. 21 at Breaker's Dining Facility here and voiced her concern, she had no idea her question would be heard by Department of Defense officials. The question Airman 1st Class Erica Hudson presented during an Airmen's breakfast that morning came from a

Red Flag turns stealthy

Pro Bowl Airmen

First F-22 bound for Pacific unveiled

Representatives from the Air Force and Lockheed Martin gathered to accept Pacific Air Forces' first F-22 Raptor Feb. 12 at Marietta, Ga. This latest F-22 will be among 36 others that will make up the first F-22s assigned to PACAF at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens

Atlanta kicks off 'Heritage to Horizons' celebration

Southern hospitality, total force and joint partnership were the ingredients that formed the inaugural kickoff for the Air Force's 60th Anniversary celebration Feb. 12 in Atlanta. The official kickoff was held at the State Capitol, where Gov. Sonny Perdue welcomed the "Heritage to Horizons" Air

36th OG reactivates to meet Pacific theater mission

The 36th Operations Group was reactivated after more than a decade to serve as the focal point for the Air Force's expeditionary operations taking place here. The 36th OG will assume the mission of the 36th Expeditionary Operations Group and establish a permanent command structure for deployed Air