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  • Keesler chaplains receive welcome additions

    For nine Air Force chaplains, providing ministry to Airmen recovering from Hurricane Katrina at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., is challenging.The chaplains and chaplain assistants there are working overtime, yet with the prospect of post-traumatic stress-related issues affecting troops and families,

  • AFRC steps forward to help hurricane victims

    From coast to coast, people assigned to and associated with Air Force Reserve Command are stepping forward to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.Pararescuemen, aeromedical caregivers, airlift crews, aerial porters and reservists from dozens of other specialties have logged hundreds of missions,

  • 552nd Air Control Wing supports hurricane relief efforts

    For the past week, news stations have been running nonstop coverage about the devastation in the Gulf Coast region.People have seen heroic rescues from rooftops and flooded homes, families opening their homes to those in need, and countless people and organizations donating money, supplies.Airmen

  • Displaced Airmen return to Keesler after hurricane

    Twenty Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., people who evacuated here because of Hurricane Katrina made a bittersweet day trip back to their homes and belongings Sept. 5, just one week after the storm devastated much of the Gulf Coast.The Airmen rode in a convoy of eight security-escorted vehicles for the

  • Air Force paralegals aid survivors through claims process

    The legalities of disaster recovery can seem murkier than floodwater, but for some Air Force families, making claims for belongings destroyed by Hurricane Katrina will be easier, thanks to Air Force paralegals.Two teams of Airmen from various Air Education and Training Command bases arrived at

  • Reservists charge into aeromedical evacuation effort

    Nerves of steel, the patience of a saint and the ability to forego substantial eating and sleeping for days at a time.Anyone seeking a job coordinating the aeromedical evacuation of thousands after a major disaster need not apply unless they have those traits. Some dry-erase markers, a telephone and

  • Keesler medical aid reaches community neighbors

    As a team of medics here walked to the doors of a local high school converted into a shelter, a man approached with wide eyes and a huge smile.Stopping a few steps from the Airmen, he raised a hand to his brow and said, “I salute you. I’m proud of you all and thank you for your support.”Jack

  • Some Airmen can carry over 'use or lose' leave

    Airmen who were recalled from or unable to take annual leave this past year for reasons such as support for contingency operations will be allowed to accumulate more than the normal 60 days after the fiscal year ends.Special leave accrual carry-over also applies to Air Force reservists and Air

  • Air Force rescues top 4,000 mark

    Since Air Force helicopters first started search-and-rescue operations 34 hours after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, Airmen here have rescued more than 4,000 people as of Sept. 7.Of that number, active-duty rescue units picked up more than 2,800, said Lt. Col. Bob Thompson, spokesman for the

  • Communication units deploy to support hurricane relief

    Airmen from Air Combat Command headquarters and the Air National Guard deployed during the past several days to provide around-the-clock service and support to the areas in the Gulf Coast ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. The Airmen are from combat communications and tactical communications units and

  • Geren lauds total AF Katrina effort

    As Hurricane Katrina passed through the Gulf Coast region, the Air Force responded even before the full gravity of the effects were known, taking care of its own people, and assisting in rescue and recovery missions afterwards."The total force of the Air Force -- the active duty, Guard and Reserve

  • AFMC provides assistance in Katrina's aftermath

    When disaster struck the Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida in the form of Hurricane Katrina, Air Force Materiel Command stood up its crisis action team to assist with relief efforts to the region.Since then, support has come from each of the command's bases -- from

  • PJs airlift those devastated by Hurricane Katrina

    Nearly 3,000 people have been airlifted out of the New Orleans area and taken to local care centers in the arms of 374th Expeditionary Rescue Group pararescuemen.Pararescuemen from three rescue squadrons nationwide are deployed here participating in what has been described as the largest

  • Airmen repair helo in New Orleans, spend two days without food

    After a complete electrical failure rendered an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter useless during search-and-rescue efforts near New Orleans on Sept. 1, Air Force officials were quick to deploy two staff sergeants to the scene.When the call came in at 2 a.m., Staff Sgts. Brandon LaFountain and Kevin

  • Combat communications squadron hooks up tent city

    One combat communications squadron convoyed more than 600 miles to provide support to an Air Force tent city here. More than 100 Airmen with the 33rd Combat Communications Squadron from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., arrived here Sept. 5 with more than 30 military vehicles after having spent more

  • Little Rock AFB hub for international Katrina aid

    The first international aid for Hurricane Katrina victims touched down in Arkansas on Sept. 5, and more international flights are on the way.The base was tapped as the hub and clearinghouse for all international aid air shipments for Hurricane Katrina victims."Little Rock Air Force Base is proud to

  • Reservists mobilize for Katrina relief efforts

    Some Airmen with the 908th Airlift Wing here returned to their home base Sept. 6 after participating in an overseas deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Before they even returned, however, their commander said they were ready to serve again, only this time for disaster-relief

  • AMC aircraft, people continue hurricane relief efforts

    In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Air Mobility Command has moved thousands of military support people, civilian emergency responders and evacuees, and has delivered tons of emergency equipment and supplies supporting relief operations.To handle the increased air mobility operations into and out

  • Keesler recovery efforts already showing results

    People here are well into recovery operations just a week after the base and much of the Gulf Coast sustained massive damage from Hurricane Katrina."We're in the recovery and reconstitution stages where we're assessing the damage and repairing the facilities we're going to need in order to be able

  • Vandenberg tests Minuteman III ICBM

    An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launched from here Sept. 7 and landed in the Marshall Islands about 30 minutes later.The mission, conducted by people with the 30th Space Wing and the 576th Flight Test Squadron here and the 91st SW from Minot AFB, N.D, tested

  • Air Force BEAR Base deploys supporting JTF-Katrina

    Airmen with the 49th Materiel Maintenance Group here began deploying in support of Joint Task Force-Katrina, the massive relief effort directed at providing humanitarian aid to Gulf Coast victims of Hurricane Katrina.The 49th MMG, the only Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources Base group in the Air

  • Airmen saving lives in New Orleans, Mississippi

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

  • Lackland supports Hurricane Katrina evacuation

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

  • Airmen evacuate hurricane victims

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

  • Defense leaders praise Keesler resolve, spirit

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

  • Special unit provides airfield operations in New Orleans

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

  • Katrina floodwaters a biohazard-laden ‘soup’

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

  • AFSPC Airmen support recovery efforts

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

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

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

  • Air Force expands child care for hurricane-affected Airmen

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

  • Barksdale helps hurricane evacuees, families

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

  • Recruiting service seeking hurricane-affected future Airmen

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

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

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

  • Offutt services crew provides comfort to hurricane victims

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

  • CLEP testing saves money, time, headaches

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

  • Edwards tests production Global Hawk for possible deployment

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

  • Airmen build tent city for relief workers

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

  • A city underwater gets help from above

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

  • Eglin provides for displaced families through Airman’s Attic

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

  • Deployed Airmen prepare for life at Keesler after Katrina

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

  • More active, Guard troops join Katrina response

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

  • Air Force MASF last stop for some hurricane victims

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

  • Air Force support of Hurricane Katrina continues

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

  • Volunteers help keep Airmen safe by searching vehicles

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

  • After recovery, Keesler’s future uncertain

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

  • Air Force announces OTS selections

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

  • Hurricane-affected Airmen to redeploy

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

  • Airmen provide communications capabilities

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

  • Safety enforced by motorcycle club

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

  • Air Combat Command Airmen provide hurricane relief

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

  • Aeromedical evacuation hub established at Lackland

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

  • Eglin Air Force Base support evacuees

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

  • Lackland Airmen turn office areas into living spaces

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

  • Little Rock, Tyndall, Guard Bureau helping evacuees

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

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

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

  • ‘Stop Movement’ lifted for greater Pensacola area

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

  • AF support missions intensify after wake of Hurricane Katrina

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

  • AMC response groups establish airfield operations for hurricane relief

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

  • Hurricane Hunters rebound, gear up for next storm

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

  • Maxwell serves as staging facility for hurricane operations

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

  • EMS team deploys to New Orleans

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

  • Airmen spruce up living space for retirees displaced by Katrina

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

  • Minot helicopter flight supports hurricane relief efforts

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

  • Air Force takes care of Keesler’s expectant mothers

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

  • Air Force Aid Society establishes relief fund

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

  • AF helicopter crews rescue 221 hurricane victims

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

  • Hurricane Katrina relief effort total force response

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

  • Airmen help on 'front lines' in New Orleans

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

  • Airman receives medal for water rescue

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

  • Hurlburt combat engineers rush to aid of Keesler Airmen

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

  • Foglesong honored with Order of the Sword

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

  • Rescue squad brings experience to Cooperative Key

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

  • Drowsy driving cause for concern

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

  • Families say goodbye as Alaskan units deploy

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

  • Contact information available concerning Hurricane Katrina

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

  • Columbus cleanup now under way

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

  • CCAF unlocks doors of opportunity

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

  • AF clarifies hurricane evacuation entitlements

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

  • Gulfport Armed Forces Retirement Home residents evacuate

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

  • AMC answering humanitarian call in aftermath of Katrina

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

  • Katrina takes heavy toll at Keesler

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

  • Stop Movement lifted for Tyndall; Keesler remains in effect

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

  • Buckley’s AADD volunteers save lives, careers

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

  • K-9 teams keep Kirkuk safe

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

  • Silent protectors support Operation Enduring Freedom

    A silent protector continues to support the war on terrorism, often accomplishing its mission without the beneficiaries of the protection it offers even knowing a sortie is being flown.The EC-130H Compass Call is an airborne tactical system that disrupts enemy command and control communications, as

  • Base chaplain epitomizes Air Force diversity

    Sept. 11, 2001, inspired her to join the military, and her father was the reason she joined the Air Force. Now, the Air Force’s first female rabbi, Chaplain (Capt.) Sarah Schechter, is here serving Airmen of all religious faiths.“Clearly, supporting our troops was the best way to help our country,”

  • Airmen support close-air support missions

    This time, things went down differently than planned. As arranged, the men prepped and fired a mortar at coalition forces. They shuttled into their vehicle, certain of a smooth exit. What the terrorists did not count on was what happened afterward: An American fighter aircraft zoomed overhead,

  • Airmen train for convoy duty in Southwest Asia

    Twelve 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle operators here are preparing to leave in early September to support convoy operations in Southwest Asia.These predominantly first-term Airmen will undergo rigorous training at Camp Bullis, Texas, before immediately deploying for six to eight months

  • Vandenberg launches Minuteman III

    An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launched from here Aug. 26 as part of a developmental test demonstrating the ability to integrate a safety enhanced re-entry vehicle into the existing Minuteman III weapons system.The missile launched under the guidance of the 576th Flight

  • Air Force leaders announce religious guidelines

    Air Force officials announced the release of interim guidance on free exercise of religion Aug. 29.Air Force Directorate of Personnel officials issued the interim guidelines after careful consideration of the U.S. Constitution, laws and military necessity. The guidelines were developed after a

  • Logistics Airmen supply customers with team effort

    From the outside, it looks like nothing more than a giant storage unit, but inside, it is a one-stop shop.“If you don’t see what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place,” said Tech. Sgt. Tonya Hamilton, noncommissioned officer in charge of the base service supply store here. “I can get

  • Kirkuk firefighters train Iraqis

    In order to stabilize Iraq, coalition forces must teach Iraqis the skills they need to stand on their own. The firefighters of the 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron here are doing their part in this important mission by teaching Iraqis first aid and basic firefighting skills.“Seeing them

  • Air Force issues stop movement to Keesler, Tyndall

    The Air Force has issued a "Stop Movement" order for people permanently moving to or transiting on temporary duty to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., based on the probability that Hurricane Katrina will affect the area.Officials also ordered a Stop Movement for people permanently moving to or

  • Sexual assault prevention film must-see for Airmen

    A new training video recently distributed to the Air Force through vice wing commanders is required viewing for all Airmen.All Airmen must view the new video, entitled "Targeting Sexual Assault," by Nov. 1. It is part of a larger Air Force campaign to educate Airmen about the realities of sexual

  • Commander sees AEF working from deployed perspective

    The Air and Space Expeditionary Force Center commander recently visited his largest customer in theater -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces.Brig. Gen. Stephen L. Hoog said there was no better place to see that the AEF is working as advertised than in the Southwest Asia and Central Asia.“I appreciate

  • Cooperative Key 05 kicks off

    More than 140 Airmen have joined servicemembers from 14 NATO and seven partner nations to participate in Cooperative Key 05, a NATO Air Force exercise.The exercise began Aug. 24 and runs through Sept. 5, with live flying taking place Aug. 27 through Sept. 4.The multinational exercise is designed to

  • Guardsmen make combat airdrop in Afghanistan

    Six Airmen from the North Carolina Air National Guard’s 156th Airlift Squadron traveled more than 7,000 miles recently to perform an airdrop mission over Afghanistan.The guardsmen, who are currently assigned to the 738th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at a forward-deployed location, airdropped more

  • Convoy escorts continue proud heritage of Tuskegee Airmen

    The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing is steeped in the rich history of its predecessors, the Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd Fighter Group. While today’s Airmen do not share the hardships of breaking racial barriers, Airmen with Detachment 2 here and Det. 1 at Camp Speicher, Iraq, face their own

  • Airmen control sky over Iraq

    With more than 270,000 square miles of playing field, Airmen with the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron have their game faces on, providing command and control of joint air operations supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Providing surveillance, identification, weapons control, theater missile

  • Medics relieve pain at home, in war

    As servicemembers continue to fight the war on terrorism, a small group of Airmen at Balad Air Base, Iraq, is ensuring that each warfighter is fit to fight. At the same time they are gaining valuable experience to bring home.The physical and occupational therapy clinic at the Air Force Theater