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  • Airman, wife arrested in murder plot

    Civilian authorities arrested an Airman from here and his wife Oct. 13 in a murder-for-hire scheme. He was already in custody at a local holding facility facing separate Air Force charges.Staff Sgt. Matthew Gladue, a weather systems technician with the 51st Combat Communications Squadron, and his

  • USO honors Airman at gala event

    The United Service Organizations honored an Airman from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, at the 2004 USO Gala here Oct. 14 for his unhesitating courage in saving the lives of two children.Seeing smoke coming from a house and learning that children were trapped inside, Senior Airman Nicholas Semonelle,

  • LOEs now mandatory for some deployed commanders

    With the continuing emergence of increased expeditionary mission requirements, Air Force officials are implementing a policy that will complement officer evaluations by ensuring performance in key leadership positions at deployed locations is documented.Beginning with the current air and space

  • Hope, awareness keys to suicide prevention

    Problems come unexpectedly, and things like deployments and family troubles can be big stressors for many servicemembers. But one thing care providers want to get across is that suicide is not the right answer.More than 40 Airmen Air Force-wide have committed suicide this year, and though leaders

  • Student Civil Air Patrol program takes flight

    While some middle-school students spend their free time playing video games or watching television, a recently chartered organization here is giving future Airmen the opportunity to experience crossing into the blue as Civil Air Patrol cadets.Unlike ROTC, the cadets’ involvement is not graded as a

  • Rescue flight makes second save in nine days

    The 36th Rescue Flight made its second save in nine days with the rescue of an injured survival student Oct. 11.The student, a lieutenant, was doing night navigation training in the Colville National Forest when he tripped, fell and lost consciousness. The instructors immediately called the Tacoma

  • Helmet upgrades enhance air power

    F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots here can now look, lock and launch on an enemy target in the blink of an eye. Because split seconds can mean the difference between life or death for a pilot in combat, the 52nd Fighter Wing here adopted an advanced approach to high-tech man-machine interaction with the

  • Roche, Jumper ‘wear test’ Osprey

    The Air Force's top two leaders got up close and personal Oct. 8 with what may become the service's latest special operations asset. Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper flew in a Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey. General Jumper served as pilot of

  • Services serves up thousands of feasts

    The days of the chow hall are gone. They have been replaced by a new trend, which sets the Air Force apart from other branches of the military; friendly customer service and out-of-this world food, even while deployed.But for the people at a forward-deployed services squadron, making the food taste

  • Blowing stuff up for safety’s sake

    Most people use tools to fix things, but the 455th Civil Engineer Flight’s explosive ordnance disposal team here uses its tools to blow up stuff. To these Airmen, blowing something up is the best way to eliminate hazards and with an average of three suspected unexploded ordnance calls here daily,

  • Reserve magazine changes Web address

    The official magazine of the Air Force Reserve has a new Web address.Citizen Airman's new address is www.afrc.af.mil/news/citizenairman/index.htm.Besides moving to a new Web home, Citizen Airman, published for more than 76,000 reservists worldwide, is getting a new look. The changes, which take

  • Combat controllers call in big guns for troops in Afghanistan

    They are respectfully referred to as “the guys with the beards,” by their fellow Airmen here. It is distinction that few American servicemembers in Afghanistan can claim. Dressed in unmarked desert camouflage uniforms, these distinctive Airmen convoy across the Afghan plains, trek through mountain

  • Now showing: Oct. 11 edition of AFTV News

    The continuing Air Force role in Operation Enduring Freedom highlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Tech. Sgt. Joy Josephson explains the resupply mission by Air National Guard C-130 Hercules units operating from Uzbekistan. Another aspect of the service’s contribution to peace

  • K-9s receive top care in deployed environment

    In a 110-degree, sandy environment at a forward-deployed location, how does the mission go on when a military working dog is down? As with any combat zone, there are only so many things Airmen can do without the K-9s in place.Keeping the dogs in good health is a top priority, and that

  • POL Airmen fuel the wing

    “Without fuel, pilots are pedestrians.” This is a phrase uttered by many fuels specialists over the years. At a forward-deployed location, it is no different; except the phrase should be expanded to people who drive vehicles and use air conditioners, generators and anything else not

  • William Tell competition resumes after eight-year break

    The Air Force’s first William Tell air-to-air competition in eight years takes flight at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Nov. 8 to 19.William Tell 2004 will test aircrew performance in the air dominance and air sovereignty missions, while evaluating weapons use and the tactics used. The meet also

  • Uniform board incorporates feedback, alters design

    Based on feedback from the six-month wear test, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper decided to expand the current test program to include a pixelated tiger-striped pattern in a new color scheme on the proposed utility uniform.The expansion does not involve a full test; instead, there will

  • Escorts keep watch over foreign workers

    Help wanted: Critical job working outside in sandy, arid 110-degree heat. Must leave comforts of home, family and friends for four months. Will provide perimeter security during increased threat levels and escort third-country and local nationals to job sites. Free travel!If someone read that ad

  • Airmen come together for humanitarian service

    When given the chance for humanitarian service, Airmen of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing here go all out.More than 50 Airmen helped unload two 30-foot containers of school supplies and toys and then organized and packaged them for an Iraqi school.“What a great turnout,” said Chaplain (Capt.)

  • Life-support Airmen offer keys to survival

    Like James Bond being led through a showroom of new gadgets, a pilot is introduced to the latest and greatest gizmos that will get him out of a jam.In the back corner of the 17th Special Operations Squadron here is a hi-tech superstore that supplies special operations Airmen in the Pacific with

  • Thrift Savings Plan open season begins Oct. 15

    Civilian and military employees can sign up for, or change, their Thrift Savings Plan contribution amounts during the "open season" Oct. 15 to Dec. 31."TSP is a long-term retirement savings plan, which everyone should consider," said Senior Master Sgt. Felipe Ortiz, superintendent of the Air Force

  • Junior ROTC expands, seeks retirees to teach at new units

    Airmen planning to retire within the next couple of years and Airmen who have retired within the past five years may want to look to Junior ROTC before storing their uniforms, said Jo Alice Talley. She is the Air Force Junior ROTC instructor management chief.Air Force Junior ROTC will add 201 units

  • Rescue flight saves fallen rock climber

    The 36th Rescue Flight here made its 596th save, after rescuing a fallen rock climber Oct. 2.The man, 26, was out with two friends when he got separated and disappeared over a cliff face near Spur Lake in Libby, Mont.The friends found the man the next morning and began to stabilize him, then climbed

  • Air Force still needs health professionals

    The Air Force exceeded its enlisted recruiting goal by sending 34,362 people to basic military training in fiscal 2004, but the service was unsuccessful in finding enough physicians, dentists and nurses to meet its health professions goal.The Air Force had an enlisted recruiting goal of 34,080.

  • Course offers self-defense training

    Airman Smith has no worries as she dances the night away at a party at her friend’s house. Once the night is over, she leaves the house and walks to her car when suddenly, out of the shadows, someone grabs her from behind and tries to drag her away.What the attacker does not know is that he picked

  • Airmen train with NATO allies during exercise

    Airmen from Aviano Air Base, Italy, joined forces with NATO’s newest member Oct. 4 to 7 to improve the way they rescue downed pilots.The training was part of Adriatic Rescue 04, a U.S.-Slovenian combat search-and-rescue exercise.While Slovenia conducted similar training with the United States

  • Force shaping opportunities expand in 2005

    Air Force personnel officials encourage more Airmen to seek opportunities to exit the service under an expanded force-shaping program in fiscal 2005.Planners have opened more career fields for force-shaping eligibility by dropping from a 100-percent sustainment level to 95 percent. This increases

  • DEET first line of defense against insects

    Whether hiking in the woods at home or serving in the sands of the Middle East, Airmen need a repellent to shield themselves from biting insects.The active ingredient in most skin-applied repellents is commonly referred to as DEET. It is a must on almost every deployment checklist and for good

  • Deployed medics save Iraqi child

    Almost a week later, little Nahida still winces when doctors ask about the snake that bit her foot. Her father, Nafil Radi, a policeman in the local An Nasiriyah precinct of southern Iraq, sits beside the hospital bed and holds her hand. Gently he coaxes her to point out which type of viper she

  • Nondestructive inspection technicians ensure aviation safety

    Aircraft maintainers rely on nondestructive inspection technicians here to ensure military aviation safety in the Pacific region.As aircraft age, the need to inspect, repair or replace parts increases.“Our primary threats are aircraft fatigue damage and corrosion,” said Master Sgt. Bobby Fruge, the

  • McConnell firefighter saves eight lives

    A fire department emergency medic here helped save eight people after a rush-hour collision recently.Bradford Voorhees, of the 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron, was taking his two children to his brother’s house when he saw cars slowing down and dust and smoke rising across a local highway.He discovered

  • Kirkuk kicks into shape with Tae Bo

    The inventor of the Tae Bo fitness system, Billy Blanks, and his daughter, Shellie Blanks-Cimarosti, visited here Sept. 28 to conduct three Tae Bo classes with the troops during their Spirit and Body Tour.Mr. Blanks said he was excited to visit with the people deployed here supporting Operation

  • Air Force revises CJR 'wait list'

    The Air Force has revised the career job reservation list to meet end-strength goals under force shaping.While five new Air Force specialties have been identified as constrained, another six have been released from the list. All constrained Air Force specialties receive quotas and have a ranked

  • Airmen use GBU-38 in combat

    During one particular night shift recently, a team primarily composed of Air National Guardsmen conducted the first successful drop of a GBU-38 bomb in combat.The majority of the people connected to the effort came from the Alabama Air National Guard and were supplemented by Airmen from Illinois and

  • Recruiter guilty in murder-for-hire plot

    After a two-week general court-martial, Tech. Sgt. Rodney Wells was found guilty here Oct. 1 of conspiracy to commit murder and attempted conspiracy to commit murder. Sergeant Wells was also found not guilty of a third charge, which included three specifications of solicitation to commit murder and

  • Reserve pilots not reserved when protecting ground troops

    Ammunitions troops here charged with reloading a wingman’s A-10 Thunderbolt II Gatling gun had a busy night recently, following his return. New Orleans Air Force Reserve pilots proved that they are anything but reserved when it comes to protecting U.S. ground troops in Afghanistan. In defense of a

  • Fitness first piece of puzzle to healthier lifestyle

    “It makes you feel better.” “It reduces stress.” “It lowers blood pressure.”“Pick up any fitness magazine, and it’ll give you a bunch of boring definitions of what fitness will do for you,” said John Gahagan, 92nd Services Squadron fitness center director here.But to him, fitness means something a

  • WAF Band still making music

    A military band that was formed when the Air Force was just 4 years old performed four concerts here, more than 40 years after the group’s deactivation.The Women in the Air Force Band, in conjunction with its annual reunion, gave back to the nation in the Lone Star State. After three days of

  • Overall health more than fitness, nutrition

    What do a pack of cigarettes and a clenched fist have in common? They are both signs of bigger problems.The first, a pack of cigarettes, has many detrimental effects on the body. Not only can it cause cancer, but it also increases the chance of emphysema, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and many

  • Airmen brace for new fitness test

    The Air Force chief of staff fired a shot across the bow in July 2003 that got the attention of Airmen everywhere.Gen. John P. Jumper forewarned that a new fit-to-fight program would replace the cycle ergometry test and encouraged everyone to get ready. Staff Sgt. Kurt Hartmann did not, and he paid

  • Nutrition not fast claim, but way to go

    The low-carb diet. The low-fat diet. The cabbage soup diet. The grapefruit diet. The shake diet.There are “miracle” pills that claim weight loss without ever stepping foot in a gym. And there are all the herbal supplements for the Earth- and body-conscious consumers.It is all enough to make a

  • October issue of Airman available

    Read about how Airmen are becoming “fit to fight,” learn how two Air Force recruiters survived an explosion in Iraq, and discover how one correctional-custody program keeps Airmen from crossing out of the blue. These features and more highlight the October issue of Airman magazine, now available in

  • Airmen pull underground alert

    Officers from the 742nd Missile Squadron and others like them continue to carry on a 40-year legacy by pulling alert at a seemingly plain-looking wooden building on the North Dakota prairie. Located 60 feet below is the most important part of the facility -- a steel-reinforced capsule no larger

  • Tornado damages ANG aircraft, buildings in Delaware

    Many people from the Delaware Air National Guard’s 166th Airlift Wing here witnessed C-130 Hercules aircraft “dancing like ballerinas,” as a tornado struck here Sept. 28.The surprise funnel cloud touched down in the late afternoon at New Castle County Airport, damaging several of the wing’s

  • Deployed Airmen experience local tradition

    Airmen deployed to the 3rd Air Expeditionary Group here experienced a South Korean tradition Sept. 28 that is more than 2,000 years old.Every year during the harvest season when the moon is full, South Koreans celebrate a holiday similar to the American Thanksgiving called Chu Sok or Harvest Moon

  • Stress management team helps when it counts

    Life-altering events have different effects on people, and a team of stress management specialists here help people deal with these events.The critical-incident stress management team features specialists trained to help prevent or mitigate stress when a sudden death, tragedy, serious injury or

  • Hockey team participates in Air Force survival training

    A water-survival class normally held for aircrew members here was turned into a day of cross-training for American Hockey League players Sept. 23.The Philadelphia Phantoms participated in an all-day Air Force water-survival training exercise in hopes to build core strength and a “little mental

  • Airman likes being part of bigger picture

    "I just love knowing that I'm part of taking care of this country and making sure that we keep all the freedoms that we have now," said Staff Sgt. Georgina Baldwin. "I just love it. I love the military. It's just like one big family."Sergeant Baldwin, an allergy and immunization technician with

  • ‘Eyes of the North’ steady as AF moves mission to Guard

    Defending the homeland is one of the key missions of the Air National Guard, and Oct. 1, the Alaska Air National Guard will officially assume operations of the Air Force’s regional air operation center here. The center’s mission is to provide ready teams to operate and maintain North American

  • Guardsmen, aircraft wow South African crowd

    They were daunted by the size of the C-5 Galaxy transport and KC-135 Stratotanker, and mesmerized by the sleek, bold designs of the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter and F-16 Fighting Falcon.So it was easy for crowds of children and military enthusiasts to swarm to New York Air National Guardsmen

  • Despite predictable weather, specialists still keep busy

    When an area averages an annual temperature of about 100 degrees and less than 1 inch of rain, a person could assume that the weather is fairly predictable. One could also assume that a bunch of weather specialists would not be gainfully employed at such a location. But then again, everyone knows

  • Humanitarian airlift brings $15 million in aid to base

    The largest amount of humanitarian aid to enter the Kyrgyz Republic since it became its own country in 1991 came by way of C-17 Globemaster IIIs from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., on Sept. 23.About $15 million worth of medicines and medical supplies were unloaded at the Bishkek International

  • Despite danger, convoy Airmen keep on trucking

    The hours are long, and their jobs are dangerous, but Airmen keeping supply lines running on northern Iraq roads are determined to keep on trucking. That is because they realize the importance of what they do, said Capt. Harley Smith, commander of more than 140 Airmen assigned to Detachment 1 of the

  • Academy town hall meeting reaches worldwide audience

    The Air Force’s three top leaders opened a town hall meeting here Sept. 27 by speaking about the service’s force size and its future in space.Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper explained the current force management is “not a cut” but designed to reshape the force. “It is getting us down to where

  • Airman gives static aircraft makeovers

    It might be the 96th Air Base Wing’s Air Force Armament Museum but for one Airman, he feels it belongs to him.Senior Airman Rick Miller, an aircraft structural maintenance journeyman for the 33rd Maintenance Squadron, can be found at the museum, donating four to five hours a day, four days a week.

  • McGuire welcomes first C-17 Globemaster III

    People here welcomed the nation’s newest, most modern airlifter Sept. 24 during a special arrival ceremony.“The Spirit of New Jersey” is the first of 13 C-17 Globemaster IIIs McGuire will eventually receive.“It is just a wonderful day for McGuire,” said Gen. John W. Handy, commander of U.S.

  • Airmen help save lives following UH-60 crash at Tallil

    Just after 9:20 p.m. Sept. 21, two Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters took off from the flightline here.Two minutes later, something went horribly wrong with one of them.“The first thing I heard was a loud, dull thud, kind of like a fist hitting a wooden wall,” said Senior Airman John Byrum, a

  • Now showing: Sept. 27 edition of AFTV News

    The latest edition of Air Force Television News focuses on the conflict in Afghanistan. Tech. Sgts. Pachari Lutke and Joy Josephson spent a week in the Kyrgyz Republic, reporting on the Air Force mission in this former Soviet territory and how Airmen there are supporting Operation Enduring

  • Service launches online pay enhancements

    The online pay account information system of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, myPay, is offering new enhancements and upgrades for all users.All myPay users can now assign a restricted access personal identification number to a designated individual to view pay information; however, the

  • Trial ends for Air Force translator

    Senior Airman Ahmad al-Halabi, a supply clerk who served as a Guantanamo Bay translator, was found guilty of three charges and four specifications of violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The trial ended here Sept. 23.Col. Barbara Brand, the military judge for the case, sentenced

  • Deployed Airmen visit South Korean orphanage

    More than a dozen Airmen deployed to the 3rd Air Expeditionary Group here joined their South Korean counterparts for a visit to a local orphanage Sept. 24.Airmen witnessed the smiles, laughter and boundless energy of more than 80 children.“This was a wonderful opportunity to join with our (South

  • Academy site of town hall meeting Sept. 27

    Arnold Hall here is the setting for a town hall meeting Sept. 27 featuring Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James Roche, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper and Chief Master Sgt. Of the Air Force Gerald Murray.The meeting begins at 1 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast live on The Pentagon Channel

  • U.S. military supports South African trade show

    U.S. military equipment and Airmen from the New York Air National Guard are here for the Aerospace Exhibition.The event marks the first time aircraft and guardsmen from New York have participated in a South African air show, officials said.Visitors will get a close-up look at four static displays:

  • Gotta fix ‘em before you fly ‘em

    Nestled in a small, nondescript building among a dozen aircraft revetments here, the 353rd Maintenance Squadron’s consolidated tool kit section hums with activity around the clock.With more than 1,600 bench-stock items, 200 pieces of test equipment and 120 hazardous materials, it is the first and

  • Families of students using assignment deferment program

    Sixty-three Air Force families with a child who entered his or her senior year of high school this year will get to stay additional time at their current duty stations.The High School Seniors Assignment Deferment Program allows senior master sergeants and below, and officers up through the rank of

  • Pax terminal gets Airmen where they need to be

    Long hours spent working in temperatures hovering around 100 degrees has made a trip home one of the sweetest ideas for Airmen in Southwest Asia. However, many troops face delays and hang-ups that would frustrate the most patient traveler. Fortunately, the “Mighty 8th” is ready to help.The

  • White House breakfast honors American Indian servicemembers

    President Bush took honored those to whom the newest Smithsonian Institution museum is dedicated Sept. 23.He praised the contributions of American Indians, both military and civilian, from Sacagawea's presence with Lewis and Clark to the Code Talkers of World War II."The National Museum of the

  • Political activity rules basically same for active-duty, reserve

    Citizen Airmen serving in the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve follow the same rules governing political activity as their active-duty compatriots.Questions about what Airmen can or cannot do abound in this presidential election year, and some situations have become national news. The rules

  • Number of officers receiving command pay reduced

    Command Responsibility Pay now received by some field-grade officers in command positions will end in October.In a Sight Picture titled, “Recognizing the Responsibility of Command,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper announced the Air Force would reduce the number of command positions that

  • Air Force issues ‘stop movement’ for Patrick, Cape Canaveral

    Air Force officials have issued a “stop-movement’ order for people permanently moving to or transiting Patrick Air Force Base or Cape Canaveral Air Station, Fla., based on the probability that Hurricane Jeanne will affect the area.This order also effects any duty location serviced by either base's

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

    Active-duty Airmen who were unable to take leave because they supported contingency operations may be allowed to accumulate more than the normal 60 days after the fiscal year ends.Those affected can retain up to 120 days of leave until Sept. 30, 2005, said Air Force Personnel Center officials here.

  • Air Force continues efforts to locate POWs, MIAs

    People of the missing persons branch at the Air Force Personnel Center here continue their efforts to account for Air Force prisoners of war and those missing in action. Their work goes on even after the annual National POW/MIA Recognition Day commemoratives have ended.Master Sgt. Cheryl Wells and

  • Leaders outline space-cadre strategy

    Earlier this summer, Undersecretary of the Air Force Peter B. Teets and Gen. Lance W. Lord, commander of Air Force Space Command, outlined for Congress their strategy to develop the professional space cadre the nation needs to acquire and operate future space systems. One of the first things they

  • Airmen run missile-alert facilities

    For the last 40 years, the great plains of North Dakota have been housing the 91st Space Wing’s intercontinental ballistic missiles. The missile-alert facilities are manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week.There are security forces who protect and operators who run the nation’s greatest deterrence

  • Airmen need to heed Hatch Act rules

    As the election season swings into high gear, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel has filed complaints against two federal employees deemed in violation of the Hatch Act.The complaints address the use of "politically partisan electronic-mail messages while on duty," OSC officials said.The Hatch Act

  • ATOC keeps troops, supplies moving

    Get ‘em in, get ‘em out. From troops to supplies, the Airmen of the 455th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s air terminal operations center here take care of it all, ensuring aerial transport lines keep flowing smoothly.With only about one-fifth the number of people with which the aerial

  • Command, control: Prescription for aeromedical-evacuation success

    A battlefield injury or illness poses a threat to those deployed worldwide. When that threat turns into reality, the Air Force’s extensive aeromedical-evacuation network ensures wounded warriors are moved rapidly to a medical facility to get the care they need. The expansive network includes Airmen

  • Special ops maintainers team up on Kadena's tiny troubles

    Ehren Wahl and Wesley Brown are both staff sergeants, they are assigned to the 353rd Maintenance Squadron, and they each have spent most of their careers here on Okinawa, a tiny island in southern Japan. That is where the similarities end.Sergeant Wahl is an outspoken, 24-year-old from New York who

  • Dental technician becomes U.S. citizen

    American citizenship for many people comes with birth in this country, while others choose it later on in life. For one Airman here, the teenage dream of American citizenship started by leaving the country of his birth, was realized Sept. 16 in a federal courtroom ceremony where he took the oath of

  • Reserve hands off Operation Deep Freeze missions

    Air Force Reserve Command C-141 Starlifter aircrews will stop flying Operation Deep Freeze airlift missions to Antarctica in February.When the new season starts in August 2005, mission responsibility will revert back to the 62nd Airlift Wing at McChord Air Force Base, Wash. The Reserve took on the

  • Airmen remain in control of their futures

    In spite of the Air Force’s force-shaping measures, Airmen are learning they remain in control of their futures, even in over-manned career fields.There are choices for those whose re-enlistments are coming up soon: retrain, join the Guard or Reserve, join the Army with “Operation Blue to Green” or

  • Deployed contracting makes it happen

    It is hard to believe that a stroke of a pen can cost the Air Force hundreds of thousands of dollars; it is even harder to believe that it is a staff sergeant’s pen that does this nearly every day.Such is the job of 379th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron Airmen at a forward-deployed location.

  • Airmen evacuate injured Russian sailor

    Two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters from the 56th Rescue Squadron raced 230 miles to evacuate an injured 19-year-old sailor from a Russian destroyer Sept. 14. The mission off the southern coast of Iceland began after squadron officials were notified of the situation at 1:25 p.m. “We always keep one

  • Mountain Home ‘maintainer’ readies skis for season

    Flanked on two sides by nearby mountains, this high-desert fighter base is a short drive from prime wintertime skiing, snowboarding and sledding hotspots.Though the temperature is still in the 80s, Idaho’s winter season starts in mid-September for the staff of the busy outdoor recreation supply

  • Virginia Air Guard responds to Florida storms

    Nearly 50 Virginia Air National Guardsmen responded to hurricane relief efforts in Florida, making it the first time their unit has deployed to Florida for a natural disaster.The 203rd Red Horse Squadron from Virginia Beach deployed to assist in the clean-up efforts after Hurricane Frances and wound

  • Air Force medics take control of combat hospital

    Troops with emergency medical needs will now visit the Air Force Theater Hospital while deployed to Iraq.Central Command Air Forces officials announced that Sept. 20, Air Force medics took control of the base hospital, formerly known as the 31st Combat Support Hospital.The decision to transfer

  • Civil engineers do whatever it takes to keep ‘em flying

    Airman 1st Class Aaron McDonald radios the air control tower for clearance to enter the runway. His mission: Break up five different 24-inch squares of damaged runway sections and put them back together again before the next aircraft takes off. He has less than an hour to clear each one. Each

  • Airman goes green to aid OIF medical mission

    When Senior Airman Gary Doran graduated from the Department of Defense biomedical equipment technician’s course in 2002 and moved to Scott Air Force Base, Ill., he thought his time at the joint-service school would be his last experience working with Soldiers for a long time. In fact, he said he

  • Air Force working to combat stressors

    The war on terrorism is placing many stresses on the Air Force, but Airmen are responding well to those stresses, and leaders are working to alleviate them.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray -- the service's highest-ranking enlisted person -- said there are more than 29,000 Airmen

  • Minot officer dies after fall

    A lieutenant colonel here died Sept. 18 at about 12:30 p.m. from injuries sustained in a fall earlier in the day.Lt. Col. David Patterson, 5th Maintenance Group deputy commander, fell from an obstacle at the base’s confidence course while participating in a team-building exercise.The colonel arrived

  • ‘Stop-movement’ order rescinded for bases

    Base officials at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and Keesler AFB, Miss., have reinstated all permanent and temporary travel to their respective bases. Certain people from Eglin AFB, Fla., can begin returning Sept. 18.Airmen should pay close attention to travel warnings associated with Tropical Storm

  • Jumper: Terror threat greater than any other

    The threat of terrorism is greater than any threat this nation has ever faced, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper. And he said he believes today's Airmen are up to the challenge.The threat of terrorism is "greater than Nazism, greater than communism," General Jumper said. "This

  • AETC commander gives education update

    Right number, right skills, right training and right quality.That is the bottom line, said Gen. Donald G. Cook, commander of Air Education and Training Command, when he gave his stakeholders’ report at the Air Force Association’s 2004 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition on Sept.

  • War on terror testing, reinforcing Air Force concepts

    The war on terrorism is teaching Air Force leaders important lessons and validating others, said Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche.It is emphasizing the success of the air and space expeditionary force, the importance of joint operations and the critical contribution of the Guard and Reserve in

  • Leaders, compelling mission keep AF strength high

    Air Force leaders are struggling with a problem. The service has 20,000 more people than it is authorized. And as its leaders work to pare the numbers by 16,000 by the end of fiscal 2005, Airmen and would-be Airmen are standing in line to enlist or re-enlist."It's a fascinating problem for us,"

  • Bombers rotations continue on Guam

    Demonstrating once again that bomber forces can be sustained in the Pacific, about 250 Airmen deployed Sept. 10 to 12 from Louisiana to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as part of a 120-day air and space expeditionary force rotation.The 20th Expeditionary Bomber Squadron is the third of four existing

  • Hurricanes, home, mission focus of Gwangju Airmen

    Airmen deployed with the 3rd Air Expeditionary Group here focus daily on the task of ensuring the F-15E Strike Eagles can perform the mission and return safely. But for more than 100 of them, that focus is split between accomplishing the mission here and keeping their minds on the weather causing

  • Secretary, chief send Air Force birthday message

    The following is an Air Force birthday message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“Happy birthday to the Airmen of the world’s greatest air and space force! Our 57 years of history may be short, but they are packed with astounding

  • Italians, Americans work together in mass-casualty exercise

    Senior Airman Shaun Hasha expected to spend his morning Sept. 13 strolling the aisles of a local store. Instead, he spent the time running from authorities and choking on toxic fumes.The 31st Medical Operations Squadron Airman was not overcome by criminal mischief; he was a volunteer during a large

  • Creative Airmen shape tomorrow’s Air Force today

    The initiative and innovations of Airmen today will shape the Air Force of tomorrow, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper on Sept. 15 at the Air Force Association’s 2004 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here.“The theme of this symposium is people, and throughout the