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  • 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year highlighted

    The 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year are selected based on superior leadership, job performance, significant self-improvement/ personal achievements and base/community involvement. The Air Force Chief of Staff reviews the selections. The selections for the 2009 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year

  • Photo essay: New cadets discover Jacks Valley

    Basic cadet trainees march to Jacks Valley near Colorado Springs, Colo. to begin two weeks of training that will test their stamina and determination. The cadets will experience weapons training, confidence and assault training, drill evaluations, tent inspections, and aerobic and physical fitness

  • Hobby earns Spangdahlem Airman $10K

    Simpler, easier to use and saves time. This is not an ad for a new cleaning product, these are qualities being used to describe a new Web-based program the intelligence office here is employing to track training requirements. The new program dubbed "SpIDER System" is the creation of Master Sgt.

  • Ground, flight tests yield zero interference for interrogator system

    Overseas ground and flight testing on a NATO Airborne Warning and Control System recently demonstrated that a prototype waveform designed to better distinguish friendly forces from foes did not interfere with European civilian air traffic control. This paves the way for 635th Electronic Systems

  • Dover Airman defuses mid-air incident

    "I want to slit the captain's throat," is not what passengers want to hear an irate man, pacing up and down the aisles on an airline flight, shout over and over again. However, in the face of this peril on an international commercial flight to Italy, this is what one Dover mechanic discovered - and

  • Streamlined ancillary, expeditionary skills training eliminates redundancy

    New policy, released in March, streamlined redundant and outdated ancillary training programs and aligned expeditionary skills training with warfighter requirements. However, Air Force leaders recently addressed the time requirement to complete ancillary training after discovering a common

  • Student flies last T-37 training mission

    A familiar noise was missing from the 80th Flying Training Wing's aircraft parking ramp at about 2:30 p.m. June 17, one that has been prevalent in the Air Force's pilot training mission for 50 years -- the high-pitched screech of the T-37B Tweet. The final student training mission began at 1 p.m.,

  • National Guard kicks off Vigilant Guard in Iowa

    It was around this time last year when the Iowa National Guard responded to assist residents overwhelmed by the disaster caused by an F5 tornado and Midwest floods. This week, the National Guard acted as the nation's first military responders to domestic emergencies such as mock chemical spills,

  • AFOTEC hosts cadets for summer research program

    The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center is hosting the United States Air Force Academy's Cadet Summer Research Program for a second year at locations in California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Kirtland. During the program, cadets work on real-world Air Force projects during five-week

  • Davis-Monthan, Laughlin conduct hurricane readiness exercise

    Personnel from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Texas emergency management agencies conducted a hurricane readiness exercise here May 29 through June 4. The exercise was designed to prepare members of Davis-Monthan's rescue squadrons to work hand-in-hand with federal agencies to provide support to

  • Mullen: Warfighters, families, wounded warriors drive budget request

    The nation's top military officer told Congress June 9 that the fiscal 2010 defense budget request puts money where it's needed: to recruit and retain the quality troops and their families who form the foundation of the all-volunteer force. But Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of

  • Air Force officials revise fitness program

    The need for a "clear, understandable and simpler" fitness program will mean significant changes to the Air Force's current fitness program, said the service's top officer during a senior leadership conference held June 4 through 6 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Air Force Chief of Staff

  • Deployment opportunities available for civilians

    Whether it's helping Iraqis with reconstruction projects or assisting Afghans with their motor pools, Air Force officials rely on its civilian workforce to help meet global mission requirements. And the Air Force is not alone, as more than 1,100 Department of Defense civilians volunteered to fill

  • Streamlined disability evaluation system introduced at Elmendorf

    Wounded, ill and injured Airmen entering into the Disability Evaluation System here are now enrolled in a new pilot evaluation process. This new joint Department of Defense-Veterans Affairs effort is designed to streamline and expedite disability recovery and processing to create improved treatment,

  • Control center staff seeks to defeat combat stress in Iraq

    Fighting a war can be stressful, no matter what job you do in the military. Staff members at combat stress control centers throughout Iraq work to fight stress -- or at least to teach people how to manage it. Lt. Col. (Dr.) Alicia L. Tschirhart, a psychiatrist, commands the Kalsu Combat Stress

  • New PCS program puts customers in the driver's seat

    With nearly 200,000 permanent change of station moves expected in the approaching season, it is important for Department of Defense personnel to note several broad changes to the personal property shipment process. The uniformed services began using the Defense Personal Property System to move DOD

  • Eglin gate guards wear new uniforms

    Civilian guards at Eglin Air Force Base are now wearing new uniforms that are the standard uniform set by Department of the Air Force Security Forces Center officials. "Eglin is unique in this Air Force-wide initiative because we are the benchmark base," said 1st Lt. Roger Main of the Department of

  • New uniforms: Comfortable, functional are goals

    Officials from the Uniform Program Office here continue to work for Airmen, researching and purchasing uniforms that provide more function, protection and comfort. The Air Force chief of staff met with office personnel April 21 for an update on clothing issues Airmen face as they support global

  • Test center officials link mobility to 'boots on the ground'

    In the Southern Arizona desert, three C-130 Hercules aircraft recently rumbled over the saguaros and airdropped training bundles to a waiting combat controller. The historic drop was conducted digitally with a tactical data link known as the Situational Awareness Data Link, or SADL. It was the first

  • AFOTEC announces manpower realignment

    The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center will begin realigning manpower to improve mission effectiveness. Pending completion of an environmental impact assessment, the realignment will shift personnel from Kirtland AFB to four AFOTEC detachments located in California, Colorado, Florida

  • Officials test commercial fuel to replace JP-8 fuel

    In an ongoing analysis of alternatives to reduce aviation fuel costs, the Air Force Petroleum Agency here has launched an initiative to use commercial jet fuel in place of military standard JP-8 fuel. The Air Force annually uses about 2.5 billion gallons of fuel, resulting in the service's second

  • Academy earns 10-year accreditation

    The U.S. Air Force Academy here earned a maximum 10-year accreditation after undergoing a comprehensive and intense evaluation by a team of distinguished leaders in higher education April 27 through 29 here. During its visit, the eight-member team representing the Higher Learning Commission of the

  • Coaches Tour 2009 takes shape at McConnell

    The game plan to bring some of the biggest names in college sports to troops overseas is in full motion at McConnell Air Force Base. Active and Reserve Airmen here are preparing for the upcoming Coaches Tour 2009, a second annual morale-boosting mission featuring head coaching icons of NCAA

  • Sheppard officials test synthetic fuels

    Air Force Petroleum Agency officials are finalizing preparations for field testing of a 50/50 blend of JP-8 and synthetic jet fuel at the 364th Training Squadron fuels training complex here. Alternative Fuels Certification Office officials at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, said synthetic

  • Software proves effective in avoiding aircraft crashes

    Leading-edge software technology 25 years in the making by specialists in numerous Defense Department agencies and NASA has demonstrated a continuous 98 percent effectiveness rate of eliminating aircraft crashes, a NASA test flight director said. The primary development of the software technology

  • Facts, testimony bust IDEA myths

    In less time than it takes to fill out a credit card application, Darlene Daspit-Pohl was on her way to earning $10,000 just for having an idea. Ms. Daspit-Pohl used the Air Force Innovative Development through Employee Awareness Program, or IDEA program, to submit an idea that reduces how much the

  • Testimony details Pentagon, VA plans for wounded warriors

    The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are working together to address the needs of wounded warriors, defense officials told the House Armed Services Committee April 29. Gail H. McGinn, acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, charted what she called the "lines of

  • AFMC maintenance group wins silver in Shingo Prize

    The 402nd Electronics Maintenance Group here has taken silver in the Shingo Prize, which has been dubbed the "Nobel Prize of Manufacturing." The 402nd EMXG employs 1,407 people who test and repair avionics on a wide array of military aircraft. The Shingo Prize is administered by the Utah State

  • AFSO 21 helps unit reduce steps, increase proficiency

    The 726th Air Mobility Squadron recently conducted an Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century value stream analysis looking for ways to streamline C-17 Globemaster III refueling and increase proficiency levels. The unit pooled Airmen from a variety of backgrounds to participate in the AFSO

  • Silicon Valley rescue C-130s go digital

    Nestled in the center of the world's technology epicenter is the California Air National Guard's 129th Rescue Wing.  Search and rescue is the wing's primary mission, which often involves low-tech but courageous life-saving actions. The mission is about to get a high-tech boost from an innovative

  • National Security Personnel System goes under microscope

    The federal government's largest pay-for-performance system, the National Security Personnel System, is under review at the request of officials in the Defense Department and the Office of Personnel Management. Since October 2006, about 205,000 defense employees were brought under the new NSPS,

  • New policy refines ancillary, expeditionary skills training

    As Air Force officials focus on giving Airmen more time to do their primary duty and reduce additional duties, senior leaders issued new policy guidance in March to streamline ancillary training and expeditionary skills training programs. "Air Staff, the A1 (personnel) community and major command

  • SECAF, CSAF announce 2008 safety award recipients

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz have announced the recipients of the 2008 Air Force safety awards. "We're grateful for the hard work of these award-winning individuals and organizations, and all Air Force safety professionals throughout the service,"

  • Robins maintenance group wins silver in Shingo Prize

    Members of the 402nd Electronics Maintenance Group here has taken silver in the Shingo Prize, which recognizes world-class operational excellence strategies and practices in business and public sector/government owned facilities. The 402nd EMXG employs 1,407 people who test and repair avionics on a

  • Tiered construct defines future expeditionary skills training

    A guarantee to eliminate duplicate expeditionary skills training requirements for all Air Force personnel through a four-tiered construct is now in effect by officials here. "This new construct ensures Airmen receive appropriate expeditionary education and training at the appropriate time," said

  • Safety experts spearhead efforts to minimize bird strikes

    Americans witnessed firsthand the severity of bird strikes when U.S. Airways Flight 1549 crash landed in the Hudson River in New York City after hitting a flock of birds in January. Lt. Col. Charles Wallace and his team of seven safety experts with the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Safety Office here

  • AF Research Lab personnel begin VPP journey

    Building on an already strong culture of safety, Air Force Research Laboratory personnel began the process recently to incorporate the Voluntary Protection Program into all levels of the organization. Since its inception by Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials in the early 1980s,

  • Precision: Everyday standard at base lab

    Calibrating a weapon system properly is the difference between striking at the heart of an enemy force or possibly hitting the friendly forces engaged with that same enemy. Members of the 46th Maintenance Squadron's Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory here are the purveyors of accuracy and

  • AF transports U.N. official to Germany after hostage ordeal

    An American United Nations official held hostage for two months in Pakistan was transported from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, by an Air Mobility Command air-refueling jet and its crew April 5. According to Associated Press reports, John Solecki, the local head of the

  • Changes make Letter of Evaluation more effective

    The Air Force Personnel Center recently introduced several changes to Air Force Form 77, Letter of Evaluation, as part of its ongoing efforts to improve and refine its processes.Some of the specific improvements included upgrading the form's layout and usability, creating dropdown boxes to eliminate

  • Manas KC-135s revolutionize combat operations

    The 376th Air Expeditionary Wing's fleet of KC-135 Stratotankers here delivers more than fuel to the fight in Afghanistan these days as it is revolutionizing the way war is fought by serving as a data network relay high above the battlefield. At first glance, the cluster of cases mounted in the back

  • Verifying records, personal information vital to career

    Successful career progression for Airmen requires hard work, planning and dedication, but even more importantly, an accurate personnel record. Of all the actions Airmen can take to affect their chances for promotion and professional development, the most important is ensuring their personal

  • Luke Airmen advise Moroccan air force on F-16 operations

    Members of the Royal Moroccan air force traveled 6,000 miles to speak with Luke Air Force Base Airmen and tour the installation for an insider's perspective on how an F-16 Fighting Falcon base operates in mid-March. Royal Moroccan air force officials are in the process of building an F-16 base in

  • Wilford Hall doctors perform lifesaving procedure on newborn

    A medical team at Wilford Hall Medical Center here recently performed a lifesaving procedure on a newborn infant that is unique to Air Force medicine. Alexander Gardner, son of Natascha Gardner and Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Gardner of the 23rd Armored Calvary Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas, was born

  • Engineers save nearly $300 million in engine repairs

    Engineers at the Air Force Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate here saved nearly $300 million by reducing the costs associated with aircraft jet engine maintenance.The Engine Rotor Life Extension program, called ERLE, demonstrated a life-cycle cost avoidance for engine rotor

  • Air Force officials release F-16 accident report

    Catastrophic engine failure caused an F-16 Fighting Falcon to crash on the flightline of Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Nov. 12, 2008, Air Combat Command officials announced March 9 here. The $28.8 million aircraft was destroyed during impact and the subsequent fire. The pilot, who climbed out of the

  • Joint team surveys 7 OEF, OIF bases in less than 30 days

    Airmen assigned to the 615th Contingency Response Wing here recently completed a nearly 30-day assessment mission in Afghanistan and Iraq. The 10 Airmen were part of a 13-member joint Air Force-Army team, which received their mission tasking from U.S. Transportation Command. The group, known as a

  • Personnel desktop application expanded

    Beginning March 13, group and wing commanders will have access to vital personnel information right at their fingertips according to officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here. The Base-Level Service Delivery Model commander's tool will provide personnel information, such as manning documents

  • Missile defense capable, but needs more testing

    U.S. missile defense is prepared to defend against North Korean threats, but the system needs more testing before Pentagon officials can endorse its capabilities with "high confidence," the top Defense Department tester said. In three test scenarios, the missile defense system successfully destroyed

  • CSAF to Airmen: Everyone is important

    The Air Force's top officer had one message for Airmen during a town hall meeting here Feb. 20: Every Airman is important.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said all Airmen are integral to the service's success and no job or no one is more important than another."I think the fundamental

  • First time for AFMC at Red Flag exercise

    The 416th Flight Test Squadron conquered the vast bombing and gunnery ranges of Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., as they participated in Red Flag 09-2, marking the first time an Air Force Materiel Command unit has ever deployed and participated in the exercise. "Red Flag allowed us to provide the most

  • Air Force conference focuses on test and evaluation

    The 2009 U.S. Air Force Test and Evaluation Days Conference brought more than 400 professionals from the acquisition and warfighter communities together in Albuquerque, N.M., Feb. 10-12 with a primary focus on operationalizing the Air Force test and evaluation enterprise across the domains air,

  • Suicide prevention hotline saves veterans' lives

    Help is only a phone call away for military veterans considering suicide. Nearly 100,000 veterans, family members or friends of veterans have reached out for help by calling the Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK. The hotline was launched July 2007. The VA

  • When pigs fly... with ospreys

    What do you get when you cross an osprey with a warthog? For a zoologist, the question may seem preposterous. In Air Force terms, instead of an odd looking winged-swine hybrid, the result is immense firepower and unparalleled close-air support capability for the rapid infiltration and exfiltration

  • Program keeps heavy-lift aircraft in the air for decades

    When the first C-5M Super Galaxy, named the "Spirit of Global Reach," touched down at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Feb. 9, it signaled the first success of a $7.7 billion acquisition program designed to keep the heavy-lift transport in the air until 2040. Perhaps still young compared to other

  • 380th AEW mission expands with Navy Global Hawk program

    The joint mission of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing expanded with the recent addition of the first operational Navy Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system, part of the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance program. "It's a good feeling to finally get the aircraft here," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. John McLellan,

  • AFTAC continues excellence as part of Air Force nuclear enterprise

    When Gen. Norton Schwartz was appointed the 19th chief of staff of the Air Force Aug. 12, he emphasized a renewed focus on the nuclear enterprise as one of the Air Force's top priorities. Air Force Technical Applications Center Commander Col. Lisa Ann Onaga, having assumed command only five days

  • Spirit of Global Reach lands at Dover

    The Spirit of Global Reach arrived at Dover Air Force Base Feb. 9, putting itself in the history books as Team Dover's first C-5M Super Galaxy. The Spirit of Global Reach is the first of three C-5Ms Dover will receive for operational testing and evaluation. "Today we see the fruits of a long-term

  • Joint self-nomination system achieves success

    A Web-based self-nomination system officers can use to have their war zone or other experiences evaluated for joint-service qualification has proven to be highly successful, a senior U.S. military officer said here Feb. 10. "We are truly a joint warfighting force now, and this [self-nomination

  • Medical team hikes into mountains to care for children

    During a two-week exercise in early February, a team of 16 medical doctors, nurse practitioners, dietitians and medical students conducted pediatric nutrition evaluations for families without the means or access to regular medical care in the remote mountains near Marcala, Honduras. The team

  • AFOTEC announces mission realignment

    The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center has begun realigning its mission capability to support cyber operations. This realignment will shift about 70 personnel during the next 18 months from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., to three other AFOTEC Detachments located in California, Colorado

  • Deployment history to be removed from promotion briefs

    Air Force officials here recently announced that deployment history data will be deleted from duty qualification briefs for officer selection and preselection and from senior noncommissioned officer evaluation briefs. This total-force initiative will apply to all active-duty members, Reserve and

  • Education activity asks parents, students for feedback

    Defense Department Education Activity officials are asking parents and students to share their thoughts about what works and what doesn't in its schools through a customer-satisfaction survey. "DODEA is firmly committed to continuous improvement and highest student achievement," said Sandra D.

  • Airmen aid in Iraqi election ballot transport

    Members from the 321st Air Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here did their part in assisting Iraq in the election process Feb. 2. Maj. Scott Volk and Capt. Chris Dickens, both C-130 Hercules evaluation pilots and aviation advisers for the Iraqi air force, and Master Sgt. Louis Carter, a 321st AEAS

  • Nurse commissioning program seeks enlisted applicants

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here will conduct the annual Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program board May 4 through 8 to select candidates for fall 2009 and spring 2010 semester start dates. The program offers active-duty Airmen the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in a high-need

  • Major's medal, artifacts on display at Air Force museum

    One of the first Airmen to earn an Air Force Combat Action Medal donated his award, alongside others, to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Maj. Steve Raspet, the 12th Operations Group T-6A Texan II standards and evaluation branch chief and an

  • Officials announce proposed bases for new cyber headquarters

    Air Force officials here announced Jan. 21 possible locations for the headquarters of 24th Air Force, a new numbered Air Force focused on the cyber mission. The proposed bases, in alphabetical order, are Barksdale Air Force Base, La.; Lackland AFB, Texas; Langley AFB, Va.; Offutt AFB, Neb.; Peterson

  • Pilot program helps streamline disability evaluation process

    Department of Defense officials here are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs staff to expand a pilot program that simplifies the current disability evaluation process for wounded, injured and ill servicemembers. The Disability Evaluation System pilot program is aimed at assisting wounded

  • CMSAF McKinley, graduating Airmen honor enlisted heroes

    Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney McKinley and more than 700 Airmen preparing to graduate from basic military training honored the Air Force's enlisted heroes during today's dedication of the new Enlisted Heroes Walk here. Several dignitaries, including Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, commander

  • B-2 radar modernization program contract awarded

    Air Force officials awarded a production contract to the Northrop Grumman Corporation Dec. 29 for the B-2 stealth bomber radar modernization program. The production contract, with a target price of approximately $468 million, will provide advanced state-of-the-art radar components to ensure

  • Eglin Airmen test readiness during weeklong exercise

    Airmen of the 33rd Fighter Wing here tested their ability to respond anytime and anywhere in support of the nation's defense during an Operation Noble Eagle exercise in mid-December. Wing planners and exercise evaluation team members created plans and scenarios to provide an accurate replication of

  • Future Airman gains confidence, loses 160 pounds

    Leo Knight-Inglesby is more determined than ever, and for the past 15 months has pushed himself beyond the limits he, and his loved ones, ever thought possible. The 22-year-old Silver Spring, Md., native is so set to "Do Something Amazing" in the Air Force that he shed more than 160 pounds to meet

  • AFPC officials to offer personnel course for commanders

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here are launching a new course designed to provide squadron commanders outside the personnel career field with the latest military and civilian personnel programs and procedures.The course also provides information on the air and space expeditionary force

  • Reservists may qualify for early retired pay

    Department of Defense officials here have issued new guidelines for early receipt of retired pay for members of the Reserve components. Instead of having to wait until age 60 to receive Reserve retired pay, eligible members may receive retired pay prior to age 60 but not before age 50. Under interim

  • Airmen, Marines join forces during exercise at Kadena

    Japan-based Airmen and Marines came together for Exercise Beverly High 09-01 the first week of December at Kadena Air Base.Airmen of the 18th Wing integrated with Marines from Marine Corps Station Iawkuni as they executed their missions under simulated combat conditions.About 35 aircraft and 700

  • Internal training key to Iraqi air force independence

    As the Iraqi parliament works out the details of the new status of forces agreement that calls for American forces to withdraw from the country in 2011, Iraqi air force emergency responders from New al Muthana Air Base took the lead for the first time in a mass casualty response exercise Nov. 21 as

  • Lackland medical center labs receive 2-year accreditation

    The labs at San Antonio Military Medical Center-South recently received a two-year accreditation from the AABB, an organization recognized by the industry for monitoring and advancing transfusion and cellular therapies worldwide. The accreditation involved an intensive on-site assessment by AABB

  • New tool assures aircraft material integrity, performance

    Air Force researchers working with industry here have developed and effectively demonstrated a portable, nondestructive evaluation technology that measures in real time the electrical properties of specialty materials underneath the exterior coating of advanced military aircraft. The new technology,

  • Kirtland officials accelerate space-based program testing

    Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center officials here successfully tested the Space-Based Infrared System Highly Elliptical Orbit payload and operations center and accelerated operational acceptance by six weeks. SBIRS is a consolidated system intended to meet United States infrared space

  • E-9 board president emphasizes record verification

    The president of the 2008 chief master sergeant evaluation board convened Oct. 20 at the Air Force Personnel Center here emphasized the importance of record verification by each eligible individual prior to the evaluation board convening. Brig. Gen. Frederick H. "Rick" Martin, the U.S. Africa

  • Wounded warriors look for second chances

    In less than five seconds, the security forces Airman went from being able to shout out commands that could save lives to not being able to speak above a whisper. When an explosive force projectile struck Staff Sgt. Scott Lilley's Humvee April 15, 2007, shrapnel smaller than the size of a BB pellet

  • Arnold engineers test Army weapon to evaluate its capability

    Arnold Air Force Base engineers conducted an aerodynamic test on the Army's Mid-Range Munition recently that provided a new and critically needed performance evaluation capability for current and potential test customers. The purpose of the test, which took place in the Arnold Engineering

  • Air Force colonel to pilot his first space shuttle mission

    An Air Force colonel is scheduled to pilot the Space Shuttle Endeavour for mission STS-126 when it takes off Nov. 14 at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.Col. Eric Boe, a NASA astronaut, will fly the shuttle on his first voyage into space as Endeavour supports the International Space Station. During the

  • Edwards test squadron test drives Global Hawk

    Members of the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron here test drives the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system and ensures the aircraft is up to par with advertised specifications. Squadron personnel evaluate the operational effectiveness and suitability of advanced Air Combat Command weapon systems,

  • Warrior Care: Program ensures support for Reserve members

    Pentagon officials developed the Military Personnel Appropriation Medical Continuation to ensure Reserve and Guard members supporting the war on terrorism are taken care of. Military Personnel Appropriation Medical Continuation ensures Air Reserve Component members injured or become ill receive the

  • F-16 destroyed in fire in Southwest Asia

    An F-16 Fighting Falcon caught fire after the pilot aborted the takeoff at about 5:40 a.m. Baghdad time Nov. 12 at an air base in Southwest Asia. The pilot, who climbed out of the stopped aircraft, was taken to the Air Force Theater Hospital on base for evaluation and had no apparent injuries. The

  • Alaskan Region best unit in NORAD

    While 2007 was a very challenging year for the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, known as ANR, and its partners, it ended up being a very rewarding year when ANR was named NORAD's outstanding unit for 2007. Col. Kevin Booth, ANR director of operations, accepted the

  • Handbook consolidates warrior care information

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said a new handbook is another step in improving the care and support wounded, ill or injured troops and their families deserve. The handbook compiles the myriad information they need in one succinct, easy-to-read publication. In his foreword to the Compensation and

  • Warrior Care Month highlights high-quality treatment

    In a campaign to highlight the medical and personal care available to wounded servicemembers, Department of Defense officials have designated November as Warrior Care Month. "This is a great opportunity for the Air Force family to understand that our care for our wounded warriors and their families

  • Guard, Reserve warfighters chart tactics course

    Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve officials prepared the roadmap for weapons and tactics needs for their near- and long-term during a conference Oct. 20 through 24 in Tucson.The annual Weapons and Tactic Conference began at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., with opening remarks by Lt.

  • ACC team effort vital to nuclear evaluation mission

    A three-month process, planned a year in advance, involving hundreds of man-hours of detailed coordination with people at more than four Air Force bases funnels down to one aircraft, one missile, one sortie and the push of a button. The aircraft is a B-52 Stratofortress flown by an aircrew from the

  • Defense secretary lauds wounded warrior care improvements

    The military has made "some significant steps forward" in caring for wounded warriors, the Defense secretary said during a Pentagon Channel interview broadcast Oct. 22. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said inpatient care provided to wounded warriors always has been world-class. "We've never had a

  • E-9A crews survey gulf, track missiles

    Tyndall Air Force Base aircrews flying the twin-turbo-propped E-9A help ensure the Gulf of Mexico waters are clear of boats and aircraft for live-fire missile launches during Air Force exercises. The E-9A is used as an airborne surveillance/telemetry data relay aircraft and its aircrews evaluate the

  • Air Force officials invest $12 million in research program

    Air Force Office of Scientific Research officials here announced Oct. 17 they will award approximately $12.1 million in grants to 39 scientists and engineers who submitted winning research proposals through the Air Force's Young Investigator Research Program. The program is open to scientists and

  • Gates vows continued commitment to wounded warrior care

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates assured participants in the first Wounded Warriors Family Summit here Oct. 20 he will "continue to press forward with a sense of urgency" to provide top-level care and support for wounded warriors in a way that lays groundwork for the next administration's leaders

  • Upgrade makes electronic forms more user friendly

    Air Force officials recently rolled out a new software upgrade that makes it easier for Airmen to view and print electronic forms. Feedback from Airmen revealed problems with blank lines appearing on paper copies of electronic forms that were not visible on digital versions. "The issue was with the

  • Air Force senior leaders take up key decisions

    The nuclear enterprise, cyber organization, end strength, force shaping, and command and control of Air Force operations were just some of the topics discussed when Air Force senior leaders met at CORONA on Oct. 1-3 at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley

  • Chiefs discuss issues at AFA symposium

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley and five command chief master sergeants from the major commands answered a variety questions during a Command Chief Master Sergeant Forum Sept. 16 at the 24th Annual Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition. A few of the topics covered