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U.S. Air Force News

  • Airman helps make a difference in Afghanistan

    Since combat operations began in Afghanistan, Airmen have taken on new roles traditionally held by their Army counterparts. Staff Sgt. Don Elias, deployed from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is a prime example. The sergeant joined the Air Force in 1998 and has served two tours in Iraq. He

  • Air Force officials begin extended Basic Military Training

    The first group of Air Force recruits to experience expanded Basic Military Training arrived Nov. 4 to Lackland Air Force Base. These new recruits are the first to face the challenge of an additional 14 days of training from 6.5 to 8.5 weeks. The added time will be used to enhance and reinforce

  • New AAFES chief dresses down uniform issues

    As the Army and Air Force Exchange Service enlisted advisor to the commanding general of AAFES, Chief Master Sgt. Jeffry Helm now has the distinct opportunity to impact not only the service he loves, but all branches of service about uniform issues. He plans to carry out his mission through

  • American servicemembers continue to provide promise

    The poverty-stricken neighborhoods of this bustling port capital of Trinidad and Tobago where crime, drug abuse and murder are facts of everyday life is not a place likely to attract American visitors. But for 15 engineers from the 5th Civil Engineer Squadron's Prime BEEF, along with a handful of

  • Inaugural committee prepares to welcome new president

    Members of the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee are preparing to welcome President-elect Barack Obama when the nation's 44th chief executive takes the oath of office Jan. 20 here. AFIC is a joint-service organization that coordinates all military ceremonial support for presidential inaugurals,

  • U.S., Australian team conducts evacuation in Antarctica

    A combined U.S. and Australian team successfully evacuated an Australian civilian in Antarctica to a hospital in Hobart, Australia, Nov. 5. The seriously injured patient was part of an Australian Antarctic Division contingent conducting scientific research at Davis Station, Antarctica. He is

  • Newest mobile air shelter set up for training

    The newest model of deployable, mobile command posts is set up at the Air Force Expeditionary Center's main building here to give Airmen a view of what that may work on when they deploy in suppot of the war on terrorism.The Hard-sided Expandable Lightweight Air Mobile Shelter, or HELAMS, eventually

  • Airmen hone contingency skills at Silver Flag

    A handful of Airmen scan their checklists to make sure their mobility bags and other essentials are in order, while others thumb through their Airman's Manuals to bone up on proper chemical warfare procedures. The Airmen are in a wooded 1,200 acre site at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and this is

  • Housing privatization projects sold to private company

    The sale of privatized military housing projects at four Air Force bases including Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.; Little Rock AFB, Ark.; Moody AFB, Ga.; and Patrick AFB, Fla., and assumption of operations and management of the projects was announced Nov. 4 by the new owners, HP Communities LLC. The

  • Wounded warrior receives new ears

    Looking in the mirror, Marine Capt. Ryan Voltin couldn't get past his ears. Not that they were strange looking, but that they were there at all. He just wasn't used to seeing them. The AH-1 Cobra pilot lost his when the helicopter he was flying erupted in flames during a training accident last year.

  • Airmen spend day with Chilean children

    Airmen in Chile as part of an exchange with Latin American air forces spent Oct. 30 to brighten the outlook for neglected Chilean children in a suburb of Santiago.Fourteen Airmen and one Army National Guard member drove to a home for abused or neglected children where the servicemembers gave 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

  • Change puts more $ in injured servicemembers' pockets

    A military compensation policy change provides more money for servicemembers injured during service in the war on terrorism, a senior Defense Department official said Nov. 4 here. The Pay and Allowance Continuation program, known by the acronym PAC, is authorized by the 2008 National Defense

  • DOD plans for smooth transition to new administration

    Defense Department officials here have made extensive plans for a smooth transition from the present administration to that of the president-elect, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said Nov. 4 here. Pentagon officials are ready to begin briefing a new president-elect's transition team as soon as

  • Civilians begin leadership training program at Air University

    Twenty-five Air Force civilians began the first Civilian Acculturation and Leadership Training Program at Air University's Officer Training School Oct. 27 here.The program leads the 25-member group through a two-week course adapted from the OTS curriculum indoctrinated with Air Force leadership 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

  • Tricare officials recognize Warrior Care Month

    November is Warrior Care Month, and Tricare officials seek to educate wounded, ill and injured service members about their benefits. "It is our goal to share with all service members as much information about their benefits as possible," said Army Maj. Gen. Elder Granger, deputy director of

  • Information center to ease transition to AF management

    Base residents seeking support services can receive assistance from an information center at the 332nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group here once a joint-service initiative, called Base Operating Support-Integration, takes effect Nov. 6.BOS-I is a changeover of base support functions that

  • 'Perspective' focuses on reconstruction teams

    In his latest "Enlisted Perspective," the Air Force's top enlisted Airman discusses how Airmen have taken on new roles in today's fight against terrorism working with NATO International Security Assistance Force Provincial Reconstruction teams. "These combined teams of joint military and civilian

  • Airmen continue building South American partnerships

    More than 70 Airmen are spread across four South American countries learning and sharing with their partner nations' military members and performing community outreach events. Operation Southern Partner, a Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) led event aimed at providing intensive, periodic

  • Technical issues, more tests delay satellite's liftoff

    The Tactical Satellite-3 scheduled to launch in October from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility at Wallops Island, Va., is now scheduled for liftoff in January 2009 after the project team discovered and then fixed problems with the spacecraft's Star Tracker apparatus. The team subsequently required

  • Airmen train Afghan cops

    Three Airmen trained and graduated 900 Afghan national police in Nangarhar, Nuristan, Kunar and Lagman provinces during a nine-month deployment as part of a Department of State program.The program provides a secondary-level of professional police officer education at the Jalalabad Regional Training

  • Red Horse Airmen renovate Chilean school's library

    Two Airmen completed renovations of a dilapidated library at a Chilean culinary and hotel service high school here Oct. 31 giving 80 students a comfortable and usable library the students and faculty can use for years to come. The renovation, the result of Operation Southern Partner - a two-week

  • 'Today's Air Force' features the importance of training

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights how Airmen train for the unexpected, how Air Force pilots stay on the cutting edge and how a new program is honoring our service members. In the field or in the classroom, training is of utmost importance to keep Airmen at their best on the battlefield.

  • Hurlburt Field maintainers receive DOD award

    Maintainers from Hurlburt Field, Fla., were named the winners of the Department of Defense Phoenix Award, the highest field-level maintenance award within DOD, Oct. 29 in Denver. Representatives from the 1st Special Operations Maintenance group were on hand at the award ceremony during the 2008 DOD

  • HQ-level office created for nuclear mission

    Air Force leaders have created a new Air Staff directorate that began operations Nov. 1 to strengthen the focus on the nuclear enterprise. The new office, aligned as A10 on the staff, is officially called the Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration Office and will be led by Maj. Gen. C. Donald

  • Maintainers partner to exchange new practices

    Nearly 30 Argentinean air force aircraft maintenance mechanics, students and instructors came together at Palomar Air Base here Oct. 31 to exchange new ideas and techniques on preserving and evaluating aircraft as part of Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern)'s Operation Southern Partner. U.S. Air

  • Petraeus assumes leadership of U.S. Central Command

    Army Gen. David H. Petraeus assumed leadership of the U.S. military command charged with helping to build peace in a tough and war-torn part of the world today. General Petraeus took the reins of CENTCOM from acting commander Army Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey in a ceremony here. Defense Secretary Robert

  • Naval unit jack of all trades at air base

    A unit here has become a jack of all trades for the war on terrorism while remaining a master in its primary mission. Patrol Squadron 46's core mission is to provide anti-submarine coverage, but the squadron has spent the past four months here providing assistance in other ways. "We are very much a

  • Africa Command headquarters to remain in Stuttgart

    U.S. Africa Command's headquarters will remain in its current location in Stuttgart, Germany, for the foreseeable future, a Pentagon spokesman said Oct. 30. The decision by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates allows the newest unified command to gain greater operational experience and develop and

  • Reserve medics train at Kunsan

    More than 50 medics from three Air Force Reserve units tested their wartime medical support capabilities alongside Kunsan Air Base members Oct. 18 through Nov. 1 here. The Reserve units, traveling from as far as Niagara Air Reserve Station, N.Y., conducted medical refresher training sessions and

  • New law allows salutes in civvies during anthem

    Veterans and servicemembers not in uniform can now render the military-style hand salute during the playing of the national anthem, thanks to changes in federal law that took effect in October. "The military salute is a unique gesture of respect that marks those who have served in our nation's armed

  • New Zealand aircrew assists U.S. Airmen during mission

    A Royal New Zealand Air Force aircrew assisted Airmen from the U.S. Pacific Command's Joint Task Force Support Forces Antarctica by delivering a mission essential part Oct. 27 to a disabled aircraft at Pegasus White Ice Runway, Antarctica. An electronic engine controller and three Air Force aircraft

  • Chilean, U.S. Air Forces share perimeter defense methods

    Force Protection Airmen and a Canadian officer participating in Operation Southern Partner demonstrated the Small Unmanned Aircraft System to the Chilean air force's anti-aircraft artillery regiment Oct 29. Operation Southern Partner is an all-new, in-depth subject matter exchange emphasizing

  • Commissaries to promote Warrior Care in November

    The Defense Commissary Agency will join other Defense Department organizations in observing November as Warrior Care Month.The observance is designed to inform military members and their families about the many programs that are, and will be, available to assist wounded warriors. In a memorandum

  • Survey responses still needed as Nov. 26 deadline nears

    On Oct. 1, Air Force leaders opened the door for all Airmen to voice their concerns with the launching of the 2008 Air Force Climate Survey. Although that door is still open, it is slowly closing. The survey, which runs through Nov. 26, is designed to assess the opinions and perceptions of the Air

  • Admiral Mullen cites culture of change during address

    Change is the cornerstone and is at the heart of every aspect of today's military, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told more than 800 Air War College students Oct. 28 at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. "I see it in technology. I see it in people. I see it in missions. I see it in the joint

  • CAC login gives users access to Reserve personnel site

    Air Reserve Personnel Center officials launched a new enhancement Oct. 30 allowing Airmen to log into the virtual Personnel Center-Guard and Reserve using their Common Access Card.This enhancement gives Airmen the option to associate their vPC-GR account with their CAC, eliminating the need to

  • Air Force 'moving in right direction' on nuclear program, Gates says

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates pointed to broad initiatives within the Air Force he said are helping to return its nuclear mission to "the standards of excellence for which it was known throughout the entire Cold War." Speaking at the Carnegie Institute for International Peace Oct. 28, Secretary

  • Airmen, Chilean school 'partner' to teach children aviation

    More than 10 community outreach projects were started Oct. 27 as part of the Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern)'s Operation Southern Partner. Maj. Jason Couisine, the Air Force section chief at the U.S. Military Group here, acted as a schoolteacher during a guest science class at the Complejo

  • Work continues to replace T-38 aileron levers

    To meet the challenge of building more than 1,000 aileron actuator levers for T-38 Talon aircraft, workers in the 532nd Commodities Maintenance Squadron's New Manufacturing and Repair Division literally had to start from scratch. The levers, which control moveable flaps on the T-38's wings, are

  • WWII veterans attend museum D-Day exhibit opening

    More than 40 World War II veterans gathered Oct. 17 here to help open an exhibit recounting their wartime experiences on June 6, 1944. The veterans, mostly paratroopers of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment that trained at Fort Benning, near Columbus, Ga., jumped from C-47 troop carriers into

  • Materiel Command's top civilian outlines goals

    Air Force Materiel Command's top civilian here after just one month on the job is already working with the Pentagon and other agencies on establishing a clear civilian development model. It is one of several priorities for Dr. Steve Butler, the AFMC executive director, and creating the model is tied

  • Center serves as hub for air mobility operations

    There is more to flying a mission than just hopping on the aircraft and cranking the engines. Air Mobility Command's 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center at Scott AFB is the nexus for the global air mission for the U.S. military. "We plan missions, resource the crews and the aircraft, task the

  • Small town donates $5 million for joint ed center

    The City of Jacksonville's 31,000 residents in Arkansas will soon donate $5 million to help construct a new education center for Little Rock Air Force Base and the local community. The citizens of Jacksonville raised $5 million through a 2003 sales tax to help the Air Force build a joint education

  • Personnel center adds new mission; helps veterans, VA

    Air Force officials announced an added mission for the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph AFB, Texas, beginning Oct. 30 to improve the accountability of medical records and aid in the timely processing of veterans' disability claims. Starting with Randolph AFB as the test base, AFPC will collect

  • Defense secretary: Nuke capability critical to deterrence

    Calling nuclear weapons one of the world's "messy realities," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here Oct. 28 that as long as others who could potentially threaten the United States possess or seek them, it's critical that the United States does as well, and that they be kept safe, secure and

  • Airmen receive cavalry spurs for building new base

    For their efforts in building more than 25,000 square feet of housing and administrative offices for 1st Cavalry Division Soldiers of 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 29 Air Force Airmen received cavalry combat spurs, symbolic of cavalry service in a combat zone, from the

  • Group surpasses $2 million in grants for military children

    "Our Military Kids," a nonprofit support group, recently reached a new milestone: $2 million in grants awarded for sports, fine arts and tutoring programs. "The Our Military Kids grant program has been a wonderful way for Americans to thank our men and women serving our country overseas by providing

  • Commander discusses 'jewel in crown' of America's military

    The United States military is the best-manned, best-equipped and best-trained force in the world, but that doesn't mean a thing if it can't get to the fight, said the commander of U.S. Transportation Command. The 138,000 military and civilian men and women of the U.S. Transportation Command and its

  • Air Force wins EPA energy award

    Air Force officials received an Environment Protection Agency award for leading the federal government in purchasing renewable energy in October in Denver. The Air Force was named the winner of the 2008 Green Power Leadership Award in the Green Power Purchaser category. Air Force officials made an

  • Chief of staff wraps up Middle East tour at Joint Base Balad

    The Air Force chief of staff finished a visit to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility with a last stop to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Oct. 25 here. Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley learned about Airmen's accomplishments in theater,

  • Nellis Airmen begin 'War on Waste'

    The "War on Waste", a new Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century initiative, began at Nellis AFB, following an Enterprise Value Stream Analysis held here Oct. 6 to 8. The Enterprise Value Stream Analysis, conducted by the 99th Air Base Wing Executive Council, aligned the wing commander's

  • Air Force officials to establish new nuclear major command

    The Air Force will stand up a new major command specifically to manage its nuclear assets, the service's top official announced Oct. 24. Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said the new command will fold into its ranks thousands of Airmen and all of the Air Force's domestic nuclear capabilities in

  • Mobility leaders focused on 'getting back to basics'

    About 80 air mobility leaders gathered for a three-day conference that focused on Air Mobility Command's priorities, roles and missions Oct. 22 through 24 here. The theme for this year's AMC Phoenix Rally was "Back to Basics: Executing Global Reach Fundamentals." Gen. Arthur J. Lichte, the AMC

  • Top leaders bring praise, vision of future to Airmen in Iraq

    The Air Force chief of staff and chief master sergeant of the Air Force praised Airmen for their role in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and discussed the "way ahead" during their on-going visit to meet face-to-face with Airmen deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Oct. 24

  • Enhanced VA mortgages possible for vets in distress

    Veterans with conventional home loans now have new options for refinancing to a Department of Veterans Affairs guaranteed home loan. These new options are available as a result of the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2008, which President Bush signed into law Oct. 10."These changes will allow

  • Air Force leaders work to develop cyberspace roadmap

    Air Force leaders here continue to create a roadmap of the service's cyberspace mission while adjusting to a new organizational construct outlined by Air Force officials in October. Officials from the Air Force Cyber Command (Provisional) team here and Air Force Space Command are moving forward

  • Football: Opportunistic Falcons topple New Mexico

    Air Force survived a first quarter marred by turnovers and a strong New Mexico running game to pull out a 23-10 victory at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Oct. 23. The Falcons turned the ball over on three of their first four possessions, spotting the Lobos 10 points while allowing 149 total yards, 101

  • Lasers may aid missile defense, engine crack detection

    Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded work at the University of Colorado at Boulder could lead to possible future technologies that use the high energy densities of lasers. Studies by university officials explore how atoms and molecules respond to light pulses, which could show cracks in

  • Cannon officials use AFSO 21 to improve inprocessing

    Cannon Air Force Base officials recently revamped its inprocessing program using Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century to take a three week process into a four hour program. Beginning in July, base officials worked to improve and consolidate inprocessing for new base members and their

  • Student pilot gets first UAS assignment at Vance

    As part of an Air Force initiative to meet increased demands for its airborne intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance, force protection and strike capabilities, student pilots in the Air Education and Training Command have a new potential assignment among the array of Air Force aircraft: unmanned

  • Keesler officials launch new force support officer course

    The first group of force support officers in a new Air Force Specialty Code began classes Oct. 6 at Keesler Air Force Base. The new 38F AFSC, which becomes official Oct. 31, is a combination of what used to be three separate career fields: personnel, manpower and services. Training previously was

  • Top military leaders visit Airmen in Southwest Asia

    The Air Force chief of staff and chief master sergeant of the Air Force visited Airmen of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Oct. 22 during their visit to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. "I'm pleased to be back in the AOR to see the many changes and steps the Air Force is taking to

  • 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

  • 2nd Air Force transformation driven by warfighter's needs

    Transformation is underway at 2nd Air Force here beginning with construction on a 2,000-square foot operations floor designed to support the new technical training operations center. The new center will serve as the operational command and control hub for technical training operations across 2nd Air

  • Chief of staff tours Bagram, addresses Airmen's questions

    The 19th Air Force chief of staff accompanied by the chief master sergeant of the Air Force made his first official trip to Bagram Airfield Oct. 21. Gen. Norton A. Schwartz toured the 455th Expeditionary Mission Support Group to learn more about the growing efforts to support the mission here, and

  • 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

  • Agility, flexibility, teamwork: Key components of airpower

    Examine most successful business or sports teams, and you may find their foundation is based on flexibility, agility and teamwork. The success of airpower in Iraq and Afghanistan incorporates these three traits on a daily basis, through the interaction with coalition forces and U.S. sister services.

  • Tricare, Medicare work together for eligible beneficiaries

    Tricare officials want beneficiaries who receive a disability check to ensure they are getting the Tricare coverage they are entitled to receive. In general, most beneficiaries become eligible for Medicare at age 65; however, many beneficiaries younger than 65 also qualify for Medicare and there is

  • Airman, medical response save Korean leukemia patient

    It took less than 24 hours for one Kunsan Airman and several base medical providers to respond to the needs of a 24-year-old Korean leukemia patient; ultimately saving her life. After finishing a 14-hour shift defending the base, Airman Tamarias Pope, 8th Security Forces Squadron, was alerted that

  • Iraqi air force pilots take flight into history

    The first three pilots graduated from Iraq's only fixed-wing flight training school at Kirkuk Regional Air Base Oct. 13. With cooperation from the Coalition Air Force Training Team and the 52nd Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron at Kirkuk Regional AB, the Iraqi training wing presented the new

  • Servicemembers provide dental training for Afghans

    Members of the Zabul Provincial Reconstruction Team united with U.S. Public Health Service officials to offer an emergency dental care certification course to Afghan dental professionals from the province in October. In Zabul, Afghanistan's poorest province, many people are forced to either provide

  • 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

  • AF officials, Ohio hospital to ready nurses for deployment

    University Hospital Cincinnati and the Air Force officials inaugurated a new program in October to provide newly graduated registered nurses the advanced clinical training and experience needed to become Air Force Nurse Corps officers and to prepare them for deployment. University Hospital is the

  • Depot efforts continue to keep T-38s flying

    Members of the 573rd Commodities Maintenance Squadron here continue to put in long hours to make sure Air Force pilot training doesn't come to a halt. Many members of the squadron have been working 10-hour days, seven days a week to make a new aileron actuator lever for the T-38 Talon used to train

  • Defense Media Activity officially stands up

    The Defense Media Activity gives public affairs within the Defense Department a new structure to move forward as a consolidated and integrated team, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England said during the organization's activation ceremony at the Pentagon Oct. 20. "This is where jointness really

  • Football: Falcons win thriller in desert 29-28

    The U.S. Air Force Academy football team won a nailbiter against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in a 29-28 back and forth game Oct. 18 in Las Vegas. The Falcons put the ball in the air only seven times while rushing 68 times; however, freshman quarterback Tim Jefferson connected on six of those

  • 'Today's Air Force' features Airmen training Iraqi's military

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights a challenging assignment of mentoring another country's airmen. See how American Airmen train Iraqi air force pilots to fly, fight and win. Also featured is a new combat vehicle: the high mobility engineer excavator. These new vehicles are built strong,

  • New first-aid products could save lives, officials say

    Two new first-aid products being sent into the combat theater could save more servicemembers' lives, medical officials said at a Pentagon news conference Oct. 15. Test results from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command's Institute of Surgical Research, or ISR, showed Combat Gauze field

  • AFRICOM officials note milestones, challenges ahead

    Army Gen. William E. "Kip" Ward brought the celebration of U.S. Africa Command's activation home to Germany Oct. 17 as he praised those who came together to stand the command up so quickly and urged them to continue working together so it can reach its potential. Speaking at the AfriCom's

  • Afghan baby born at Bagram Airfield hospital

    It was the middle of the night and hospital staff's pagers were going off. Inside Craig Joint Theater Hospital there was a scramble to pull together the people and equipment needed for a successful procedure. It wasn't a coalition servicemember's life they were trying to save; they were bringing a

  • Secretary Donley visits Bagram Airmen

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley visited with Airmen from Bagram Airfield Oct. 15 during his first visit to the country since being confirmed by Congress earlier this month. During his visit, Secretary Donley held an Airman's call for approximately 400 Airmen stationed here. "Since I

  • SECAF discusses vision with Airmen in AOR

    After gaining insight into the diverse mission capabilities of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley discussed the Air Force vision with Airmen from the wing Oct. 14 at an air base in Southwest Asia. The secretary toured the base for much of the day, delving

  • Hawgsmoke 2008 gets into full swing

    With the arrival of the last group of A-10 Thunderbolt IIs late in the afternoon, Hawgsmoke 2008 got into full swing Oct. 15 as pilots flew out to the Kansas Air National Guard's Smoky Hill bomb and gunnery range nearby for range familiarization flights. The clearing sky signaled the end of nearly

  • Dover Airman donates kidney to fiance

    A Dover Air Force Base NCO gave her heart to her fiance in 2005, and almost four years later she gave him the gift of life Sept. 22. Master Sgt. Laura Perry, an air Reserve technician with the 512th Civil Engineer Squadron, donated her kidney to her fiance and fellow squadron member, Staff Sgt. Mark

  • Guard unit provides 'one-stop' Predator training

    As the Air Force's and Air National Guard's unmanned aircraft system mission continues to grow, Airmen with the 163rd Maintenance Group here are stepping up their training program to ensure availability of enough highly-skilled personnel to support these systems, especially the MQ-1 Predator.

  • Pope energy initiative saves thousands, lights the way

    A 43rd Civil Engineer Squadron member here received $10,000 for a proposal of a wireless-ramp-lighting initiative. Anton Klein submitted the proposal to the Air Force Innovative Development through Employee Awareness Program, or IDEA, for base members to turn off ramp lights when planes were not

  • Air Force secretary wraps up first visit to the AOR

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley visited with Airmen throughout the Air Forces Central Command area of operations Oct. 9 to 15 during his first trip to the combat zone since being confirmed Oct. 2 as the 22nd secretary of the Air Force. Secretary Donley visited with thousands of Airmen

  • NATO air chiefs discuss common challenges, solutions

    Nineteen NATO air chiefs gathered to discuss how to meet the security demands of a changing world at the chief of staff of the Air Force-hosted 2008 NATO Air Chiefs Conference Oct. 5 through 12 here. The theme for this year's conference was "The Community of Airmen: Solutions to Common Challenges,"

  • Air Force secretary visits Manas Airmen

    The secretary of the Air Force visited Manas Air Base on the final stop of a weeklong, seven-base tour of the U.S. Air Forces Central area of responsibility Oct. 15 here. Secretary Michael B. Donley spoke to Airmen and visited base facilities including the passenger terminal, expeditionary theater

  • One of the top personnel officers 'Spreads the Word'

    Air Force Personnel Center officials sent a team of experts here Oct. 8, launching a global "Spread the Word" campaign to educate Airmen about new and changing personnel and deployment programs. As part of the two-day Spread the Word visit, Maj. Gen. K.C. McClain, AFPC commander, visited with U.S.

  • Bolling officials to display 200 new Air Force paintings

    Air Force officials will display more than 200 new Air Force Art Program paintings from about 150 artists Oct. 21 through 24 at the Officers' Club at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C. The art was given by artists from around the country and donated to the Air Force, bringing the total number of paintings

  • Multi-skill crew delivers first C-17 ahead of schedule

    The C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane that sat in front of a maintenance hangar here looked no different than any other C-17, but the maintenance crew around it was unique. The crew, part of the 562nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, is the first to be trained under a new "multi-skill" initiative. The

  • Secretary tours Joint Base Balad, shares Air Force vision

    The secretary of the Air Force visited Joint Base Balad Oct. 13 to learn about the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing's contributions to the war on terrorism and to share his vision for the future of the Air Force. Secretary Michael B. Donley toured the Air Force Theater Hospital, the 46th Expeditionary

  • PRT unit makes 'a difference beyond the berm'

    Every group, every mission here in Afghanistan is designed for a purpose. It's no different for the Kapisa and Parwan Provincial Reconstruction Team. The 91-person joint-service team has a goal of improving security and government capacity in its area of responsibility, an objective its members

  • EC-130 squadron surpasses 10,000 combat hours

    Members of the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron here surpassed 10,000 combat hours in the EC-130H Compass Call while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in September. The 41st EECS, deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., flies the EC-130H. The Compass Call's primary

  • Negotiations to exchange Tyndall property announced

    Air Force officials and Florida Congressman Allen Boyd announced Oct. 14 the selection of Tyndall Development Partners, LLC, as the highest ranked offeror for negotiating a transfer of the Lynn Haven Fuel Depot property in Lynn Haven, Fla., in exchange for performing military construction at Tyndall