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  • Joining forces: Test team completes fourth Orange Flag of 2018

    In the skies above California, an F-35 Lightning II and F-16 Fighting Falcon from Edwards Air Force Base, are joined by an F-15E Strike Eagle and F-22 Raptor from the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron out of Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, along with a Navy F-18 Hornet from Air Test and Evaluation

  • Super Galaxy: Aeromedical evacuation's biggest ally

    During a cold, gloomy first week of December, total force Airmen teamed up at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, to test the capability of the Air Force’s largest aircraft to perform aeromedical evacuation during a proof of concept event.

  • The American Chopper of Aircraft Maintenance

    With the eight 13 hour flights the aircraft of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing have on a daily basis, some parts of the aircraft can wear down, crack or break over periods of time.The 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight, also known as “Fab Flight” or the “American Chopper”

  • A1C with Ph.D. lands job at nuclear treaty monitoring center

    It’s not often you see those three-letter titles A1C and Ph.D. used to refer to the same person. As a matter of fact, only one-hundredth of one percent of the Air Force’s enlisted force from E-1 through E-9 possess a doctor of philosophy degree, one of 33 enlisted Airmen in the Air Force with a

  • Cyber operators host cyber certification training courses for SA youth

    In mid-2016, four Air Forces Cyber operators teamed to create a free cyber certification academy for San Antonio teenagers. Master Sgt. Shaun Herron and Staff Sgts. Charles Hackett, Justin Gonzalez and Austin Ellsworth’s dream became reality when their non-profit, GhostWire Academy, was born. Today,

  • AFIMSC Innovation Office seeks game-changing ideas

    The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Innovation Office will launch a program in the new year to help Airmen implement their innovative ideas. The campaign, open Jan. 1-31, 2019, gives military and civilian members of mission support groups worldwide a chance to fund their ideas and

  • Bunch nominated to command AFMC

    Lt. Gen. Arnold W. Bunch Jr. has been nominated by the president for a fourth star to become the next commander of Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

  • How the Air Force got smarter about its aviation fuel use in 2018

    Did you know the Air Force is the largest consumer of fuel in the Department of Defense? This may not surprise you, if say, you’ve ever watched a sortie of F-35 Lighting IIs complete an aerial refueling, or witnessed a C-5 Galaxy lift (seemingly) effortlessly into the sky. In fact, the Air Force

  • AFSPC assumes COMSATCOM procurement responsibility for DoD

    The Air Force Space Command commander assumed responsibility for procurement of commercial satellite communications services for the Department of Defense from the Director of the Defense Information Systems Agency December 12. The move is in accordance with Section 1601(a) of the Fiscal Year 2018

  • Dover, Ramstein set standard for AMOW C-5 maintenance training

    More than 30 U.S. Air Force Reserve aircraft maintainers assigned to the 512th Airlift Wing along with a 436th Airlift Wing C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft and crew traveled to Ramstein Air Base, Nov. 23, to assist the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing with vital hands-on, airframe-specific training.

  • Navajo Airman continues family's military legacy at Whiteman

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Airman 1st Class Phillip Rock is part of his family’s legacy of military service – a legacy that, in fact, would not have continued if it weren’t for

  • B-21 Raider program holds weapons system critical design review

    The Air Force successfully held a critical design review of the B-21 weapon system November 28-30, 2018. The event served as a multi-disciplined technical review that ensured the Air Force’s newest bomber has a stable and mature design as the program moves forward into manufacturing and flight

  • Grit and determination: AFSOC Airmen slide with Team USA bobsled

    Two Airmen within Air Force Special Operations Command were selected to compete with the USA Bobsled team this year. Capt. Dakota Lynch, a 34th Special Operations Squadron U-28A pilot, and Capt. Chris Walsh, a 24th Special Operations Wing special tactics officer, are push athletes who are ultimately

  • STPSat-5 successfully launched from Vandenberg AFB

    The Air Force and its mission partners successfully launched Space Test Program Satellite 5, or STPSat-5, into orbit via Spaceflight Industries’ fully dedicated smallsat rideshare mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle on Dec. 3 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg Air Force Base,

  • Tributes flow in as nation mourns passing of George H.W. Bush

    President Donald J. Trump declared Dec. 5 as a national day of mourning for former President George H.W. Bush, who passed away Friday night at age 94. Trump joined countless others in paying tribute to Bush and his lifetime of service as a Navy pilot in World War II, congressman, ambassador to the

  • Maker Hub, AFRL “sprint” to innovation

    To build strength and endurance, athletes perform “intervals” or short, intense periods of exertion designed for maximum benefit in the shortest time possible. Thanks to the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Maker Hub at the Wright Brothers Institute, that same kind of benefit is possible for some of

  • Luke AFB stands up new F-35A lightning II fighter squadron

    The 308th Fighter Squadron was reactivated in a ceremony at Luke Air Force Base, Nov. 30. The squadron will house the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s and the Royal Danish Air Force’s F-35A Lightning IIs, in a training partnership.

  • Air Force fields next generation CBRN protective masks

    In November 2018, the Air Force will complete fielding of an improved chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear protective mask for aircrew on rotary wing aircraft, allowing operational units to achieve full operational capability.

  • US Air Force hydrazine team train Chilean Airmen

    A U.S. Air Force hydrazine Mobile Training Team traveled to Los Condores Air Base, Chile, to conduct classroom instruction and hands-on training with Chilean Air Force fuels technicians Nov. 5-16.

  • Turn stress into strength this holiday season

    The holiday season presents opportunities to engage in multiple forms of resiliency. Engaging in close relationships, practicing gratitude, and participating in religious activities that promote spirituality are often helpful aspects of the holidays. However, the holidays may also create stressors

  • Global Hawk testers raise their hand

    At the commander’s call on Edwards Air Force Base, California, Brig. Gen. E. John Teichert stated that “Innovation is an Airmen, at any level, raising their hand to say, ‘I’ve got a better way to do business.’”The 452nd Flight Test Squadron is currently in the process of challenging the way the base

  • Major changes to medical policies good news for Reservists

    When Col. John Buterbaugh took the helm as the command surgeon at Air Force Reserve Command in late summer 2018, he wanted to make some bold changes to improve processes for the 70,000 Reserve Citizen Airmen serving around the world.

  • MacDill fab flight: “You break it, we fix it”

    The KC-135 Stratotanker has fueled missions around the globe for more than 60 years. Its long track record is a direct reflection of the tremendous work aircraft maintainers put into the jets, especially the 6th Maintenance Squadron Fabrication Flight at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., who push their

  • LCBP provides enterprise opportunities to lead, learn

    The Logistics Career Broadening Program offers company grade logistics officers the opportunity gain leadership skills and experience in depot, supply, sustainment and development missions through a two-year rotation at an air or defense logistics center. Officers are embedded within the

  • More cadets given opportunity to fly

    More than 530 U.S. Air Force Academy cadets from the 2019 graduating class have been matched to attend pilot training pending final qualifications and commissioning. This is a 26 percent increase over the 2018 class.

  • JB Charleston hosts new leadership course

    Company grade officers and senior noncommissioned officers at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., hosted Flight Commander’s edge, a new flight leadership training program, Nov. 6 to 8, 2018.

  • 388th FW drops GBU-49 in combat training

    The 388th Fighter Wing’s 34th Fighter Squadron recently returned from a weapons evaluation exercise at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where they employed the GBU-49 for the first time in F-35A Lightning II combat training.

  • Air Force vice chief of staff: National security is a team sport

    Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen W. Wilson highlighted the importance of taking a whole-of-nation approach to expanding the national security competitive space during an Air Force Association Breakfast Seminar in Arlington, Virginia, Nov. 14, 2018.

  • AFMC unleashes $4.6M in FY18 Squadron Innovation Funds

    When Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein asked leaders to “unleash the brilliance in our Airmen,” Air Force Materiel Command answered the call, executing more than $4.6 million in Squadron Innovation Funds in fiscal year 2018.

  • Rebuilding Tyndall AFB: Keesler AFB team helps restore communications

    Total devastation. No power. No running water. The scene on the ground at Tyndall Air Force Base was a grim, 'post-apocalyptic' one when a five man team from Keesler AFB's 85th Engineering Installation Squadron arrived in mid-October, just days after Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Gulf Coast.

  • Falcons undergo facelift

    Upon entering a room lined with panels and LED lights, described solely as something out of a science fiction movie, people in polar white suits are ready to re-skin a new beast. The Airmen working across two shifts in the work center, paint and renovate the aircraft and equipment assigned to the

  • SUPT evolves, molds next generation of military aviators

    Pilot training is ever evolving around new aircraft, new equipment, new procedures and faster production. With this, the syllabus in Phase II of training has recently changed, helping build a new type of military aviator.

  • C-130 crew chief course gets rolling with new GITA

    The Air Force and Air Education and Training Command seeks to improve the quality, speed and relevance of the training enterprise by introducing virtual and augmented reality technology with new ground instructional training aircraft, or GITA.

  • Gen. Goldfein meets with Ukrainian air force chief

    In the latest example of the strong ties between the U.S. and Ukraine, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein held high-level discussions with his Ukrainian counterpart, Col-Gen. Sergii Drozdov, at the Pentagon, Nov. 8.

  • AFRL aids NASA in lofty endeavor

    Ingenuity and collaboration were the keys to success as a group of Air Force Research Laboratory engineers took a series of tests to new heights.

  • MacDill’s military working dogs, handlers train at Adventure Island

    From vigorous barking to dashing through water-based obstacles, military working dogs and handlers with the 6th Security Forces Squadron participated in water aggression training to maintain full spectrum readiness at Adventure Island amusement park in Tampa, Florida, Oct. 29.

  • Kunsan Air Base revitalizes energy utilization

    The 8th Civil Engineer Squadron has launched its latest project to help Kunsan Air Base take its first steps in becoming more energy efficient and environmentally conscious by rolling out phase one of an infrastructure refresh plan with assistance from the Energy Savings Performance Contract.

  • 388th Fighter Wing completes combat exercise

    The 388th Fighter Wing’s 4th Fighter Squadron and 4th Aircraft Maintenance Unit recently completed a combat exercise where they tested and evaluated their capabilities to operate the F-35A Lightning II in a deployed environment.

  • Base Defense Airmen secure Tyndall AFB

    Airmen from the 822nd Base Defense Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, are always primed to deploy at a moment’s notice to secure and defend bases around the world. On Oct. 11, that moment came.

  • 2nd CWSS helps restore operations after Hurricane Michael

    Just four days after Hurricane Michael’s landfall, Tech. Sgts. Jacob Reinhardt and Thomas Heath, 2nd Combat Weather Systems Squadron weather systems support cadre members from Hurlburt Field, Florida, jumped into the squadron’s pickup truck.

  • AMC’s Phoenix Spark Tank competition recognizes innovation

    Air Mobility Command held its first-ever Phoenix Spark Tank competition at the Airlift/Tanker Association Symposium in Grapevine, Texas, where four finalists proposed their innovation ideas to top Air Force leaders and the president of VOX Space Oct. 26.

  • 325th LRS: Helping shape a new Tyndall AFB

    The 325th Logistics Readiness Squadron is a multi-faceted unit working diligently on Hurricane Michael recovery efforts. Two of their five sections are vehicle operations and vehicle maintenance.

  • Air Force Reserve Command activates first ISR Wing

    Born out of necessity in 2012, the 655th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group embraced its destiny to restructure as a wing during a ceremony at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Oct. 20.

  • Reserve maintainers take part in Air Force light attack experiment

    Senior Master Sgt. Scott Lopez, 476th Maintenance Squadron maintenance superintendent at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, and Tech. Sgt. Lauren Camarena, an electrical and environmental systems craftsman with the 476th MXS, traveled to Holloman AFB, New Mexico, for two months earlier this year to take

  • JCAT Airman uses combat forensics to evolve the AFCENT mission

    The ideal outcome of any conflict is to achieve victory and come out the other side unscathed. However, an undesired outcome does not mean lessons cannot be learned and applied for future conflicts. The United States military has used this mentality since its inception and applies it today in the

  • Airman completes Marine Corps NCO course

    On a muggy summer day in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, a Marine Corps instructor stood on a ledge overlooking a swamp. He looked out at his students, and his eyes found Master Sgt. Aretha Boston -- the only Airman in the platoon.

  • ‘Tent City’ brings relief to Airmen

    One thousand service members from around the U.S. are set to call Tyndall Air Force Base’s “Tent City” their temporary home while supporting base recovery efforts.

  • Enlisted Heritage and Training Complex uses the past to teach the present

    Located mainly on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, the Enlisted Heritage and Training Complex uses heritage to train, educate, inspire and recruit Airmen to fly, fight and win the nation’s wars through an extensive array of artifacts and exhibits spanning more than 111 years of aeronautic history.

  • Tyndall AFB Access Update Oct. 23

    I would like to pass on my sincerest appreciation for your patience during this trying time. We are pushing to move as fast as possible while ensuring we maintain a safe and secure environment for you and your families.

  • Weather data pilot includes Hurricane Michael

    A prototype project providing the Air Force access to commercial weather data began Oct. 1, nine days before Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle. The prototype is managed at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts.

  • Pilot instructor training embraces change through virtual reality

    Lt. Gen. Steve Kwast, commander of Air Education and Training Command, has empowered Airmen across the recruiting, training and education enterprise to "be bold, take risks and embrace change" as they make changes to their training curriculum and processes to find the best way to inspire and develop

  • Washington Air Guard analyzes imagery after Hurricane Michael

    Airmen from the Washington Air National Guard’s 194th Intelligence Squadron are growing their skillset and learning new ways of operating as they support Georgia in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. The squadron recently took on a new capability: Unclassified Processing Assessment and

  • Changes released for Voter Assistance Program

    The Secretary of the Air Force issued new guidance to Air Force Instruction 36-3107 in August implementing changes that re-align Installation Voting Assistance office responsibilities, update Air Force Personnel Center responsibilities, and clarify Unit Voting Assistance Officer responsibilities.

  • The enlisted Airmen perspective: Success in the MDO world

    The mission of the recently-formed Air Force Strategic Integration Group blends senior leader’s perspectives of The Force We Need, the Future of Multi-Domain Operations, and the Airmen We Need to implement lasting change across the service. These changes include direct and indirect improvements for

  • Air Force responds to Hurricane Michael

    Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle as a Category 4 hurricane Oct. 10, with Tyndall Air Force Base directly in its path. Active-duty and National Guard service members were pre-positioned to provide assistance during the storm. And within hours after the hurricane ended, additional Airmen

  • Cyber Airmen fuel innovation

    Cyber Airmen assigned to the 557th Weather Wing recently teamed with the Defense Innovation Unit program to improve how airborne tankers’ scheduling.

  • Air Force awards three Launch Service Agreements

    The U.S. Air Force announced today the award of three Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Launch Service Agreements to (in alphabetical order) Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, and United Launch Alliance.

  • Air Force leaders say increased funding is improving readiness

    Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein thanked Congress for providing the resources necessary to restore the service’s readiness while testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Readiness and Management

  • 418th FLTS completes 10-year support of NASA Orion parachute tests

    For a decade the 418th Flight Test Squadron has supported NASA by supplying C-17 Globemaster IIIs and personnel to assist with the testing and qualifying of the Orion spacecraft’s parachute system. That support ended Sept. 12 with the success of the final parachute system test over the Army’s Yuma

  • Yesterday's Air Force: The pilot who killed King Kong

    There was only one man who took part in the hunt for Pancho Villa, the Doolittle Raid, the Flying Tigers, the Japanese surrender on the USS Missouri and even stopping King Kong’s rampage in New York City. He was one of the Air Force's most innovative, exceptional, and adventurous leaders. That man

  • AFIMSC observes two years of innovation, support to AF

    AFIMSC celebrated its second year of full operational capability Oct. 1. The standup represented the Air Force’s largest change in more than 20 years as the service centralized 155 installation and mission support functions previously executed by the major commands and Headquarters Air Force into a

  • AFIMSC completes historic fiscal year closeout

    The Air Force executed a record $6.9 billion in the installation and mission support portfolio during fiscal 2018, nearly $1 billion more than last year, and culminating in a successful, historic fiscal year close out.

  • Her last goodbye

    “The worst part of it all was just thinking about what she was thinking in those final moments as she was standing in the bathroom all alone, and I can’t imagine just how lonely she must’ve felt,” said Senior Airman Brianna Bowen, 1st Operations Support Squadron air traffic controller.

  • New tech to ease F-35A flight line maintenance

    Maintainers on Hill Air Force Base’s flight line are beginning to utilize new high-tech, hand-held tablets to work on the F-35A Lightning II, the United States’ most advanced multi-role fighter aircraft.

  • Air Force designates GO1 hypersonic flight research vehicle as X-60A

    The Air Force has designated the GOLauncher1 hypersonic flight research vehicle as X-60A. The vehicle is being developed by Generation Orbit Launch Services, Inc. under contract to the Air Force Research Laboratory, Aerospace Systems Directorate, High Speed Systems Division.