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  • Last baby born at Wilford Hall, labor and delivery moves to BAMC

    Baby Laurel Perez made history on Aug. 28.She was the last baby born at Wilford Hall Medical Center and is now an important part of the 60-year history of labor and delivery here.The Hauth Birthing Center, located on the fifth floor of the nine-story hospital, closed Aug. 29 and will re-open at

  • Panetta to visit 9/11 attack sites

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta will spend Sept. 6 honoring those killed during the Sept. 11, terrorist attacks on the United States, as he travels to New York and Pennsylvania.The secretary will visit ground zero in lower Manhattan, where hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 11 and United

  • Kunsan Airman wins Air Force IDEA cash

    An Airmen here was awarded an Air Force Innovative Development Through Employee Awareness Program cash award of $1,875 Aug. 30.Senior Airman Jason Devore's idea to add a tire rotation plan to the scheduled maintenance of vehicles saved the Air Force money and increased the mission-capable rates for

  • TRICARE portability reduces moving stress

    With a single phone call, TRICARE's "Moving Made Easy" option will take some of the stress out of moving, a top TRICARE official said Aug. 26. Using this option, service member and family beneficiaries under TRICARE Prime can ensure that when they arrive at a new duty station, their medical records

  • South Pole airdrop delivers critical medical supplies in total darkness

    Airmen with the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here airdropped urgently needed medical supplies Sept. 1 at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica. The supplies will augment a South Pole medical team's treatment of an ailing civilian wintering there with the U.S. Antarctic

  • Photo Essay: Eglin F-35 number increases to four

    Two F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighters were delivered here Aug. 31. Labeled as AF-10 and AF-11 by Lockheed Martin, the new JSFs bring the total count of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft here to four.View the slideshow.

  • Airman magazine moves to digital home

    Airman magazine entered a new era Sept. 1 with the release of its final hardcopy edition and the unveiling of its new digital home.Airman is being re-launched as a new website and, while the Web address remains www.airmanonline.af.mil, the site has a fresh format and improved functions, officials

  • Los Angeles AFB to go electric

    Air Force officials unveiled a plan Aug. 31 to establish Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., as the first federal facility to replace 100 percent of its general purpose fleet with plug-in electric vehicles. "With gas prices rising and the cost of batteries falling, now is the time to move toward

  • Cadet Interfaith Council accepts president's community service challenge

    The Cadet Interfaith Council here kicked off an outreach partnership with a Colorado Springs food bank Aug. 27, answering President Barack Obama's challenge to colleges to become involved in interfaith cooperation and community service.Council members and chaplains spent two hours at Care and Share

  • National Guard TACPs develop upgrade training program

    Airmen from the National Guard tactical air control party specialists have pooled their resources to implement a standardized training program to streamline upgrade training.Project 275, whose name is a throwback to the career field's old specialty code to remind Airmen of the need to get back to

  • Job initiatives focus on vets, family members

    President Barack Obama called on Congress Aug. 30 to move quickly on an initiative to offer tax credits to employers who hire unemployed veterans, including those with disabilities.Speaking at the American Legion National Convention in Minneapolis, the president emphasized the nation's

  • Obama: Unite in spirit of service on Sept. 11

    President Barack Obama called on the American people Aug. 29 to come together in the spirit of service and remembrance as the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks approaches."In just two weeks, we'll come together as a nation to mark the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks," the president

  • Services officials 'refresh' dining menus

    Airmen will soon have more variety and availability of nutritious meals thanks to a new initiative to 'refresh' dining facility menus.Air Force Services Agency officials here partnered with industry chefs to implement a new program called "Operation Refresh." The program infuses new items into

  • Air Force celebrates JSF arrival, rolls out nation's airpower future

    Air Force officials said the unveiling of the F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter was a "historic occasion" during a rollout ceremony here Aug. 26.The F-35A, on display during the ceremony, was delivered here in July by Lt. Col. Eric Smith, the Air Force's first F-35 pilot."This is indeed a new

  • New efforts enhance Irene response

    Approximately 7,675 National Guard Airmen and Soldiers from 18 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico responded Aug. 28 to support Hurricane Irene relief efforts.According to Guard officials, three capabilities are enhancing the National Guard's contribution to the joint state and federal

  • JTAC shot, keeps calling in critical close air support

    American heroes have shone time and time again during the war in Afghanistan, earning accolades from their branches of service and even the president of the United States, but most recently a joint terminal attack controller from the 817th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron proved it yet

  • Joint Base MDL survives Hurricane Irene

    Hurricane Irene moved out of the area here Aug. 28, but not without leaving its mark.Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst experienced damaging winds and excessive rain, which caused flooding, base officials said.When the storm began to move out of the area, damage assessment teams spread out across the

  • Dual-status commanders to support Irene relief efforts

    Defense Department officials announced the appointment of four dual-status commanders to support Hurricane Irene relief efforts Aug. 27, marking the first time the dual-commander concept has been implemented for a natural disaster.While others may be appointed in the coming days, the initial list of

  • Guard supports joint response, thousands deploy

    National Guard support to the joint response to Hurricane Irene was in full motion Aug. 27 as thousands of Soldiers and Airmen rolled out in multiple states to support civilian authorities.Guard officials at the National Guard Coordination Center here were tracking the storm and working with other

  • Panetta puts troops on standby for hurricane assistance

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has issued a prepare-to-deploy order for 6,500 active-duty service members from all of the services to support hurricane relief efforts if ordered, Pentagon spokesman George Little said Aug. 27.On requests from states for the department to provide hurricane relief

  • Walter Reed closes, legacy lives on, commander says

    An ambulance carrying the last inpatient from Walter Reed Army Medical Center here slowly made its way out of the Georgia Avenue gate Aug. 27, pausing briefly for the crowd of flag-waving troop supporters and shouts of "Thank you for your service! We love you!"As the ambulance turned north on

  • Obama, Panetta urge caution, preparedness for coming storm

    Millions of people along the eastern seaboard should prepare to face what may be a historic hurricane, President Barack Obama said Aug. 26."All indications point to this being a historic hurricane," he said, speaking to the nation from Martha's Vineyard, Mass."Although we can't predict with perfect

  • JB MDL prepares for Hurricane Irene

    Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is actively preparing for Hurricane Irene, officials here said.The base entered Hurricane Condition III on Aug. 25, which is declared when the weather forecast predicts the arrival of 58 mph or greater winds within 48 hours."Hurricane Irene is expected to be a

  • 20th EBS Airmen assume continuous bomber presence in Guam

    More than 300 Airmen assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., arrived here recently to replace the 96th EBS in support of U.S. Pacific Command's continuous bomber presence.The rotation of bomber aircraft is specifically designed to enhance regional security

  • Hospital consolidation going smoothly, commander says

    A large-scale realignment of military health care facilities is nearing culmination, and officials recently said they are pleased with the progress.Joint Task Force National Capital Region Medical was created in 2007 to oversee a base realignment and closure law mandate to close Walter Reed Army

  • Operation Deep Freeze 2011-2012 begins

    Late winter flights, known as WINFLY, for Operation Deep Freeze 2011-2012 began August 20.Deep Freeze is a joint service, interagency activity that supports the National Science Foundation, which manages the U.S. Antarctic Program.Lt. Gen. Stanley T. Kresge, the commander of 13th Air Force, is

  • American families tour Transit Center

    New U.S. Embassy employees and their families traveled from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to tour the Transit Center Aug. 20 to learn more about the installation's missions and capabilities.More than a dozen children excitedly took turns lying in a KC-135 Stratotanker boom, sitting in a C-17 Globemaster III

  • Military bases prepare for Hurricane Irene

    Military bases along the eastern seaboard are securing for the Category 3 winds and rain of Hurricane Irene, defense officials said Aug. 25.The Defense Department is working closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the U.S. government response, the officials added.The Defense

  • Former Air Force Two now part of AMC Museum

    The Air Mobility Command Museum here has long been home to many landmarks of American avionic innovation. The retired military and civilian airframes are restored to historically accurate quality by museum volunteers and displayed for the enjoyment of several generations of patrons.If the planes

  • Reserve pilot spearheads Air Force's efforts to go green

    A historic agreement, introduced by a Reserve pilot from the 317th Airlift Squadron, between the Department of Defense and Federal Aviation Administration establishes procedures for pilots called optimized profile descent, which will reduce noise, fuel costs and emissions effective Aug

  • Chiefs show hard work pays off during sporting event

     A group of senior NCOs competing in a combined sporting event, known as the Ramadan Games, at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, proved hard work and being fit to fight pays off at any age, and helped showcase teamwork and mutual respect at the same time.When the chiefs' group at the 380th AEW

  • Magnitude 5.9 earthquake rattles Pentagon

    Operations continued at the Pentagon despite the magnitude 5.9 earthquake centered in Mineral, Va., Aug. 23.The National Military Command Center in the building "maintained the watch, and there was no loss of communications," said Navy Cmdr. Patrick McNally, a spokesman for the Joint Staff.Some

  • 16th SPCS breaks ground for new global capability

    In a combined effort, the 16th Space Control Squadron and its Reserve associate unit, the 380th Space Control Squadron, broke ground July 28 for a Rapid Attack, Identification, Detection and Reporting System site in Hawaii.Lt. Col. Roger Sherman, the 16th SPCS commander, Lt. Col. Bob Claude, the

  • Seymour Johnson defenders begin 9/11 Ruck March to Remember

    Eight months ago, the 4th Security Forces Squadron commander and his training NCO sat down here and mapped out an idea to organize a ruck march from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, to Ground Zero in New York in remembrance of defenders who were killed or injured in the 10 years since the terrorist

  • Base makes room for more rotary wing aircraft in Afghanistan

    Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan, increased its capacity recently when officials opened a new rotary wing apron with a goal of increasing capability to stage rotary wing aircraft.Approximately 112,000 meters in size, the apron has the ability to park 18 UH-60 Blackhawks, 14 CH-47 Chinooks and 10 AH-64

  • Altus Captain embarks on 'Journey of Freedom' to honor fallen heroes

    An Air Force captain is planning to bike from Arlington National Cemetery, Va., for approximately 150 miles and then run another 100 miles to Ground Zero in New York City, N.Y., Sept. 10-11 without stopping to rest. Capt. Chris Pace, a 58th Airlift Squadron instructor pilot, is calling his athletic

  • ESC awards contract for lightened instrument landing system

    Officials at the Electronic Systems Center here issued an $8.8 million contract award to Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Network Systems Division Aug. 12 to provide the Air Force a deployable precision approach landing capability to support contingency operations or humanitarian missions across the

  • Airman uses research, experience to contribute to fight

    Neil Armstrong was once quoted as saying, "Research is creating new knowledge." One Joint Expeditionary Tasking Airman in Southern Afghanistan understands that mentality very well.Col. Sean Collins, the senior researcher for the Joint Combat Casualty Research Team, has been working to improve

  • 50th Space Wing gains control of newest GPS satellite

    Officials from the 50th Space Wing 2nd Space Operations Squadron accepted command and control of the second Global Positioning System Block IIF satellite Aug. 19. The Space and Missile Systems Center GPS Directorate, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., remained in control of the satellite

  • New commander, president takes over Air University

    The change of command ceremony Aug. 12 was unique for Air University, as Lt. Gen. David Fadok became the organization's first president and 29th commander."We produce the future and must never forget how important that mission is," Fadok said after assuming command from Lt. Gen. Allen Peck, who

  • Fairchild's 36th Rescue Flight rescues mountain biker in Idaho

    Airmen from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., rescued a 52-year-old female mountain biker Aug. 17 near Thompson Pass, Idaho, after she flipped over her handlebars and injured her ribs and back.The victim, Paulette Kirby, was on a single-track mountain bike trail participating in the six-day Idaho

  • DOD schools engage students with technology

    When children walk into a Defense Department school this year, they may be handed a laptop or electronic reader, or perhaps they'll be asked to build a robot or try out a simulator on the school lawn. Technology has long since changed the nation; it's now time to use these advances to transform its

  • Recent grad's astro feats regarded as research crown 'joule'

    Look out, Richard Dean Anderson. There's a new MacGyver in town.His name is 2nd Lt. Michael Trubilla, and a prestigious award is in the 2011 Air Force Academy grad's very near future: Trubilla is scheduled to receive the Air Force Science and Technology Cadet Research Award Aug. 25 at

  • RED HORSE team rides in for Ulchi Freedom Guardian

    Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2011 augmentees from across the globe arrived here recently to find a tent city already set up by 254th RED HORSE members.Ulchi Freedom Guardian is an annual computer-assisted simulation command post exercise that focuses on training service members while exercising senior

  • S. Korea, U.S. begin major exercise

    South Korea and U.S. servicemembers began another year of training in a familiar peninsula-wide exercise Aug. 16. U.S. forces and their South Korean allies first gathered here last week to ramp up for the multi-day, defense-oriented command post exercise Operation Ulchi Freedom Guardian. This is one

  • Cap back in new, free comic

    On the heels of its 116th anniversary, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service is once again joining forces with Marvel Comics to distribute free, military-exclusive comic books at its stores around the world.The 11th issue in the Exchange/Marvel series, titled "The First Avenger," revolves around

  • VA paralympic program officials launch website for disabled veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials have launched a Paralympic Program website as part of the VA's ongoing commitment to support the rehabilitation and recovery of disabled veterans through participation in adaptive sports. "Adaptive sports participation among disabled veterans has many proven

  • Space ops squad calls on reliable spare for active service

    The 2nd Space Operations Squadron here is set to swap out an underperforming satellite with a handy spare this week. During late May, 2nd SOPS analysts began noticing signs that SVN-30, a Global Positioning System IIA vehicle, was no longer maintaining the gold standard of performance. Engineers in

  • Program supports military families with special needs

    About a year ago, Maj. Nicholas Sabula received word of an upcoming assignment following his deployment in Afghanistan.He became concerned, however, when he learned that his new duty station and the local area didn't have adequate services for his son, who was diagnosed with autism in 2006. But

  • Motorcycle ride kicks off 9/11 memorial observances

    One of the first of many tenth-anniversary commemorations of the 9/11 terror attacks will begin Aug. 18 as almost 2,500 motorcyclists launch the 11th America's 9/11 Ride that begins in Shanksville, Pa., and continues over the next three days to the Pentagon and World Trade Center crash sites.The

  • VA opens small business conference in New Orleans

    The National Veterans Small Business Conference and Expo in New Orleans is underway. Hosted by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the first time, it is the largest nationwide conference of its kind focused on helping veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses succeed in winning

  • Joint Base Charleston holds air transport conference

    More than 140 people attended an Air Transportation Test Loading Activity conference Aug. 11 and 12 here. ATTLA is the Department of Defense agency responsible for approving airlift cargo before it can be transported by aircraft. Loadmasters, aerial porters and representatives from various agencies

  • Sharing intelligence helps contractors strengthen cyber defenses

    A new pilot program in which Defense Department officials share classified threat intelligence with defense contractors or their commercial Internet service providers is showing promise in increasing their cyber defenses and preventing enemy intrusions into sensitive government networks, Deputy

  • Upcoming show to display military land, sea, ground robots

    More than 6,000 experts from 30 countries will be gathering here Aug. 16-19 for this year's largest robot and unmanned systems show.Hosted by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, called AUVSI, Unmanned Systems North America 2011 will feature workshops, panels and

  • Fairchild goes green in a 'concrete' type of way

    Contractors who are working on the new runway here are crushing tons of concrete from the old runway and going 'green' by recycling it.The suggestion came in October of last year when engineers here started laying out the blueprint for its brand new $43 million runway."When the contractors brought

  • Smith Hall medical instruction facility dedicated during ceremony

    A new medical instructional facility honoring the United States Air Force's first Sergeant Major for the Air Force Medical Service was dedicated during a ceremony at the Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Aug.12.Smith Hall was named after the late Air Force

  • NATO countries land successful jump week

    More than 200 paratroopers from six NATO countries participated in airborne jump operations during International Jump Week Aug. 8 through 11.Paratroopers from Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands and the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Army jumped out of aircraft from Papa

  • TRICARE offers transitional health care

    When service members leave active duty, TRICARE offers a transitional health care option for eligible beneficiaries and their families while they look for new health coverage. The Transitional Assistance Management Program, or TAMP, is designed to extend TRICARE eligibility for sponsors and their

  • DOD releases names of Airmen killed in Afghanistan helicopter crash

    Three Air Force Special Operations Command Airmen died Saturday morning when their aircraft, a coalition CH-47 Chinook, crashed in the Maiden Wardak Province in eastern Afghanistan. They were among 25 U.S. Special Operations Command operators who died in the crash, which also took the lives of five

  • U.S. and RCAF civil engineers improve lives in Cambodia

    When patients couldn't get care from the clinic here due to a washed-out road, the U.S. and Cambodian militaries partnered together to give back to the community. A team of Airmen and Soldier civil engineers who deployed here in support of Pacific Angel Cambodia 11-1, and Royal Cambodian Armed

  • Army, AF units take aim during joint training exercise

    Army and Air Force units teamed up for a joint training exercise at Jikdo Island Aug. 5, firing AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, rockets and 30mm munitions at the range. Jikdo is a range facility on two islands off the western coast of Korea, near Kunsan. For this training mission, weapon systems officers

  • Air Force Medical Service's first 'Sergeant Major' to be honored

    The late Chief Master Sgt. Raymond T. Smith once told a reporter: "The Vietnam conflict has brought the services closer together. We've got to keep it that way."When he made that remark in 1970, he was serving as the first enlisted senior NCO for the entire Air Force Medical Service. So new was his

  • Wounded warriors, families deserve best care, Chiarelli says

    The military has made great strides in warrior care over the past decade of war, but much work remains to be done, particularly when dealing with the invisible wounds of war, the Army vice chief of staff said Aug. 8.Speaking at the Warrior Transition Command's Warrior Care and Transition Program

  • Cleaner KC-10 engines expected to burn less fuel

    Mobility Airmen may have found a way to conserve Air Force resources and help preserve the environment.Prolonged and repeated KC-10 air refueling operations in desert climates can degrade the aircraft engines. But the Air Force now uses a new KC-10 engine cleaning process, which is projected to save

  • Missing World War II Army Air Forces soldiers identified

    The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced Aug. 1 that remains of 12 U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, had been identified and would be returned to their families for burial with full military honors. They are Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Jack E. Volz, 21,

  • New airframe, squadron on Kandahar Airfield

    Members of the 451st Expeditionary Operations Group welcomed their newest unit, the 702nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, here at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, recently. The 702 EAS is a tactical transport squadron comprising Army and Air Force Guard members flying C-27J Spartans to provide

  • VA quality data released to public on CMS Hospital Compare website

    Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers are now included in the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services Hospital Compare website, which measures hospital quality based on what matters most to patients, the outcomes of care. "VA is committed to providing veterans and their family members

  • Sheppard innovates Web-based self-inspections

    Innovation in the checklist industry has found its way to the Sheppard Air Force Base Self-Inspection Program through the Management Internal Control Toolset. MICT is a web-based self-inspection software tool used to manage, track and close self-identified work center deficiencies. The days of

  • AF teens learn teamwork, leadership skills at camp

    More than 80 teens from Air Force installations world-wide learned about college life, teamwork and leadership skills during a week long summer camp here July 10-15. The Air Force Teen Leadership Camp was held at the University of Texas, San Antonio campus to expose the teens to personal development

  • Morocco receives first F-16s

    Morocco is the latest U.S. partner nation to receive the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a historic event marked by a ceremony here Aug. 4. The new Block 52 aircraft will supplement the Royal Moroccan Air Force's existing fleet of fighter aircraft and will contribute to the upgrade and modernization of the

  • History, achievements of Tuskegee Airmen celebrated

    "I have a dream," said Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."Before King famously spoke those words from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, more

  • Polish, American sister wings celebrate 1-year anniversary

    The 86th Airlift Wing commander visited Poland's 3rd Airlift Wing here Aug. 3, marking the one-year anniversary of the "sister wing" relationship between the two units.The wings began working closely in 2008, when Polish air force officials first entertained the idea of vastly improving their

  • Cadet Wing accepts Class of 2015

    The Air Force Academy's Cadet Wing formally absorbed the Class of 2015 into its fold during the annual Acceptance Day Parade here Aug. 3.During the ceremony, basic cadets received copies of "Contrails" from their legacy class, the Class of 1975. They swore the Academy's Honor Oath before exchanging

  • Hero honored at new William A. Jones III Building

    Joint Base Andrews unveiled a new display in the recently-opened William A. Jones III Building on July 28, both of which honor the life and service of Medal of Honor recipient Col. William A. Jones III. The display dedication, presided over by Maj. Gen. Darren McDew, the Air Force District of

  • VA officials kick off National Caregiver Support Conference

    The 2011 National Caregiver Support Conference, which highlights Veterans Affairs' support of caregivers of all eras, will conclude here Aug. 4.The conference, which began Aug. 2, follows the implementation of landmark legislation by VA that provides a direct benefit for the first time to

  • Secretary of the Air Force talks with Airmen while visiting Vance AFB

    "We're committed to ensuring that the United States continues to have the world's finest Air Force for generations to come," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley during his stop here July 27.Donley spent three hours at Vance AFB, accompanied by Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy

  • Panetta praises new leaders following Senate confirmations

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta praised six officers Aug. 2 after the Senate confirmed their nominations for key leadership positions, including the military's two top uniformed posts."I would like to congratulate (Army) Gen. Martin Dempsey and (Navy) Adm. James Winnefeld, who the Senate confirmed

  • Senior leaders talk big picture with SMART scholars

    Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation program scholars have unique opportunities to leave a lasting legacy in the U.S. defense community, Air Force senior leaders said during the SMART scholar summer orientation, which took place July 11-14 in Washington, D.C.Nearly 300 SMART program

  • Former CMSAF visits Andersen AFB

    The 15th chief master sergeant of the Air Force visited Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, July 27 and shared his perspective as the service's former top enlisted member.Former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney McKinley retired from active duty at the highest enlisted level of leadership in

  • Base mall undergoes changes to save $15M in energy

    Officials at the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center here recently started phase II of a cost-saving energy initiative that will save at least $15 million over the course of the building's life.Phase I consisted of removing redundant and unnecessary lighting in and around the KMCC

  • New commander takes reins of Air Forces Central Command

    Lt. Gen. David L. Goldfein took command of U.S. Air Forces Central Command from Lt. Gen. Gilmary Michael Hostage III during a change of command ceremony Aug. 3 in Southwest Asia. Gen. James N. Mattis, the commander of U.S. Central Command, presided.As the air component commander for U.S. Central

  • Obama nominates Carter as next deputy secretary

    President Barack Obama nominated the Pentagon's head of acquisitions, technology and logistics Aug. 2 to become the next deputy secretary of defense.Ashton B. Carter, whose nomination is subject to Senate confirmation, would replace William J. Lynn III, with whom he has worked closely and who

  • New defense secretary makes surprise visit to Peterson AFB

    The new secretary of defense, Leon Panetta, made a surprise visit here July 29, taking time to talk to a group of service members who were eager to meet the newest member of the Department of Defense family. While the stay was brief and the group small, Panetta's words to the gathering of Airmen,

  • Academy ranked among nation's best colleges

    The Air Force Academy received top-10 rankings in most available professors, low drug and alcohol use, and best school administration, according to The Best 376 Colleges book, released today by Princeton Review.The Princeton Review ranks the Air Force Academy's faculty fifth in the nation in "most

  • Program helps disabled vets become entrepreneurs

    Retired Army 1st Sgt. Renee Floyd wasn't about to let a disability stop her from realizing her dream of having her own business.Applying 21 years of experience as an Army mechanic, she launched BRF Mobile Lube Service in Phenix City, Ala., in 2009 and began traveling to people's homes and businesses

  • Langley F-15 trucked cross country to enshrinement

    For nearly 40 years, the 1st Fighter Wing here flew the venerable F-15 Eagle, helping to cement its place as one of the most successful fighters in aviation history. On July 22, however, one of the 1st FW's last F-15s began its final journey, leaving Virginia for northern California -- but not in

  • First Air Force F-35 pilot part of aviation history

    With the arrival of the joint strike fighter, the military continues setting the historic milestones for the worldwide aviation industry in preparing the first F-35 Lightning II pilots.Lt. Col. Eric Smith became a part of history himself recently as the first Airman to fly the new stealth fighter

  • Kunsan AB Airmen put new firefighting suit through week-long test

    Thirty-three Airmen from here participated in a field test of the new Joint Firefighter Integrated Response Ensemble July 25 - 29, providing data and feedback for researchers from the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.Kunsan AB firefighters donned the JFIRE suit for a

  • McChord Airmen recognized for historic Antarctic mission

    The C-17 Globemaster III aircrew members of "Ice 68" from the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings here were recognized by Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr., the commander of Air Mobility Command, July 29 for their part in evacuating an ailing government contractor from McMurdo Station, Antarctica, June

  • Professional development key to Airmen's success

    In a culture where deployments are part of daily life and Airmen regularly perform duties above their rank, professional development is an important piece of cultivating the enlisted force to meet mission requirements, Air Force leaders said recently at the 2011 Air Force Sergeants Association

  • Mobile language class makes impression

    With their clipboards and homework packets in hand, students at the Defense Language Institute English Language Center boarded the bus and headed for the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin, Texas.However, this is no ordinary field trip. It is a mobile classroom, and the students are

  • New office aims to strengthen families financially

    A government office dedicated to protecting service members and their families from financial predators and pitfalls officially opened for business recently.As the military arm of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Office of Servicemember Affairs is intended to strengthen military

  • Congressmen review Reserve role, budget, mobilization

    As Congress debates ways to address the federal debt ceiling, reserve component military leaders were on Capitol Hill recently to testify and answer questions about retaining operational roles, changes to mobilization and future budget challenges.Led by chairman Joe Wilson, of S.C., and ranking

  • Officials say Joint Strike Fighter program is on track

    The Joint Strike Fighter Program Office deputy director expressed confidence in the progress of the JSF program at an Air Force Association breakfast program here July 27.The upgrades and acquisitions, particularly the completion of the new Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., training facility, helps to

  • City of New York marks 'Air Force Day' during CSAF visit

    Citing the city's long military history, Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared July 28 as "Air Force Day" in New York, through a proclamation read at the Air Force Association Iron Gate Chapter's 50th Anniversary Luncheon here.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz spoke at the event, and received

  • Minot situation serious, stop movement order remains

    The situation remains serious in the Minot Air Force Base, N.D., area, and the stop movement order remains in place, Air Force officials announced July 29.Heavy spring flooding forced many to evacuate the city of Minot N.D., prompting the 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing commanders to request a