HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • House hears space cadre testimony

    Air Force leaders provided key testimony July 22 to the House Armed Services Committee’s strategic force subcommittee about efforts to develop the professional space cadre.The undersecretary of the Air Force, Peter B. Teets, and the commander of Air Force Space Command, Gen. Lance W. Lord, explained

  • CSAF: Air Force key in Pacific operations

    The Air Force will become more active in the Pacific theater in the future in response to emerging hot spots, said the Air Force chief of staff after a recent tour of the Pacific Air Operations Center here.Gen. John P. Jumper discussed the importance of the Pacific area.“As we’ve seen over the past

  • Teets discusses national security space strategy

    Peter B. Teets, the undersecretary of the Air Force for space, spoke about the future of space during the National Defense Industrial Association symposium on space policy and architecture.Representatives from the secretary of defense’s office, unified combatant commands and service space components

  • Air University earns accreditation

    After an exhaustive three-year process, Air University has been granted initial accreditation by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools retroactive to Jan. 1.The commission accredits degree-granting higher-education institutions and entities that meet its

  • Air Force names 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year

    Air Force officials released the names of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2004.An Air Force selection board considered 45 nominees who represented major commands, direct reporting units and air staff agencies. The board convened at the Air Force Personnel Center here in May and selected

  • Airmen making a difference in South Africa

    MedFlag participants are focusing on bringing medical and civic assistance to six clinics surrounding nearby Hoedspruit Air Base. “We keep busy,” said Capt. Molly O’Brien, a 48th Medical Group dentist from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. “We’re seeing (about) 60 patients a day, mostly for

  • Loggies keep aircraft, parts flowing to field

    In the war on terrorism, Air Force fighter, tanker and cargo aircraft are flying 200 to 250 sorties per day average, which is tasking mechanical functions to the extreme. Crew chiefs and unit-level maintainers know certain maintenance procedures, which are beyond their scope, are needed to keep the

  • Services officials want a lot of happy campers

    Services officials want to see a lot of happy campers this summer.More than 500 Air Force teenagers are rock climbing, orienteering, camping, getting leadership training and even visiting the Supreme Court in a series of camps offered by the Air Force Services Agency.“For the past several summers,

  • Military working dog sniffs out suspicious vehicle in Florida

    A four-legged 45th Security Forces member did his job correctly but caused quite a stir here July 8.While doing his daily sniffing around inbound trucks at the truck inspection area at the base’s south gate, Pancho, a 7-year-old military working dog, alerted his handler to a suspicious vehicle.

  • Supply Airmen keep materials rolling in

    When people think of supply support, the first item that comes to mind may not be water.And yet, a weighty part of the supply Airmen’s job in the arid environment here is to process 15 pallets of the liquid each week. More than 25,000 bottles of water are used each week by 600-plus Airmen deployed

  • Course trains Airmen to drive convoys for Army in Iraq

    Riding in a truck through Iraq, manning a weapon and facing armed adversaries is not a scenario many Air Force vehicle operators thought they would see.But that is exactly what more than 500 of these Airmen are doing -- driving convoys for the Army supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Chief Master

  • Airmen help bring wounded home

    Forty-eight wounded Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines were brought home for Independence Day, and six medical workers from the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron here were there to help get them back safely.This is the second time 43rd AES Airmen have been able to participate in the routine

  • Airmen among White House Fellows

    Two Airmen are among 12 people from across the country selected to serve as White House Fellows.Majs. Wesley Hallman and Daniel Orcutt will participate in the White House Fellows Program from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31, 2005.Major Hallman, 37, is a student at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies at

  • July issue of Airman available

    Read about an amputee pilot helping other amputees returning from war, learn about how Air and Space Expeditionary Force Center officials handle deployments and take a look at the harmony between man and beast at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. These features and more highlight the July issue of

  • Team rescues kitten from palace wall

    In the sprawling Al Faw Palace at Camp Victory where leaders are tough and business is serious, a group of concerned officers led a team in a kitten rescue July 8.The public affairs staff had heard a family of kittens meowing in the ceiling for a couple of days, but said they were surprised to hear

  • Air Force Intern Program develops future leaders

    The Air Force Intern Program Central Selection Board will convene here Sept. 20 to 24. The program lets 30 junior captains study the application of air and space power and observe senior Defense Department leaders in critical decision-making processes. The fast-paced 18- to 24-month program is

  • AEF Battlelab tests universal aircraft jacks

    Any Airman who has ever worked on the flightline during a rotation in the desert knows that the aerospace ground equipment he or she uses is often specific to a particular airframe. Heavy aircraft jacks, in particular, are not one-size-fits-all equipment. After all, people cannot use the same set

  • Expeditionary mindset provides stability, predictability for Airmen

    Nothing much stands out at the Air and Space Expeditionary Force Center at Langley Air Force Base, Va.The rooms upon rooms of cubicles are standard for a work center. A snack room provides lunch for those too busy to leave, and a larger parking lot would make people happier.Everything appears

  • Air Force bids farewell to a legend

    The Air Force's last Vietnam-era former prisoner of war still serving retired here June 30, ending more than four decades of active-duty, Guard and Reserve Service.Reserve Maj. Gen. Ed Mechenbier, mobilization assistant to Gen. Gregory S. Martin who is commander of Air Force Materiel Command, hung

  • Firefighters protect people, resources

    Forty-five seconds is all it takes. In the right conditions, it would only take that amount of time for one of the many tents at Camp Sather here to burn to the ground.It is the job of the 33 firefighters assigned to the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron to prevent fires and quickly

  • Air Force honors Youth of the Year

    A ceremony at the Pentagon on June 23 honored Air Force youth representing bases worldwide.This year’s master of ceremonies was both the Air Force Materiel Command Youth of the Year and the Oklahoma State Youth of the Year. Michael Goodman, son of retired Master Sgt. Randall and Donna Goodman from

  • General Bradley will command Air Force Reserve

    On June 24, the Senate confirmed Maj. Gen. John A. Bradley as chief of Air Force Reserve and commander of Air Force Reserve Command, and appointed him to the rank of lieutenant general. General Bradley is the former assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for reserve matters at the

  • Airman loses 100 pounds

    It took a missile maintainer here nine months to fix one of the Air Force's most important weapon systems, and he did it out of uniform, without technical orders and after duty hours.Senior Airman Norman Barore, assigned to the 341st Missile Maintenance Squadron here, lost 100 pounds in nine months,

  • NCO earns American Legion Spirit of Service Award

    Her father picked up a soldier carrying his life in a duffel bag on his way home from Vietnam in 1971. He gave the man a little money and took him to his house to finish his journey home. This act of kindness influenced Staff Sgt. Catherin Lammon and motivated her to do community service.The

  • Hearing highlights Air Force contracting expertise

    Air Force contracting expertise, deployed worldwide as part of air and space expeditionary force packages, significantly contributes to overall success of the Defense Department missions, the service’s top acquisition official said.Dr. Marvin R. Sambur, assistant secretary of the Air Force for

  • House hears military construction testimony

    Justification for the Air Force’s annual construction budget request can usually be summed up in a couple of words, the service’s top uniformed official said.Mission accomplishment.That message was the central theme during testimony on Capitol Hill on June 22, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P.

  • A Minuteman moment

    An unarmed Minuteman III ICBM launched from here at 1:32 a.m. PDT on June 23. The missile’s unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled nearly 4,200 miles in about 30 minutes, hitting a predetermined target on Kwajalein Atoll in the western chain of the Marshall Islands. The mission was part of the Force

  • Nature center brings children joy, education

    Sharon Batchelder said some days she feels like she works in a zoo.But she has a good reason. As a recreation aid at the Spalding Nature Center here, she spends her time working in the only Air Force facility that is home to snakes, rabbits, turtles, a variety of birds and even a couple of

  • Shop reorganizes, reduces maintenance-flow days

    Maintainers here are promising to cut nearly two months off Common Configuration Improvement Program efforts on Air Force fighter aircraft by rearranging work spaces and making the flow smoother.Program modifications are being done here to enhance the cockpit, avionics and combat capability of about

  • IMAX returns to Nellis for final shoot

    A production crew filming an IMAX movie on the Air Force returned here June 14 to 18 to continue work on the 43-minute action documentary about Red Flag exercises.Filming for the production began here in June 2003, and this is scheduled to be the crew’s last visit. Besides their initial visit,

  • Symposium highlights changing times

    Future Air Force budgets with fewer modernization dollars are requiring Air Force people to change processes to make current aircraft last longer.This is one topic Dr. Marvin Sambur, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, discussed here at the 25th Annual Air Force Association Focus

  • ‘Air and Space Power Journal’ available in Spanish

    A Spanish-language version of “Air and Space Power Journal” is now available online and through a free electronic subscription service.Just like its English-language sister, the Spanish version provides a forum for professional discussion on air and space power, and its role in national

  • Now showing: June 21 edition of AFTV News

    The last active-duty Airman who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam, and his trip back to the country of his captivity highlights the June 21 edition of Air Force Television News. Tech. Sgt. Bill Scherer went along as Maj. Gen. Ed Mechenbier flew the famed “Hanoi Taxi” to the Vietnamese capital. The

  • Project upgrades quality of life at Bagram

    Innovation and initiative by 455th Expeditionary Operations Group Airmen upgraded a temporary living area into a cheery, hospitable cyber café.“Our new café projects a welcoming feeling,” said Staff Sgt. Tina Ross, a services representative with the 455th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron and

  • Tech., master promotion rates nearly same as last year

    Air Force officials have selected 6,217 of 23,956 eligible technical sergeants for promotion to master sergeant, a 25.95-percent selection rate; and 9,114 of 42,248 eligible staff sergeants for promotion to technical sergeant, a 21.57-percent selection rate.The final tally will increase as Air Force

  • Officials take second look at ‘code-C’ limitations

    Following a review of the new force-shaping policy, Air Force officials rescinded the enlisted date-of-separation rollback for Airmen with an assignment limitation code “C.”“The secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force decided we should take a harder look at code-C limitations, and the medical

  • Secretary celebrates 227th anniversary of Old Glory

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche joined those gathered at the base flagpole here June 14 to celebrate the history of the nation’s flag.The U.S. Air Force Ceremonial Brass, Andrews base honor guard, veterans and guests joined in commemorating Flag Day.“This is a special day, the

  • E-8 promotion testing cycle window changes

    All master sergeants competing for promotion to senior master sergeant will now take the U.S. Air Force Supervisory Examination test between Dec. 6 and 17. The testing cycle will no longer be in January. Air Force officials said ongoing air and space expeditionary force deployments supporting the

  • Morón keeps aircraft moving, projects expeditionary air power

    About halfway between the United States and the Middle East, the runway here was recently labeled by Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche as “the irreplaceable gateway” for aircraft, cargo and troops headed for central and Southwest Asia . U.S. Air Forces in Europe leaders visited here

  • Airman carries his American flag everywhere

    When some people say they carry the American flag close to their heart, it is usually just a figure of speech.However, when one 455th Expeditionary Operations Group Airmen here said that, he meant it -- and he has the flag to prove it.“My grandfather gave me a 3-foot by 5-foot flag when I was 12,”

  • Airmen honor fallen commander in chief

    Airmen nationwide will pay tribute this week to former President Ronald Reagan who died at his home June 5 from pneumonia as a complication of Alzheimers. President Reagan, who was 93, served as the 40th commander in chief from 1981 to 1989.Air Force participation in the state funeral includes

  • Airmen get direct flights into AOR

    Airmen assigned to Pacific Air Forces now have a dedicated flight to take them directly into U.S. Central Command theater when they leave to fill their air and space expeditionary force responsibilities.About 200 Airmen from Yokota and Kadena Air Bases in Japan took the first direct flight into the

  • Total-force effort supplies OEF

    Every day, between 50 and 100 tons of equipment and supplies arrive here, flown in around the clock by a constant stream of cargo aircraft.Since this is a combat environment, getting the aircraft down, unloaded and quickly off the ground again is extremely important. Keeping that logistical

  • Jumper shares view on AEF cycle length extension

    The Air Force chief of staff announced the extension of the baseline for deployments from 90 to 120 days and the change of the air and space expeditionary force cycle from 15 months to 20 months. The changes will take place beginning with AEF Cycle 5 in September, said Gen. John P. Jumper in his

  • Air Force expands space-A lodging window

    The Air Force Services Agency director here announced recently an expanded space-available reservation policy designed to maximize occupancy at lodging facilities.Under the new system, lodging officials can accept and confirm space-A lodging reservations up to 30 days in advance based on low

  • Standard AEF deployment length stretches to 120 days

    Most Airmen scheduled to deploy in upcoming air and space expeditionary force packages will see their orders expand from 90 to 120 days. The change in deployment length will begin with AEF cycle 5 in September. Those who deploy as part of AEF 1 and 2 should prepare for a 120-day deployment. Air

  • Maintainers reap Commando Sling training benefits

    Commando Sling 04-3 has been an “awesome training environment” for the Airmen of the 36th Maintenance Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, said Master Sgt. John Haulman, production superintendent.The 56-person team is here to support F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from the 36th Fighter Squadron at

  • American, Korean engineers ‘cement’ friendship

    Two old friends got together on the flightline here recently, and the result is an expanded strategic airlift ramp that will significantly enhance current operations. It will also serve as a key enabler for a major airfield military construction, refurbishment and replacement project that will

  • Deadline set to apply for developmental education

    Mission support officers considering basic developmental education programs in 2005 have until June 15 to apply.Available programs include:-- Air Force Institute of Technology.-- Education with industry.-- Space-lift education and crossover program.-- Space and missile acquisition exchange

  • Now showing: May 24 edition of AFTV News

    The affect of extended activations on Air Force reservists, Air National Guardsmen, their families and employers, spotlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Tech. Sgt. Bill Scherer travels to Pennsylvania to profile Jillian Mentkewicz, a senior airman in the Air Force Reserve who is

  • AF commercials begin filming

    Air Force officials want potential recruits to know “we’ve been waiting for you.”That is the message of four new commercials under production at various locations in California.In filming May 19, three Airmen from Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., floated for seven hours with the aid of cable

  • Nellis holds firepower demo

    More than 2,500 people witnessed the first Air Force firepower demonstration since February 2003 at the Nevada Test and Training Range near here May 12.The demonstration showcased the Air Force’s air and space capabilities. After being put on hold, the original quarterly demonstration will now be

  • Bagram Airmen keep safety a priority

    Air Force safety rules are just as important here, in the heart of the worldwide war on terrorism, as they are at bases outside of the “war zone.”Challenges to maintaining a safe environment are all around here -- literally. There are land mines placed by the former Soviet military and the Taliban.

  • Recalled officer retires -- again

    An Airman who began his military career as a Marine Corps rifleman in 1962 is retiring for the second time.Lt. Col. Theron Sims, who is on terminal leave, rejoined the Air Force on May 15, 2002, as part of the Rated Officer Recall Program. Colonel Sims was the service’s senior lieutenant colonel,

  • NASA selects servicemembers to explore space

    Four servicemembers were among 11 candidates NASA has chosen to be the next generation of space explorers, officials announced May 6.Maj. James Dutton, 35, and Marine Corps Maj. Randolph Bresnik, 36, were chosen to be space shuttle pilots. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Cassidy, 34, and Army Maj. Shane

  • Now showing: May 10 edition of AFTV News

    Man’s thirst for flight highlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Stories from Staff Sgts. Melissa Allan and Leigh Bellinger illustrate two different ways flying has occupied and enriched two people’s lives.Sergeant Allen profiles Maj. Andrew Lurake. Despite having his leg

  • Guardian Challenge champions announced

    The scores are in. Teams from 21st Space Wing, 91st SW and 45th SW garnered top honors at Air Force Space Command's Guardian Challenge 2004.Trophies were presented to AFSPC's top space and missile warriors during a ceremony here May 6.The 21st SW at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., earned the

  • May issue of Airman available

    Read about how Airmen at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and other locations protect America’s interior; take a look at the new Air Force basic training; and learn about Airmen who maintain lesser-known bases throughout South Korea. These features and more highlight the May issue of Airman magazine,

  • U.S. participates in multinational air combat exercise

    U.S. Air Force and Navy units are here participating in Maple Flag 37, an international air-combat exercise held May 3 to 14 by the Canadian air force.About 20 aircraft and 600 people from the United States are practicing combined air operations with air forces from Canada, Germany, France, New

  • Secretary of defense announces environmental awards

    Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld announced the winners of the 2003 Secretary of Defense Annual Environmental Awards on May 3. Air Force winners are:-- Natural resources conservation, small installations: Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.-- Natural resources conservation, individual: Gregory

  • Presence policy helps define expeditionary force

    The secretary of the Air Force recently signed a policy clearly defining the structure and role of the air and space expeditionary force within the joint warfare environment. The Air and Space Expeditionary Force Presence Policy, among other things, defines AEF, outlines its command structure and

  • Astronautics offers cadets unique opportunity

    Not every college lets students build and launch monster rockets and earn undergraduate credit at the same time. Odds are they are more likely to be placed on a list at the Homeland Security Department unless they are going to the academy.Astronautical Engineering 452/453 Rocket Engineering is the

  • Officials name manpower, organization winners

    Officials have named the winners of the 2003 Air Force Manpower and Organization awards. They are:-- Headquarters-Level Field Grade Officer of the Year: Lt. Col. Timothy Clary from the Air Force manpower requirements determination squadron here.-- Headquarters-Level Company Grade Officer of the

  • AF Climate Survey results reveal progress in most areas

    The 2003 Air Force Climate Survey results have been analyzed, and final reports have been released to unit-level leaders for action. The survey ran Oct. 1 to Nov. 23.“As the leaders of the world’s greatest air and space force, we share a commitment to continually seek improvement. The survey

  • Idaho Air Guard helps test new stackable cargo pallets

    As part of an ongoing Air Expeditionary Force Battlelab initiative, a team tested a new bilevel aircraft loading system aboard an Idaho Air National Guard C-130 Hercules here April 22.People from the battlelab, a think tank for new and innovative ideas based at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho,

  • Space, missile competition set to launch

    The 30th Space Wing here will hold Guardian Challenge 2004, the largest test of space and missile warfighting skills outside of real-world operations, May 2 to 7.Nearly 200 competitors from around Air Force Space Command will test their mettle here in the Air Force’s only space and missile

  • JEFX 04 Spiral 2 showcases future of air battle management

    Responding quickly to lessons learned in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 04 showcased the future of air battle management command and control. The experiment, the Air Force’s primary venue for innovative command and control technology and

  • Officers must complete online education application

    Officers who want to compete for a developmental education opportunity in the 2005 to 2006 school year must now complete the required preference application online. The 2004 Developmental Education Designation Board meets here Oct. 4 to 8.The senior and intermediate developmental education

  • Air Force honors units for maintenance effectiveness

    The Air Force honored the winners of the 2003 Maintenance Effectiveness Awards at a banquet here.The 2003 Maintenance Effectiveness Award winners include:-- Munitions/Missile Category: 509th Munitions Squadron at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.-- Maintenance/Component Repair/Equipment Maintenance

  • NASA selects Air Force pilot for astronaut training

    An Air Force pilot was recently selected by NASA to be an astronaut candidate for the space shuttle program.Maj. James P. Dutton of Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., is the only Airman among 11 military and civilians to be accepted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration this year."Two

  • Roche visits Bagram

    Damp, drizzly weather greeted Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche when he visited Camp Cunningham and men and women of the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group here April 16. But the conditions did not dampen the spirits of the hundreds of Airmen and civilians who enthusiastically turned

  • SECAF outlines top priorities, future Air Force goals

    The Air Force’s top civilian focused on Air Force priorities, the war on terrorism and future goals during a visit here April 14. “People, of course, are the No. 1 priority,” said Dr. James G. Roche, secretary of the Air Force. “Any organization is only as effective as the people in it. We do a

  • Officials: Radium poses no risk at Air Force facilities

    Official test results from six Air Force facilities indicate building occupants and visitors are not at risk from radioactive material left over from luminous paints used at the bases 60 years ago.Air Force Institute for Operational Health experts from Brooks City-Base, Texas, examined facilities at

  • Foundation seeking inputs for Air Force memorial

    Air Force Memorial Foundation officials are seeking ideas for inscriptions to be placed at the new memorial site.The official groundbreaking will take place Sept. 15 at the memorial site, just southwest of the Pentagon. The focal point of the Air Force memorial will be a 270-foot monument featuring

  • Guard, Reserve leaders address Senate subcommittee

    Reserve component leaders from the Air Force, Army and Marine Corps met before a Senate subcommittee reviewing the fiscal 2005 military budget here April 7.The leaders discussed transformation goals and spending requirements. They also touched on issues such as deployments, stress on the force and

  • Leaders approve combat device for expeditionary ribbon

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper have approved the addition of a gold border to the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon to signify satisfactory participation in combat operations. "This gold border, signifying participation in combat

  • Congress congratulates U.S. Air Force Academy

    An academy graduate, who is now a U.S. congresswoman from New Mexico, took time March 30 on the House floor to honor the school’s 50th anniversary.Rep. Heather Wilson, a 1982 distinguished graduate, submitted a resolution congratulating the academy on its 50th anniversary and recognizing the

  • Cold War space approach must change

    Transformation across the armed forces is happening much faster than expected when the concept was announced two years ago, the Defense Department's director of force transformation told the Senate subcommittee on strategic forces."It's happening due in large part to the information and power

  • Flying ‘bug’ bites WASP early, pilot recounts service

    It was not Charles Lindbergh, but “a fella before him” whose name escapes her now. She remembers he came through Charleston, W.Va., when she was very young, and she said he inspired her to learn to fly.“I was about 7 or 8 years old when this famous flier came to town. Everyone turned out to see

  • Minot B-52 aircrews refine, polish skills in Guam

    Capt. Jeremiah Baldwin, a B-52 Stratofortress pilot, said he could not wait to get out of the cockpit. He was tired, exhausted and just wanted to lie down and sleep after flying a 20-hour mission. “It’s one of the longest flights I’ve ever flown. It was great training, but it’s not something I

  • Air Force seeks to eliminate inadequate housing

    Air Force senior leaders spoke with members of Congress on March 30 about the service’s requests for military construction funding in the fiscal 2005 budget. In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee subcommittee on military construction, the Air Force civil engineer, Maj. Gen. L.

  • A-10 pilot wows Smithsonian crowd

    The Iraqi republican guard may have had luck on their side that miserable Baghdad day, but they did not know who was flying the A-10 Thunderbolt II they had just hit with a rocket.It was April 7, 2003, and an elite unit of Iraqis had U.S. forces pinned down along the Tigris River, firing

  • Officials announce Air Force comptroller awards

    Air Force officials announced the 2003 financial management and comptroller awards.Award winners will be recognized at a ceremony June 2 at the American Society of Military Comptrollers Professional Development Institute in Cleveland.Michael Montelongo, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for

  • AF officials testify regarding importance of space

    Air Force officials joined those from the U.S. Navy in congressional testimony March 25, speaking before a Senate Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on strategic forces, about future plans for using space.Peter B. Teets, undersecretary of the Air Force and director of the National

  • C-17 crew wins Mackay Trophy

    One year after they led the biggest combat airdrop since Operation Just Cause in Panama in December 1989, five Airmen from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., are the winners of the National Aeronautic Association's Clarence Mackay Trophy for 2003.Lt. Col. Shane Hershman, from the 7th Airlift Squadron;

  • ‘Dirt Boyz’ digging in

    Airmen of the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron woke up to a South Dakota blizzard which closed sections of Interstate 90 and the Rapid City airport. Within a week, some of the same Airmen began waking up in the snow-covered foothills of the Ala Too Mountains in Kyrgyzstan as part of the 376th

  • Joint Strike Fighter under attack on Capitol Hill

    A senior Air Force official told lawmakers March 25 that the service would not be interested in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter if a technical glitch could not be overcome or if program funds were cut off.Lt. Gen. Ronald E. Keys, deputy chief of staff for air and space operations, bluntly told members

  • AFIT class includes first enlisted graduates

    Eight enlisted Airmen graduated from the Air Force Institute of Technology on March 23, marking one of the more historic achievements in the history of the service's enlisted force.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche, in delivering the graduation address to a crowd of more than 1,000

  • ICBM security forces deploy every four days

    Security forces Airmen here and at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., and Malmstrom AFB, Mont., constantly deploy but not overseas. Their deployments are to the nation's IBM fields. These Airmen provide security for the U.S. ICBM arsenal around the clock, 365 days a year.The missiles they guard are

  • Missile support teams deploy, but closer to home

    Those assigned to care for missile alert facilities and launch facilities containing Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles do not deploy to forward areas overseas. Instead, they deploy to areas in the central and north central United States."We don't deploy to foreign theaters of operations," said

  • CMSAF talks fitness, force shaping

    During a visit here March 15, the top enlisted Airman talked about fitness and force shaping. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray explained there was no plan to use the new fitness assessment as a part of the Weighted Airmen Promotion System.“(Leaders have) talked about a possible

  • Officials extend stateside space-A travel test

    The one-year test to expand space-available travel privileges to family members of active-duty and retired servicemembers traveling within the continental United States was extended until further notice, according to Air Mobility Command's air transportation division officials.The extension will

  • Air Force names top public affairs performers

    The secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force chief of staff have announced the following 2003 Air Force public affairs achievement award recipients.Winners of the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs director’s excellence awards are:Major Command Category: The "Brig. Gen. Harry

  • Air Force announces 2003 contracting award winners

    Air Force officials will honor recipients of 2003 contracting awards in an April 22 ceremony at the Pentagon.The winners are:-- Secretary of the Air Force Professionalism in Contracting, Supervisory: Suzanne Snyder from the 21st Contracting Squadron at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.-- Secretary of

  • MH-60S helicopter load validated on C-17

    Officials here performed a load validation on a C-17 Globemaster III for the MH-60S Knight Hawk helicopter recently with the help of Navy specialists.This is the seventh helicopter model validated on a C-17. Airmen from Altus' 58th Airlift Squadron along with 21 people from the Navy loaded the Navy

  • Air Force's newest wing activates at Hurlburt

    The Air Force activated its newest wing during a ceremony here March 12.The former Air Force Command and Control Training and Innovation Group is now officially the 505th Command and Control Wing.Gen. Hal M. Hornburg, Air Combat Command commander, presided over the ceremony."This is a good deal,"

  • Four Airmen help save Baltimore water-taxi victims

    Four members of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard were saluted as heroes at the National Guard Bureau’s joint headquarters here March 15. The salute came nine days after they helped save the lives of other water taxi passengers who were thrown into the frigid waters near Baltimore.Staff Sgts.

  • Basic training creates mission-ready Airmen

    Air Force leaders expect basic military training squadrons to deliver a tough program, professionally. Trainees want it tough as well, officials here said.This is great because training officials said they deliver. Graduates complete a rigorous indoctrination program and leave here as highly

  • AMC central to historic troop rotation

    Department of Defense officials have challenged those from Air Mobility Command to play a central role in the Southwest Asia troop rotation by moving 250,000 people in 60 days. That roughly equates to the number of passengers who can sit in 720 wide-body commercial aircraft or the entire population

  • Murray talks rotations, uniforms, quality of life

    Retro was all the rage March 10 here as Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray met with enlisted Airmen here.Chief Murray, the Pacific Air Forces command chief before assuming his current job, addressed a standing-room-only crowd about several issues concerning the base, Pacific Air Forces