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U.S. Air Force News

  • ‘Win the Peace’ coalition delivers hope for future

    More than 200 students at a school outside Nasiriya, Iraq, received a surprise delivery of school supplies donated by “Win the Peace.” WTP is an unofficial, organization made up of Airmen with the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing at a forward-deployed location. The group raised funds for the shipment

  • Moseley: Airmen doing tremendous work

    During operations in Iraq, the Air Force experienced some of the highest mission-capable rates in recent history, said the service’s vice chief of staff.Gen. T. Michael Moseley spoke before a Senate Armed Service Committee subcommittee on readiness and management support March 9, directly crediting

  • AMC commander explains Patriot Express cutbacks

    Air Mobility Command officials announced in February that the Patriot Express, a transit system for official travelers mainly in the Pacific and Europe, would be dramatically scaled down during the next few years.During a visit here, Gen. John W. Handy, AMC commander, explained why the program will

  • Predators move to Balad

    The unit came packed and ready to position themselves autonomously, so they could pursue their prey quietly, unseen for hours.Arriving ready to set up one of the most impressive unmanned aerial aircraft in the U.S. inventory, the Nevada unit was ready for business within days of their arrival here.

  • Airmen answer National Call to Service

    Since its inception in October, more than 240 trainees who enlisted under the National Call to Service Program have attended basic military training here.Under the terms set by the 2003 National Defense Authorization Act, the new airmen can serve a 15-month enlistment, followed by a possible

  • Modeling, simulation agency names best performers

    The Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation recognized its best performers for 2003 during its yearly conference here Feb. 24 to 26. Best performers were recognized in four categories as either teams or individuals. Winners included: -- Acquisition Category: The Simulation and Analysis

  • Officers selected for development

    More than 170 company grade officers from five career fields were recently selected by the Development Team Special Selection Board to attend developmental education programs.They will be sent to attend the Air Force Institute of Technology; education with industry; space lift education and

  • Officials introduce war on terrorism medals

    Servicemembers serving at home and abroad in the war on terrorism will now be recognized for that service. Department of Defense officials announced Feb. 26 the final approval of two new medals and their criteria.Individuals who have deployed for operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom will be

  • Air Force leader discusses U.S. space program

    The executive agent for space testified before the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on strategic forces Feb. 25 on the status of America's space program.Undersecretary of the Air Force Peter B. Teets, who is also the director of the National Reconnaissance Office, told committee members

  • NASA names MacDill landing site for space shuttle

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials have named this base an alternate landing site for space shuttle missions.Alternate sites are typically selected based on weather conditions or the power level of the shuttle during re-entry.Software updates to the shuttles’ landing programs

  • All-weather friends vital to CAOC mission

    It really does all depend on the weather when it comes to planning air operations.This holds true at the Combined Air Operations Center here, the central hub for air and space operations dealing with operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and in the Horn of Africa region.The CAOC weather cell

  • Raptor program still flies

    Air Force officials said they will continue with the F/A-22 Raptor program. Fervor over the Army's cancellation of the $6.9 billion Comanche helicopter program Feb. 23 raised questions about the future of the Air Force's F/A-22, said the director of Air Force combat force capability requirements.

  • Leaders call for re-energized suicide-prevention efforts

    After 11 active-duty suicides since Jan. 1 and 14 during the final quarter of 2003, Air Force senior leaders are asking commanders and leaders across the service to assess and re-energize suicide prevention efforts at all levels. The 2003 calendar year suicide rate of 10.5 per 100,000 people was

  • Myers stresses transformation in war on terror

    The United States is doing "pretty well" in the war on terror, but more needs to be done and more progress is necessary to transform American military capabilities, Gen. Richard B. Myers said Feb. 18.The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke at a "Space at the Crossroads" conference

  • Air Force Safety Center announces annual awards

    Air Force Safety Center officials recently named the Air Force Safety Award recipients for fiscal 2003.They are:-- Secretary of the Air Force Safety Award: Category I, U.S. Air Forces in Europe; Category II, U.S. Air Force Academy.-- Maj. Gen. Benjamin D. Foulois Memorial Award: Air Mobility

  • Group turning crumbling symbol into a military airfield

    Airmen from the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group civil engineers are turning what was once a crumbling symbol of oppression into a military airfield that supports operations aimed at eliminating terrorists.In 1955, the Soviet Union promised $100 million to Afghanistan. Part of that money was to

  • Deployed airmen represent honor, dignity

    The American flag waves in a light breeze, its bright colors standing out in stark contrast over the gray, cracked concrete of hardened, Soviet aircraft shelters that once represented a communist state. Below the flag, airmen wearing perfectly pressed desert camouflage uniforms stand at attention.

  • Malmstrom helicopter crew rescues father, son

    A four-person crew from the 40th Helicopter Flight here hoisted a man and his son to safety near Dome-Shaped Mountain in western Montana on Feb. 15 after the two were reported missing since Feb. 14. The two survivors, a 45-year-old man and his 16-year-old son, were flown to a hospital in Missoula

  • Space integrates air forces to win wars

    Integrating space into all operations -- air, land and sea –- is the future of Air Force Space Command, said Gen. Lance Lord during a symposium Feb. 12.“We feel good about how things have gone, and we want to talk about the future,” said General Lord, speaking at the 2004 Air Force Association

  • AFMC correcting capability shortfalls

    The commander of Air Force Materiel Command outlined the findings of the latest Capabilities Review and Risk Assessment at the 2004 Air Force Association Warfare Symposium in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Feb. 12.Gen. Gregory Martin explained how Air Force leaders meet to take a look at capabilities

  • CSAF seeks improvements in warfighting

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper outlined new ways to make 21st century airmen faster, more efficient warfighters.General Jumper spoke at the Air Force Association’s 2004 Air Warfare Symposium in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Feb. 12.The general’s key point in addressing future capabilities

  • Air Force NASCAR revs up for new season

    The Air Force will be represented in NASCAR’s biggest event when the 2004 Nextel Cup season kicks off at the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Feb. 15. With some of the fastest 2004 preseason track test speeds, the Air Force-sponsored Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 NASCAR team is focused on

  • Squadron cleans bomb dump, makes area safe

    Munitions airmen are generally proud to tell people they work in the “bomb dump,” the endearing term often used to describe a base’s munitions storage area. An exception, however, might be when the dump is, well, a dump.Upon surveying the weapons storage area upon their arrival here in November,

  • CSAF reconfirms service’s commitment to close-air support

    The Air Force is committed to upgrading close-air support for ground troops, the service’s senior officer said.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper met with the Senate Armed Services Committee on Feb. 10, as part of the 2005 Defense Authorization hearing series.“We are configuring our Air

  • Wrestler's eyes fixed on Athens

    Sitting in a quiet corner of the wrestling room at the Olympic Training Center, Jacob Hey stares into the bright yellow color of the floor mats mentally preparing himself to conquer his next obstacle.A year after successful reconstructive shoulder surgery, the Greco-Roman wrestler is back to 100

  • Next Aerospace Vehicle Test Course launches

    The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School here is accepting student applications for the Aerospace Vehicle Test Course that begins May 30.The deadline for applying is March 16, and only 15 slots are available, officials said.Designed as a four-week program, the curriculum includes about 80 hours of

  • Special operators recount Iraq missions

    Multiservice special operations troops have led the way to victory in overseas campaigns during the war against terrorism, a senior U.S. military officer said.Special operators' expertise was a factor in driving the Taliban out of Afghanistan as well as in the ouster of former Iraqi dictator Saddam

  • Security forces announces annual award winners

    The deputy chief of staff for air and space operations recently announced the 2003 Air Force Outstanding Security Forces Individual Award winners.These annual awards recognize the top security forces members in each category.The 2003 winners are:Career field-wide award:-- Col. Billy Jack Carter

  • Emulator boosts GPS training

    Gone are the days of using a compass for direction finding.Now, through a constellation of 29 satellites, warfighters, banks, automobile drivers and others benefit from the Air Force's technological advancements with the Global Positioning System.Owned and operated by the Air Force, GPS provides

  • International student training requests increase

    The business of training international students is booming for a small unit here.Requests for globetrotting teams from the Air Force Security Assistance Training Squadron have skyrocketed in recent months with the expansion of the global war on terrorism.Already this year, AFSAT is ahead of pace to

  • Airman shares patriotism with thousands

    The honor guard team members were at attention on the sideline, hearts pounding and adrenaline racing, although the momentous game would not begin for another half hour. The honor and glory was not for the servicemembers themselves, but for their flag, their country and their military.Tech Sgt.

  • Patriot Express restructures

    Fiscal realities and limited use have led U.S. Transportation Command to restructure Patriot Express. Patriot Express is the military's chartered commercial air service for transporting servicemembers on permanent-change-of-station orders and their families to and from overseas locations. Air

  • Proposed budget shows AF path

    The fiscal 2005 Defense Department budget provides the foundation upon which the Air Force will continue the war on terrorism.Maj. Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, Air Force deputy assistant secretary for budget, discussed how the service’s budget priorities would allow airmen to be a better air and space

  • Squadron part of rovers' success

    The 45th Space Wing can now put two more historical milestones under its belt -- the successful landings of the twin Mars exploration rovers on the red planet. Opportunity touched down on its target, Meridiani Planum, shortly after midnight Jan. 25, joining its twin, Spirit, which landed on the

  • Reservist selected for NASA crew

    A reserve officer assigned to the F-16 Fighting Falcon system program office here is one of four NASA astronauts named to fly on space shuttle mission STS-121. The mission, planned for November, will follow a shuttle mission scheduled for September. Making his first flight into space will be

  • Challenger crew memorialized on Mars

    Late Air Force Lt. Cols. Francis R. (Dick) Scobee and Ellison S. Onizuka are among those now memorialized on the red planet. NASA officials have named the landing site of the Mars rover Opportunity in honor of the Space Shuttle Challenger's final crew. The area in the vast flatland called

  • Exercise tests shuttle rescue capabilities

    Lajes Field's capabilities to save a downed space shuttle crew will be put to the test during a daylong exercise here Jan. 30.The exercise involves American and Portuguese forces and a Defense Department agency for space flight.The combined event joins 65th Air Base Wing and Portuguese Air Base 4

  • Changes in law environmental friendly

    Portions of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 2004 make it easier for the Air Force to execute its mission while protecting the environment at the same time.The act includes language allowing the National Fish and Wildlife Service to legally consider measures that may already be in

  • Program offers ‘Vigilant Look’ at AFSPC

    While the Air Force encourages its personnel to "cross further into the blue" through its new force-development philosophy, Air Force Space Command officials have been using a unique application of that philosophy -- the Vigilant Look program.Nearly four years old, Vigilant Look encapsulates the

  • Civil engineers receive honors

    Three civilian professional associations joined the Air Force in honoring civil engineers Jan 13.Each year, the Society of American Military Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives, partner with the Air

  • Hold off embroidering logo

    Air Force clothing office officials are asking airmen to wait a few weeks before having their lightweight blue jackets embroidered with the Air Force logo.“We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response in regards to placing the logo on the jacket,” said Libby Glade, Air Force clothing office chief.

  • Rocket test stand gets facelift

    The rocket test stand used more than 30 years ago for Apollo Moon-mission F-1 rocket engine production testing has been modernized and is ready for use.Test Stand 2-A is the only Department of Defense stand capable of performing full-scale rocket thrust chamber development testing in the

  • Network-centric ops is coming

    Within 10 years, U.S. forces around the world will enjoy greater combat effectiveness as a result of network-centric operations. That is a vision John Stenbit has pursued for the past two years, and it is already bad news for America's enemies.Mr. Stenbit is the assistant secretary of defense for

  • Defense institute gets new home

    The new home of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute officially opened here Jan. 14.Dr. Davis S. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, cut the ribbon to open the two-story, 92,000-square-foot facility.A new-campus task force was established in the early 1990s,

  • New GPS satellite operational

    Global Positioning System satellite IIR-10, which launched from here Dec. 21, is now fully operational."It is officially 'turned on' for the warfighter as of Jan. 12," said Capt. Thomas R. Ste. Marie, an Air Force launch controller with the 1st Space Launch Squadron here. "IIR-10 will appear on GPS

  • AF committing 2,000 airmen to war

    Airmen vulnerable to deploy as part of the Silver Air and Space Expeditionary Force but not originally asked to go, could end up going after all. In a message sent to the major commands in late December, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper said continuing efforts in the war on terrorism

  • Airman selected for flight attendant program

    It is not every day you get to cook dinner for Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, but that is what Staff Sgt. Melissa Magyari will soon be doing -- and at 30,000 feet, no less.The 19th Air Refueling Group command section information manager was one of 10 active-duty servicemembers recently

  • AFRL computer guides Mars rovers

    Radiation-resistant computers Air Force Research Laboratory experts here developed helped steer one of NASA's Mars exploration rovers to a safe landing on the red planet Jan. 4.The AFRL's Rad6000 32-bit microprocessors, manufactured for the Air Force by BAE systems, controlled the spacecraft during

  • More airmen may live off base

    A change in how the Air Force figures unaccompanied housing requirements will call for fewer dormitory rooms -- meaning more airmen could move off base in the future.Under the new policy, which took effect Jan. 1, the Air Force must provide dormitory housing for unaccompanied E-1s through E-3s and

  • Kirkuk airmen provide relief supplies

    The words of a Kurdish refugee woman living in a tent on the outskirts of Kirkuk keep ringing in the ears of all who heard it. “This is no life for my children here,” the mother said, pointing to the dirt her young child walked through with no shoes. “This is no life in Iraq,” she cried out as

  • AFMC improves deployment process

    Air Force Materiel Command officials fielded a tool in the summer designed to help people keep better track of their deployment information and they said it is already making a difference.The Deployment Qualification System is a Web-based tool providing units with capabilities they have never had

  • AF leaders send holiday message

    The following is a joint message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“During this holiday season, Americans have placed their hopes for peace with those who have answered the call to secure freedom: The soldiers, sailors, airmen and

  • Contractors bring relief to radar maintainers

    Supporting flying operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has thinned manning at bases worldwide in many already critically manned career fields. One of which is the radar maintenance career field. Central Air Force officials have brought some relief to the career field by contracting maintenance at

  • Earthquake hits Vandenberg

    The base felt the effects of the preliminary magnitude 6.5-earthquake that rocked central California on Dec. 22 at 11:15 a.m. A 30th Space Wing emergency response team reacted to the quake.There have been no reported injuries or deaths here as a result. Civil engineers report there has been minor

  • AF leaders visit Bagram airmen

    Air Force senior leaders praised the dedication and sacrifice of airmen here during a visit Dec. 19.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray were welcomed to Afghanistan by 455th Expeditionary Operations Group airmen who are supporting

  • F.E. Warren dormitory catches fire

    Base firefighters who responded to a dormitory fire here Dec. 16 at about 3:30 a.m. said the fire was likely caused by a smoldering cigarette left in a couch.Damage to the 82-room dormitory is estimated at $28,000. “The dorm sprinkler system put out the fire in a matter of minutes, and the base

  • Rocket launches from Florida

    One hundred years after the Wright Brothers flew 120 feet, a Delta II rocket placed a Global Positioning System satellite into orbit from here Dec. 21.A team consisting of people from the 1st Space Launch Squadron, the Space and Missile Systems Center, Lockheed and Boeing launched the 49th GPS.“The

  • AF names environmental winners

    The Air Force civil engineer announced the winners of the Gen. Thomas D. White Environmental Award for 2003.Nine of the winners are eligible for the secretary of defense environmental-security award and will go forward as the nominees.The 2003 winners are:-- Environmental Quality Award

  • Bush: Wright qualities define nation

    Gray sky, chilly air and pouring rain did not dampen the sprit of an enthusiastic crowd here Dec. 17 as they awaited the arrival of the event’s most anticipated guest speaker.President George W. Bush was scheduled to address the crowd at the Wright Brothers National Memorial on Dec. 17, the last day

  • Roche visits RAF Mildenhall troops

    The secretary of the Air Force visited here Dec. 11 and 12 to say “thanks” to the men and women for their hard work during the past year.During his two-day trip, Dr. James G. Roche toured aircraft and units, received mission briefings and, most importantly, met with the airmen he specifically came

  • Cadets get job assignments

    Senior Air Force Academy cadets got an early holiday present this month when they found out which Air Force jobs they will perform after graduation.Fifty-three percent of the senior class -- 530 of 988 -- are bound for undergraduate pilot training. Another 34 cadets will be navigators and seven

  • Tallil airmen donate clothes to Iraqis

    Airmen here have found a way to become involved with the local Iraqi community through a joint operation with the Army.As airmen leave the base after their tours of duty, many dispose of their civilian clothes. Officials here decided to collect the discarded clothes, clean them and give them to

  • AF identifies operational shortfalls

    Air Force officials released a list of operational shortfalls Dec. 17. The list came from a two-year analysis of current and future warfighting effects and capabilities, a process called a capabilities review and risk assessment.The assessment identified and prioritized critical operational

  • Replacements sought for aging helicopters

    An aging fleet of combat search and rescue helicopters is leading Air Force officials on a quest for a new personnel recovery vehicle.The HH-60G Pave Hawks that comprise the CSAR helicopter fleet are 14 years old on average. The oldest are 23 years old and have surpassed the 7,000 flying-hour mark.

  • Leaders reflect on 100 years of flight

    The following is a joint message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“It was the most significant 12 seconds of the last 100 years.“On Dec. 17, 1903, two bicycle builders from Ohio, Orville and Wilbur Wright, launched the world on a

  • Fuels airmen keep aircraft fighting

    Working out of a tiny corner of a dilapidated, Soviet-built aircraft hangar here, four airmen work around the clock to do their part in supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.They are the Air Force's petroleum, oil and lubricant specialists assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group.The POL

  • Airmen rescue shrimp boat crew

    Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing rescued two crewmembers of a sunken shrimping vessel Dec. 10.Wing officials sent two HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters at 4:15 p.m. to the scene, about 30 miles off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Fla.The crew had been sailing toward Bermuda when their boat apparently

  • Airmen ongoing an ‘Amazing Race’

    Many organizations here have active group fitness programs. Some airmen head to the fitness center to play volleyball, while others go there and do timed push-ups and sit-ups.Each month, Space and Missile Systems Center Detachment 11 and Electronic Systems Center Detachment 5 airmen come together

  • Smithsonian opens new facility

    One of the most popular museums of the Smithsonian Institution here celebrated its expansion with a day honoring military aviation veterans.Military aviators from conflicts as far back as World War II were invited to the "Salute to Military Aviation Veterans" Dec. 9, at the National Air and Space

  • Officials announce EELV contract award

    Air Force officials announced Dec. 10 a contract award to Lockheed Martin International Launch Services for the purchase of one Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle. The vehicle will launch a National Reconnaissance Office payload from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., in 2006.This was a

  • Advisory board seeks reservists’ input

    When reservists on the Air Force Reserve Advisory Board meet at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, Jan. 23 and 24, they can add another success story to their list of accomplishments.President George W. Bush signed the fiscal 2004 National Defense Authorization Act on Nov. 24,

  • Environmental symposium registration begins

    Registration began Dec. 1 for the 2004 Environmental Training Symposium scheduled for March 8 to 12 in Nashville, Tenn.The symposium is conducted by officials from Air Combat Command, Air Education and Training Command, Air Mobility Command and Air Force Space Command. More than 1,500 students from

  • CSAF signs Air Force Basic Doctrine

    The service’s core document outlining the enduring basics of air and space power has been revised and hard copies will be in the hands of every officer and top-three noncommissioned officer by spring 2004.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper approved the latest revision to Air Force Doctrine

  • Putting the pieces together

    It is like putting together a puzzle; where does each piece fit? In the case of aircraft maintenance here, how can aircraft best fit on the ramp?"With limited space, it's almost like playing Tetris," said Maj. Stella Smith, Detachment 1 Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander. "With

  • 'Starr' helps NORAD track Santa

    A “Starr” in the east will help guide North American Aerospace Defense Command’s Santa-tracking tradition Dec. 24. The Starr is none other than former Beatle, Ringo Starr, who will be NORAD’S honorary Santa tracker for Christmas 2003.“Santa and I are personal friends,” Starr said from his home in

  • Roche discusses Air Force future during visit

    Citing the ability to adapt as the greatest change for the Air Force, the secretary of the Air Force thanked airmen for their involvement in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom during a visit here Nov. 24.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche met with hundreds of wing airmen to

  • AF leaders send holiday message

    The following is a joint message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“Thanksgiving is a wonderful national tradition that provides a special opportunity to recount our blessings as Americans.“Today, we have much for which to be

  • ACSC launches force-development curriculum

    More than 500 majors attending Air Command and Staff College here are the first to experience a more robust and tougher curriculum. The changes, directed by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper, prepare officers for operational career broadening and increase their knowledge of military

  • Act gives commissary, other benefits

    The fiscal 2004 National Defense Authorization Act offers reservists and their families unlimited commissary privileges, better health benefits and an overall average military pay raise of 4.15 percent.President George W. Bush signed the defense bill Nov. 24. It allows reservists in the Selected

  • Doctrine summit focuses on lessons learned

    Doctrine Summit IV gave Air Force leaders the chance to discuss lessons learned from recent and on-going operations and to assess practices for better educating, organizing, training and equipping the service to fight the next fight.The summit was held Nov. 17 and 18 at the Air Force Doctrine

  • Brooks marks JFK's 40th anniversary visit

    Current and past members of the Brooks community gathered here Nov. 21 to mark the 40th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s historic “cap over the wall” speech. Kennedy’s 1963 keynote address dedicated the Aerospace Medical Center and validated America’s commitment to space exploration

  • Test pilot school wins international award

    The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School here received the 2003 Richard G. Cross Award on Nov. 19 in Lihue, Hawaii.Presented by the International Test and Evaluation Association, the award recognized the contributions the school’s short courses made to the training and education of test and evaluation

  • Space-acquisitions policy changes

    Air Force leaders announced a change in space-acquisition policy at a Senate Armed Services subcommittee meeting Nov. 18.Undersecretary of the Air Force Peter B. Teets and Lt. Gen. Brian Arnold, Space and Missile Systems Center commander, testified before members of the strategic forces

  • Deployed airmen help Kyrgyz children

    A small group of security forces airmen here made a large impact on the lives of a group of ailing, special needs and underprivileged children from a local orphanage Nov. 8 as part of an ongoing humanitarian effort.The group of 10 airmen, predominantly from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., used

  • First C-5 arrives at Balad

    The first C-5 Galaxy arrived here Nov. 12, from Dover Air Force Base, Del., increasing the Air Force presence at the Army's Logistical Support Area. A 14-person crew and about 21 truckloads of war materiel were on board the aircraft."This event is a significant milestone in support of the global

  • Drunk driver kills airman’s father

    At 14, most people are not normally faced with a lifetime of pondering the aftermath of mixing together enormous amounts of alcohol, one out-of-control drunk and a weapon on wheels gunned at more than 100 mph.However, one leader here faces just that. “At 43, the signs (of my father’s death by a

  • Tax relief aids military, families

    Legislation signed by President George W. Bush on Nov. 11 increases the death gratuity payment to $12,000 and provides that the full payment is tax-free.That portion of the Military Family Tax Relief Act of 2003 is retroactive to Sept. 10, 2001, to provide for servicemembers who died in the

  • City-base concept still progressing

    What used to be Brooks Air Force Base here is through its first year of morphing into a technology and business park via a unique partnership between the Air Force and San Antonio.Now known as Brooks City-Base, the technology park has sparked interest from numerous companies and organizations

  • Survey helps turn things around

    Great deeds can be built on small gestures. And with a good plan, it is possible to turn a unit around on a dime.When Vicki Preacher came here in July 2001 to fill the top post in the environmental management directorate, she found problems with morale spilled onto the mission.“There was

  • Airmen arrive for AEF Silver

    About 20 airmen from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., arrived here on a C-130 Hercules as part of Air and Space Expeditionary Force Silver. They are assigned to the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. The 354th EFS will replace the 81st EFS from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, as AEF Silver

  • Top soldier advocates AF relationship

    The relationship of the Army to the airlift and tanker community is one of the “most important relationships that we have,” said the Army chief of staff during the 35th Airlift/Tanker Association convention here.In the convention’s closing address Nov. 1, Army Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker discussed

  • CSAF: The time for air mobility is now

    In a major speech to the Airlift/Tanker Association convention here Oct. 31, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper said air mobility is coming into its own.“The time for air mobility is now,” Jumper said. “It’s here, and it’s time to take it to the next level.”Jumper was one of the main

  • Air and Space Power Journal available online

    The Air and Space Power Journal is now available through electronic subscription free of charge.The professional journal of the Air Force publishes articles written by air and space power practitioners, said Col. Chris Cain, journal editor and chief of the professional journals division at Air

  • Vandenberg firefighters battle blazes

    Thirty-eight firefighters here have battled blazes in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties since Oct. 27. Eight firefighters are still in Los Angeles working to contain the Simi and Piru fires. “It’s like a war zone down here,” said Greg Leptich, a fire engineer here who was on-scene at the Simi

  • Air Force details force development

    A newly formed council will oversee the Air Force’s initiative to develop people with the enduring skills and occupational competencies necessary to meet future air and space mission challenges.Force-development council officials will provide Air Force-level guidance for regulatory policies, program

  • Solar flare third largest recorded

    Air Force Weather Agency's space weather operations center officials said the Oct. 27 solar flare was the third largest event in recorded history. Also, they said the solar spot group is the largest recorded in the current solar cycle.Weather technicians in the center sent more than 300 warnings of

  • New DOD mortuary opens at Dover

    Military officials opened a new $30 million mortuary at Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Oct. 27. The Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs, which replaced a 48-year-old facility, is the Defense Department's only stateside mortuary.Since 1955, the remains of more than 50,000 servicemembers

  • Airmen dispose of enemy ordnance

    Crawling over more than a ton of explosives the way a child would go over a jungle gym requires a little something special, but it is just another day for explosive ordnance disposal airmen here.The 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s EOD flight airmen have recovered and blown up about 1.5

  • Deployable civilians provide expertise

    When their units are called to deploy, they line up for their smallpox and anthrax shots, they pack camouflage uniforms and dog tags, they get weapons training, and brush up on their self-aid and buddy-care skills. But these warriors are not airmen -- at least not in the traditional sense.They are

  • Falconer major player in Red Flag

    The airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s Falconer Air Operations Center are here integrating their craft with pilots and controllers who fly the missions over the “enemy” during Red Flag.The center is comprised of 100 airmen, mostly from the 32nd Air Operations Group at Ramstein Air Base,