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  • 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,

  • Titan II blasts its way into history

    As the final Titan II rocket streaked skyward from here Oct. 18, it left in its wake a 40-year history that included a transformation from intercontinental ballistic missile to space booster.The two-stage, liquid-propelled, silo-based Titan II was developed for the United States' budding ICBM

  • Airmen keep things moving in Manas

    A few hundred kilometers north of Afghanistan, in the small country of Kyrgyzstan, is Manas Air Base. Here, airmen are doing their part to ensure coalition servicemembers can maintain the fight on the frontlines of the war on terrorism.Airmen of the 376th Expeditionary Air Wing work 24-hour

  • Weather officials forecast solar flares

    Large groups of sunspots are being tracked by Air Force Weather Agency space weather technicians here who are forecasting moderate to extreme solar flares for a few days beginning Oct. 24. Technicians believe the solar flares could cause geomagnetic storms and have warned Department of Defense

  • Malmstrom remembers Cuban missile crisis

    Forty-one years ago, people here played a role in one of the most dangerous events of the Cold War. For 14 days during October 1962, the world held its breath as President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev tried to reach a compromise and avoid nuclear war. In May 1962, Khrushchev,

  • Moseley discusses reconstitution

    Department of Defense leaders met with the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on readiness Oct. 21 to discuss force reconstitution. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley told committee members that reconstitution is one of the Air Force's top concerns."Our No. 1 task is to

  • Airmen move from tents to huts

    Airmen here are now in the process of transitioning from living in temper tents to wooden structures called B-huts.“These semi-permanent timber structures are replacing our tents which have exceeded their life expectancy in this harsh environment,” said Capt. Trey Sledge, 455th Expeditionary Support

  • Air Force launches fellowship program

    The Air Force is teaming up with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as part of the Air Force National Laboratory Technical Fellowship Program.Brig. Gen. Robert L. Smolen will sign a memorandum of understanding between the two agencies Oct. 30 in Livermore, Calif. He is the director of nuclear

  • Final Titan II launches

    The Air Force's 13th and final Titan II rocket launched a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program payload from here Oct. 18 at 9:17 a.m. The launch took place following two recent delays. The mission was delayed Oct. 15 when an air-conditioning duct became detached from the booster's payload

  • Two airmen extend their desert duty

    Two airmen at an undisclosed location did not mind raising their hands when asked to pull an additional 30 days for Air and Space Expeditionary Force Blue. They said they knew they were going to be working in 120-degree heat, scurrying into tents during dust storms that turn the noon-day sun into

  • Eagle Flag's importance stressed

    The Air Force’s top two leaders got a first-hand look Oct. 15 at the service’s newest flag-level exercise, Eagle Flag. They also talked about what they want every airman to know about the exercise.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper

  • Falconer will control Red Flag sky

    America’s ability to dominate air and space during war is being tested Oct. 19 to 31. About 90 airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s 32nd Air Operations Group will descend on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., to participate in Red Flag 2003.The airmen comprise what is called a Falconer Air Operations

  • NORAD monitors U.S. sky to protect homeland

    On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, the staff at the North American Aerospace Defense Command was poised to identify a missile test or space launch anywhere in the world, or to tell exactly how many items of "space junk" were circling the globe.What they did not know was that four commercial

  • HVAC/R -- Al Udeid’s thermostat

    How fast can your day go from good to bad, from comfortable to hot?Give up? Fifty-nine minutes. That is how long it would take.Without air conditioning inside a tent, the temperature can increase by more than 35 degrees in less than an hour. Without the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and

  • First Eagle Flag exercise begins

    More than 150 expeditionary combat-support leaders from around the Air Force arrived here Oct. 13 for the inaugural Eagle Flag, the Air Force’s newest flag-level exercise. The goal of the exercise is to test the ability of the participants to open and establish an air base to an initial operating

  • Airman tells of grandfather's Flying Tiger days

    What do you do when your grandfather was played by John Wayne in a movie, a general at age 31 and a bona fide American war hero? If you are Maj. Reagan Schaupp, you write a book about him.Schaupp, of the 50th Space Support Squadron here, has spent the last five years working with his 88-year-old

  • Reserve working on force development

    At the 2002 Corona Top conference in Colorado Springs, Colo., the Air Force adopted a new vision for how best to develop its airmen and continue its evolution as an air and space force.The Air Force designed this new force development construct to ensure the right technical and leadership skills are

  • Preparing for Titan's final flight

    The last Titan IVB rocket to be launched here arrived from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Oct. 5 while another Titan IVB was moved to Space Launch Complex 40 to launch an early warning satellite under the Defense Support Program. There are just three Titan IVB launches remaining before the

  • Warfighters reach back to Langley

    Each day during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Airman 1st Class Jamie O'Connell would drive home from Langley Air Force Base after fighting the war in Iraq, and with traffic, it took her about 15 minutes.She is an imagery analyst in the 30th Intelligence Squadron, working at Distributed Ground System 1

  • Employee designs air traffic program

    The computer program an airfield manager here designed is streamlining flightline operations at nearly 45 Air Force bases, including all of those within Air Force Materiel Command.Brian Watson developed the Aircraft Traffic Logging Automated System that is helping airfield managers all around the

  • Air Force will test Eagle Flag

    The Air Force will begin its newest flag-level exercise Oct. 13, targeting expeditionary combat-support skills and testing them to the maximum extent. Eagle Flag is to the expeditionary combat-support community what Red Flag is to the fighter community, said Maj. Gen. Christopher A. Kelly, Air

  • Base readies for influx of tankers

    In March, hundreds of people will descend upon a small, picturesque base in England’s Cotswolds region.This influx of people, caused by the relocation of aircraft for three months while the runway here is resurfaced, will more than quadruple the number of active-duty airmen at Royal Air Force

  • Fighters benefit from Link 16

    A recent Electronic Systems Center effort has improved targeting accuracy and allowed air operations centers to change F-15 Eagle and F-15E Strike Eagle mission variables “on the fly.”Members of the Tactical Data Link System Program Office equipped all 22 operational F-15 active-duty and Air

  • White Room relocation a ‘success’

    The historic Complex 19 White Room here was successfully relocated to its new home in the outdoor Rocket Garden at the nearby Air Force Space and Missile Museum.The White Room is a 56-foot-tall, 46-ton structure that was used by Gemini astronauts during missions in the mid-1960s. The room, also

  • Sensor shop ensures successful U-2 missions

    For most people, taking a photo is as simple as pointing and shooting. However, for a U-2 pilot flying at more than 70,000 feet, taking a picture requires a high-tech camera and a dedicated organization to ensure it works properly.It is the primary job of the 9th Maintenance Squadron avionics

  • October issue of Citizen Airman available

    Although thousands of Air Force reservists are still actively involved in supporting operations worldwide, Air Force Reserve Command officials are busy gathering lessons learned from current and recent operations.Read about the command’s effort to examine its performance in the October issue of

  • Generals visit reservists in Iraq

    To learn firsthand the issues facing deployed members of Air Force Reserve Command, three Air Force Reserve generals traveled to several overseas locations Sept. 9 to 19.Making the trip were Maj. Gen. John J. Batbie Jr., AFRC vice commander; Maj. Gen. James Bankers, 22nd Air Force commander; and

  • AF Climate Survey launches Oct. 1

    Air Force leaders at all levels want to know, “How is my organization doing?” The 2003 Air Force Climate Survey begins Oct. 1 to answer this question with the help of Air Force people.Their participation in the survey is critical, said senior leaders.“Leadership must be made aware of what’s really

  • CAP helps Air Force face Isabel

    As Hurricane Isabel makes landfall on the Eastern seaboard, Civil Air Patrol officials are helping the Air Force manage storm-related operations.The CAP is the all-volunteer U.S. Air Force auxiliary. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, located at Langley Air Force Base, Va., has moved its

  • Some AEF airmen will deploy longer

    Air Force officials have determined that some airmen in Air and Space Expeditionary Force Blue will remain deployed longer than the scheduled 120 days.Blue is the first of two transitional AEFs designed to bring the schedule back to a normal rotation. Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom

  • 2003 AFA convention opens

    The 2003 Air Force Association convention began Sept. 15 including a gathering of more than 90 global air chiefs from around the world.Honor guardsmen posted flags from each nation represented at the convention, visually reinforcing the global nature of the annual gathering. The Global Air Chiefs

  • No plans to extend Guard, Reserve

    Air Force officials do not plan to extend the involuntary deployment of Reserve and Air National Guard airmen to Iraq.About 4,700 ANG and Reserve airmen are deployed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. According to a senior Air Force official, about 12,000 deployed Air Reserve Component airmen have

  • Myers sends AF birthday message

    The following is a message from Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:“The 18th of September this year marks the 56th birthday of the U.S. Air Force -- an important milestone on both the paths of aviation history and the defense of our Nation. This year is also the centennial

  • Officials set holiday mailing dates, policies

    The dates for mailing items to and from overseas locations in time for the holidays are fast approaching, and Military Postal Service Agency officials have suggestions for ensuring packages and letters arrive on time.In fact, customers who mail early may save money and still have an on-time

  • Leaders recognize 56 years of Air Force

    The U.S. Air Force celebrates its 56th year Sept. 18. In recognition of this, the following is a message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“In 56 years, the U.S. Air Force has earned its wings as the world’s greatest air and space

  • Rocket blasts off from Florida

    A Titan IV B rocket successfully launched from here Sept. 9. The rocket carried a National Reconnaissance Office payload into orbit. The classified payload will help enhance national security for the United States and support deployed forces, according to 45th Space Wing officials.The mission had

  • Deployed aircraft given ISO inspection

    Maintainers recently completed a comprehensive inspection of a deployed aircraft here for the first time when a Kentucky Air National Guard C-130 Hercules underwent a complete isochronal inspection.Isochronal inspections examine numerous essential aircraft systems like propulsion and hydraulics,

  • Leaders issue Patriot Day message

    The following is a Patriot Day message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“The second anniversary of the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, provides us all an opportunity to remember those murdered in New York, at the Pentagon and in

  • Band of the Rockies becomes academy band

    The U.S. Air Force Band of the Rockies will be renamed The U.S. Air Force Academy Band on Oct. 1. The band will continue its primary mission of "troop support" while refocusing its national touring mission to support the recruiting and community relations needs of the academy.This move realigns the

  • Space-A changes affect Europe

    Regular space-available travel from Lajes to Italy and Spain will end Oct. 1, while a new stop finds its way onto the weekly channel route. Although the weekly "Patriot Express" L-1011 will no longer stop at Aviano Air Base, Italy, the aircraft will land at Rhein Main AB, Germany, beginning with the

  • Airmen train with soldiers in Hawaii

    The Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Wing added close-air support to its annual combat training here this summer with help from the Army’s 25th Infantry Division.A week of training, called Sentry Strike, was held with the Army’s forward-air controllers. Each year, the wing’s airmen deploy

  • Murray discusses issues at Minot

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray discussed current issues with airmen here during a visit Aug. 28 to 30.Topics included the test utility uniform, the Dorms-4-Airmen Program, the new fitness standards, air and space expeditionary force rotations, and retention and recruiting

  • Satellite launches in Florida

    The last Phase III Defense Satellite Communications System launched on board a Delta IV rocket from here Aug. 29. The satellite system will operate for the next 15 years and replaces another that was launched in 1995, according to 45th Space Wing officials. The Department of Defense satellite

  • Jumper talks uniforms, ops, tankers

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper talked to airmen here about upcoming changes in the Air Force during a visit to the base Aug. 22.He shared his thoughts on the new fitness program, the new uniform, deployment issues and the acquisition of new tankers.All of these changes were brought on by

  • Airmen keep Bagram protected

    Firemen always have had a lot of responsibility resting on their shoulders, from the proverbial rescue of a kitten stuck in a tree to selflessly entering towering infernos to rescue those inside. The Air Force firefighters of the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group here say they are aware of this

  • Kit redesign prevents parts damage

    Spare parts onboard E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system aircraft will no longer be bubble-wrapped parcels rattling around inside unpadded containers.Instead, each critical part of a spares package will be nestled into customized niches cut into polyethelene foam, said Airman 1st Class

  • Experiment decreases space-launch damage

    New technology that counteracts vibrations produced during a rocket launch may help limit damage to space-bound payloads, thanks to Air Force Research Laboratory scientists.Known as active isolation and acoustic mitigation, this new technology uses something like a home stereo speaker to counteract

  • Delta II launches NASA space telescope

    NASA's Space Infrared Telescope Facility launched from here Aug. 25 at 1:35 a.m. EDT aboard a Delta II launch vehicle.The new observatory entered an Earth-trailing orbit about 43 minutes after launch. About 64 minutes after take-off, the NASA Deep Space Network station in Canberra, Australia,

  • AF announces space, missile pioneer awards

    Four visionaries were selected to receive the 2003 Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Award. They will be honored in an award ceremony and hall of fame induction luncheon here Aug. 28.John Herther, retired Brig. Gen. Martin Menter, retired Navy Capt. Robert Truax, and retired Col. Albert Wetzel

  • Air Force reorganizes acquisitions team

    Air Force officials announced a major reorganization of the acquisition management structure Aug. 20.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper and Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche approved the reorganization of the service’s aircraft, weapons, and command, control and combat support

  • Airmen forging ties with Russians

    Since studying Russian culture during her college years in the early 1990s, Capt. Jessica Rhyne dreamed of seeing Russia and visiting Moscow.Her dream came true Aug. 18. Not from a tour bus, but from the cockpit of her F-16 Fighting Falcon, flying high over the city and landing at this once secret

  • B-52 lands at Moscow air show

    One of the most famous Cold War icons, the B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber, landed here Aug. 20 to participate in the 6th Moscow Space and Aviation Show. This is the first public display in Russia for the B-52, an aircraft designed to deliver nuclear bombs into the former Soviet Union during

  • C-9 completes last U.S. mission

    Airmen prepared for Air Evac 696's Aug. 18 mission as they would for any other. But this was not like any other mission.The aircraft, a C-9A Nightingale, was embarking on the 375th Airlift Wing's last scheduled C-9 aeromedical evacuation flight. In fact, it was the last operational C-9 AE flight

  • U.S. Air Force lands at Moscow air show

    U.S. Air Force aircraft landed at Zhukovsky airfield just south of Moscow Aug. 18 to participate in the Moscow Aviation and Space Show, a first for the U.S. military.Visitors will get a close-up look at five U.S. Air Force aircraft and see a daily F-15C Eagle aerial-demonstration flight along with

  • Lab reflects mirror technology

    A milestone in telescope-mirror technology, completed recently by Air Force scientists here, is leading to lightweight, space-based telescopes much larger than NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.Rather than use a heavy, glass mirror, researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory’s directed energy

  • Booster launches from Vandenberg

    A ground-based interceptor prototype booster successfully launched from here Aug. 16, supporting the Ground-based Midcourse Defense program of the Missile Defense Agency.The booster, designed by Orbital Sciences Corp., is a three-stage system based on hardware that has flown 45 times on missions

  • Helicopter flight makes 350th save

    A crew from the 40th Helicopter Flight rescued an injured horseback rider who was thrown and dragged by his horse Aug. 11 in the mountains south of Livingston, Mont. This was the 350th save by the airmen of the 40th HF.The rescue of Gary Ellis took place Aug. 12 along the shore of an alpine lake at

  • Week offers officer, enlisted interaction

    For the first time in a professional military education setting, second lieutenants and senior noncommissioned officers got together to interact. The environment allowed for improved leadership, followership and mentorship between officers and enlisted airmen.During an initiative called “Combined

  • Rocket-propellant leak cleaned

    Officials completed cleanup efforts Aug. 14 after rocket propellant leaked Aug. 12 as it was being loaded onto a Titan IV rocket.Base officials said no one was injured, and there was no damage to the launch vehicle. Preliminary findings indicate that during the load of the propellant, an oxidizer

  • AF works to demobilize Guard, Reserve

    The Air Force is working to return the nearly 28,000 mobilized Guard and Reserve airmen to their families and civilian jobs as quickly as possible, according to the service’s senior manpower official.“There are a full range of initiatives that we’re undertaking to accomplish the mission without

  • Team evaluates combat identification

    Nearly 2,000 people participated in a joint combat-identification exercise at the Combat Readiness Training Center here Aug. 4 to 14. The exercise focused on identifying targets when systems disagree on the target’s coordinates.An example might be when an E-8C Joint Stars and a RQ-1 Predator

  • AF students bound for space camp

    Last year, the Military Child Education Coalition had only enough money to send one student of military parents to the U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala. But this year, two Air Force children are among five youngsters to experience the camp thanks to a $5,000 corporate donation.London H. Durand,

  • Celebration in NY recalls 100 years of flight

    Thousands of people are celebrating the Centennial of Flight during events through Aug. 18 in Rockefeller Center here.Among the crowds are parents being dragged by their children who are eager to see the full-scale replicas of the F-16 Fighting Falcon or RQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle.

  • Deployed airmen getting small-town living

    Airmen deployed here will soon be saying farewell to their tents and hello to small-town living.This welcome change for airmen is just part of the transformation of this expeditionary base into a permanent air base with most of the amenities found at home.“We’re in the process of building a small

  • Shuttle investigation gives airmen knowledge

    Following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in February, NASA officials activated a 13-member board to determine the cause of the accident.Three of those board members are bluesuiters. They said they believe some of the lessons learned while working with NASA can be brought back with them to the

  • Feedback vital to uniform test

    Feedback will be key for Air Force leaders making their decision on the newly proposed utility uniform, said the Air Force’s top enlisted airman. “We want airmen’s feedback,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray during his visit here Aug. 6 to 10. “We don’t want

  • First production Global Hawk rolls out

    The first production RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle rolled out in ceremonies held Aug. 1 at prime contractor Northrop Grumman’s Antelope Valley Manufacturing Center at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif. Drawing back a large curtain, program officials unveiled Global Hawk in its

  • Air Force leads EUCOM transformation

    U.S. European Command’s deputy commander wants the command to become a more flexible, expeditionary-based fighting force for the 21st century.Key issues within the plan that will affect airmen include securing better training areas, airspace for fighter training and new forward locations for

  • BMT sets new fitness standards

    Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper announced July 30 the Air Force would be raising fitness standards in January. More rigorous basic military training graduation standards will take effect here Oct. 12.Basic military training daily physical fitness regimens are now tougher and more focused on

  • Civilian processes become ‘lean’

    Air Force civilian personnel leaders want to eliminate procedural bottlenecks and waste by applying a concept called “lean.”Lean is a way of streamlining processes and making them more efficient by removing waste, reducing cycle time and improving customer satisfaction, according to David W.

  • Air Force unveils new uniform plan

    Air Force officials announced Aug. 6 plans for the wear test of a new utility uniform to possibly replace the current battle dress uniform.The blue, gray and green tiger-stripe camouflage ensemble is a departure from the current woodland pattern uniform and includes many new features that are