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  • Little Rock AFB hub for international Katrina aid

    The first international aid for Hurricane Katrina victims touched down in Arkansas on Sept. 5, and more international flights are on the way.The base was tapped as the hub and clearinghouse for all international aid air shipments for Hurricane Katrina victims."Little Rock Air Force Base is proud to

  • Reservists mobilize for Katrina relief efforts

    Some Airmen with the 908th Airlift Wing here returned to their home base Sept. 6 after participating in an overseas deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Before they even returned, however, their commander said they were ready to serve again, only this time for disaster-relief

  • AMC aircraft, people continue hurricane relief efforts

    In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Air Mobility Command has moved thousands of military support people, civilian emergency responders and evacuees, and has delivered tons of emergency equipment and supplies supporting relief operations.To handle the increased air mobility operations into and out

  • Air Force BEAR Base deploys supporting JTF-Katrina

    Airmen with the 49th Materiel Maintenance Group here began deploying in support of Joint Task Force-Katrina, the massive relief effort directed at providing humanitarian aid to Gulf Coast victims of Hurricane Katrina.The 49th MMG, the only Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources Base group in the Air

  • Airmen saving lives in New Orleans, Mississippi

    Air Force bases nationwide are deploying hundreds of Airmen to Louisiana and Mississippi to save lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.Search and rescue missions are under way around the clock to evacuate hurricane victims stranded along the Gulf Coast.Two 50th Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules

  • Lackland supports Hurricane Katrina evacuation

    Airmen here played a critical role in San Antonio’s hurricane evacuation operation.Over a 55-hour period, Lackland received 9,788 evacuees aboard 89 aircraft. Working in partnership with San Antonio first responders, Airmen helped unload passengers, provide medical assistance and prepare evacuees

  • Airmen evacuate hurricane victims

    Three Airmen flew their first humanitarian mission together here as part of the effort to evacuate Hurricane Katrina victims. After the storm hit New Orleans on Aug. 29, tens of thousands of residents there were left behind, trapped by the floodwater. They had little food and drinking water and no

  • Special unit provides airfield operations in New Orleans

    Without the quick deployment of an Air Mobility Command special unit, the air evacuation plan here would not have happened.The 818th Contingency Response Group from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., arrived Aug. 31, a day after Hurricane Katrina demolished the area. They instantly provided relief to

  • Katrina floodwaters a biohazard-laden ‘soup’

    Airmen who continue to fly search and rescue missions must protect themselves from a host of biohazards in the floodwaters from where they pluck survivors.Contact with the polluted water, now called “the soup,” can cause rashes, illness and disease, said Col. (Dr.) Lewis Neace, a reserve flight

  • Edwards tests production Global Hawk for possible deployment

    Global Hawk flight test efforts were completed Aug. 28, bringing the latest version of the aircraft one step closer to warfighter employment.The tests on the unmanned aerial vehicle, conducted here by the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center's Detachment 5, the 31st Test and Evaluation

  • More active, Guard troops join Katrina response

    President Bush announced Sept. 4 the deployment of 7,000 more active-duty forces to support hurricane relief operations along the hurricane-devastated Gulf Coast.There, they will join 5,000 other active forces and almost 22,000 National Guardsmen already on the ground evacuating stranded people,

  • Price family glad to leave New Orleans

    Ralph Price Sr. had a smile on his face Sept. 3 when he and his family got off the C-9 Nightingale aircraft that brought him here from New Orleans.He and his family had finally escaped what he called “the hell-hole of New Orleans.” And, he said, the nightmare of the New Orleans airport.The waters

  • Air Force MASF last stop for some hurricane victims

    Usually, this airport is pretty sterile. With waxed floors and fresh air, everybody moves through quickly and nobody plans staying long. That was before Hurricane Katrina. Now, instead of businessmen and vacationers, a different kind of traveler packs the airport -- evacuees trying to catch a plane

  • Air Force support of Hurricane Katrina continues

    A week after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, the Air Force continues its fever-pitch support effort to aid the people it has affected.Airmen, aircraft and equipment from bases nationwide are playing a vital role in the Federal Emergency Management Agency-directed Hurricane Katrina

  • After recovery, Keesler’s future uncertain

    Hurricane Katrina tried to give Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., a knockout blow. But though it left a huge path of destruction in its wake -- it did not succeed. The massive storm devastated the base. No doubt about that, base officials said. And it claimed the base’s once vibrant training mission.

  • Air Combat Command Airmen provide hurricane relief

    More than 500 combat engineers, communication specialists, medics and helicopter crews from Air Combat Command are providing relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.The 823rd Red Horse Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., deployed to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., along with an 88-person ACC team

  • Raptor releases JDAM during first 'follow-on' evaluation mission

    Members of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron here flew the first F/A-22 Raptor Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation mission Aug. 29, releasing Joint Direct Attack Munitions on the Utah Test and Training Range.In one of the largest Raptor test phases to date, Air Force organizations are

  • AF support missions intensify after wake of Hurricane Katrina

    As thousands flee in a mass exodus from Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, hundreds of Airmen nationwide are flocking to the region to help recover from Hurricane Katrina's devastation.Dozens of Air Force aircraft have flown missions supporting Federal Emergency Management Agency humanitarian

  • AMC response groups establish airfield operations for hurricane relief

    In support of massive relief operations to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, several elements of the Air Mobility Command Contingency Response Group deployed to Louisiana and Mississippi Aug. 30 and 31 to establish air mobility operations.On Aug. 30, a four-person assessment team from the 615th

  • Hurricane Hunters rebound, gear up for next storm

    For a week and a half, Air Force Reserve Command's Hurricane Hunters from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew in and out of Hurricane Katrina around the clock gathering data.The Airmen provided the National Hurricane Center in Miami with critical information on the monster storm as it

  • Maxwell serves as staging facility for hurricane operations

    As evacuees continue to surge here fleeing the devastating affects of Hurricane Katrina, officials are bracing for the 1,300 Keesler Air Force Base training students expected here Sept. 3. So far, 750 hurricane refugees from flooded coastal regions have made their way here to escape what President

  • AF helicopter crews rescue 221 hurricane victims

    Air Force special operations helicopter crews from the 347th Rescue Wing rescued more than 200 people stranded in areas hard hit by Hurricane Katrina through Aug. 31.Flying from Jackson-Evers International Airport, Miss., these and other Air Force Special Operations Command aircrews are continuing

  • Hurricane Katrina relief effort total force response

    Airmen from across the Air Force are continuing to search for, rescue, evacuate, treat, feed and comfort Hurricane Katrina’s millions of victims.Most of the Airmen helping with relief operations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are deploying with units as part of a total force response. And

  • Jumper reflects on challenges facing Air Force

    During his final media availability session here Aug. 29, the departing chief of staff of the Air Force discussed his vision of the future force, Base Realignment and Closure and the challenges he faced as the service's senior military leader.Gen. John P. Jumper said he believes the F/A-22 Raptor is

  • AMC focusing on Katrina aeromedical evacuations

    The Tanker Airlift Control Center here is working to move as many aircraft as possible into the New Orleans airport to evacuate wounded.“If we can get three more planes in by nightfall (Aug. 31), we might be able to save another 100 people,” said Col. Jeff Franklin, a control center controller.There

  • Hurlburt combat engineers rush to aid of Keesler Airmen

    Combat engineers capable of rapid deployment into war zones are proving to be effective first responders in bringing aid to areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Airmen with the 823rd Red Horse Squadron here left early Aug. 30 bound for Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., one of the worst-hit areas in

  • Rescue squad brings experience to Cooperative Key

    More than 50 Airmen, along with two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters from the 56th Rescue Squadron at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, made the trip here to bring their special rescue skills to exercise Cooperative Key 05.The exercise, which began Aug. 24 and ends Sept. 5, is a multinational

  • Air Force provides support to hurricane relief effort

    The Air Force is part of the national support network that is providing aid to victims of Hurricane Katrina in disaster stricken regions of Mississippi and Louisiana.The 1st Air Force at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., is the lead for planning, orchestrating and overseeing Air Force support to Joint

  • Hurricane Katrina patients evacuated to Wilford Hall

    Two aircraft loaded with patients and expectant moms landed here Aug. 30 as aircrews and medics evacuated patients from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Critical Care Air Transport Teams and one obstetrics team from Wilford Hall Medical Center flew to Keesler earlier

  • Flyover to honor chief of staff change

    Old and new fighter aircraft will perform a farewell flyover for the outgoing Air Force chief and welcome the new chief during a ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on Sept. 2.Gen. John P. Jumper, the current Air Force chief of staff, will retire and pass the flag to the current vice chief of

  • People venture outside Keesler shelters

    For the first time since Hurricane Katrina forced them into shelters, 6,000 people at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., ventured outside for a breath of fresh air.That was late in the day on Aug. 30, just after eating their first hot meal since the devastating hurricane nearly blew the base and that

  • Columbus cleanup now under way

    People at this flight training base in northern Mississippi are breathing a collective sigh of relief as damage assessments and cleanup efforts continue.The base did not sustain any storm-related fatalities or injuries, base officials said.While Hurricane Katrina did not pass directly over the base,

  • Air Force Reserve flies missions to storm-ravaged areas

    Within hours after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, Air Force Reserve Command people and aircraft were headed toward disaster areas to help survivors.Three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters from the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., flew to Jackson, Miss., late Aug. 30 to

  • Military providing full-scale response to hurricane relief effort

    Joint Task Force Katrina is setting up Aug. 31 at Camp Shelby, Miss., as the Defense Department's focal point to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency's relief efforts along the Gulf Coast, said Maj. Eric Butterbaugh, a U.S. Northern Command spokesman.Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, 1st U.S.

  • AMC answering humanitarian call in aftermath of Katrina

    The Tanker Airlift Control Center here started generating missions Air Mobility Command aircrews will fly supporting Hurricane Katrina relief operations in Louisiana and Mississippi.The Federal Emergency Management Agency, through Northern Command and U.S. Transportation Command, asked for airlift

  • Katrina takes heavy toll at Keesler

    Hurricane Katrina smashed “a good 95 percent” of Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., turning it into a pile of debris and mud, said a base spokesperson.Lt. Col. Claudia Foss, 81st Training Wing public affairs officer, said water surges from the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of Biloxi reached depths of five

  • Commission wraps up BRAC decisions

    The Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission wrapped up four days of deliberations in final actions Aug. 26 and 27 by voting to turn Pope Air Force Base, N.C., into an Army airfield and recommending sweeping recommendations to revamp the Air National Guard and consolidate its operations.The

  • Silent protectors support Operation Enduring Freedom

    A silent protector continues to support the war on terrorism, often accomplishing its mission without the beneficiaries of the protection it offers even knowing a sortie is being flown.The EC-130H Compass Call is an airborne tactical system that disrupts enemy command and control communications, as

  • Bases hunker down to ride out Katrina

    As Hurricane Katrina devastates the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast, Air Force units in the area have hunkered down to ride out the storm.The powerful hurricane made landfall near Buras, La. -- close to the border between the two states -- at about 10 a.m. Aug. 29. Top winds reached about 145

  • Airmen support close-air support missions

    This time, things went down differently than planned. As arranged, the men prepped and fired a mortar at coalition forces. They shuttled into their vehicle, certain of a smooth exit. What the terrorists did not count on was what happened afterward: An American fighter aircraft zoomed overhead,

  • Kirtland Pave Hawk accident investigation complete

    The Air Force has completed its investigation of the HH-60G Pave Hawk accident May 11 near Angel Fire, N.M., which resulted in the death of an Air Force flight engineer.The accident investigation determined the primary cause of the mishap to be pilot error. Other factors included unfavorable

  • Logistics Airmen supply customers with team effort

    From the outside, it looks like nothing more than a giant storage unit, but inside, it is a one-stop shop.“If you don’t see what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place,” said Tech. Sgt. Tonya Hamilton, noncommissioned officer in charge of the base service supply store here. “I can get

  • Officials release Predator accident report

    An engine fire on an MQ-l Predator remotely piloted aircraft resulted in a March 27 crash at a forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia, according to an Accident Investigation Board report released by Air Combat Command on Aug. 26. The $3.7-million Predator, assigned to the 15th Reconnaissance

  • AF chief of staff change ceremony set for Sept. 2

    The swearing in of Gen. T. Michael Moseley as the Air Force’s 18th chief of staff will be broadcast live Sept. 2 from Andrews Air Force Base, Md. The live broadcast is scheduled for 10 a.m. EDT and will be available on the Pentagon Channel and on Air Force Link at http://www.af.mil/csaf/player.html

  • Commander sees AEF working from deployed perspective

    The Air and Space Expeditionary Force Center commander recently visited his largest customer in theater -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces.Brig. Gen. Stephen L. Hoog said there was no better place to see that the AEF is working as advertised than in the Southwest Asia and Central Asia.“I appreciate

  • Cooperative Key 05 kicks off

    More than 140 Airmen have joined servicemembers from 14 NATO and seven partner nations to participate in Cooperative Key 05, a NATO Air Force exercise.The exercise began Aug. 24 and runs through Sept. 5, with live flying taking place Aug. 27 through Sept. 4.The multinational exercise is designed to

  • Guardsmen make combat airdrop in Afghanistan

    Six Airmen from the North Carolina Air National Guard’s 156th Airlift Squadron traveled more than 7,000 miles recently to perform an airdrop mission over Afghanistan.The guardsmen, who are currently assigned to the 738th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at a forward-deployed location, airdropped more

  • Airmen control sky over Iraq

    With more than 270,000 square miles of playing field, Airmen with the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron have their game faces on, providing command and control of joint air operations supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Providing surveillance, identification, weapons control, theater missile

  • Airmen drop much-needed supplies to Soldiers, Marines

    Airmen from the 745th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron traveled to the eastern region of Afghanistan on Aug. 23 to resupply Soldiers and Marines who are helping Afghanistan prepare for elections Sept. 18.The mission, which included the delivery of more than 39,000 pounds of cargo, is just one of

  • Exchange program connects U.S., Dutch Airmen

    Training young pilots to push the F-16 Fighting Falcon to its operational limits is a job Lt. Col. David Stine loves as much as flying.Even better is doing both those things with the Royal Netherlands Air Force, he said. That is just what he has done for three years as an exchange pilot at this

  • Television star visits troops in Southwest Asia

    It is a common refrain in the cut-throat world of stand-up comedy that the hungriest and most fearless performers will go anywhere and work any room to get their levity-rich message to the masses.Drew Carey, among the most recognizable comedians in the world, stretched the “have laughs, will travel”

  • AGE Airmen pick up skills useful in civilian sector

    When Staff Sgt. Michele Calton spotted a stranded elderly woman whose car had broken down with smoke streaming from under the hood, her first instinct was not to call someone else for help. She calmly got out of her car in her 4-inch heels and skirt she wore for a girls’ night out, lifted up the

  • Homeland defense exercise wraps up in Alaska

    A massive homeland defense exercise in Alaska wrapped up Aug. 19 after five days of simulated natural disasters and terrorist events, including earthquakes, aircraft crashes and anthrax attacks in 21 communities statewide.Alaska Shield/Northern Edge 05 allowed local, state and federal agencies to

  • F-16 accident report released

    A catastrophic engine failure caused an F-16D Fighting Falcon to crash in a marsh adjacent to the Ashley River near Charleston, S.C., on April 18, according to an Air Force report released Aug. 23.The pilot and the passenger ejected from the aircraft and sustained minor injuries. The $23-million

  • Kadena medics provide lifeline in air

    Capt. Donna Hornberger held a satellite phone as her aircraft headed for an unknown airport in the middle of the night during a medical evacuation mission from Saipan. Their mission, she said, was to help a severely injured young child who was run over by a truck. The child was in critical

  • Airmen keep base supplied

    Laptops to lumber and even bicycles to B-52 Stratofortresses all have something in common at this forward-deployed location -- none of it gets here without the 15 Airmen with the 40th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Flight.These supply Airmen deployed from Minot Air Force Base, N.D. maintain a

  • Iraqi, U.S. C-130 crewmembers fly boy to receive heart surgery

    Although 8-year-old Baher looks happy and healthy, Iraqi and U.S. Air Force C-130 crewmembers knew his true condition when they gave him the ride of his life Aug. 22.Baher and his mother, Afaf, were headed to New Orleans to repair a hole in his heart via a new program called Operation Mend a Heart.

  • Command post's hidden mission important to base

    Many Airmen may not know what a command post controller contributes to the base mission because he or she is often hidden behind closed doors. The 506th Air Expeditionary Group command post’s main mission is to provide command and control in the alerting and communication networking for the base.

  • Ground incident report released

    The Failure of two hinge blades connecting sections of a portable tower caused it and a 470-pound camera mounted on top of the tower to collapse into a building at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C., on Dec. 23, Air Force officials said Aug. 19.The camera fell through the metal roof of the Joint Air

  • Vietnam War missing in action Airman identified

    Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office officials announced Aug. 19 that the remains of a U.S. Airman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.Col. Gregg Hartness, of Dallas, will be buried in

  • U.S. aircraft, troops popular at Moscow air show

    Staff Sgt. Christy Jeffreys is not new to traveling. In her nine year Air Force career, her job as a boom operator on the KC-10 Extender has taken her to more than 10 countries.But, this was the first time her job has also made her feel like a celebrity.Sergeant Jeffreys, a reservist assigned to

  • Thunderbirds continue their season after mishap

    The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are continuing their show schedule after reviewing their procedures following a mishap Aug. 20 at the Chicago Air and Water Show when two aircraft touched in flight.During one of the maneuvers, two of the team's F-16 Fighting Falcons touched wingtips. The show was

  • NATO, USAFE vie during Excalibur bombing competition

    ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England (AFPN) -- Aircraft from the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Air Force joined forces for a training exercise here Aug. 17 to 19.Excalibur, a multination bombing competition, is an opportunity for aircrew members to test their skills and pit their wits against each

  • Airmen contain fire on joint installation

    Firefighters with the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron contained a fire on the Army side of the base Aug. 15, only hours after they assumed fire protection coverage here and for Base Camp Adder. Six hours and 45 minutes after they officially took over, flames were shooting from a trailer

  • Airman donates hair to Locks of Love

    Eielson has many volunteers who give of themselves for the benefit of others. However, not many can say they committed themselves and prepared for more than a year before they could give their gift.Staff Sgt. Amanda Lamar, a unit deployment manager for the 354th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, grew

  • Guardsmen contribute to total force

    Maintaining and flying F-16 Fighting Falcons in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom is what Air National Guard units from Minnesota, Texas and Arkansas do to provide ground support to Soldiers and Marines. Demonstrating the power of a total force, these units, along with the active-duty 510th

  • Carlson assumes command of AFMC

    Gen. Bruce Carlson assumed command of Air Force Materiel Command from Gen. Gregory S. Martin on Aug. 19 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.General Carlson, who previously commanded the 8th Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., pinned on his fourth star in a private

  • Andersen answers call for help

    Airmen here answered the call for help from the government of Guam when a jumbo jet’s nose gear collapsed on the runway upon landing, closing Won Pat International Airport on Aug. 19.Andersen Airmen safely recovered eight aircraft with more than 830 passengers. It is a fantastic feeling when Team

  • Couple gets surprise home delivery

    While most pregnancies end with a trip to the hospital and delivery with the assistance of medical professionals, one Airman here and his wife got to experience their child’s birth from the “comfort” of their own home.Staff Sgt. David Hayes, of the 347th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, quickly turned

  • Shuttle lands, departs under Edwards watchful eye

    From its Aug. 9 landing to its Aug. 19 departure here on the back of a modified Boeing 747, civilians and Airmen here remained heavily engaged in supporting Space Shuttle Discovery.While the shuttle and its mission were primarily NASA's responsibility, Edwards played a major role in bringing the

  • New runway opens possibilities at Balad

    A C-12 made history Aug. 15 when its wheels touched down here on a little-known piece of airfield. It was the first aircraft to take off and land on Balad’s newest runway.“The completion of the runway gives us an exponential increase in the efficiency of the airfield,” said Brig. Gen. Frank Gorenc,

  • Airmen see Russia up close

    As far as security forces Airmen are concerned, protecting aircraft in one location is like protecting aircraft in another. The scenery may change, but the procedures do not -- unless, of course, the aircraft are in the former Soviet Union.For the 17 Airmen of the 48th Security Forces Squadron from

  • Officials announce 2005 awards for air mobility excellence

    Air Mobility Command officials recently announced this year's Airlift/Tanker Association award winners.Each year, the association recognizes individuals who have demonstrated superior leadership, made outstanding contributions to the airlift/tanker mission, and provided invaluable service to their

  • Civil Engineers help bring light in the night

    In this small village located 287 miles west of Anchorage, air travel is the sole means to enter and leave the town.The 4,750-foot gravel airstrip lined with orange cones is essentially the town’s lifeline to the rest of the state. This lifeline has been significantly strengthened through the

  • America’s B-1B Lancer takes to Russian sky

    Because of its ability to rapidly deliver massive quantities of weapons against any adversary in the world, the capabilities of America’s B-1B Lancer may have once been feared by the former Soviet Union during the Cold War.Now it is demonstrating its capabilities during the Moscow International

  • Unmanned aircraft capabilities expanding in war on terrorism

    Once used only for remote reconnaissance, unmanned aircraft technology has rapidly evolved in recent years. Such systems now feature strike capabilities and are being used for force-protection and signals-collection missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.Unmanned aerial systems "have helped reduce the

  • New flag-folding script focuses on history, AF significance

    Air Force leaders recently approved a new script that can be read during flag-folding ceremonies. Though there are no official ceremonies in the Air Force that require a script to be read when a flag is folded, unofficial ceremonies such as retirements often do, said Lt. Col. Samuel Hudspath, Air

  • Airmen support PACAF operations while deployed

    About 300 Airmen from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, are perfecting their F-15E Strike Eagle skills during an air and space expeditionary force deployment here. “Our deployment here has been excellent,” said Capt. Joe Ryther, an F-15E pilot with the 391st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron.

  • Firefighters: more than fighting blazes

    While many children may have dreamed about being firefighters when they grew up, only a small handful of people actually chased down those dreams.For the more than 80 people with the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron’s fire protection flight here, being the ones who rush into a burning building is more

  • Total force shares capabilities

    The assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs told a panel of Base Realignment and Closure commissioners the Air Force would change its size and modify its missions.The Air Force will become smaller in terms of the number of aircraft the service keeps. If the Air Force's

  • Training keeping Spangdahlem ‘Warthogs’ ready to deploy

    A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots at this hilltop base are busy flying and training for their next deployment, which could be to Afghanistan -- again.That is not a certainty, but deploying to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, is almost routine for the 81st Fighter Squadron. As the only A-10 unit stationed in

  • Air Force seeks stories from ‘9/11 Generation’

    The face of the world changed when terrorists intentionally crashed commercial aircraft into the Twin Towers in New York and into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. A global audience watched the attacks live on television, and the repeated images haunted many for weeks, months or even years.These

  • Mechanics keep war effort rolling

    High-mobility multipurpose-wheeled vehicles began serving America’s Soldiers, Airmen and Marines worldwide in 1983. For 22 years the vehicle has been an icon for troops supporting the full spectrum of operations from humanitarian and disaster relief to major theater war.The Humvee has proven its

  • Spangdahlem’s new airlift mission has room for expansion

    The 726th Airlift Support Squadron has not finished moving here from Rhein-Main Air Base, but its new home might have already earned it a bigger airlift mission.On Oct. 1, the squadron starts operations from its state-of-the art facility at this longtime fighter base in Germany’s Eifel region. It

  • Only sky proves limit for ‘mountain men’

    For some people, reaching the top is enough. For two 352nd Special Operations Group pilots here, reaching the top of the world was not enough.Capt. Rob Marshall of the 67th Special Operations Squadron, and 1st Lt. Mark Uberuaga of the 21st Special Operations Squadron, recently returned from

  • U.S., Russia strengthening ties through Moscow air show

    When it comes to forging bonds and strengthening relationships, it seems that the U.S. and Russia have gotten the hang of it. About 100 U.S. servicemembers and eight U.S. aircraft are playing an active part in the Moscow International Aviation and Space Salon from Aug. 16 to 21 at Ramenskoye

  • Kirkuk’s tower controls sky

    “Kirkuk tower; snake one one. Flight of two checking in eight miles out established on final.”“Snake one one; Kirkuk tower. Check wheels down wind, estimated zero one zero at five, cleared to land.”Like a scene from a movie, this real-world scenario features the official “talk” of air traffic

  • C-130 maintainers sustain mission readiness

    A combined team of active-duty and Guard C-130 Hercules maintainers with the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron are keeping mission-capable rates for the base’s fleet in the high 90s.The squadron, comprising active-duty Airmen and guardsmen working together as part of the air mobility team,

  • First Air Force Stryker unit deploys to Iraq

    The first Air Force Stryker unit marked its first deployment with the high-tech Army vehicle when it departed here Aug. 14 for Iraq.About 20 Airmen from the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron deployed with the Army’s 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, both stationed at nearby Fort Wainwright.“Our

  • Museum of Aviation earns national accreditation

    The Museum of Aviation here has been awarded national accreditation by the American Association of Museums.The recognition places the museum in a group of only nine aviation museums in the nation that have met the AAM standards of achievement. Accreditation signifies excellence within the museum

  • What's in a name?

    When researching what to call their children, parents often turn to a book of popular names. Or, they may select one they have heard simply because they like it.The process is not so simple when naming a military aerospace vehicle. For the Air Force and its sister services, the process begins

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

    U.S. Air Force maintainers chocked and secured six aircraft at Ramenskoye Airfield here Aug. 14, as they prepared to participate in the Moscow International Aviation and Space Salon.About 100 U.S. serviceembers are playing an active part in the Moscow air show Aug. 16 to 21, where visitors can get a

  • FTF set to leave lasting impression in Pacific theater

    The Air Force broke ground last August for the first Pacific Air Forces C-17 Globemaster III squadron based outside the continental United States. One year later, using the Future Total Force initiative with an eye toward the future, Hickam Air Force Base is building a strong foundation for a new

  • Kadena medics gain knowledge while deployed

    Aeromedical nurses and technicians here are helping save hundreds of servicemembers’ who are supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Aside from tending to the sick and wounded, these Airmen are gaining invaluable experience working in a multiservice operation, and treating injuries

  • U.S. military set to take part in Moscow air show

    Eight U.S. Air Force aircraft and 100 people will participate in the Moscow International Air Show 2005 at Ramenskoye Airfield, Russia, from Aug. 16 to 21.Aircraft will include two F-15E Strike Eagles, two F-16 Fighting Falcons, a KC-10 Extender, a KC-135 Stratotanker and two B-1B Lancers.The B-1B

  • Rhein-Main still ticking as closure looms nears

    Though this base’s mission ends Oct. 1, its people are still doing what made it the Air Force’s premier airlift hub in Europe -- airlift support.The base, which shares runways with Frankfurt International Airport, has been drawing down since 1999 for its December closure. Its landmass has already

  • Airmen test new small diameter bomb system

    Gunfighters with the 366th Maintenance Group here put their skills to use when they tested a new small diameter bomb system Aug. 3 to 5.The GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb system is a low-cost, precision-strike weapon system that will soon be used by fighters, bombers and unmanned combat air vehicles.

  • Firefighters prepared when disaster strikes

    When there is an emergency, they are on the scene protecting Airmen and resources. But firefighters here do more than just battle flames; their inspections and training programs are tools they use to prevent emergencies that pose risks to fellow Airmen.“We provide aircraft crash rescue and

  • BRAC focus on right-sizing total force

    The co-chairman of the Air Force's base closure executive group recently discussed the views the Air Force took when considering the Base Realignment and Closure recommendations."We have to base our future Air Force on a smaller but more capable force, and organize that force in the most effective

  • Vandenberg aids in Discovery landing

    The Space Shuttle Discovery landed safely Aug. 9 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., partly because of the efforts of Airmen at the 30th Space Wing here.Airmen in Western Range operations and the 76th Helicopter Flight supported the re-entry and landing of the shuttle at Edwards after it was unable