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  • Kadena Airmen rescue stranded surfer

    A day of surfing in Okinawa could have turned deadly for a Marine Corps family member the evening of Aug. 5 had it not been for the quick efforts of Airmen here.An HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crew jumped into action after the Japanese coast guard asked Kadena's 18th Wing for assistance in finding a

  • Future Total Force in step with PACAF mission

    As the Future Total Force initiative integrates with Air Force operations in the Pacific, the transition is looking good, said the Pacific Air Forces commander.“The transformational pieces of our capabilities are clearly in the form of long-range bombers, the C-17 (Globemaster III), F/A-22 (Raptor)

  • Life support technicians inspect, maintain survival equipment

    The 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron's life support section is full of aircrew life support technicians who work hard every day since their work can mean "life or death" for C-130 Hercules aircrews and passengers.Life support equipment always has to be in tip-top condition to be ready whenever a

  • Deployed Airmen reflect bravery, selfless determination

    Security forces Airmen here have demonstrated their bravery in the face of the enemy as they work side by side with Soldiers in detainee operations.Col. Jim Brown, 18th Military Police Brigade commander, praised the Airmen with the 447th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron for their noble

  • ‘Dragon Lady’ celebrates 50th anniversary

    As people stood by eagerly awaiting its arrival, the U-2 "Dragon Lady," queen of the aerial surveillance and reconnaissance kingdom, glided onto the runway here Aug. 2 proclaiming the beginning of a celebration. Based at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., the U-2 was here as a static display in

  • AMC answers call to help rescue Russian sailors

    Air Mobility Command was called upon Aug. 5 to assist in the rescue effort to save seven Russian sailors stranded aboard a submarine off Russia's Pacific coast.The minisubmarine, an AS-28, became tangled in a fishing net Aug. 4 during a military exercise near the Kamchatka peninsula in Siberia.AMC

  • Report: Failed pilot bearing caused Predator crash

    A failed pilot bearing caused an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle to crash in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility March 30, according to an Air Force report released Aug. 4.The Predator, assigned to the 57th Wing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., was performing an intelligence,

  • Better than aviation education is a really cool patch

    About 43,000 Boy Scouts departed this Army installation Aug. 3 after 10 days of scouting, camping and learning. As part of the 2005 National Scout Jamboree, Boy Scouts nationwide gathered to make new friends, practice their scouting skills and earn "merit badges." Thanks to retired Lt. Col. Tom

  • Edwards, Eglin combine testing on next-generation F-16

    Combining two aircraft missions into one is not an easy feat, but that is exactly what engineers and pilots from here and Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., are testing. In the process, they have also combined operational and developmental into one testing effort.Five F-16 Fighting Falcons and aircrews

  • Airmen support Soldiers with airdrop

    To keep yet another convoy off the road, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing aircrews at this forward-deployed location recently gave a textbook example of what agile combat support is all about.Several C-130 Hercules airdropped more than 69,000 pounds of Meals, Ready to Eat to U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers

  • Cold steel warms Airmen’s hearts

    The 446th Airlift Wing's aircraft maintenance crews are known for expertise on the job, but it is the tight, family like structure that helps keep them bonded together. Once again, they have come up with their own unique way to maintain that close-knit atmosphere, even while thousands of miles

  • Fuels Airmen keep more than planes operational

    For 19 years now, Master Sgt. David Chandler’s mother proudly tells everyone she meets that her son “passes gas for a living” in the U.S. Air Force.The fuels manager with the 407th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels management flight here is not fazed. He is heard them all and is ready

  • Critical days continue to take Airmen

    The fatal auto accident that claimed the lives of two Airmen in Germany recently raised the Air Force’s death toll to 24 during this year’s “101 Critical Days of Summer.”While that number is fairly typical for summer fatalities, it is still too high, said Tom Pazell, deputy chief of Air Force Ground

  • Tomorrow’s leaders get first-hand look at life after academy

    While most college students enjoy the summer out of school, U.S. Air Force Academy cadets use their break for a look into the future.Operation Air Force sends cadets to Air Force bases worldwide to give them a taste of what life will be like when they become commissioned officers.For the past two

  • Crew chiefs turn bombers like fighters

    Postmen have nothing on these guys, particularly Tech. Sgt. Shannon Reynolds, a crew chief with the 40th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron at this forward-deployed location.He is one of 37 crew chiefs from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., who not only contend with bitterly cold winters and mountains of

  • Staging facility takes over where hospital leaves off

    It is 10:30 p.m., and the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group’s contingency aeromedical staging facility here is a flurry of activity. The doctors, nurses and technicians are making their rounds while other Airmen are checking in new arrivals, processing movement paperwork, palletizing bags and making

  • Team effort brings America’s wounded troops home

    Moving wounded American servicemembers from the frontlines in Southwest Asia to hospitals in the United States is no easy task. The effort requires everything from treating patients in forward-deployed locations to airlifting and caring for them as they move from overseas to stateside locations.One

  • Spangdahlem pilots fly missions in Romania

    About 160 Airmen from the 81st Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, recently conducted the first Air Force fighter training mission in Constanta, Romania.The two-week exercise that ended July 31 aligned with Romanian-American Training Exercise 2005, a joint and combined effort with the

  • Uzbeks ask U.S. to leave Karshi-Khanabad

    Uzbekistan has exercised its rights under an October 2001 bilateral agreement to end coalition use of Karshi-Khanabad airfield.The Uzbek government delivered a note July 29 to the U.S. embassy in Tashkent giving the United States 180 days to withdraw its forces from the strategic field. About 800

  • Guard, Reserve integrate seamlessly into Nellis organization

    Organizations at the Air Warfare Center here are taking the concept, “One Team, One Fight,” literally and are combining active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command personnel in all mission areas.“This is a smarter, better way of doing business, because we’re able to capitalize on

  • Air Force fighting fires at home

    Guardsmen and reservists are used to international situations that call for them to put out fires. Now, they are doing it here at home -- literally.More than 60 guardsmen and four specially equipped C-130 Hercules from North Carolina and Wyoming Air National Guard units are battling blazes in the

  • Battlelab develops C-5 aircrew night vision system

    C-5 Galaxy aircrews must tape over some white lights in the cockpit of their huge aircraft before missions into a “blacked out” environment when they must use night vision goggles.Sometimes crews use flashlights or even pull circuit breakers and light bulbs for other light systems to minimize the

  • Predator operators see whole picture

    Each MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle mission flown in the Iraqi sky begins and ends here.Predator operators deployed here put the aircraft in the air and make sure it lands safely. Sitting side by side in the “cockpit,” enlisted Airmen and officers work as a team providing top cover to

  • Aeromedical evacuation process key to saving lives in Iraq

    In battle, one of the hardest challenges is saving the wounded. Medical professionals encounter injuries not normally seen in peacetime, and many times see multiple life-threatening injures requiring immediate treatment on the battlefield.Another problem is moving patients across hot desert sands on

  • Deployed leaders take ‘vest-ed’ interest in being cool

    The first test was in an outhouse.Saddled in the middle of Baghdad -- where temperatures are reaching at least 120 degrees -- that outhouse had all the qualities Capt. James Ross needed to test his idea to cool off flightline logistics workers from the stifling heat.His idea -- a “cool vest.” The

  • Friendship stands strong when duty calls

    Two families here will share a life-changing event in August.Robin Lawley, McConnell Base Exchange barber shop manager, will receive a liver transplant in August.To her surprise, the donor is a longtime customer and friend, Charles Smith, 22nd Security Forces Squadron information and industrial

  • First Future Total Force wing proves successful

    The first Future Total Force wing, the 116th Air Control Wing, is nearing its third birthday since merging active-duty Air Force, Army and Air National Guard units to form a “blended wing.”In October 2002, America’s first total force wing took flight as the 116th ACW and made history by combining

  • Davis-Monthan woman recognized for helping environment

    An environmental engineer here won $2,500 from “Good Housekeeping” magazine as a runner-up for the magazine’s Women in Government award.Karen Oden is assigned to the 355th Civil Engineer Squadron.The women selected for the award worked endless hours overcoming huge hurdles to make big changes,

  • Shaw F-16s intercept shuttle airspace violator

    Two F-16 Fighting Falcons, enforcing a temporary no-fly zone around the Space Shuttle Discovery launch site at Cape Canaveral, Fla., intercepted and escorted a small civilian aircraft from the area July 26.It was during the nine-minute hold in the countdown when the pilots recieved the call from

  • Cope North bilateral exercise wraps up in Guam

    The thunder in the Guam sky has subsided with the conclusion of Cope North, a bilateral exercise between Airmen from the U.S. Air Force and the Japan air self-defense force.The exercise, which ended July 21, was designed to enhance U.S. and Japanese air operations by training in air combat tactics,

  • Airmen missing from Vietnam War identified

    Officials with the Department of Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office announced July 26 that the remains of two Airmen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.They are Col. James Lewis of

  • Predictability added to deployed travel

    Most deployed Airmen know how far along they are in their rotation and when they expect to return home.Until recently, that date was mostly speculation, but, thanks to aggregation, Airmen will know exactly when their replacement is coming and when they will leave.U.S. Central Command Air Forces

  • U.S. still welcome at Manas, Kyrgyzstan minister says

    The United States is welcome to continue using Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan's defense minister said here July 26.Gen.Maj. Ismail Isakov also said that any future movement of U.S. troops out of Kyrgyzstan "fully depends upon the situation in Afghanistan." After Afghanistan is stabilized there would be

  • Airmen maintain airlift operations in Africa

    The early morning roar of eight engines from two C-130 Hercules here is music to the ears of the aircraft maintainers watching over them. To Airmen with the 86th Air Expeditionary Group’s maintenance team from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, it means the mission which began July 16 to bring Rwandan

  • Tankers take care of deployed aircrews

    Airman 1st Class Robert Willis celebrated his 21st birthday in a rather unusual manner July 22 -- offloading 85,200 pounds of jet fuel at 27,500 feet to a B-52 Stratofortress bound for Afghanistan.It was merely another day at the “office” for the boom operator on the KC-135 Stratotanker air

  • Future Total Force arrives for duty in Vermont

    Airman 1st Class Kirshell LaCroix had not even graduated from technical school when she decided to jump into the Future Total Force. She landed in South Burlington, Vt., about a month ago, and the 20-year-old electrical and environmental aircraft maintenance apprentice said it looks like she made

  • Teamwork moves Rwandan troops

    It takes a lot more than Hercules to move Rwandan Defense Force members to the Darfur region of the Sudan. The C-130 Hercules needs a team working together to make sure things go right. In fact, there were 10 crewmembers on each of the flights working together to ensure the 13-hour, round-trip

  • Planes soar thanks to Baghdad's ‘tower of power’

    Except for a thick dusty haze squatting on the city from day to day, Baghdad and the surrounding Iraqi countryside would be completely visible from here. Being 180 feet taller than almost any other vantage point in the city, Baghdad International Airport's control tower has certain advantages.The

  • Reserve improves safety, floor space on rescue helicopters

    Air Force Reserve Command’s 15 combat search and rescue helicopters will get improved crew seats and more cabin space to care for rescued people when modifications are complete this year. The HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters will feature safer, more ergonomic cabin crew seats, and new auxiliary fuel

  • Supersonic JDAM drop marks increase in Raptor capability

    As the midafternoon sun blazed on the Mojave Desert and thunderclouds loomed in the distance, a sleek dark gray war bird took to the sky to push the envelope of flight testing.At the controls, Maj. John Teichert, a 411th Flight Test Squadron test pilot, pushed the F/A-22 Raptor past Mach 1, opened

  • On target: Ammo Airmen do bang up job

    Tucked away behind tall bunkers and old engine parts lays a unique greenhouse with a special crop.Inside a crop of bullets, bombs and explosives receive care and attention fro a group of unique Airmen.From inspections and maintenance to overall accountability, the Airmen of the 332nd Expeditionary

  • Blue Flag starts with bang at Nellis, Hurlburt Field

    Joint forces from around the United States, along with 11 coalition partners, converged here and at the Combined Air Operations Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., for the start of Blue Flag 05-02 on July 24.About 2,000 joint troops, led by 9th Air Force, are participating at the two locations

  • Test pilot school selection board date set

    Air Force officials plan to hold the next test pilot school selection board at the Air Force Personnel Center here Nov. 28 to Dec. 2 for classes beginning in July 2006 and January 2007.The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School trains pilots and navigators as well as civilian and military engineers to

  • Future Total Force outlined on Capitol Hill

    There will be no "gap" between the end of assigned missions for Air National Guard units and the beginning of their replacement missions.In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee on July 20, the director of Air Force plans and programs told legislators the service is working hard to

  • Airmen make two saves in one day

    Lying on the ground, he leaned his head and saw the small bird that filled the air with the sounds of a warm summer afternoon. The sun had woken him earlier and lit the mountaintops, which burst into an array of color.As the summer breeze cooled him, Alexander Ryan thought of the events that placed

  • Airmen deliver fuel in flight

    Staff Sgt. Jonny Gomez is not the type of guy to take something lying down, but he is extremely proficient at giving it out that way.Giving fuel, that is, and when he is belly down in the boom pod of a KC-135 Stratotanker, the responsibility of aerial refueling aircraft supporting the war on

  • Airmen keep ground equipment working, mission flying

    Even though they are maintainers, they do not turn a single wrench on a jet. But without them neither does anyone else.Bomber aerospace ground equipment Airmen work around-the-clock to maintain a 95.9-percent in-commission rate on the 121 pieces of equipment maintainers, back shops, weapons loaders

  • Airmen support Soldiers, Marines with up-armor kits

    Soldiers and Marines can thank a team of blue-suited warriors at this forward-deployed location for helping put new armor on vehicles they use to battle insurgents.Airmen of the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron are on a 24-hour treadmill, racing to provide life-saving and force-protection

  • USAFE helps Rwandan troops deploy to Darfur

    A C-17 Globemaster III departed here July 18 carrying 95 Rwandan troops deploying to help ease the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. The airlift started the 86th Aerospace Expeditionary Group’s involvement in NATO’s support to the African Union expanded mission in the region. The

  • Milwaukee C-130 crew earns flying award

    Six reservists earned the 2004 Air Force Association Outstanding Reserve Aircrew Award for safely landing their C-130 Hercules after it was damaged by enemy ground fire, officials announced July 13.Maj. Rolf Breen and his crew from Milwaukee's 440th Airlift Wing saved not only themselves and their

  • USAFE supports Royal International Air Tattoo

    More than 150,000 people attended the 2005 Royal International Air Tattoo here July 16 and 17, air show officials said. The air show has been officially named by the “Guinness Book of Records” as the world’s largest military air show with participation of more than 300 aircraft from more than 30

  • Airmen keep mission rolling

    Every day, dozens of C-130 Hercules aircraft at this forward-deployed location fly to Iraq with their bellies full of critical supplies and people to support the war on terrorism.But the cargo does not just magically appear in the aircraft. Airmen of the 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness

  • Ramstein planes, Airmen depart for Darfur mission

    Three C-130 Hercules from the 86th Airlift Wing and about 40 Airmen here left July 16 for Kigali, Rwanda, to begin a monthlong airlift mission to the Darfur region of Sudan. The mission is part of NATO’s response to support the African Union’s expanded peacekeeping mission in Darfur with logistics

  • Reservists airlift dolphin to Florida

    No one knows how or why Noah, a rough-toothed dolphin, ended up near death on a Texas beach last August; however his journey home drew national attention July 15 when he was loaded onto a C-130J Hercules for a flight to Florida.A crew from Air Force Reserve Command’s 815th Airlift Squadron here was

  • Captain deployed with German helicopter unit in Kosovo

    Since Vietnam, helicopters have proven how invaluable they are in day-to-day operations in a combat zone because of their flexibility. Today’s helicopter crews must be “jacks of all trades,” ready to fly whatever mission they are assigned.One Airman assigned to the German contingent supporting

  • 'Families First' to transform personal moves

    The process of servicemembers moving their household goods -- virtually unchanged for many years -- is about to transform.The Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command here is developing a new process called “Families First,” scheduled to launch Feb. 1, 2006."We are extremely proud to

  • Flying force-multiplier provides eyes forward

    A small, lightweight airborne surveillance system is paying big dividends in helping the 379th Security Forces Squadron accomplish its mission while safeguarding the Air Force’s most valuable asset -- Airmen.The system serves as eyes forward for security forces Airmen and provides a visual of

  • Afghanistan launches regional air control center

    The Kabul Air Control Center officially opened July 12 with a ceremony presided by the second vice president of Afghanistan.“The formal opening of the Kabul Air Control Center symbolizes the success of the people of Afghanistan, the Ministry of Transport and coalition forces,” said Brig. Gen. Allen

  • F-16 pilots provide support for troops on the battlefield

    In an instant they are gone, but the 510th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron’s F-16 Fighting Falcons can be found in the Iraqi sky providing air support for servicemembers fighting against insurgents on the ground. The 510th EFS provides support for ground commanders countrywide. These tasks include

  • Red Horse Airmen keep Afghan supply lanes open

    The sight of a C-17 Globemaster III coming in for a landing here can be awe-inspiring. The 174-foot-long transport drops from the sky in an instant. Its thrust-reversing engines create a thunderous sound that lets all around know it has landed.More importantly, with a payload of up to 170,900

  • Brothers reunite in Iraq, share security patrol mission

    When many Americans think about the Army, they envision gunslinging Soldiers securing a tactical area.When they think about the Air Force, many visualize pilots or mechanics preparing to launch an aircraft.Two brothers deployed to Iraq, however, dispel those stereotypes.Staff Sgt. Brian Czerniak, a

  • McNabb nominated to command AMC

    President Bush has nominated Lt. Gen. Duncan J. McNabb for the rank of general and to command Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.General McNabb is currently the director of logistics for the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. Before that assignment he was the Air Force deputy chief of

  • Military astronauts prepare for Discovery mission

    The Defense Department will be well-represented when Space Shuttle Discovery launches into space July 13, with three of the seven crewmembers from the military, including the commander, retired Col. Eileen Collins.As the clock ticks toward the scheduled 3:51 p.m. EDT liftoff, crews are making final

  • Arnold AFB linked to space shuttle return-to-flight program

    The Arnold Engineering Development Center here played an important role in supporting NASA’s space shuttle return-to-flight program that will culminate with the July 13 scheduled launch of Space Shuttle Discovery.Following the February 2003 breakup of Space Shuttle Columbia during re-entry into the

  • Altus aircrew showcases dual-row airdrop

    An aircrew from the 58th Airlift Squadron here has made the first dual-row airdrop from a C-17 Globemaster III July 5."Dual row airdrops allow for twice as much cargo and heavy equipment to be delivered into a combat environment as compared to the conventional single row drop," said Lt. Col. Tal

  • Ammo, weapons Airmen get job done despite friendly rivalry

    While most, if not all, Airmen of the 40th Air Expeditionary Group take pride in their jobs, two seemingly similar specialties take it to a level where a friendly rivalry exists at this forward-deployed location.Make no mistake about the distinction between munitions and weapons Airmen. Those who

  • Edwards' warriors walk for cancer cure

    A broken arm is serious but will heal completely. The flu can leave one bedridden, but disappear in a week or so. But the effect of a chronic illness like cancer is there to stay -- it changes lives forever.This is how Michele Chebahtah, the 412th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron training manager,

  • Military taking precautions as Hurricane Dennis approaches

    Hurricane Dennis is bearing down on the United States, and servicemembers -- like others in the path of this Category 4 storm -- are taking precautions. The storm, which is moving toward the Florida Keys, has sustained winds of more than 140 miles per hour and could strengthen, said officials at the

  • Officials issue stop movement, Florida bases evacuated

    As people and aircraft evacuate some Florida bases July 8 with the approach of Hurricane Dennis, Air Force officials have placed a ”stop movement” order for people permanently moving to or transiting to some Florida and Missippi installations. Affected installations are Whiting Field, Hurlburt

  • Services Airmen work to improve quality of life

    Long hours and long days fill the four months or more many Airmen spend deployed here, so a good quality of life is an integral part of mission success, said Maj. Brian Eddy, 332nd Expeditionary Services Squadron commander.The squadron’s goal is to contribute to the readiness and improved

  • Airmen teach C-130 ops to Iraqis, learn about sacrifice

    When a crew of instructors deployed here to teach Iraqi airmen the finer points of flying and maintaining C-130 Hercules, they knew they had a monumental task in front of them. But what they found was something unexpected. Slowly over several months, Iraqi and U.S. Airmen have developed lifelong

  • PACAF prepares for Cope North

    Units from the U.S. Air Force and the Japan Air Self Defense Force will take part in the annual Cope North exercise here July 11 to 21.Cope North is a bilateral exercise designed to enhance U.S. and Japanese air operations. It gives pilots from both countries opportunities to conduct training in

  • Becoming Thunderbird is dream come true for Nevada native

    She was only 5 years old when she saw an F-4 Phantom fighter jet soar and maneuver through the clouds during an air show. It was then she knew she would someday do the same.Now, 26 years later, Capt. Nicole Malachowski is getting her chance to do just that and enter the history book at the same

  • Report: Loss of control caused Predator crash

    The loss of control of an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle caused it to run out of fuel and crash Jan. 14 at a forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia, Air Force officials said July 6. The $3.5 million Predator, which belonged to the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base,

  • F-16 maintainers make sure curtain gets raised

    Like a Broadway show, the stars get all the attention. But behind the scenes, key roles must be performed for the show to go on.The theater that the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing performs under features fast, agile fighter planes providing air support for troops on the ground. But without the hard

  • Initial success or total failure; no in between for EOD

    One job for civil engineers does not allow for mistakes. It is either initial success or total failure.Explosive ordnance disposal units are made up of people of doubtful reliability and questionable mentality, according to a mission briefing put together by Tech. Sgt. Thomas Cowern, 40th

  • Senate confirms Moseley as next CSAF

    The Senate has confirmed Gen. T. Michael Moseley as the next chief of staff of the Air Force. He is the current Air Force vice chief of staff.General Moseley met with members of the Senate Armed Services Committee June 29 during his confirmation hearing. Following the approval of the committee,

  • C-130J conducts first-ever combat airdrop

    Air Force history was made June 30 when the newest addition to the cargo fleet proved its capabilities during the first-ever C-130J Hercules combat airdrop. The new J-model aircraft has been put to the test on various missions both at home and abroad on numerous occasions to ensure it meets all

  • Air Force takes part in joint training transformation

    Linking aircraft simulators with live forces and simulators of other services have been the Air Force’s most visible contributions to the Department of Defense's joint training transformation effort. DOD has been working to make training for war a team effort, pushing the four services -- who often

  • Airmen share culture with South Koreans

    Airmen here got to see what it is like on the “other side of the fence” recently when they spent the night learning and sharing experiences with more than 20 South Korean families from nearby Jeonju City.Airmen from several base squadrons volunteered for the Korean Red Cross Cultural Awareness

  • Moseley confirmation hearing held

    The Air Force chief of staff nominee testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee here June 29."I am deeply humbled and honored to be here," Gen. T. Michael Moseley said. "I truly appreciate the enormity and responsibility of the office of chief of staff of the Air Force."General Moseley,

  • 50th anniversary of B-52 delivery

    Even though it recently turned 50, the B-52 Stratofortress is still capable of dropping or launching the widest array of weapons in the U.S. inventory. And its lifespan has been calculated to extend beyond the year 2040. June 29 marked the 50th anniversary for the B-52, also known as the “Big Ugly

  • Report: Pilot’s failure to follow procedures caused F-16 crash

    A pilot's failure to follow standard F-16 Fighting Falcon operations procedures caused a D-model F-16 to crash short of the runway at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., on March 18, Air Force officials said June 30.The incident happened when the pilot, assigned to Nellis' 57th Wing, was returning to the

  • Airmen get ACCES to better communication

    The most important word in a maintenance operation is “stop!” To help spread the work, the attenuating customized communications earpiece system was developed by Air Force Research Laboratory scientists and local F/A-22 Raptor specialists. The earpiece makes it easier for pilots and maintainers to

  • Civilian ensures Fourth of July celebration goes off with bang

    For Bob Howett, the Fourth of July is his time to shine, and he has the scar to prove it. During his final Air Force assignment here 25 years ago, the former jet mechanic discovered his love of fireworks. It is that love of explosives that has kept him pleasing crowds worldwide.Mr. Howett started

  • Report: Reduced visibility caused midair collision

    Air Force officials have completed their investigation of the midair collision between a T-37 Tweet and a civilian crop-duster Jan. 18 near Hollister, Okla., which resulted in a civilian pilot’s death.Accident investigators determined there were two causes to the accident. First, the Tweet aircrew,

  • Airman missing from Vietnam War identified

    The Department of Defense POW/MIA Personnel Office announced June 29 that the remains of an Airman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial.Lt. Col. Darel Leetun of Hettinger, N.D., will be buried with full military honors July 8

  • 60th Fighter Squadron wins air-superiority trophy

    For the second time in less than 10 years, the 60th Fighter Squadron is the winner of the Raytheon Trophy.Started in 1953 by Hughes Aircraft Company, the trophy is given annually to the top air-superiority or air-defense squadron in the Air Force.“It’s quite an honor -- bottom line it’s the highest

  • Pilot ejects safely after F-16 skids off runway

    An F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot ejected safely after an emergency landing June 28 at nearby Lamar Airfield.The accident occurred during a training flight in a southeast Colorado military training area. He was attempting an emergency landing after receiving a cockpit fire warning indication. The

  • Airman flies to Dog Island to test radio communication

    An avid private pilot and amateur radio operator assigned here participated in Field Day 2005 on June 25, a national emergency preparedness exercise aimed at ham radio operators.Working alone on a desolate island, Lt. Col. Edward Linch combined his two passions and brought a concept he has long

  • Exercise trains U.S. forces for combat missions

    Airmen, Sailors and Marines got a taste of realistic combat during Pacific Air Force’s premier combat-air power exercise, Cooperative Cope Thunder, which ended here June 24.About 400 U.S. forces and their 30 aircraft conducted operations together during two weeks of large-force employment training.

  • Air Force transformation in Europe aiding terror war

    The transformation taking place throughout the Defense Department started early for U.S. Air Forces in Europe, which began reshaping and repositioning its assets 15 years ago and is now better prepared to support the war on terrorism, the command's top officer said June 23.Gen. Robert H. "Doc"

  • U-2 pilot identified

    Department of Defense officials identified the pilot killed in a U-2 surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft crash June 22 in Southwest Asia.Maj. Duane Dively, 43, of Rancho California, Calif., had completed flying a mission supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and was returning to his base when

  • Airdrop, refueling events take flight at Rodeo 2005

    The airdrop and air refueling event at Rodeo 2005 included 33 international and U.S. aircraft on a mission to become the best of the best.“These crewmembers were sent by their wings and their nations to represent them, having gone through intense training to hone their skills to be the best

  • C-17s cross globe to assist international exercise

    Six C-17 Globemaster IIIs flew from Alaska to Australia June 18 to 21 to help launch the Talisman Saber 2005 international exercise. The exercise involved more than 6,000 Australian and 10,000 U.S. servicemembers from the Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy.The C-17s were from here and Charleston AFB,

  • Seymour Johnson crew carries Reserve torch at Rodeo

    Aircraft at Rodeo 2005 come in many shapes and sizes, but one thing they have in common is their need for a steady supply of fuel.The 916th Air Refueling Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., is one of nine refueling wings, and the only Reserve refueling wing, competing here. The wing flies the KC-135

  • New system improves KC-135 performance, saves money

    After years of development, the wheel and brake system improvement program for the KC-135 Stratotanker is ready for implementation by workers at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center here.The steel brakes currently used on the KC-135 are being replaced with carbon brakes which allow the aircraft to

  • Life support takes new meaning for deployed Airmen

    Two small shops with more than double the workload as at home station pray their efforts supporting Operation Enduring Freedom are all for naught.That is because lives depend upon flawless work on the life support equipment in their care. If the equipment is never used, life support Airmen say that

  • Taking fight to the enemy

    Once the plane is airborne and the fasten seatbelt light goes off, there is a flurry of activity as crewmembers hustle to get their various tasks done. As the aircraft continues on its heading, the crew of the E-3 Sentry, with its many buttons, switches and gadgets, gets set for their part in a

  • Guard Airmen join total force Rodeo

    A 19-person team from the 121st Air Refueling Wing in Columbus, Ohio, is the only Air National Guard unit competing in Rodeo 2005.“It is our honor to be here and further the tradition of the citizen-Soldier,” said Maj. Dave Johnson, 121st ARW team commander. “We are proud to go shoulder to shoulder