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  • Cooperative Cope Thunder kicks off

    The sky above Alaska is brimming with activity as Pacific Air Force’s premier composite force exercise kicked off here June 9.Cooperative Cope Thunder runs through June 24 with operations here and at nearby Elmendorf Air Force Base.The exercise highlights multinational operations combined with

  • Supply Airmen keep deployed essentials on shelf

    Continuously keeping supplies on the shelf to support military operations here falls on the shoulders of a group of Airmen from the 416th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron’s supply section.They ensure warfighters have the necessary gear and parts to effectively fight the war on terrorism. They

  • Latest C-130J evolution arrives on desert ramp

    The faster more powerful C-130 Hercules J-models and the stretch version arrived in Southwest Asia on June 7 and 8, bringing state-of-the-art technology to the war on terrorism.Airmen with the Rhode Island Air National Guard’s 143rd Airlift Squadron, the California ANG’s 146th AS and the Maryland

  • Iraqi airmen tack on master sergeant’s stripes

    An Airman here chose to have two unusual attendees, or in his words, his adopted family, tack on his new stripes recently. Master Sgt. Bubba Beason, 777th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron pneudraulic systems technician instructor deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., asked two

  • Airman missing from Vietnam War identified

    The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced that the remains of an Airman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and were returned to his family for burial at Arlington National Cemetery on June 10.He is Col. James Carter of Johnson City, Tenn.On Feb. 3,

  • Airmen join Soldiers taking Kenya military to new heights

    As the sun rose June 6, seven Airmen wearing desert flightsuits stood outside the guarded entrance to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport waiting for their passengers.The C-130 Hercules crew, deployed to Southwest Asia from the 440th Airlift Wing at General Mitchell Air Reserve Base, Wis., were

  • Report: Pilot error caused Predator crash

    Pilot error caused the Nov. 24, 2004 crash of an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle at an undisclosed military installation in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, according to an accident investigation board report released June 10.During a functional check-flight, the Predator had a

  • Airmen reflect on friend’s death

    The base lost a valued member in a car accident Memorial Day weekend. As grief hangs heavy over Shaw, leaders, co-workers and friends continue to ask why.Senior Airman Justin Morrow, 55th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, died from injuries sustained while traveling at night. He was not wearing his seat

  • T-37 rolls off runway, pilot uninjured

    T-37 Tweet rolled off the runway here June 8 during a training flight.The student pilot, flying solo at the time of the incident, received no injuries.The aircraft’s left wing was damaged which resulted in a small fuel spill. The base’s fuel spill response team contained the spill which was

  • Hot days are on their way

    When one pictures the combination of sand and sun, tropical paradise may come to mind. But here, that tag team can be one terrible tandem.With the dog days of summer almost upon Iraq, temperatures are rising daily, and dust storms are making frequent visits here.“The weather pattern during the

  • Yokota couple wins O’Malley award

    Sources have it that behind every good man stands a good woman.Col. Mark Schissler, a former 374th Airlift Wing commander here, said he has to agree.His wife, Marcia, and himself led the wing and its tenant units through two years of relief efforts, community relations events, inspections and

  • Air Force leaders testify on IG tanker lease report

    The Air Force's two most senior leaders testified June 7 on Capitol Hill about the Service's efforts to recapitalize its fleet of refueler aircraft. Michael L. Dominguez, acting secretary of the Air Force, and Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Force chief of staff, both answered questions for the Senate

  • Report: Flight control system problem caused F/A-22 crash

    A flight control system problem caused an F/A-22 Raptor to crash on the runway at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., on Dec. 20, according to an Air Force report released June 8.The pilot ejected and sustained minor injuries. The $133.3-million aircraft, assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron

  • Great idea saves Air Force money

    A little common sense can go a long way, and a pneudrolics mechanic here has the $10,000 check to prove it.“I think in common sense circles; like ‘what if we just did this, would it make a difference,’” said Kent Johnson, of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center’s fuel accessories shop. “Sometimes

  • Total force combats explosive devices

    On a normal day, operations at the 451st Air Expeditionary Group here can be typical of any deployed unit. Civil engineer Airmen work tirelessly to keep the long-neglected runway open so that thousands of Soldiers can remain supplied. Aerial port Airmen load and unload a seemingly endless stream of

  • Desert dust in the wind

    Just about midnight recently the wind kicked up here as suddenly as someone turning off a light switch, bringing with it huge clouds of dust that rolled in and obliterated everything from view.People who were sleeping in their tents were rudely awakened as tent ropes strained and even some beds were

  • B-52 aids ground troops under small arms fire

    A B-52 Stratofortress from the 40th Air Expeditionary Group dropped three joint-direct attack munitions recently on a cave of anti-coalition forces in Afghanistan, killing two and leading to the capture of 10 others by coalition ground forces.The mission was one of 22 close-air support and armed

  • Airmen guard camp, detainees in Iraq

    Airmen here are performing jobs normally reserved for deployed Soldiers. They are escorting patrols and convoys, helping provide force protection for an Army camp and guarding detainees. More than 6,000 detainees are housed in the temporary internment facility here while awaiting legal proceedings

  • Military responders geared up for active hurricane season

    With forecasters predicting an active hurricane season this year, military responders are geared up for whatever Mother Nature whirls their way.Hurricane season officially kicked off June 1, and meteorologists expect the decade-long trend toward active hurricane seasons in the Atlantic to continue

  • World War II women warriors pass on history, heritage

    After pooling her quarters with her cousin to pay the whopping, 1920s fee of $1.50, Caro Bayley climbed into a Tri-motor Ford airplane at Springfield Airfield, Ohio. She was about to make a historic flight -- the first in her life.Soaring over the clouds, the young girl looked down at the ground.

  • Crash victims identified

    Department of Defense officials identified the four Airmen who died May 30 in the crash of an Iraqi air force aircraft.The Airmen, deployed from Hurlburt Field, Fla., were on a training mission in eastern Diyala province when the Iraqi Comp Air 7SL aircraft they were in crashed. An Iraqi pilot was

  • Coalition aircraft deliver humanitarian aid in Afghanistan

    U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules based in Southwest Asia delivered more than 50,000 pounds of civil assistance cargo to Afghans during four airlift missions May 18 to 30 supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.Coalition aircraft airdropped more than 6,000 pounds of humanitarian aid bundles near Kandahar,

  • Sons of Iraq represent future, freedom

    Iraq just moved closer toward freedom and independence -- 54 steps closer to be exact.Each step is represented by one of 54 elite Iraqi soldiers who have begun explosives ordnance disposal school, the first group to enter the school since the free elections in January. The soldiers will learn how to

  • Airman missing from Vietnam War identified

    Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office officials announced May 31 that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial.He is 1st Lt. Lee Adams of Willits, Calif. A memorial service with full

  • General Keys confirmed as ACC commander

    Ronald E. Keys was confirmed by the Senate on May 26 for promotion to the rank of general and assignment here as the commander of Air Combat Command.Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Force chief of staff and a former ACC commander, pinned on ACC’s newest commander’s four-star rank following the Senate’s

  • Five Airmen killed in Iraqi crash

    Four U.S. Airmen and one Iraqi airman were killed May 30 when an Iraqi air force Comp Air 7SL aircraft crashed in eastern Diyala province during an operational mission.The aircraft belonged to Iraqi’s 3rd Squadron and is a single engine high-winged aircraft used for surveillance and movement of

  • Officials unveil new generation command and control system

    A new generation command and control system was unveiled recently when Air Mobility Command officials began fielding a new system that provides unit-level and force-level mission planning, scheduling and tracking of all mobility airlift and air refueling missions.The global decision support system

  • Pilots give new C-130J aircraft rave reviews

    Here at the "Home of the Herk" -- the affectionate nickname for the C-130 Hercules aircraft -- there is no ambivalence about the new "J" model.The C-130J is the latest addition to the C-130 fleet, bringing state-of-the-art technology to the tactical cargo- and troop-transport aircraft that has been

  • Airmen discover illegal aliens aboard aircraft

    Attention to detail and great military-civilian cooperation helped local and state officials nab six illegal aliens here May 16.Air traffic controllers received an emergency call from a civilian pilot who said he was in danger of running out of fuel. The military controllers offered the pilot a

  • Hurricane Hunters fly first operation WC-130J mission

    The first storm of the 2005 hurricane season came a little early this year appearing in the Pacific off the coast of Central America. Hurricane Adrian also marked the beginning of a new era in weather reconnaissance for the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron’s “Hurricane Hunters” here.When

  • Lab uses vibration testing to solve aircraft problems

    For every test Bill Fleenor conducts in the vibration test facility here, there is one overriding intention.“If an item is going to fail, I want it to fail on my table and not with the warfighter,” said Mr. Fleenor, a mechanical engineer.Mr. Fleenor, whose degree is in physics for industrial

  • Vietnam War missing in action Airman identified

    The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced May 20 that the remains of a U.S. Airman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.On Oct. 15, 1965, Maj. Robert Harry Schuler Jr., of Wellsburg, N.Y.,

  • Airmen make most of temporary situation

    In many deployed locations, temporary quarters are commonplace. Taking that to a whole new level, air traffic controllers with the 332nd Expeditionary Airfield Operations Squadron here have set up shop in a plywood tower nicknamed the “tree house.”“When we arrived … a renovation project on the

  • BRAC recommendations present beneficial results

    Air Force Base Realignment and Closure recommendations provide an opportunity for the Air Force to effectively organize its total force into a more capable and efficient warfighting organization, transforming the Air Force to better meet future threats.The co-chairman of the Air Force's Base Closure

  • Civil engineers train for chemical attacks

    Civil engineers here replaced their shovels, hammers and power tools with gas masks, gloves and chemical warfare ensemble gear during ability to survive and operate training here May 18.“This training is very important,” said Capt. Jeremy Milliman, 374th Civil Engineer Squadron’s readiness flight

  • A father remembered

    Five numbers painted on the tail of a local parade’s float will pass by thousands of people, and they may not see what is between them.A string of numbers can represent anything from how much money someone has in his or her bank account, to phone numbers or even ZIP codes.71424 represents the life

  • Civil Air Patrol helps test D.C. warning system

    Civil Air Patrol’s national capital wing is helping the Air Force test its new visual warning system for pilots, a security measure set to become operational over the Washington, D.C., area on May 21, officials said. The system signals pilots who fly into the D.C. area’s air defense identification

  • Recommendations 'will reshape Air Force'

    Air Force recommendations provided to the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission will reorganize that service, making it more capable to address threats to national security, the Air Force's top civilian told commissioners here May 17."We have presented to you a bold program that will reshape

  • Desert lifestyle results in big weight loss

    Most of the people assigned at this forward-deployed location as part of Air and Space Expeditionary Force 3/4 have rotated home, but they left behind a lot of excess baggage – unwanted pounds.Airmen hit the gym in heavy numbers, sometimes filling the two facilities here, and many left in much

  • PMEL Airmen ensure equipment is ready for fight

    When you do not feel well, the solution is simple. Aches or ailments of unknown origin are taken to medical practitioners for treatment.But what if it is test, measurement, and diagnostic equipment that is not up to speed?Airmen with the precision measurement equipment laboratory ensure the

  • Coalition aircraft support troops in Operation Matador

    Air Force aircraft were among those providing close-air support and intelligence to coalition troops May 7 through 14 in western Iraq as part of Operation Matador."Purple air was critical to the success of Matador,” said Marine Lt. Col. Scott Campbell, commanding officer for the 2nd Air Naval

  • General Moseley nominated for CSAF

    The president announced May 16 his nomination of Gen. T. Michael Moseley as chief of staff of the Air Force to succeed Gen. John P. Jumper who has served in the position since September 2001."I am deeply honored and humbled to have been nominated to serve as the next Air Force chief of staff,” said

  • Cadets get jump on jobs

    Junior class cadets here learned what their future Air Force jobs will be a full year ahead of their graduation date.Normally, cadets learn this during the fall semester of their senior year.“The date has been moved forward for current and future classes to maintain a parallel classification process

  • Pilot involved in D.C. intercept confident in security network

    One of the F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots who intercepted a private plane that strayed into restricted airspace here May 11 said he was prepared to use force if necessary to prevent a potential attack, and expressed confidence in the security system protecting the nation's capital.Lt. Col. Tim Lehman,

  • Airmen allowed to show service colors while traveling

    A new Air Force policy gives Airmen the choice to show their colors when traveling to and from deployment locations.Airmen traveling to and from the U.S. Central Command Air Forces' area of responsibility have been, until recently, required to wear civilian clothing on flights in and out of the

  • Reservist receives academy airmanship award

    U.S. Air Force Academy officials named an Air Force Reserve Command pilot the winner of the 2005 Colonel James Jabara Award for Airmanship for his contributions to air power during Operation Iraqi Freedom.Lt. Col. Keith Schultz, a 1979 academy graduate, is the operations group deputy commander for

  • Air National Guard fighter jets respond quickly to stray aircraft

    The military's actions when a small private plane strayed into the no-fly zone over the nation’s capital area May 11 were "just a normal response" that demonstrates the Air National Guard continues to be "ready to respond at a moment's notice," a member of the unit involved said.Airmen from the

  • Air Force aviator strengthens U.S.-Japan friendship, ties

    An Air Force exchange pilot is strengthening bilateral ties and friendship between U.S. and Japanese military forces here. Capt. Justin Fletcher, an F-15 Eagle pilot, said that being assigned at the picturesque Japanese base located south of Tokyo is one of the most interesting and challenging jobs

  • AMC commander delivers C-130J

    The commander of Air Mobility Command delivered the Air Force’s third active-duty C-130J Hercules here May 5.Gen. John W. Handy and a crew from the 48th Airlift Squadron here flew the aircraft from the Lockheed Martin plant in Marietta, Ga., where it was built."I have had more fun today than anybody

  • Pilot awarded Kolligian Trophy for combat mission

    Despite wounds and a helicopter crippled by enemy fire, an Air Force pilot safely flew his aircraft and crew home from Iraq.For his efforts, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper presented the Kolligian Trophy to Capt. Steven Edwards during a May 6 ceremony at the Pentagon. Captain Edwards,

  • Flight engineer earns Pitsenbarger award for heroism

    For his display of heroism in the face of hostile enemy fire, a helicopter flight engineer from Hurlburt Field, Fla., has been named the 2005 Pitsenbarger award winner.Master Sgt. Robert Colannino Jr. was a flight engineer aboard an MH-53M Pave Low during a night resupply mission when his helicopter

  • Joint search and rescue center coordinates search efforts

    The sole purpose of 28 people in the joint search and rescue center at the Combined Air Operations Center is to step in when operations go awry and people in U.S. Central Command area of responsibility need help.Besides coordinating the efforts of seven main rescue coordination centers, the joint

  • C-130 maintainers accomplish ‘in-field’ depot maintenance

    It took about a month for C-130 Hercules maintainers here to repair significant structural damage normally requiring a stateside depot team with full access to back shop structural support.A C-130 with the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron received significant structural damage when its right

  • Airmen keep wheels turning

    Aircraft loaders, Humvees and forklifts are just a few examples of the nearly 120 vehicles cared for here by maintainers with the 416th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron’s vehicle maintenance flight. Keeping the fleet in constant motion is a challenge for the flight’s five vehicle maintainers,

  • Eye in the sky protects ground forces

    Soaring through the air looking for prey, the MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle is an aircraft ground forces do not want to be without. With its large infrared eye, it surveys the land and relays intelligence to servicemembers in the field.“The Predator is the greatest reconnaissance tool the

  • Expeditionary command post Airmen eyes, ears

    They might receive an incoming declaration by an aircrew for an in-flight emergency, or they could be calling a first sergeant about a Red Cross notification -- or even both at the same time. Whatever the message, command post controllers of the 416th Air Expeditionary Group are there to pass the

  • Army hands over Strykers to Air Force

    With a handshake and the roar of a jet engine at Fort Polk, La., an Eielson unit became the first in the Air Force to own the latest addition to the service’s inventory – the Stryker armored vehicle.In a May 5 ceremony at Fort Polk, 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron officials obtained five of the

  • Cope Thunder wraps in Alaska

    Cope Thunder participants used Eielson’s 62,000 square miles of training airspace and met their objective: to fly, fight and win during Pacific Air Force’s premier combat airpower exercise that ends May 6.The two-week exercise took place here and Elmendorf AFB, Alaska.“All Cope Thunder units had one

  • Transient alert Airmen handle diverse airfield operations role

    On any given day, at any hour, the eight Airmen with the 416th Air Expeditionary Group transient alert flight here might be parking or caring for a transient C-17 Globemaster III or a Russian-built AN-12 cargo plane.Many of the transient aircraft that stop at the airfield are only here a short time,

  • Radio team connects air to ground

    A team of five maintainers hitchhike around country making sure the Joint Radio Relay communications system keeps working.The team, made up of three Airmen and two contractors, maintain five JR2 systems located at remote sites throughout Afghanistan. The system has similar capabilities to the E-3

  • Airmen hunt down problems before having chance to fester

    When a general practitioner performs a routine examination, the doctor thoroughly examines the patient for overall health. With the same loving care physicians provide patients, the Airmen of the 92nd Maintenance Squadron work day and night caring for their KC-135 Stratotankers.Just as specialists

  • Digital advances produce improved unmanned aerial vehicles

    One day on a gray-painted aircraft carrier tossed by turbulent seas, a grizzled Navy commander awaits the arrival of a new pilot.A teeny knock pings from the outside of the officer's watertight steel door."Come in," the commander growls. The door swings open and a squat, cylindrical object

  • JSTARS reaches 10,000 combat hours in Southwest Asia

    The E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System reached 10,000 combat hours in Southwest Asia.The aircraft and its operators, maintainers and support people have had a continuous presence in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility since July 2003 as part of the 379th Air Expeditionary

  • Winners save Air Force millions

    Eight Air Force teams and three people recently received top honors for their money-saving improvements to the Air Force.The Air Force Productivity Excellence Award recognizes Airmen, Air Force civilians and small groups who have made substantial improvements in productivity. The winners' efforts

  • Experienced maintainers train active-duty Airmen

    Spending four years on active duty and 26 years in the Vermont Air National Guard, Chief Master Sgt. Tim Brisson has a wealth of experience as an aircraft maintainer. He has just about seen it all -- until April 25.That was when officials at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., and the Vermont Guard signed

  • Fuels Airmen cultivate Balad farm

    Working on a farm in the Iraqi desert may not be something many American picture their troops doing, but Airmen of the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s fuels management flight maintain a fuel bladder farm here to keep the mission flying.The Airmen use the farm to keep aircraft and

  • Former Thunderbird searches for Phantoms

    From the roar of the jet engines to the rumble of a motorcycle, one former Thunderbird cannot get enough of life on the road.Retired Col. Gary Younglove, retired administrative officer for the U.S. Air Force Aerial Demonstration Squadron, made his first stop here recently on a nationwide journey to

  • Airmen strut their stuff for civilian leaders

    As part of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference, a weeklong tour of military installations for top civic and community leaders nationwide, the 347th Rescue Wing pulled out all stops April 26 for the visiting group of civic leaders.The tour highlights the latest U.S. military equipment and

  • Tour group gets feel for Air Force

    Graduating students from the Tennessee School for the Blind received a “hands on” tour April 26 of an F-15 Eagle, pilot’s life-support equipment and the tools used to maintain the aircraft during a class trip here.The tour started when 1st Lt. Tim Monroe, an F-15 pilot, gave a quick briefing on the

  • Expeditionary supply technicians order up success

    Ensuring continuous supplies are available to support military operations here falls in part to a group of six Airmen from the 416th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron’s supply section.If vital aircraft spare parts for the C-130 Hercules are needed, it is their responsibility to order and

  • Three accidents; two Nellis Airmen; one chance to get it right

    Imagine being responsible for the lives of some of the world’s best fighter pilots. Now imagine being only 21 and 22 years old. For many Airmen, this is not a reality, but for two in particular, it is all in a day’s work.Airmen 1st Class John Schmidt and Brandon Pirmann are assigned to the 57th

  • C-17s get state-of-the-art home

    When the 452nd Air Mobility Wing here welcomes eight C-17 Globemaster IIIs later this year, the aircraft will be maintained in an environmentally friendly hangar that is larger than a football field and incorporates advanced construction technology.“We wanted it to appear it belonged here -- have it

  • U.S., Japanese Airmen train together during air refueling

    American fighter pilots are helping Japanese airmen expand their F-15 Eagle combat capabilities during hands-on air-to-air bilateral refueling training here.The Japanese F-15 aircraft mechanical refueling capability is identical to U.S. Air Force F-15s. However, it was not until Japanese officials

  • Center receives DOD’s most powerful supercomputer

    Aeronautical Systems Center’s major shared resource center officials here announced April 25 the installation of the newest and most powerful supercomputer in the Department of Defense.The 2,048-processor supercomputer will aid weapon systems design of innovative materials, advance design concepts,

  • Quadrennial Defense Review focuses on future

    The four capabilities the Air Force brings to the joint warfighting environment will be the focus of the service's contribution to the 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review.Officials in the office of the secretary of defense produce the Quadrennial Defense Review every four years with input from the

  • Newly designed chamber increases aircraft safety

    Technicians in the Tank and Cooler Unit at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center here push the limits of weapons systems to ensure their safety in the field, sometimes with explosive results.“One of our prime tasks is doing proof pressure testing … before sending them to the field,” said Steven

  • C-130J testers accomplish first five-bundle sequential airdrop

    Developmental test and evaluation on the J-model C-130 Hercules came to a head when testers successfully completed the first five-bundle sequential low velocity airdrop here recently.As part of the test program, 418th Flight Test Squadron Airmen tested software upgrades by rigging five bundles

  • Guard, Reserve leaders testify on Capitol Hill

    The directors of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve testified April 20 on readiness and management support before the Senate Armed Services Committee subcommittee.Lt. Gen. Daniel James III, Air National Guard director, told senators he sees positive benefits to the community basing

  • Reserve, active-duty pilots battle for air superiority

    In the animal world, a 500-pound gorilla would pose relatively no threat to a 1,200-pound Mako shark swimming at 65 mph. However, when these two creatures take on the form of fighter pilots and step into an F-15 Eagle or F-16 Fighting Falcon to face off in the sky, anything is possible. For two

  • Shaw F-16 crashes, Airmen eject safely

    An F-16D Fighting Falcon from here crashed April 18 near Charleston, S.C. At the time of the accident, the pilots, Maj. Steve Granger and Lt. Col. Maurice Salcedo, had just begun a training mission. They ejected safely into a river near Charleston and were taken to a local hospital where they were

  • Contingency response team prepares airfield for Italians

    In fewer than 45 days, tanker airlift control element Airmen will achieve what some may deem impossible.This 47-person team, primarily deployed from the 621st Contingency Response Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., is preparing nearby Herat for more than 300 Italian troops as they lead the

  • Airmen guard diverse flying mission

    With fighter, tanker, cargo, transport, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft at the largest wing in the area, the flightline at a forward-deployed location is nothing short of active.Such diversity of aircraft and missions requires a level of uniformity that keeps maintenance

  • Dad travels world with 'Mini Alyssa'

    Nine-year-old Alyssa DeGreef has seen quite a bit of Central Asia from her cozy seat in her dad’s pocket.Lt. Col. Mike DeGreef, 22nd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron commander at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, has carried a small copy of a picture his daughter, Alyssa, drew of herself since he was

  • Weather Airmen protect shuttle

    Airmen of the 45th Weather Squadron here methodically calculate and determine if weather will threaten a future shuttle launch. Rain, lightning, wind and cloud coverage can instantly delay or “scrub” any shuttle, mission or rocket launch.“We have temperature, wind and rain constraints (because of)

  • Aircraft lighter ban also applies to servicemembers

    Anyone -- including servicemembers -- carrying lighters will be required to surrender them at U.S. airport security checkpoints before boarding aircraft under a new federal law that became effective April 14, Transportation Security Administration officials said.The new law also applies to military

  • Airmen cross 100-mission milestone

    Somewhere out there is an old Air Force veteran who has been around and has seen practically everything. Impressing him will not be easy, but you try. First, you tell him you just logged 100 combat missions in a tanker. Impressive, but he does not flinch. Then you tell him you did it in just

  • F-16 crew chiefs combat odds to keep jets in flight

    As the sun beats down upon him, an Airman wipes the sweat from his brow, spreading the layer of grease and oil from his hands onto his forehead. Consumed by the task at hand, he remains focused knowing his jet needs to be ready to take off within the hour.Suddenly, his work is put on hold.“This is

  • Unethical behavior an affront to all hardworking Airmen

    Unethical behavior by any person on the Air Force team is an affront to all Airmen and a breech of trust with the American people, said the service's senior leader. Michael L. Dominguez, acting secretary of the Air Force discussed Air Force acquisition programs and the ethics of spending taxpayers’

  • C-130 maintainers keep mission-capable rates high

    C-130 Hercules maintainers with the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here are keeping mission-capable rates for C-130s as high as 15 percent above the Air Mobility Command standard.“Mission-capability rates are a measure of the percentage of time an aircraft is capable of performing its designed

  • Upgrades retrofit T-38 with latest technology

    Airmen from the 416th Flight Test Squadron wrapped up flight tests on software upgrades in an ongoing T-38 Talon avionics upgrade here recently.The latest set of upgrades is the third in a series. During this series, testers performed about 18 sorties October through April, validating the new

  • Guardsmen charged with smuggling Ecstasy on C-5

    Two Airmen from the New York Air National Guard’s 105th Airlift Wing have been charged with importing narcotics from Germany to the United States after being arrested April 12 on federal narcotics charges, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s office for the southern district of New

  • Lakenheath Airman lauded for 'cutting edge' efforts

    The AIM-9X Sidewinder is an air-to-air missile used by the F-15 Eagle at the 493rd Fighter Squadron here. It is a short-range, heat-seeking weapon used in both offensive and defensive counterair operations.Sergeant Guerrero was involved in every aspect of field introduction of the AIM-9X and

  • Airmen rescue Icelandic fisherman

    Airmen of the 56th Rescue Squadron here completed their second rescue in a month when they evacuated an injured Icelandic fisherman April 10.They flew a fisherman suffering from multiple injuries and having difficulty breathing after receiving a blunt trauma caused by a broken cable about 200 miles

  • Hurlburt Field rescuers help crash victims, save lives

    There were people staggering and people screaming. It was total chaos.That was the scene Tech. Sgt. Mike Gray, a pararescueman assigned to the 720th Special Tactics Group here said he saw as he and his wife turned the corner from their home in nearby Fort Walton Beach early April 9.Eight bicycle

  • Bowsers make draining KC-135s more efficient

    A new piece of equipment is making things cleaner and easier for 92nd Maintenance Squadron Airmen here.While the two fuel bowsers are still new, Airmen have found the machines greatly improve the process of draining fuel from KC-135 Stratotankers, said Staff Sgt. David Shurley, a fuels systems

  • Gunner missing from World War II buried at Arlington

    Department of Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office officials announced April 12 that the remains of an Army Air Forces crewman have been identified and were buried with military honors April 12.Staff Sgt. Robert McKee, of Garvey, Calif., was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.On Dec.

  • C-17 makes first polar airdrop

    Aircrews from here airdropped life-sustaining cargo to National Science Foundation scientists at the North Pole in the C-17 Globemaster III’s first polar airdrop April 12.The last polar airdrop was flown in 2001 by the C-141 Starlifter which is being taken out of the Air Force inventory. This time,

  • Life-support techs keep OEF airlifters rescue ready

    For C-130 Hercules aircrews flying a combat airlift mission, there are various forms of lifesaving equipment on the plane and on the Airmen every time they fly.Whether it is a parachute or a helmet, aircrews here are fitted with the best equipment available from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift

  • Sustainability of installations, environment key to readiness

    The best way to ensure that today’s warfighters have what they need to fight and win in the post-Sept. 11 world is to sustain the viability of both military installations and their surrounding environments, a defense official said here April 12.That idea of sustainability -- of the military

  • Airmen keep B-2 Spirits safe

    The B-2 Spirit bomber’s capabilities to penetrate an enemy's most sophisticated defenses and threaten its most heavily defended targets depend on Airmen who help maintain the aircraft’s stealth characteristic. Mechanics deployed from the 509th Maintenance Squadron’s low observable section apply