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  • Command post controllers always on duty

    The job of a command post controller is a challenging one. In a deployed location his or her job can be even more demanding than at home. The staff is on duty around the clock to assist with emergencies and notifications that crop up at all hours of the day.A controller’s job is dictated by the

  • Electronic Systems Center tests Internet capability on Joint STARS

    Every day people use computers to send and receive e-mails and attachments to and from almost anywhere in the world. What if our deployed airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets were able to take advantage of these same capabilities? What if they could e-mail and send

  • Reservists fly into heart of Hurricane Frances

    As Hurricane Frances bears down on Florida and the coastal residents evacuate, Air Force reservists are flying directly into the storm that everyone else wants to avoid.Called "Hurricane Hunters," members of Air Force Reserve Command's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base,

  • Florida bases prepare for Hurricane Frances

    As forecasters predict Hurricane Frances will reach land near Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., on Sept. 4, bases have begun preparing for the storm Sept. 1.At Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., the 482nd Fighter Wing commander ordered 16 F-16 Fighting Falcons to Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort

  • For two Airmen, being good Soldiers kept them alive

    More and more Airmen are finding themselves training for convoy duty, deploying to Iraq and making mad dashes from Point A to Point B while under the watchful eye of the enemy. It is dangerous duty. During a convoy, Staff Sgt. Amelia Grahn, a transportation dispatcher from Royal Air Force

  • Carbon brake tests increase tanker's capabilities

    Initial KC-135 Stratotanker carbon brake testing here discovered an increased operational capability over currently used steel brakes.Test team experts, using a KC-135R from the Alaska Air National Guard, found carbon brakes stopped the aircraft in a shorter distance, allowing the tanker to take off

  • Mechanic pulls in cash with IDEA

    A pneudraulics systems mechanic here earned $6,200 from the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program for developing a tool that keeps parts from being damaged during maintenance.Brett Harris earned his award for developing a tool to help with taking F-15 Eagle pitch trim controllers

  • Japanese World War II fighter joins museum collection

    The embodiment of Japanese air power and kamikaze suicide attacks during World War II, a restored Japanese Zero returned to the U.S. Air Force Museum here.Commercial workers recently completed a one-year restoration of the aircraft for the museum. They disassembled the aircraft to move it to the

  • Officials release F-16 accident report

    A pilot's loss of situational awareness caused two F-16 Fighting Falcons to collide May 17, according to a report Air Force officials released Aug. 30.The lead pilot, of the Indiana Air National Guard’s 113th Fighter Squadron in Terre Haute, was killed in the crash. The pilot of the second

  • Two civilians survive, one dies in Alaska crash

    Two men survived and one died in an aircraft crash near here. They were found by an Alaska Air National Guard search-and-rescue team. The civilians were attempting to travel from here to Kotzebue in a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter on Aug. 27. Another airplane, apparently traveling with them as a

  • Airmen give 'Warthogs' bite

    In a war zone, two elements make the A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog, unsurpassed in its close-air support mission.The first is speed. Its slow speed allows it to loiter in an area for long periods of time. The second is weaponry -- A-10s pack a wide variety of munitions giving them

  • Airmen save aircraft crash victim

    For Alaska Air National Guard’s pararescuemen, it was a “pretty vanilla” rescue, but to one man, it was his life.The 49-year-old pilot of a Kolb Fire Star II Ultra Light aircraft apparently hit a large boulder when attempting to take off from his refueling point in Lake Clark Pass on Aug. 26,

  • Now showing: Aug. 30 edition of AFTV News

    The far-flung supply train for troops in Iraq headlines the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Tech. Sgt. Angie Pianga goes to Moron, Spain, to show how active-duty, Air National Guard and Reserve Airmen are performing a vital role in getting people and equipment to and from Iraq. Tech.

  • Corny display honors C-130 Guard unit

    Pilots flying over the rural farmland near Lewistown, Ill., may be shocked to see the likeness of a C-130 Hercules etched into the landscape hundreds of feet below.This C-130, modeled after the neighboring Illinois Air National Guard’s 182nd Airlift Wing aircraft, is not some mysterious crop circle.

  • Airmen provide FAST security

    As the two security forces Airmen receive their weapons from the armory, they go over the day’s plan. Today, they will cover more than 1,800 miles, stop in two different countries and then return home within 10 hours. Armed and geared up, they proceed to their transportation for the day, a C-130

  • One dies, one injured in work-related accident

    One senior airman was killed and another seriously injured in a work-related accident here Aug. 23.Senior Airman Jesse Williamson Jr. died, and Senior Airman Ryan Robinson was injured while using a hydraulic lift to replace light fixtures inside an aircraft hangar, said Col. Greg Patterson, 78th Air

  • Airmen deserve recognition for national security operations

    Air Force leaders want to ensure Airmen get the recognition they deserve for fighting the war on terrorism at home and abroad, and for many more operations critical to national security.That is why Air Force personnel officials are looking at better ways to apply modern air and space mission

  • Guard squadron makes mark in Operation Iraqi Freedom

    The most recent deployment for the 107th Fighter Squadron was one of firsts, the unit's commander said here Aug. 24.Lt. Col. Glenn Schmidt said the Air National Guard unit became the first F-16 Fighting Falcon squadron to be based in Iraq when it established its base in Kirkuk in February. It also

  • Avionics techs protect fighters

    Maintainers operate 24 hours daily to ensure that F-16 Fighting Falcons here can defeat sophisticated anti-aircraft defense systems during combat. These advanced systems are posing a threat against unstealthy Air Force aircraft, said 8th Maintenance Squadron’s electronic countermeasures section

  • Airmen keep Litening pods striking

    As A-10 Thunderbolt IIs patrol over Afghanistan, one piece of avionics equipment is extremely important to them providing unparalleled close-air support to ground forces.The Laser Infrared Targeting and Navigation pod gives A-10 pilots a number of options to search out enemy forces and protect

  • Test cell maintainers keep aircraft engines revving

    Straddling an F-16 Fighting Falcon engine that is producing 30,000 pounds of thrust as it furiously roars full blast during testing is not for the faint hearted. The ground shakes as the engine shoots 30-foot flames out the exhaust with a deafening noise, and the strong winds can knock someone to

  • Maintainers race clock at Kyrgyzstan

    Senior Airman Derek Smith and Airman 1st Class Alex O’Donnell are perched high atop a C-130 Hercules trying to solve a mechanical problem. The No. 3 engine had a prop replaced a week before, and flight deck indicator lights now point out a malfunction. It is a mild 78 degrees at 8:50 a.m. when

  • Aircrew training squadron shapes crews for AWACS mission

    A cooperative spirit is alive at the home of the aircrew training squadron for the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System mission here. The squadron is NATO’s only E-3 training squadron. Every alliance AWACS mission begins with training here.Squadron Airmen provide basic and upgrade

  • Fuels Airmen pump up

    On a busy day at their home station, the Airmen from the fuels element measure their amount of pumped fuel by the thousands. When they are deployed here, they measure it by the hundreds of thousands. Busy is not the word.The 40th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Flight fuels Airmen pumped their

  • DIMO strengthening medical ties worldwide

    Defense Institute for Medical Operations officials recently sent out an eight-person team to head-up and teach an aeromedical evacuation and critical-care transport course in Ankara, Turkey.The five-day course provided the advanced training necessary to care for critically ill or injured patients in

  • RAPCON Airmen control sky over Iraq

    Since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, coalition forces have controlled the air space over Iraq. The 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron's radar approach control flight here is responsible for nearly 35,000 square miles of that air space. It makes up one of three area control

  • Airmen provide tactical support from ground up

    Coalition ground troops are engaged in a firefight with insurgents. The unit's tactical air controller calls for air support and soon an F-16 Fighting Falcon is screaming overhead providing cover.Scenarios similar to this play out nearly every day in the desert of Iraq. Getting tactical aircraft

  • C-130 marks 50 years of service

    There is one hero that may not be the biggest or fastest, but for 50 years, has borne the U.S. standard as a welcome projection of both American will and American compassion throughout the world. In battle, this hero can pound the enemy from on high with munitions, electronic jamming or information

  • Academy engineering ranks sixth in the nation

    The Air Force Academy's engineering programs all rank among the top 10 in the nation, according to the U.S. News and World Report's annual America's Best Colleges 2005 rankings.The U.S. News and World Report rankings were released Aug. 20.The rankings are separated by which universities offer

  • TMO packs it, tracks it in Afghanistan

    In a combat zone, being able to track the exact location of critical outbound equipment is extremely important.That is why Airmen at the traffic management office here are the first in the service to test the Air Force’s latest version of cargo tracking software.The Airmen are responsible for

  • C-17 testers airdrop Army Stryker mobile gun system

    An aircrew from the C-17 Globemaster III combined test force here successfully airdropped a mobile gun system for the first time during a feasibility test Aug. 13. The system fits the Army's Stryker engineer squad vehicle.The Army is testing the 52,500-pound system to possibly equip the armored

  • A-10s rescue ambushed ground forces

    When Army Staff Sgt. Jamie Osmon met Capt. Scott, whose last name is withheld for security reasons, for the second time Aug. 16, the reunion was much less hectic than the first.The first time, July 29, Sergeant Osmon and a group of ground forces were trapped in a canyon ambush, and Captain Scott was

  • New manual gives mobility crews ‘go-to-war’ guidance

    For years, Air Force fighter and bomber crews have been guided into combat by a manual on tactics, techniques and procedures. Now, mobility aircrews will have similar guidance on how to go to war.Because Air Mobility Command aircrews and weapons systems were pushing closer to the threat envelope,

  • Ops center maintains smooth info flow

    When an A-10 Thunderbolt II lands after a mission protecting ground forces, it is critical to know what needs to be fixed before it is ready to take off again.Making sure the right people know what needs to be fixed and coordinating that maintenance is one of three jobs facing 354th Expeditionary

  • Holloman maintainers training at Kunsan

    Wearing chemical warfare gear is nothing new for F-117 Nighthawk maintainers from the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. Wing Airmen have been to almost every “hot spot” in the world supporting Air Force global missions.About 300 Airmen and their stealth aircraft from Holloman are

  • MQ-1 Predator crashes near Balad

    An Air Force MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle crashed at 9:20 a.m. Aug. 17 north of the base. The aircraft was assigned to the 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron here. A board of officers will investigate the accident.

  • Expeditionary fuels flight fighting gas spills

    When a 50,000-gallon capacity fuel bladder reaches the end of its lifespan, there is little anyone can do to stop the massive rupture and potential tidal wave in the fuel pits.But that is what the Airmen of the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron try to foresee and head off every

  • Air Force C-130s support Afghan army deployment

    U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules airlifted troops and supplies Aug. 15 and 16 supporting the deployment of several Afghan battalions to respond to factional fighting which started Aug. 14 in the Shindand area of the country.At the request of Afghan officials, forces from the coalition and international

  • CMSAF speaks to Nellis Airmen

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray visited here Aug. 11 and 12 and during his stay stressed that Airmen are the Air Force’s most important assets.“The strength of the Air Force is no longer the aircraft flying over the targets; it’s our Airmen in supply, vehicle maintenance, finance

  • AMC delivers hurricane relief

    Air Mobility Command began operations Aug. 13 to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency by providing emergency relief to areas in Florida devastated by Hurricane Charley.“AMC Tanker Airlift Control Center (began) moving 200 empty cargo pallets to Dobbins (Air Reserve Base), Ga., … so the

  • Helicopter pilots earn Cheney Award

    For the second straight year, Airmen from the 21st Special Operations Squadron at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, have earned the Cheney Award for aerial achievement.Capts. (then 1st Lts.) Randell Voas and Craig Prather earned the award for their role in the March 26, 2003, airdrop mission of

  • Life support keeps pilots prepared

    The cockpit of an aircraft is a self-contained environment, protecting the pilots from their surroundings.One group of Airmen here ensures the pilots have everything they need close at hand in there, especially those items they might need just “in case.”“We take care of the entire life-support

  • Air Force base near Tampa ready for Hurricane Charley

    Several Air Force bases in the path of Hurricane Charley are preparing for whatever the storm may throw at them.People and aircraft at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., began evacuating Aug. 12. Nearly 1,500 residents of base housing moved to safe havens while aircraft were flown to bases out of the

  • USAFE team supports nations contributing troops

    The most recent mission rotating Polish, Latvian, Lithuanian and Ukrainian combat forces to and from the Polish-led sector in Iraq landed at Strachowice Air Base here Aug. 12.A seven-person team from U.S. Air Forces in Europe converged in June to embark on a two-month mission supporting the rotation

  • Hurricane chasers gear up for Charley

    Mother Nature is poised to unleash hurricane-force winds and torrential downpours here in the wee hours of Aug. 13 from Hurricane Charley. While most people at MacDill have battened down the hatches and headed away from danger, the pilots and meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

  • Ogden workers deliver record number of jets on time

    Following a dramatic change in business practices, workers with the Ogden Air Logistics Center aircraft division here have made Air Force depot maintenance history. They returned an average of 97 percent of all repaired jets on or ahead of schedule this year.“These extraordinary turn-around rates

  • Engine workers keep A-10 flying in Afghanistan

    When A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots fly over Afghanistan, one system ensures they continue to provide top cover for coalition forces.The engines.“Without engines, the aircraft really couldn’t get off the ground,” said Airman 1st Class Quinn Eisenbraun, of the 354th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance

  • Airman’s actions come to light after a recent accident

    Staff Sgt. John Wright had just come off a night shift here when his quick-thinking and immediate response to an accident made him a hero in some people’s eyes.Sergeant Wright, an avionics specialist with the 116th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, was driving home when he came across a car accident

  • Engineers design a lighter AC-130 ammunition rack

    The AC-130H gunship’s mighty arsenal has a new home that is lighter and more efficient for the low-flying hunter of the sky. And, its engineers and users said the modification is making a positive difference.A new ammunition rack is more than 1,000 pounds lighter than its predecessor -- a weight

  • Veteran recalls historic World War II bombings

    The beginning of the end of fighting in the Pacific during World War II began 59 years ago with a thunderous roar.Some people thought there was another way to get Japan to the peace table. Others thought the drastic measures taken by the United States saved more lives despite the cost.Whatever the

  • Coalition forces come together in operations center

    Despite cultural and language differences between Korean, Dutch, Italian and American forces, controllers in the Combined Defense Operations Center here are one force guarding against a common enemy.The center brings together security forces from the nations based here to gather information and

  • Sergeant sees dollar signs with his idea

    Reading the fine print really paid off for one sergeant here. Staff Sgt. Neal Dion, a 364th Training Squadron aircraft systems instructor, received $10,000 for his submission to the Air Force IDEA program.Sergeant Dion was a liaison for The Boeing Company in the KC-10 Extender program at Travis Air

  • Scientists studying aircrew long-haul comfort

    For many Air Force aircrews, discomfort caused by sitting on extended missions is just part of the job.Col. Kerry Keithcart, a KC-135 Stratotanker pilot for the 434th Air Refueling Wing at Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., said he and his crew do what they can to make those longer missions more

  • New system leading way for safer military flights

    Thanks to a new software-based program being implemented here, terminal instrument procedures specialists will soon be able to support flying missions within U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s area of operations more efficiently and with increased safety.The new system, called the Global Procedure

  • Pest management is serious business at any base

    Keeping pests under control at an Air Force base is a serious business no matter where that base may be.Senior Master Sgt. Burhl Hartin, a pest management specialist from the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, recalls an incident at his home unit, the 125th Fighter Wing in Jacksonville,

  • Remains from Vietnam War identified

    An Airman missing in action from the Vietnam War has been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.He is Chief Master Sgt. Luther L. Rose of Howe, Texas.On June 23, 1966, Chief Rose was serving as a gunner on an AC-47 Spooky gunship on a nighttime armed

  • Reservists helping forest service fight fires

    As the sun sets, a C-130 Hercules rolls in, covered in a thin misty layer of reddish orange liquid fire retardant. The retardant coats everything it has touched, serving as a reminder to the Airmen from the 302nd Airlift Wing of the heroic adventure they have just completed.As of Aug. 5, the unit

  • Mission focus combats complacency

    Two narrow wire fences -- one of looped concertina wire, one of interlaced metal strands a quarter inch thick -- are all that appear to stand between coalition forces and potential enemies.Appearances, however, can be deceiving, as integrated layers of defense provide protection for forces here.

  • Execution team orchestrates experimentation

    The operators are running through the trenches of the war scenario on the floor of the Combined Air and Space Operations Center. Meanwhile, the chief of the execution phase and his team for Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004 are directing the play and stimulating the operations.They are

  • Fallen friend’s memory drives Vermont father, son

    While growing up in the lush Green Mountains near South Burlington, Vt., he was considered part of the family. Ultimately, the childhood playmate and best friend became a hero when he gave his life as a Marine in battle. The memory of Marine Cpl. Mark Evnin is what puts the fire in the fight of

  • Air Force chief of staff presents Kolligian Trophy

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper presented the Kolligian Trophy to Capt. Michael Matesick during a ceremony July 30 in the Pentagon. Captain Matesick, currently assigned to Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., earned the air safety award for saving his damaged aircraft in the sky over Iraq in

  • Airmen begin hurricane-hunting season.

    "Hurricane Hunters" from the Air Force Reserve's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron completed their final mission tracking Hurricane Alex late Aug. 3, but are already on the trail of a tropical storm in the Lesser Antilles.Meanwhile, people from the North Carolina National Guard's 690th

  • Feeding program will assist warriors with new rations

    The Defense Department's combat feeding program at the U.S. Army Soldier System Center in Natick, Mass., is a "one-stop shop for all combat-rations development, field food-service equipment and total combat feeding systems," according to the Defense Department's combat-feeding director.Gerald Darsch

  • Warfighters get ‘sneak peak’ at JEFX

    Battle management in the Air Force is changing, and 58 Airmen and two Soldiers from 14 different home bases are helping to shape its future.The Battle Control Center-Experimental, currently being tested and evaluated at the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004, is a bridge between the Air

  • Synchronization system brings awareness to warfighters

    A new set of synchronization capabilities are being tested and experimented with here at Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004, the fifth in a series of major chief of staff of the Air Force-sponsored experiments that test new and emerging technologies.Global Concept-of-operations

  • Transient-alert team packs ‘em in

    Standing on the flightline here, people can see a lot of strange birds -- “birds” with names like AN-12, L-1011 and IL-76.These “birds,” and a host of other Soviet-built aircraft, join other, more common C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster IIIs on the flightline here, bringing supplies to coalition

  • Going from Air Force to NASA blue for astronaut wings

    It is the all too famous image seen across the world -- the orange suits, the big smiles, the friendly waves -- as an astronaut crew prepares to launch out of Earth’s orbit. Since the first U.S. manned space flight in 1961, the Air Force has been a part of the nation’s space program.There are some

  • Army, Air Force sharing battle information

    Parked under camouflaged netting in the heat of the Nevada sun is an extended cab Humvee equipped with all the modern comforts of home: vinyl seats, air conditioning, tinted windows and four 23-inch plasma displays.It is not the Army’s version of a stretch limousine, but an element of the Army’s

  • Paul Revere takes flight during JEFX

    Paul Revere is no longer a lone rider on horse. Here it is the name given to a task force of Air Force, Department of Defense workers and government contractors flying in a contracted government Boeing 707, allowing warfighters to experiment with and test the latest communication technology.Time is

  • ACC officials release F-15E accident report

    A bird strike caused an F-15E Strike Eagle's engine to fail, forcing the crew to eject during a training mission May 6 near Callaway, Va., according to Air Force investigators.The pilot and weapons system officer ejected safely and were not injured.The $42 million aircraft, assigned to the 335th

  • Officials release Beechcraft aircraft crash report

    An accident investigation board report released July 30 indicates “sudden cardiac death” caused an Air Force Beechcraft KA 1900 pilot to crash at the Nevada Test and Training Range on March 16, killing all five people aboard.The crash happened in an unpopulated area as the aircraft was taking

  • Raptor continuing Air Force's air superiority record

    With air dominance training under way here, the Air Force's newest asset, the F/A-22 Raptor, is proving its worth every day as it nears initial operational capability.The Raptor will eventually replace the F-15 Eagle, an aircraft with an undefeated 104-0 combat record, according to Brig. Gen. Larry

  • August issue of Airman available

    Read about Airmen protecting convoys in Iraq, discover what it takes to become an astronaut, and learn how the rich ecosystem at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is being protected. These features and more highlight the August issue of Airman magazine, now available in print and online at

  • Airman makes good on promise

    To Airman Diana Herbert, her reason for serving in the Air Force was simple. She made a promise.She did not seek or want the attention she is getting, but that does not change the enormity of her promise to her brother, Army Pfc. Rayshawn Johnson.Airman Herbert, 18, fulfilled her pledge July 28

  • Liaison officers provide link to Naval airpower during JEFX

    For Sailors, it is not the typical tour of duty – witnessing rows of Airmen dimly outlined against the faint glow of computer screens requesting Naval airpower for a coordinated strike against enemy assets.The setting is the Combined Air and Space Operations Center and the tour of duty is the Naval

  • Mother Nature battles Father Time during JEFX

    Mother Nature is a force to be reckoned with, and warfighters know weather can be more dangerous than the enemy itself.This is the logic behind the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004 machine-to-machine weather innovation initiative that provides automatic weather information to the Combined

  • Days are long for B-1 aircrews

    The sound is instantly recognizable as the walls of the tents start fluttering. Airmen slowly awaken to hear a light rumbling in their eardrums. Five seconds later they begin to think their tent is sitting on the tarmac of Cape Canaveral during a space shuttle launch. It takes a lot more than just

  • WW II veteran receives Purple Heart after 60 years

    A 24-year-old navigator was wounded during a bombing mission over Germany on Sept. 13, 1944, at the height of World War II. Nearly 60 years later, retired Lt. Col. Wayne Ehlers received the Purple Heart he earned when shrapnel flew through his oxygen mask, cut his microphone line and smashed into

  • Major commands highlight support, sustainment issues

    Air Force acquisition and management officials met with Air Mobility Command leaders here July 27 to review programs, discuss sustainment issues and look for ways to better support air mobility warriors.Dr. Marvin R. Sambur, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition; Gen. John W. Handy,

  • Airmen help Army control fighting

    With operations in Afghanistan moving toward supporting increased voter registration and election security, coalition forces regularly travel throughout the countryside.Those forces count on aerial support from A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and other in-theater close-air support aircraft in theater for

  • Air Force leaders support C-130J program

    Air Force officials are standing by the C-130J Hercules as the aircraft prepares to join the fight, despite a recent Department of Defense inspector general report criticizing the program.The Air Force fully endorses the C-130J, senior Air Force acquisitions officials said. The program is one of

  • Airmen begin structural analysis of C-5A

    Rolling up their sleeves, people from the 653rd Combat Logistics Support Squadron set about cutting through the skin and muscle of a C-5A Galaxy this week to remove the giant wings and lend a hand to those evaluating the aircraft’s viability for the future.Inspections began last year on a Galaxy,

  • Phase maintenance prevents problems for aircraft

    Like automobiles, combat aircraft need regular preventative maintenance to minimize breakdowns.Unlike combat aircraft, though, automobiles do not normally need to be virtually dismantled for a 30,000-mile checkup. Each A-10 Thunderbolt II here is taken apart after 400 flying hours so the

  • Tornado destroys home, but all is not lost

    Devastating, catastrophic, tragic and unfair may be words used by insurance companies and journalists to describe a tornado July 14, but you will not hear them uttered by Senior Master Sgt. John Stewart. Sergeant Stewart scoffs at such notions, despite losing his home to a tornado packing winds of

  • Weather forecasters helping coalition forces

    No matter what the season, weather changes quickly in the Afghanistan mountains. Within 30 minutes, sky can go from clear blue to dark and stormy, or the wind can pick up drastically, whipping up dust and reducing visibility to nearly zero.With air and ground forces conducting operations around the

  • Experiment testing new data system

    The Data Link Automated Reporting System is set to be one of the revolutionary initiatives tested here during the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004.JEFX 2004 is an Air Force-sponsored experiment that assesses new and emerging technologies that can be quickly fielded.“With this system we’ve

  • Guardsmen rescue pilot, dog after plane crash

    Pararescuemen from the Alaska Air National Guard’s 210th Rescue Squadron rescued a pilot and his dog following a crash July 21 in a steep canyon near Knik Glacier, 40 miles north of Anchorage.The Piper Cub pilot, in his late 60s, encountered a sudden downdraft and crashed his plane in the valley

  • Airmen serving at Army refueling point

    With rotors spinning at 1,600 revolutions per minute above his head, the Airman grips the fuel hose draped over his shoulder and pushes forward through the dust and sand. Time is everything in this environment and he knows it.The mission he has been tasked to do is not something he had ever dreamed

  • Guardsmen fighting California fires

    Air National Guard crews from the 146th Airlift Wing here are helping battle wildfires raging on the West Coast.Crews have been fighting fires in California during July, most recently against the Crown Fire near Santa Clarita. Forty-five ANG people and two specially equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft

  • JEFX 2004 execution phase is under way

    The Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004 execution phase is under way here. This is the fifth in a series of large-scale experiments that explore and assess new and emerging air power capabilities.The executing phase began July 19 and ends Aug. 5.Previous meetings, or spirals, focused on

  • Iraqi, American fighter pilots band together at Balad

    Two former enemies came together for lunch in the spirit of friendship July 20. Six Iraqi air force pilots and 10 American pilots shared stories over lunch at a dining facility and then took pictures together in front of an F-16 Fighting Falcon here. Despite speaking two vastly different languages,

  • Test pilot school selection board date set

    The Air Force plans to hold its next test pilot school selection board at the Air Force Personnel Center here Nov. 15.The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School trains pilots, navigators and engineers to test and evaluate the newest aircraft and weapons systems.Applicants from all aircraft types and

  • Officials complete T-6A accident investigation

    Air Force officials completed the investigation of a T-6A Texan II that crashed April 3 at the Savannah Hilton-Head International Airport in Georgia killing two Air Force pilots.The investigation determined the accident was caused by pilot error.The pilots, Capts. Judson Brinson and Thomas Moore,

  • Atomic bomb returns to Air Force Museum

    A poignant symbol of World War II history returned to the Air Force Museum here July 15 after a yearlong restoration project. The museum received its “Little Boy” atomic bomb following restoration at the Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, N.M. It is the same type as the one the dropped

  • Desert Hawk gives security forces an eye in sky

    Airmen at one forward-deployed location who routinely work, eat, run errands and sleep may not think to look up in the sky. But if they did, they would see something looking right back at them. Flying at about 300 feet above the ground is a small foam aircraft with a built-in video camera. It is

  • Leaders discuss future test pilot school curriculum

    Representatives from around the Air Force met here recently to help U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School experts modify the institution's current curriculum to fit future test and evaluation demands.Test pilot school graduates and nongraduates representing organizations from Air Force Materiel Command

  • Nellis Airmen move into first quad dorm

    More than 120 Airmen here received a quality-of-life improvement July 17 when they moved into the Air Force’s first quad-style dormitory.The dormitory provides a quad that will be shared by four Airmen, said Tech. Sgt. Mike Merlo, 57th Equipment Maintenance Squadron dorm manager. “It’s the new

  • Airman dies in maintenance accident

    Tech. Sgt. Joseph Gardner III died early July 18 while performing an inspection on a C-17 Globemaster III.An investigation is currently under way to determine how he became pinned under the spoiler on the aircraft’s wing.Sergeant Gardner, 37, was an integrated avionics technician with the 437th

  • Special team searches for aircraft cracks

    All combat aircraft go through extreme stresses when completing their missions. Those stresses can cause metal fatigue -- tiny cracks in the joints and welds of the frame or invisible fractures in the metal.The sooner these invisible cracks are found, the safer the aircraft will be.Finding those

  • F-16 test team conducts first guided launch of AIM-9X

    A test team from the Global Power Fighters Combined Test Force here moved a step closer to demonstrating the full combat capability of the newest variant of the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile on the F-16 Fighting Falcon.Maj. Bill Peris, a 416th Flight Test Squadron test pilot, fired the AIM-9X from an