HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • 2011 AFA Outstanding Air Force Civilians of the Year announced

    Air Force officials have announced the winners of the 2011 Air Force Association Outstanding Air Force Civilian of the Year awards.Each year, the AFA recognizes four Air Force civilian employees for outstanding achievement in any career field. This year's recipients were:Civilian wage employee of

  • CAPEX tests Kunsan's bomb-building abilities

    The Combat Ammunition Production Exercise is underway here June 6 to 10, to test the 8th Fighter Wing Airmen's capabilities to build munitions to support combat sorties. Inspectors from across the Air Force, including instructors from the Air Force Combat Ammunition Center at Beale Air Force Base,

  • Airman solves fuel-flow transmitter problem, saves Air Force thousands

    An Airman here was recently awarded a check worth $10,000 through the Innovative Development Employee Awareness program.Tech. Sgt. Tremaine Smith, the 51st Maintenance Group technical order distribution office manager, was recognized for an idea that fixed a fuel-flow transmitter problem, saving the

  • C-130s maintain steady ops in Afghanistan

    Every day there are Airmen here supporting combat airlift missions for Operation Enduring Freedom through the use of the C-130 Hercules. The C-130s at Bagram Airfield are deployed with the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, which is part of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing. Its Air Force fact

  • Marines keep an eye on the sky in Alaska

    Marine Air Control Squadron One, from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., recently ventured to Alaska for the first time to participate in the U.S. Pacific Command exercise Northern Edge 11. The Marines, who normally train at their home station, plan to take advantage of the unique training

  • Abandoned paintings make Air Force history

    Nine paintings depicting the evolution of air and space, which are displayed in the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station technical support building lobby, will be adopted into the Air Force Art Program this year. The paintings were rescued years ago after being abandoned inside a storage closet at

  • SMART scholars visit D.C. to learn about their new jobs

    Students ranging from undergraduates to PhD candidates will visit Joint Base Andrews, Md., in June, to learn more about their future with the Department of Defense.The students, as Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation program scholars, represent a $50 million investment in the DOD

  • U.S. military, aircraft highlighted at international air show

    U.S. military pride, strength and technology are on display at the 49th International Paris Air Show at the Le Bourget Airport here June 20 through 26. Held every two years, the Paris Air Show provides an opportunity for the U.S. to showcase the best the Department of Defense has to offer in people,

  • U.S., Indonesian airmen begin Cope West 11

    Airmen from the 374th Airlift Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, and their Indonesian air force counterparts gathered at a ceremony to officially mark the beginning of the U.S. and Indonesian tactical airlift exercise called Cope West 11 June 20 here.Three C-130 Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron,

  • AFNORTH officials increase wildfire suppression support

    Air Forces Northern officials deployed two additional C-130 Hercules and an emergency planning liaison officer to support wildfire suppression efforts in the Southwestern United States.Upon request from the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, the North Carolina Air National Guard 145th

  • SecAF visits Airmen at Aviano AB

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley visited here June 16 and 17 to meet with Airmen and tour the installation.During his visit, the secretary received briefings on the wing's mission and operations, dined with junior enlisted Airmen, conducted an Airmen's call and participated in an Airmen

  • Second hypersonic flight ends prematurely, brings new flight test data

    The X-51A Waverider flew its second test flight at the Point Mugu Naval Air Test Range over the Pacific Ocean June 13, bringing significant hypersonic research data despite a less-than-successful flight.The hypersonic aircraft was successfully boosted to just over Mach 5 and the scramjet engine lit,

  • French citizens hold exhibition honoring 48th Fighter Bomber Wing

    Today, the 48th Fighter Wing is located in England, but that wasn't always the case.From 1952 to 1967, the 48th Fighter Bomber Wing, predecessor to the 48th FW, operated out of Chaumont Air Base, in northeastern France, with 75 jets and 2,500 American Airmen at its peak.Recently, a group of French

  • Nellis to receive Air Force's first MTC flight simulator

    Delivery is underway for a first-of-a-kind flight simulator here, with completion and operational turnover set for October.The Air Force's first Mission Training Center simulator is being set up here as part of a $109.1 million contract with L-3 Link Simulation and Training.The F-16 MTC includes

  • Controllers step it up a notch during Northern Edge

    Every two years, the U.S. Pacific Command exercise Northern Edge brings nearly 150 aircraft together to hone pilots' aerial combat skills in Alaska. The largest exercise in the state also brings additional challenges to the base's air traffic controllers.The controllers must adapt to stressful

  • Felts Field open house displays AMC lineage

    The Experimental Aviation Association shared a piece of Air Mobility Command history with the local community here recently.One of 12 flight-capable B-17 Flying Fortresses rumbled through the sky and landed for tours for aviation enthusiasts and two World War II B-17 pilots during Felts Field's

  • Mullen discusses fiscal 2012 budget proposal with Senate committee

    Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told the Senate Appropriations Committee today that he supports the fiscal 2012 budget proposal, and that it funds service members in harm's way in Afghanistan and Iraq.The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the proposed 2012 budget fully funds deployed service members,

  • Columbus T-38C accident investigation complete

    The investigation of the Feb. 11, 2011, T-38C Talon mishap at Ellington Field, Texas, found the mishap was due to the pilot mistaking the landing runway, losing altitude too quickly and allowing his airspeed to fall below a safe level. This resulted in catastrophic damage to the T-38's landing gear

  • Reserve Airmen fuel up NATO forces in Iceland exercise

    Air Force Reserve Airmen and KC-135 Stratotankers from the 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md., took part in Northern Viking 11, a biennial NATO air-space and maritime protection exercise here June 3-10, 2011.This year approximately 450 NATO military members from the U.S., Norway,

  • DOD officials aim to streamline foreign military sales program

    Defense Department officials are streamlining the way they administer the foreign military sales program, including testing a concept to get pre-approvals for requests for high-demand technologies such as unmanned aerial systems, the director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said June

  • Iraqi air force leaders attend conference at Balad

    Three Iraqi air force air staff generals and five representatives from different bases visited June 8 and 9 here to experience a U.S. Air Force base. Joint Base Balad was chosen to host the visit because it is the only base in Iraq that could provide the opportunity for Airmen to work with Iraqi

  • Pope C-130 crew chiefs achieve discrepancy-free checklists

     At some bases, a discrepancy-free checklist inspection has never occurred. At others it happens maybe once every 10 to 15 years, but two crew chiefs from the 440th Airlift Wing both achieved perfect checklist inspections for their aircraft.Tech. Sgts. Abner Berrios and Alan Hunter earned a "black

  • Airmen standardize procedures to ensure patient, aircrew safety

    Similar to walking through security and being searched by TSA at an airport, Airmen at the contingency aeromedical staging facility here have standardized procedures to take security aboard military aircraft to a higher level."We're like a medical airport," said Lt. Col. Barbara Persons, the 451st

  • Mobility Airmen take C-5M on first direct Arctic overflight to Afghanistan

    Fourteen mobility Airmen teamed together to fly a C-5M Super Galaxy on a direct, non-stop mission from Dover Air Force Base, Del., here June 5 and 6, 2011.The flight was the first time a U.S. Air Force plane flew this northern route from the U.S., over Canada and into the Arctic Circle, then back

  • Balloon reconnaissance marks 150th anniversary

    The intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support critical to operations in Afghanistan got its start 150 years ago in June, when a balloonist showed then-President Abraham Lincoln how a gas-filled balloon could help the Union Army prevail in the Civil War.Thaddeus Lowe met with President

  • Edwards team tests new brake system for C-130

    Members of the 418th Flight Test Squadron C-130 Hercules Wheel Brake System Improvement program here are testing the performance of carbon brakes and the new Mark IV Digital Antiskid Control Unit for the aircraft to replace the C-130's legacy brake system.Members of this test group said they know

  • Air Force leaders praise Tinker's efficiency, warfighter support

    Two Air Force senior leaders toured the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center here June 6, and praised the partnerships they saw in action.Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin C. Conaton and former OC-ALC commander Lt. Gen. Loren M. Reno, who serves as the Air Force deputy chief of staff for logistics,

  • Wisconsin ANG pilot safe following aircraft accident

    A pilot from the Wisconsin Air National Guard 115th Fighter Wing here is safe after ejecting from an F-16 Fighting Falcon over Adams County June 7 during a routine training flight. The pilot has been recovered south of Chester, Wisc., and is being medically evaluated. The aircraft has been located

  • Reservists complete combat aviation advisor training

    Training with their active-duty counterparts, five 919th Special Operations Wing reservists completed the baseline certification course May 27 that will lead to their recognition as combat aviation advisors.This was the first time Air Force reservists have taken this elite special operations course.

  • U.S., Korean air forces rumble forward in Max Thunder 11-1

    The South Korean and U.S. air forces hosted a joint exercise here May recently to sharpen their ability to work together in a simulated wartime environment. The exercise, held annually, provided bilateral training to more than 320 personnel from the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base and the 51st

  • Offutt Airmen join locals to help protect museum items from flood waters

    A call for help started a chain of events that culminated with members of Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.,  joining forces with three Boy Scout groups, more than 20 Omaha park personnel, retired submariners and members of the U.S. Coast Guard responding to rising flood waters at Freedom Park June

  • Former Air Force general sworn in as VA undersecretary for benefits

    Retired Brig. Gen. Allison A. Hickey, a 27-year veteran of the Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve and a graduate of the first U.S. Air Force Academy class to include women, has been sworn in as the Department of Veterans Affairs' undersecretary for benefits."General Hickey is a

  • U.S. transfers airspace to Iraq

    Officials at the Airspace Control Authority transferred airspace to Iraq Civil Aviation Authority officials June 1 in what is being called a milestone in Operation New Dawn.The ICAA took over the Ali sector of airspace from surface area to 24,000 feet, assuming control over all aircraft on final

  • Thunderbirds set to kick off 2011 European tour in Turkey

    The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are practiced and ready to perform the first official demonstration of their 2011 European Tour. The team brought 78 of its nearly 120 Airmen on the six-week, transcontinental trip, arriving earlier this week at Cigli AB, just outside of the western coastal city of

  • Raven Claw forges future warrior-diplomats

    Trainees faced decisions ranging from eating fish heads full of teeth to providing the host nation with night-vision goggles and satellite imagery.Nineteen Airmen tested their powers of diplomatic negotiation and combat readiness in Raven Claw, a week-long exercise devoted to preparing future combat

  • Minot Airmen help neighbors as flood water rises

    With the Souris River threatening to break the levies already in place, thousands of Minot citizens, including military members, their families and DOD civilians, have been forced to evacuate the area here June 1.Many have sought shelter with friends and families outside of the evacuation areas. For

  • New 'milk stool' design may save dollars, backs

    A C-130 Hercules ramp support platform designed by four cadets here in May could save not only Air Force dollars but also the backs of the loadmasters who currently drag around 75-pound monstrosities, officials said.The newly designed "milk stool," as the ramp support platform is called, would weigh

  • Grand Forks AFB Airmen welcome Global Hawk

    Airmen celebrated the arrival of the RQ-4 Global Hawk during a ceremony here June 1.The ceremony highlighted the beginning of a new era of remotely piloted aircraft here."It is an honor to be here; what a great day for Grand Forks (Air Force Base) and North Dakota -- this is cutting edge

  • Team building drove president's choices, Gates says

    Building a team was the most important consideration as President Barack Obama made his choices for top national security positions, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said June 2.While he wouldn't give specifics about his advice to the president, Secretary Gates told reporters traveling with him to

  • First C-17 lands on refurbished runway at Shindand

    A C-17 Globemaster III landed at Shindand Air Base recently marking the first time the large military transport aircraft was needed to land at the base since the refurbished runway opened in December 2010.The landing marked a significant milestone as strategic airlift provides a critical and

  • Officials announce Flemming Award winners

    Air Force officials selected the winners of the 62nd Annual Arthur S. Flemming Award.Dr. Timothy Bunning and Maj. Gabriel Hiley of the Air Force Materiel Command were named the winners in the basic science and managerial or legal achievement categories.The Flemming award annually recognizes

  • Fallen tanker pilot to be honored in building dedication

    Airmen from the 911th Air Refueling Squadron will honor a fallen tanker pilot June 26 here by dedicating a new auditorium in his name. The event comes exactly 43 years to the day that the late Maj. Robert Francis Woods was declared missing in action after his plane crashed over Vietnam, and four

  • Advisers open metals technology, sheet metal shops

    Advisers from the 721st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron held an inauguration ceremony here to commemorate the opening of a metals technology and sheet metal shop in Iraq's newest and largest maintenance hangar. The ceremony was held to honor the effort and dedication it took to build two fully

  • Photo essay: Deployed Airmen honor fallen on Memorial Day

    Deployed Airmen in the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing honored fallen but not forgotten service members during a Memorial Day ceremony May 30 in Southwest Asia. Colonel Patrick Mordente, the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Richard Turcotte, the 386th command chief, laid a

  • Maintainers prepare for F-35A training on F-35B and F-35C

    Air Force maintainers are getting hands-on experience with the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter here.Seven Airmen from the 33rd Fighter Wing arrived here recently to spend 75 days gaining firsthand experience maintaining the F-35B and F-35C variants, while those aircraft continue flight test

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a look around the service

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," the Air Force Thunderbirds make history with the first Department of Defense aerial demonstration where participating aircraft are fueled by biofuel.  Plus, you'll get an update on conditions at Misawa Air Base, Japan, since the earthquake and tsunami hit that

  • Seven decades of flying come to a close

    More than 70 years of flying experience came to a close after one last flight in a Piper Saratoga aircraft May 20 in Valdosta, Ga.While retired Col. Clarence Parker has been a pilot for the majority of his life, the now 90-year-old has decided to hang up his wings and start a new chapter in his

  • French pilots, families integrate into base, community

    Two French air force pilots are currently calling Moody Air Force Base, Ga., home. Commandant Yann Malard and Capitaine Sebastian Alvarez are currently integrated with a fighter squadron and rescue squadron, respectively, as they become proficient on their particular airframes. "The units here and

  • KC-135s get lighting upgrades

    The C/KC-135 Stratotanker is in and out of Southwest Asia, but these days it supports more than just air refueling operations. As the KC-135 performs more aeromedical evacuation missions, officials said they realized the fleet wasn't properly equipped to care for patients due to inadequate

  • Experts discuss future long-range strike bomber requirements

    More than 30 military and civilian strategic air power experts gathered here May 5 to discuss ideas for a new long-range strike bomber. The Bomber Advisory Group examined past and current global strike success stories and strategic air power's role in the 21st century. The group also brainstormed

  • Secretary Donley congratulates new officers at Academy commencement

    The secretary of the Air Force spoke at the commencement address for the Air Force Academy's Class of 2011 at Falcon Stadium here May 25.Michael Donley congratulated the 1,021 graduates and challenged them to be lifelong learners, team players and doers after they have received their diplomas and

  • Tops in Blue set to kick off 'Rhythm Nation' tour

    Tops in Blue, the Air Force's expeditionary entertainment unit, kicks off their 2011 'Rhythm Nation' tour with a performance at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., May 25.Tops in Blue is a group of Airmen comprised of 35 vocalists, dancers, musicians and technicians who perform for deployed service

  • Advisers from 3 bases converge for evacuation training

    Air Force and Army medical advisers from bases throughout Iraq converged here to conduct aeromedical evacuation training with their Iraqi counterparts May 18 to 19.Medical advisers and helicopter pilots with the 171st General Support Aviation Battalion at Camp Taji, medics from Joint Base Balad's

  • Conaton speaks on AF biomass fuel use at open house

    Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton spoke to media about the milestone of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flight demonstration team's first use of a biomass fuel blend in two of their jets here during the 2011 Joint Service Open House May 20.The Air Force has a vested interest in the use of

  • 'Golden hour' initiative pays off in Afghanistan

    Two years ago, Defense Secretary Robert Gates traveled throughout Afghanistan, promising deployed troops he would make sure they had everything they needed to accomplish their mission -- including more forward-deployed medical capabilities in the event they were wounded.The goal, Secretary Gates

  • Air Guard Airmen establish air hub for earthquake-relief exercise

    More than 40 members of a contingency response element from the Kentucky Air National Guard's 123rd Airlift Wing operated a key patient-movement hub here as part of National Level Exercise 2011.The exercise is designed to test the local, state and national response to a simulated earthquake along

  • Joint Air Operations Center stand-up part of National Level Exercise 2011

    Kentucky Air National Guard officials stood up a joint air operations center here May 16 to serve as the main command node for all of the state's fixed-wing and rotary aircraft that are participating in the largest earthquake-response exercise in U.S. history.The week-long event, called National

  • JTACs show off new capability during digital demo

    Joint terminal attack controllers with the 607th Air Support Operations Group here recently showed off new digital capabilities during a demonstration with members of the South Korea air force.The demonstration showcased advanced equipment the controllers use when transmitting digit data to aircraft

  • Iraqi air force advance echelon team arrives

    The Iraqi air force is one step closer to taking ownership of Joint Base Balad. A trio of officers and 11 enlisted airmen arrived May 15 to in-process here.The group is part of the advance echelon team of 60 Iraqi airmen projected to arrive. "It's truly a significant day for the Iraqi air force,"

  • Arming point key to Afghan airpower dominance

    Officials at the Kandahar Air Wing reached a milestone May 15 when they opened an Afghan Mi-17 weapons arming point here.The officials said it's a key step towards delivering airpower dominance to both the 205th and 215th Afghan National Army Corps."Having the arming point allows the Afghan air

  • Deployed air refuelers surpass 350 million pounds of fuel delivered in 2011

    In the first four months of 2011, air refueling aircraft supporting the air mission on the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility have off-loaded more than 357 million pounds of fuel to more than 26,500 receiver aircraft.The 357 million pounds of fuel figure, which is calculated and tracked by

  • CONR officials provide support during shuttle launch

    Officials from the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Air Forces Northern provided airspace control and shuttle support during the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour May 16 at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. CONR officials ensured airspace sovereignty by enforcing the

  • Cadets win Boeing design challenge

    A year of hard work paid off for team of cadets recently, when they won the Boeing CrewSystem 2035 challenge. CrewSystem 2035 was a year-long design competition sponsored by Boeing. Teams from the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy were tasked to design the

  • PACAF demo team certified to showcase F-16's aerial maneuvering might

    A crew from the 14th Fighter Squadron at Misawa Air Base, Japan, was certified as the Pacific Air Forces F-16 Fighting Falcon Demonstration Team May 16.Lt. Gen. Burton Field, the U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force commander, certified the crew. The crew includes one pilot, two narrators and a

  • 20th FW hands off alert mission to McEntire ANG

    The 20th Fighter Wing here turned over responsibility for the air sovereignty alert mission to the 169th Fighter Wing at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C., recently.The 20th FW controlled the alert mission from Sept. 11, 2001 to Nov. 15, 2003 and again from Aug. 1, 2006 to May 9, 2011. The

  • Combat Talon ends career as historic monument

    Exactly one year after making its final operational flight, the MC-130E Combat Talon I 64-0567 reached the end of its 47-year journey with a stirring dedication ceremony here May 6.The Talon, or as it came to be know by 919th Special Operations Wing Airmen, "Wild Thing," will now be a historic

  • Cadet honored in Pentagon ceremony

    The newest name engraved on the Millennium Sword of Friendship in the Pentagon is that of a student at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., who was presented with the 2010 U.S. Air Force Cadet of the Year Award here May 12.During a ceremony hosted by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen.

  • Marines begin reintegration through Air Force Deployment Transition Center

    More than 100 Marines arrived by air here April 27 for a brief stay at the Air Force Deployment Transition Center.On their way home from Helmand Province in Afghanistan, the Marines of the 1st Explosives Ordnance Disposal Company, from Camp Pendleton, Calif., are the first members from another

  • Airmen ready Romanian airport for U.S. multi-modal shipments

    Members of the 621st Contingency Response Wing from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., arrived here May 9 to extend the airfield's capability to support "multi-modal operations" during a U.S. Transportation Command proof-of-principle evaluation.USTRANSCOM applies the term "multi-modal" to the

  • AETC, 17th AF officials bring maintenance training to 7 partner nations

    Officers and NCOs from seven African nations began a three-week course here May 5 designed to provide fundamental maintenance and logistics management skills, thanks to a partnership between 17th Air Force (Air Forces Africa) and Air Education and Training Command.The Trans-Sahara Culture of

  • Lynn: U.S. must preserve its defense industrial base

    Competition, a global defense market and targeted research and development spending will be critical in preserving the nation's defense industrial base during the slowdown in Pentagon spending, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here May 11.In keynote remarks at the Intrepid Sea, Air

  • Undersecretary addresses fiscal challenges

    Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton spoke at the Air Force Association's Air Force Breakfast Program here May 11.Ms. Conaton discussed the state of the Air Force and how the service is approaching the challenging budgetary environment it faces today."We're currently balancing a range of

  • DOD committed to realignment of forces in Japan

    The Defense Department is committed to the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, a defense spokesperson said here yesterday."We have longstanding agreements with the government of Japan, including the 2006 Realignment Roadmap and the 28 May 2010 Joint Statement," said Navy Cmdr. Leslie Hull-Ryde, a

  • 'Hump' pilots mark 65th reunion

    During World War II, they flew C-47 Skytrains and B-24 Liberators, providing supplies to Chinese soldiers fighting the Japanese after the Burma Road was shut down. Their aircraft were often loaded with 10,000 pounds of gasoline, food, ammunition and bombs. And they did all this flying across the

  • Building a better tomorrow, one NCO at a time

    Airmen serving with the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission-Air and 447th Air Expeditionary Group are focused on building the foundation of the Iraqi air force. Equipment transfer and technical training are important, but a small group of NCOs are also teaching enlisted professional development as

  • 537th AS Airmen fly again after 40 years

    It's been more than 40 years since 537th Airlift Squadron pilots have taken flight. That hiatus came to an end in early May, soon after first the 537th AS was reactivated May 6. The squadron was deactivated in the early 1970s at Phu Cat Air Base, South Vietnam. At the time, it was the 537th Tactical

  • U.S. will defeat terrorists, Obama tells troops

    The skill and courage of countless American military and intelligence professionals are why Osama bin Laden can never threaten America again, President Barack Obama told a cheering group of 101st Airborne Soldiers May 6 at Fort Campbell, Ky.President Obama told them about meeting yesterday with

  • Air Force firefighting operations conclude in Texas

    After performing 81 sorties and dropping 243,000 gallons of fire retardant over the wildfires that have been burning in South and West Texas, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve personnel and their Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped aircraft headed home May 6.Officials from the

  • Aeromedical evacuation saves lives in Afghanistan

    An aeromedical evacuation capacity unrivaled anywhere in the world is saving the lives of wounded warriors in Afghanistan, said the officer here who oversees the effort at the combat theater's busiest aeromedical evacuation point.Equipment and procedures are being improved continually to move

  • Tinker AFB Airmen complete first repairs on F117 engine

    Airmen from the 76th Propulsion Maintenance Group and Pratt & Whitney mechanics recently completed repairs on the first F117 engine of the newly-obtained workload. The Pratt & Whitney manufactured engine powers the C-17 Globemaster III."The significance is that this engine was the first ever

  • Chief of staff addresses issues, surveys tornado damage

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz visited here May 4 and 5 to meet with Airmen and see the damage caused by recent tornadoes.During an all-call meeting, General Schwartz discussed several issues, including recent force management actions by Air Force officials, the repeal of the law

  • Officials announce AF fuels management awards

    The 87th Air Base Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., recently received the Air Force's 2010 American Petroleum Institute Gold Award.The other award winners were:Silver Award - 86th Air Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany Bronze Award - 49th Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. Air

  • Registry yields life-saving treatment lessons

    A registry established six years ago to track casualty information from Iraq and Afghanistan is providing valuable data that's saving wounded warriors' lives, the commander of the theater hospital here said.Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Guillermo Tellez, commander of the Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig Joint

  • Air Force officials announce criteria for basing of TACP/ALO training

    Air Force officials have released the criteria for basing tactical air control party and air liaison officer training.Recent and current operations have created an increase in demand for TACPs and ALOs to support Army units. The current TACP/ALO schoolhouse at Hurlburt Field, Fla., lacks adequate

  • Reserve tankers among 42 aircraft participating in Sea Lion 11-05

    Air Force Reserve Command KC-135 Stratotankers were among the 42 aircraft that converged in the sky over North and South Carolina to support Operation Sea Lion 11-05, a phase two operational readiness exercise centered at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.Stratotanker crews from the 916th Air Refueling Wing

  • Officials announce Eglin as MQ-1 squadron candidate base

    Air Force officials announced May 3 the Eglin Air Force Base complex in Florida as a candidate for an Air Force Reserve Command MQ-1 Remote Split-Operations squadron. "The selection of this candidate is the result of a deliberate, measured and transparent process," said Kathleen Ferguson, the deputy

  • Exercise preserves U.S., Bulgarian partnership

    Airmen from Ramstein Air Base's 86th Airlift Wing and 435th Air Ground Operations Wing, as well as U.S. Army jumpmasters teamed with Bulgarian armed forces to conduct Exercise Thracian Spring 2011 April 26 to May 6 here. The bilateral training exercise brought U.S. and Bulgarian military forces

  • Air Guard assists critical-care evacuations

    Minutes after takeoff here, Col. (Dr.) Charles Chappuis jumped to his feet aboard a C-17 Globemaster III to check on Army Spc. Adam Castagna, one of three critical patients under his care being transported to the U.S. for advanced medical care.Dr. Chappuis is the surgeon for a three-person Air

  • Guard members respond to domestic weather-related disasters

    About 3,000 National Guard members were responding to weather-related domestic disasters in 11 states April 29, the majority in tornado-ravaged Alabama, while hundreds still tackled rising waters in North Dakota, the epicenter of flooding challenging seven states.In Alabama, Arkansas and

  • 36th AS helps map Japanese water currents

    In an effort to help track the movement of seawater along northeastern Honshu, members of the 36th Airlift Squadron, in coordination with the Japanese government, dropped seven Davis Drifter buoys off the coast of Japan April 29.The buoys will aid scientists from the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office

  • 33rd RQS wins third straight "Jolly Green Rescue Mission of the Year" award

    A split second after a two-man rescue team touched ground, the ear-shattering explosions of rocket-propelled grenades, or RPGs, rang out overhead. Capt. Koa Bailey and Master Sgt. Roger Sparks, a combat rescue officer and a pararescueman from the Alaska Air National Guard's 212th Rescue Squadron,

  • Air Force Auxiliary provides aerial support to tornado-ravaged South

    In an effort to assist those affected by the tornadoes that swept through the Southeast U.S. last week, the Civil Air Patrol -- the Air Force Auxiliary -- is flying over areas with major devastation to assist first responders and state and local officials as they assess the damage to the region.CAP

  • Bin Laden buried at sea, official says

    Osama bin Laden received a Muslim ceremony as he was buried at sea, a senior defense official said here May 2.The religious rites were performed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the North Arabian Sea, the official said, and occurred within 24 hours of the terrorist leader's

  • Logistics Airmen play crucial dual-role before Kirkuk transition

    As U.S. military forces pack up their things and transition out of Iraq, Airmen from the 321st Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron have their hands full.With less than eight months remaining before the security agreement deadline, 321st Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Airmen are

  • Secretary Donley visits ROTC students at Southern Cal

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley met with cadets from University of Southern California's Air Force ROTC Det. 60 April 25 during a visit to the USC campus here. Following a tour of the detachment's offices and dayroom, the secretary took time to talk with cadets and answer their questions.