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U.S. Air Force News

  • Photo essay: Flying a Hawk home

    Members of the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron load and secure an HH-60G Pave Hawk here for transit home on a C-17 Globemaster III Sept. 9, 2009.  The Pave Hawk is attached to the 56th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, with a primary wartime mission of combat search and rescue.  View

  • Injured Airman credits training for saving her life

    The training one Airman received during the Advanced Contingency Skills Training Course at the Air Force Expeditionary Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., and the quick reaction of her teammates is what she attributed to saving her life. While on a convoy in Iraq Aug. 21, Capt. Wendy

  • Air Combat Command welcomes new commander

    Gen. William M. Fraser III assumed command of Air Combat Command from Gen. John D.W. Corley in a change-of-command ceremony here Sept. 10. General Fraser comes to ACC from the Pentagon, where he served as vice chief of staff of the Air Force and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Requirements

  • Maj. Gen. Hertog assumes command of 2nd Air Force

    When Maj. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog assumed command of 2nd Air Force at Keesler Air Force Base Sept. 9 from Maj. Gen. Alfred Flowers, Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz called the two generals "two of the finest leaders the Air Force has known." "When I meet with Airmen, I always tell them 'you're the next great

  • Air Force Flight Standards Agency owns rules, regulations of flight

    Picture an airfield. Aircraft taxi along the runway, pilots discussing clearances with air traffic controllers. Ground-flight operators drive the flight line ensuring the lights and navigation aids work and business can continue as scheduled. Their routines are possible because of the Air Force

  • Photo essay: Trainees conquer the BEAST

    A recent group of basic trainees conquered training exercises here at the Basic Expeditionary Airman Training, or BEAST, course Sept. 2, 2009.  The BEAST introduces Airmen to the joint expeditionary concept and immerses them in deployment scenarios. View the slideshow.

  • Airmen advise Afghan medical mission

    Between 100 and 400 Afghans are screened here daily for entrance into the Afghan national army. The first day of screening is the medical portion - an essential process for all would-be recruits to pass before becoming an Afghan soldier. Over a six-month timeframe, 2,500 to 3,000 Afghan recruits

  • Air Force physician applies research to humanitarian exercise

    For Capt. (Dr.) Christopher Lindshield, a family practice physician from the 374th Medical Group, Yokota Air Base, Japan, the prospect of using his knowledge of Micronesian medicine during a humanitarian mission to Chuuk was too good to pass up. The physician is part of the 54-person humanitarian

  • Servicemembers help reconnect Afghan, government

    Coalition forces are lending a helping hand through provincial reconstruction teams in Afghanistan in an attempt to rebuild the government's relationship with its people. "(The purpose is) to give hope and a means for a better future to people recovering from war and oppression under a totalitarian

  • MacDill Airman killed in IED attack identified

    Department of Defense officials announced Sept. 9, 2009, the death of a MacDill Airman assigned to the 6th Air Mobility Wing who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. 1st Lt. Joseph Helton, 24, of Monroe, Ga., died Sept. 8, 2009, near Baghdad of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his

  • Sergeant honored for lifesaving action

    A Tinker Air Force NCO received the Airman's Medal in September here for the actions he and two friends did to rescue a group of drowning college exchange students in 2007. Staff Sgt. Chris Harlan of the 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron earned the Airman's Medal for heroism involving the

  • Tops In Blue performs during Air Force Week Sacramento

    The Air Force's premiere entertainment group sang and danced their way into the hearts of thousands of Sacramento area residents during a series of concerts at the California State Fair Sept. 6 and 7. The Tops In Blue concerts, named "To Dream," were part of Air Force Week Sacramento, a weeklong

  • Proclamation officially opens Air Force Week Sacramento

    Air Force Week here officially began Sept. 8 with a proclamation ceremony on the steps of the California State Capitol Building. In attendance at the event were California Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley, Gen. Arthur J. Lichte, commander of Air

  • Secretary Donley: Airmen vital to missions in Iraq, Afghanistan

    Airmen remain a vital part of the joint mission, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley observed during his recent visit to installations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The secretary used the opportunity to speak with Airmen and receive mission updates in Iraq and

  • Air Forces Africa Airmen share airdrop expertise with Ugandan forces

    Airmen of U.S. Air Forces Africa worked with Uganda peoples defense force members during a theater security cooperation event to show how humanitarian airdrop missions are conducted in late August at Entebbe Air Base, Uganda. With theater security cooperation events, American Airmen plan engagement

  • World War II vet receives long-awaited medals

    Although he was not dressed in the khaki Army Air Corps uniform he wore after enlisting at 17, World War II veteran Tech. Sgt. Howard Thornton was no less proud when he received medals during a special ceremony here Aug. 29. A small gathering of family, friends and military members assembled to

  • Airmen provide comfort, care with aeromedical evacuations

    Members of the 379th Expeditionary Air Evacuation Squadron run weekly missions to both Iraq and Afghanistan to either pick up patients or return servicemembers who have sufficiently recovered back to a forward location. An average of 120 wounded and injured servicemembers are transported each month.

  • Airmen demonstrate their importance to Afghanistan, joint operations

    Joint expeditionary tasked Airmen have two commanders, the Army one responsible for their day-to-day missions and the Air Force one responsible for their administrative and operational control; but they both sing the praises of their Airmen. According to Army Lt. Col. Matt Smith the task force

  • Security forces Airmen help secure future of Iraq

    Members of the Air Force's 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Det. 2 here strive to ready members of the Iraqi police to handle day-to-day police operations within their district in Iraq. Currently, the security forces Airmen are responsible for nine different stations and are training

  • Yokota restaurant in step with transformation

    The grand opening of a Chili's restaurant Aug. 14 at Yokota Air Base, Japan, is another step in the sustained efforts by Air Force leaders to care for their people by improving quality of life. Several hundred Airmen, their families and civic leaders from the Yokota AB community took part in a

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a new vice chief, teamwork and diversity

    This edition of Today's Air Force features a new vice chief of staff of the Air Force who comes to the job during a time of transition and change,  a lesson in teamwork that proves vital in helping Airmen accomplish their mission, and the celebration of cultural diversity around the world.General

  • Mud run begins Air Force Week Sacramento

    Air Force Week Sacramento kicked off with a splash Sept. 5 as thousands of people participated in the 10th annual Mather Mud Run at Hagan Community Park here. Air Force Week Sacramento is designed to expose the local population to the incredible power and capabilities of the Air Force and strengthen

  • Jungle Shield exercise trains Airmen, federal agencies

    Airmen at Andersen Air Force Base and Hickam AFB, Hawaii, participated in an exercise Aug. 25 through 27 to test the Air Force's ability to protect U.S. air sovereignty in the Pacific region. The exercise, known as Jungle Shield, trains flying crews and ensures command and control requirements are

  • Air Forces Central officials launch new Combined Air, Space Ops Center

    Airmen, Soldiers, Marines and Sailors along with their coalition partners from Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom are busy standing up and launching the new U.S. Air Forces Central Combined Air and Space Operations Center here. Communications Airmen along with their contractor counterparts are

  • Policy change benefits disabled Airmen

    A policy change by Air Force Personnel Center officials here now allows some Airmen retiring with less than 20 years active service to receive retirement certificates. A change to Air Force Instruction 36-3203, Service Retirements, authorizes Airmen with less than 20 years of active service who are

  • Elmendorf Airmen boost aviation fuel with additive

    Elmendorf Air Force Base officials started to blend a thermally stable additive known as Plus 100 to its JP-8 aviation fuel Sept. 1. The additive prevents coking and carbon buildup in the engine, which will greatly reduce engine maintenance. Even before base officials began using this additive, the

  • Missile retrofit provides better accuracy, saves Air Force money

    Members of the 86th Munitions Squadron here recently upgraded their AGM-65 Maverick H-and-K-model missile systems as part of the Air Force effort to modernize its air and space inventories. With the help of an Air Force Reserve ammunition team and a Maverick Systems Program Office team from Raytheon

  • Airmen teach Iraqis firefighting skills, help kids

    An Air Force firefighting squadron is making a difference in Iraq by training firefighters and helping local children. Members of the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Protection Flight, a 40-man team of firefighters who provides fire response and airfield operations to Ali Base,

  • Osan command sponsorship at capacity

    An overwhelming response for command sponsorship by Airmen serving tours at Osan Air Base, South Korea, is compelling officials there to establish a waiting list after having reached capacity. "The availability of command sponsorship at Osan Air Base is an important and highly impactful initiative

  • Elmendorf Airmen convicted, sentenced for UCMJ violations

    An Elmendorf Air Force Base Airman was sentenced to 12 months confinement, reduction in rank to E-1 and a bad-conduct discharge for using "an interactive computer service for carriage in interstate or foreign commerce, obscene, lewd, lascivious, or filthy pictures or other matter of indecent

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force. View the Week in Photos slideshow.

  • Leaders issue joint Labor Day safety message

    The Air Force's top leaders remind the entire Air Force family to minimize safety risks this weekend and beyond in a Labor Day message. Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz issued the following message: "As we approach this holiday weekend, it

  • 615th CRW members support Ulchi Freedom Guardian in South Korea

    Members of the 15th Air Mobility Operations Squadron here traveled to South Korea to support the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise on Aug. 17 through 28. Ulchi Freedom Guardian is a computerized command and control exercise. The 15th AMOS trains to respond to contingency operations in the Pacific

  • Servicemembers work 'out of the doghouse' at Joint Base Balad

    On a deployment, a multitude of distractions can make sleep challenging for some servicemembers including F-16 Fighting Falcons roaring on the flightline and helicopters thundering through the air. Also putting rest to the test are 70-pound Labrador retrievers taking up half the bed. For Air Force

  • Mountain Home hosts first Gunfighter Flag

    Starting Sept. 14, people in the local area may notice an increase in flying operations with a myriad of planes and visitors taking part in the first Gunfighter Flag 2009.The multinational exercise will include participants from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.; Schriever AFB, Colo.; Phoenix Air National

  • Airmen help Iraqi army take control of base operations

    Operations continue as normal at Camp Ur. The focus remains the same: keep the base running and the mission on target. Iraqi army soldiers routinely work with their U.S. counterparts, but one important difference now is that the Iraqis have taken command of the controls."It's a historic time for

  • 'Biggest Loser' comes to Osan

    Airmen from the 51st Medical Group here are getting ready for the Air Force's new fitness program that starts January 2010. By taking a popular television show and adapting it to a military lifestyle, the Airmen have created their own "Biggest Loser" competition. The 10-week competition consists of

  • Kadena Airmen 'deploy' to Guam

    Nearly 100 maintenance, operations, and support personnel arrived here Aug. 31 as part of a test of the deployment capabilities of the 18th Wing from Kadena Air Base, Japan.The timing of this deployment coincides with "Obon," which means reduced jet noise coming from the Kadena flight line and over

  • U.S., Romanian air forces discuss aircraft maintenance

    A U.S. Air Forces in Europe maintenance NCO training program traveling contact team met with Romanian air force instructors and aircraft maintainers during a visit to Bucharest, Romania Aug. 25 through 28. The primary purpose of the four-day visit was to discuss the U.S. Air Force's cradle-to-grave

  • Air Force Uniform Office researches fire-resistant uniform

    Members of the Air Force Uniform Office here attended the American Wool Council's Wool Education Seminar July 20-23 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to learn about and see the latest developments in wool production. According to the American Sheep Industry Association, or ASI, the military is the largest

  • Ramstein Airmen support 15-nation medical training exercise

    Thirty-two members of the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, arrived here Aug. 25 in support of the Medical Training Exercise in Central and Eastern Europe 2009. More than 600 people representing 15 nations will participate in this year's annual exercise with a focus on

  • Photo essay: Balad firefighters rappel tower

    Base firefighters use the control tower to conduct a rappeling exercise here Aug. 20, 2009.  The training allows the firefighters to hone their skills with different knots, anchors and belay techniques. View the slideshow.

  • Fiscal closeout may delay orders in hand

    Some Airmen may experience slight delays in receiving permanent-change-of-station orders in September as officials here begin implementing new procedures for closing out the fiscal year PCS budget. Active-duty Airmen with assignment report dates or a date eligible for return from overseas of January

  • Beale AFB first to incorporate Body Pump in fitness program

    "When your body starts to scream, tell it to shut up." That's the motto of the new Body Pump fitness program which began at the fitness center here Aug. 24. Several members of the 9th Force Support Squadron trained to become certified instructors of the program."We wanted to find the most relevant

  • Safety: More than just 101 critical days

    Just because you "fly a desk" in an administrative work area, doesn't mean you don't have to worry about safety. In fact, according to 86th Airlift Wing safety officials here, one of the more extreme mishaps that happened this year took place in an administrative environment. One unlucky person

  • Whiteman Airmen test nuclear weapon mission

    Members of the 72nd Test and Evaluation Squadron here took part in Combat Sledgehammer Aug. 17 as part of Air Combat Command's nuclear weapon system evaluation program. Combat Sledgehammer is conducted on Air Force bomber and fighter aircraft that are capable of carrying thermonuclear bombs and

  • Air Force secretary praises Airmen, discusses ops with Bagram Airmen

    The secretary of the Air Force visited 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Airmen Aug. 29 here during his second visit to Afghanistan in 10 months. Secretary Michael B. Donley spoke to approximately 300 Airmen at an Airmen's Call held on the steps of an old, Russian air traffic control tower, known as the

  • Air Guard's domestic ops experts to confer on top priorities

    Hundreds of Air National Guard officials will gather here Sept. 21 through 25 to plan for domestic and civil support operations at the ANG Domestic Operations Essential 10 Requirements Conference. The conference will join subject matter and planning experts in working groups to discuss and

  • C-130 crew delivers humanitarian supplies to Afghan village

    Airmen from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron dropped eight bundles of humanitarian aid from a C-130 Hercules Aug. 26 to a remote village in northern Afghanistan.The Air National Guard crew, deployed from the 158th Airlift Squadron in Savannah, Ga, performed the mission to support coalition

  • Innovative Airmen make jobs, lives easier

    Airmen from the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing have applied the axiom "work smarter, not harder" to come up with solutions on the job that are saving manpower, time and money here in Southwest Asia. Examples of innovation are not limited to just one group. Each of the four groups assigned to the 379th

  • Elmendorf Airmen support Army's Operation Arctic Response

    Active and Air National Guard Airmen provided assistance to Army Soldiers Aug. 24 and 26 during Operation Arctic Response here. Members of the 517th Airlift Squadron from here and the Alaska Air National Guard's 249th Airlift Squadron supported the operation, which is an emergency deployment

  • Airmen enhance Ugandan humanitarian airlift capability

    Airmen from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and Army Reserve Soldiers from Nashville, Tenn., arrived in Uganda Aug. 25 to participate in a C-130 Hercules familiarization event with the Uganda peoples defense air force. The theater security cooperation initiative gives Ugandan forces a firsthand look at

  • Airmen protect space assets in new Air Force commercial

    An Air Force commercial highlighting the role men and women in the Air Force's Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., play in protecting satellite and other space assets begins airing Aug. 31 in television markets and select movie theaters across the country. "Space

  • E-3 damaged while landing at Nellis

    An E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system aircraft was damaged while landing Aug. 28 at Nellis Air Force Base. The 32-person crew safely evacuated the aircraft and the subsequent fire was quickly extinguished by Nellis AFB emergency response forces. The aircraft, flown by Airmen of the 552nd

  • Strike Eagles surpass 8,000 combat hours, support unique missions

    Airmen from the 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron achieved a milestone here when they surpassed 8,000 combat hours in the F-15E Strike Eagle while providing security to coalition forces. The aircrew for the mission included Capt. Jaina Donberg, the F-15E pilot and a native of Arlington, Va., and

  • 'Today's Air Force' features chief of staff first-year reflections

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," the chief of staff of the Air Force reflects on his first year on the job, the Global Positioning System gets a high tech upgrade, and Airmen turn to a new program in Iraq to get help dealing with combat stress.Major changes have taken place across the Air

  • Base of preference requests can now be initiated online through vMPF

    Air Force Personnel Center officials have revamped the Voluntary Assignments Base of Preference Program to allow eligible enlisted members to initiate BOP requests online. Air Force members from the rank of E-8 and below can now apply for permanent change of station BOP, in-place BOP, or both

  • AFCENT commander, command chief visit JBB

    Lt. Gen. Mike Hostage, the new U.S. Air Forces Central Command commander, and AFCENT Command Chief Master Sgt. Scott Dearduff visited Joint Balad Base Aug. 25 to survey various missions and address some of the Airmen he now commands. During his visit, General Hostage met with Army officials from the

  • Misawa Airmen rescue Japanese citizen

    Eight Airmen from Misawa AB saved the life of a Japanese citizen Aug. 15 when they pulled him away from a house and car that were engulfed in flames. The Airmen and their families were on a bus returning from a night of celebrating a child's birthday and bidding farewell to a fellow Airman.

  • Launch of civilian marketing campaign pivotal in filling Air Force jobs

    Over the next five years, Air Force officials plan to hire 20,000 more civilians into civil service. To help bases better market civilian job openings and recruit qualified applicants for current and future jobs, Air Force Personnel Center specialists will roll out the "Your Future" marketing and

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force. View the Week in Photos slideshow.

  • Green Flag provides Italian air force new insight on close air support

    Italian airmen sharpened their close-air-support skills in realistic combat conditions here during their first-ever exercise appearance at Green Flag West Aug. 9 through 20. Nearly 180 Italian airmen from four different squadrons comprised the "Reparto Autonomo Volo," or Autonomous Flying Wing, at

  • Charleston Airman shows strength for recovery

    An explosives ordnance disposal technician with the 437th Civil Engineer Squadron mustered the strength to brace himself and stand for the first time in three weeks Aug. 21 after an explosion turned his deployment upside down. "I just want to take each day slowly but surely. In the next week or two

  • AMC wing hits high marks for nuclear surety

    Air Mobility Command Airmen showed strong support for "reinvigorating the Air Force nuclear enterprise" through a command-level no-notice inspection recently. From Aug. 17 to 24, the AMC Inspector General officials completed a no-notice Limited Nuclear Surety Inspection, or LNSI, of the 62nd Airlift

  • Photo essay: Ready for takeoff

    Airmen from the 509th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron work around the clock to ensure the B-2 Spirit is mission ready. The 509th Bomb Wing is home to 20 B-2s. The aircraft brings massive firepower to bear, in a short time, anywhere on the globe. See the slideshow. 

  • Osan AB's airfield damage repair team train with South Korean air force

    Airmen of the 51st Civil Engineer Squadron airfield damage repair team here participated in a combined-rapid-runway-repair-training exercise with the South Korean air force's 19th Tactical Fighter Wing and 91st Air Civil Engineer Group Aug.19 at Jungwon Air Base, South Korea. "This is the first time

  • Air evacuation liaison team's battle buddies wear Army green

    Airmen with an Air Mobility Command air evacuation liaison team and Soldiers from Army patient administration staff trained with each other during Joint Readiness Training Center Exercise 09-09 at Folk Polk, La., through Aug. 25. Their goal: prepare for Middle East deployments. "Our main goal is to

  • Secretary Donley visits deployed servicemembers

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley met with deployed servicemembers Aug. 26 at an air base in Southwest Asia and visited base facilities there during a brief stop on his tour of the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.He began his visit by making a presentation of six battle streamers

  • Air Force earns 6 campaign streamers

    A new chapter of military history was recognized here, Aug. 26, as the Secretary of  the Air Force added six campaign streamers to accompany the Air Force colors. The new streamers were presented by the Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, and received by Lt. Gen. Mike Hostage, U.S. Air Forces

  • Dover reservists work to form Canadian sister squadron program

    Reservists here visited members of the Royal Canadian Air Force's 8 Wing at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario, Aug. 22 through 24 as part of an effort to initiate a sister squadron program. Airmen with Dover's 512th Airlift Wing hoped to forge a partnership with the Canadian airmen and identify

  • 'Defender's Edge': A new approach to combat stress

    A new customized mental health program is helping security forces Airmen here manage combat stress.The "Defenders Edge" is tailored to those security forces Airmen who conduct missions on or outside the wire. This program is intended to improve Airmen's mental resiliency to combat-related stressors.

  • Photo essay: Multi-lift airdrop at Davis-Monthan AFB

    Airmen from the Air Force Reserve Command's 306th Rescue Squadron participated in the first multi-lift HC-airdrop here Aug. 15 with the 79th Rescue Squadron. The squadrons normally must jump at a different location, because the flight line is usually occupied. The two squadrons were able to

  • Portal to AF past found at Frankfurt Airport

    Almost 13 years ago, members of the 626th Air Mobility Support Squadron at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, left their mark when they created and buried a time capsule. Today, Rhein-Main AB is closed and the Frankfurt Airport is undergoing construction for cargo buildings where the base's flightline

  • Airmen, Soldiers host health fair for Iraqi children

    Airmen and Soldiers here hosted a Department of State Provincial Reconstruction Team-initiated health fair for local Iraqi children Aug. 22. More than 30 children from the surrounding Salah ad Din province interacted with servicemembers while learning about basic first aid, the role of emergency

  • 3rd Bombardment Group reunites at Elmendorf

    Several members of the 3rd Bombardment Group reunited here Aug. 12 through 16 to honor an important chapter in the 3rd Wing's history.The 3rd BG, which was also known as the 3rd Attack Group, was stationed in Australia during World War II and is today's 3rd Wing. The members who reunited here were

  • Iraqi agency ready to take over civil aviation operations

    The Iraqi civil aviation authority staff will independently conduct day-to-day civil aviation operations beginning Aug. 25 after Airmen of the Regional Air Movement Control Center helped direct the organization stationed here. The Regional Air Movement Control Center staff worked for more than half

  • Iraqi air force brings ISR capabilities online

    Intelligence collection has become a valuable capability for the Iraqi air force in its push to provide security and stability. Unique to the Iraqi air force, the King Air Squadron 87 here boasts the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities necessary for detecting and deterring

  • United Arab Emirates air force participates in first Red Flag

    United Arab Emirates air force pilots and maintainers are participating in the Red Flag exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., for the first time Aug. 22 through Sept. 5. The UAE airmen spent the previous two weeks at the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International

  • Airmen, community help vets

    Beale Air Force Base volunteers teamed with partners from the Yuba-Sutter community to transform a shady patch of lawn at the River Bottoms Park here into a mini tent city used to provide assistance to veterans in need Aug. 20 through 22. "It's good to help out and give back to them," said Staff

  • Hanscom Airmen train with Massachusetts state troopers

    Hanscom Air Force Base security forces Airmen received specialized tactical training as part of an ongoing partnership with the Massachusetts State Police Special Tactical Operations team in early August. The training, which took place in base dormitories, offered instruction on handling

  • Platelet donations bring troops home

    The pint-sized bags of cloudy, yellow liquid may not look like much, but the fluid inside them has proved to be a lifesaving substance to injured servicemembers. "Platelets heal. I've seen it firsthand," said Lt. Col. Thomas Jordan, the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Support Squadron platelet

  • Guardsmen deliver medical care to Guatemala

    About 40 medical personnel from the Arkansas Air National Guard are here performing a humanitarian medical readiness exercise as part of their annual training requirement. The medical team -- made up of general physicians, pediatricians, dentists, optometrists, pharmacists, nurses and medical

  • Airman witnesses daughter's birth via webcam

    Airmen take pride in the electronic devices that allow them to listen to their favorite music, see distant targets or identify the movements of an enemy force.But one Airman assigned here used modern technology recently to witness something a little different and a lot more personal.Tech. Sgt.

  • Chief of staff visits Beale

    Deployment lengths, force-shaping efforts and emerging unmanned aircraft missions were some of the topics on the minds of Beale Airmen during the visit by the Air Force chief of staff here Aug. 21. In his first visit to Beale since becoming the Air Force's top officer just over a year ago, Gen.

  • Airdrop fuels troops in austere Afghan locations

    Air Force officials from here airdropped 3.3 million pounds of supplies into Afghanistan during the month of July. Members of the 772nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron contributed more than 276,000 pounds of equipment, ammunition and other supplies ranging from fuel to food and water to fellow

  • SECAF outlines Year of the Air Force Family

    The secretary of the Air Force emphasized the Air Force's firm commitment to its families during his speech at the 2009 Air Force Sergeant's Association Professional Airmen's Conference here August 19. Secretary Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz designated July 2009

  • Air Force unveils new fitness program

    Approval of the new Air Force fitness instruction in the coming weeks will bring about some of the most significant changes to the Air Force fitness program in the last five years.Those changes, which take effect Jan. 1, 2010, shift a greater responsibility of maintaining physical fitness 365 days a

  • Leaders issue joint message, define cyber mission

    In a joint Letter to Airmen, the secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force chief of staff focus on the alignment of the service's cyberspace mission."Without question, cyberspace is vital to today's fight and to the future U.S. military advantage over our adversaries," said Air Force Secretary

  • Civilians can now apply for new professional development program

    Air Force civilian employees can now apply for a new professional development opportunity with applications due to Air Force Personnel Center officials by Sept. 4. The Civilian Acculturation Leadership Training program provides a unique in-residence experience at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.,

  • Air Force Week in Photos

    This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force. View the Week in Photos slideshow.

  • Shaw Airmen train with South Carolina Civil Air Patrol

    Shaw Air Force Base Airmen joined volunteers of the South Carolina wing of the Civil Air Patrol in Exercise Fertile Keynote Aug. 11 here. The training exercise occurs five to six times per month and gives 20th Fighter Wing alert Airmen experience with different scenarios, said Maj. Benjamin Price,

  • 5 NATO countries take part in jump week

    Five NATO countries including Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United States participated in airborne jump operations during International Jump Week Aug. 9 thru 14. Parachuting out of the back of a C-130 Hercules from the 37th Airlift Squadron here, more than 250 paratroopers guided

  • Guard chief encourages 'continual support' of families

    The state's are doing a great job of supporting the National Guard and its families, but it takes continuous support to make sure no one falls through the cracks, the National Guard's top military officer said Aug. 18 here. "If there is an area that we have to concentrate on, to continue to focus

  • Flying hospital staff gives wounded fighting chance

    At any given moment, a call can come in requiring an entire aeromedical evacuation staff here to stop what they are doing and begin preparing to care for the wounded and sick headed their way. The team of Airmen will pull supplies, alert additional crewmembers, get updates from aid stations and make

  • General North assumes command of Pacific Air Forces

    The command of Pacific Air Forces, celebrating 65 years of providing American airpower in the Pacific this month, was passed from Gen. Howie Chandler to Gen. Gary North during a ceremony here Aug. 19 on Freedom Tower Mall. General North assumed command here after completing more than three years of

  • Quilts of Valor comfort complex wartime emotions

    In 2003 Catherine Roberts, a midwife by profession and quilter for 25 years from Seaford, Del., wanted to give a wounded Soldier a quilt to bring him comfort during his recovery. "We are a nation at war," Ms. Roberts said. "Warriors need something tangible, a physical representation of love, support