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U.S. Air Force News

  • 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

  • AMC commander receives Order of the Sword

    Arriving at the Scott Club in a horse-drawn carriage while a bagpipe melody filled the air, the commander of Air Mobility Command and his wife became a part of military history Aug. 14 here. Gen. Arthur J. Lichte and Chris Lichte received the carriage ride under security forces escort as the start

  • CMSAF talks integrity, training, development

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force praised the enlisted force and highlighted several of his key priorities during a speech at the 2009 Air Force Sergeants Association Professional Airmen's Conference here. "Everywhere I've traveled it's very apparent our Air Force places great trust in our

  • Teamwork keeps tankers flying

    A team of active-duty, Reserve and Guard servicemembers of the 340th Aircraft Maintenance Unit here maintain aircraft built during President Dwight D. Eisenhower's era in temperatures exceeding 110 degrees here. The working dynamics at the 340th AMU differ from most Air Force bases working on KC-135

  • AF top enlisted leader visits Holloman

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force visited Aug. 10 here to talk to base Airmen and see the Holloman Air Force Base mission.  Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy was given a tour of the base and shared his priorities with base members. "It's easy to align my goals with the Air

  • President visits Phoenix, meets Luke Airmen

    Fifty-one Airmen from Luke Air Force Base met President Barack Obama at the 110th Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention Aug. 17 in Phoenix. The base received an invitation from VFW officials for 50 Airmen to attend the opening session of the convention, as well as to hear the keynote speaker,

  • Travis Airmen provide presidential support

    Members of the 615th Contingency Response Wing here were there to smooth the way for President Barack Obama's two-day visit to Guadalajara, Mexico, for a North American summit held with leaders from Mexico and Canada Aug. 9 and 10. When the president travels, he relies on Air Force contingency

  • Dog days of summer

    A handful of Airmen and their canine companions deployed here as part of the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron defend Bagram Airfield and search up to 700 vehicles on a daily basis. Since they inherited the base defense mission, the Airmen and their K-9s have found thousands of pounds of

  • Photo essay: new dog, handler develop bond at Moody AFB

    A military working dog handler with the 822nd Security Forces Squadron works with a new dog here recently. Senior Airman Beaun Clegg and Rreyana train and develop a bond so that the team will be combat ready.  Rreyana arrived in June from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.View the slideshow.

  • Shared weather radar ensures mission success

    Two squadrons here work together to secure weather data for the 36th Wing flying mission.The 36th Communications Squadron's ground radar systems flight maintains an off-base Next Generation Weather Radar valued at more than $3 million. The radar is used primarily by the 36th Operations Support

  • 24th Air Force activated, 2 units realign in joint ceremony

    Air Force officials here activated the newest numbered Air Force and realigned two units under its command in a joint ceremony here Aug. 18. The 24th Air Force activation under Air Force Space Command is a major milestone in the combination of space and cyberspace operations within one command. Gen.

  • U.S., international mobility airmen to participate in exercise

    U.S. and international mobility airmen will come together Aug. 17 to 25 to participate in a Joint Readiness Training Center exercise with the Army Soldiers at Fort Polk, La. Members of the 621st Contingency Response Wing from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.; aeromedical evacuation crews from

  • 17th Air Force officials host military exchange from Africa

    The 17th Air Force officials here took another step forward in building meaningful relationships with African nations when it hosted a visit by a delegation of officers West African nation to an American base in Germany in August. Led by Maj. Souleymane Ouedraogo, the Ouagadougou Airport base

  • JAG visits to ensure consistency across deployed legal operations

    Maj. Gen. Charles J. Dunlap Jr., the Air Force deputy judge advocate general, visited the 386th Air Expeditionary wing here Aug. 18 and began an eight-day Article Six visit to various deployed locations throughout the area of operations. The designation of the visit refers to Article Six of the

  • USCENTCOM commander visits Manas

    Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. Central Command commander, visited personnel here Aug. 16. During his visit, General Petraeus briefed servicemembers and coalition forces deployed to the Transit Center as well as talked about the roles they play, serving as the gateway for personnel transiting in and

  • Enlisted sensor operators take flight in AF's newest career field

    The U.S. Air Force boasts more than 130 enlisted career fields and on Aug. 17 one more was officially welcomed as the first class of 10 enlisted unmanned aircraft system sensor operators began their technical school. Because of their capabilities, unmanned aircraft have become in exceedingly high

  • Photo essay: Airmen prepare to deploy

    Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Coast Guardsmen participated in a month-long Combat Skills Training at Fort Dix, N.J. recently with hostile scenario and weapon familiarization training.  The course prepares Airmen for Joint Expeditionary Tasking combat roles augmenting the U.S. Army in support of

  • Airmen help connect Iraqi army, air force

    The Iraqi air force and army, aided by American Airmen, established radio communication here Aug. 11 in an effort to improve collaboration between the two services during operations. Although the weather prevented the two services from conducting their original training mission, the day was a big

  • Lonely Eagles ceremony recognizes fallen Tuskegee Airmen

    Beside a folded flag, a single flame burned atop the table of honor before dozens who gathered to honor fallen Tuskegee Airmen in a ceremony here Aug. 7. Part of the 38th Annual Tuskegee Airmen Inc., convention, the Lonely Eagles Ceremony memorialized air, ground and operations crew from the

  • 14 force support courses move to Maxwell

    Fourteen force support courses will transition from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, to the Eaker Center for Professional Development at Maxwell AFB, Ala. by Oct 1."We are always focused on educating, developing and preparing our career field leaders, and recent changes to the emerging force

  • Redesigned NCO retraining program begins with voluntary phase

    The 2010 Noncommissioned Officer Retraining Program has a new look and focus as Air Force officials here seek to fill approximately 1,124 shortage career field and special duty positions. The entire program has been reduced from nine months to 120 days to better serve both Airmen and the Air Force

  • Air Force officials release staff sergeant selection statistics

    Air Force officials here selected 15,223 of 30,574 eligible senior airmen for promotion to staff sergeant for a selection rate of 49.79 percent that will released at 8 a.m. CST Aug. 20. The average score for those selected was 275.81, with an average time in grade and time in service of 2.09 and

  • 'Today's Air Force' features standup of new command

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," the stand up the service's first new major command in nearly three decades is highlighted. Also featured are Airmen with special skills train for combat in Afghanistan and the best-of-the-best food service professionals in Europe compete for top honors. Air

  • Military members, families keys to year of success

    After a year in the job, the Air Force chief of staff said he is still impressed with the contributions of Airmen of every specialty, stateside and overseas."It's still stunning to see what our Airmen are doing," Gen. Norton Schwartz said.  "There is work to do. There are challenges to face. But

  • Airman instructs Kabul's first POL course

    Thirty-three days of technical instruction in petroleum, oil and lubricants doesn't seem like a daunting task. Throw in a language barrier, limited training aids and an incomplete curriculum and anyone might start to question whether or not it will get finished. However, despite the obstacles,

  • CMSAF visits expeditionary center

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy took stock of the people and the mission of the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center during a visit here July 29. Joint Base personnel gathered in the expeditionary center's auditorium for an "All Call" town hall-style gathering. Chief Roy answered a

  • Chief says Guard cannot go back to strategic reserve

    The National Guard cannot go back to the days of the strategic reserve, the chief of the National Guard Bureau told conferees in Rochester, Minn., on Aug. 9. "We must maintain the level of efficiency and effectiveness that has been achieved today," said Gen. Craig R. McKinley, chief of the National

  • 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.

  • Deliberate path ahead for Airmen

    New co-chairs assumed their leadership positions as the Enlisted Force Development Panel met at the Pentagon Aug. 5. Daniel R. Sitterly, the force development director for the deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James A. Roy, are now

  • Stick 'em up: Corrosion control shop develops decals for rapid recognition

    From the "bandit" nose at the tip to the "Box D" high on the tail, 100th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotankers are easy to distinguish from other bases' Stratotankers. Getting them that way, however, is no small task. It takes a crew of Airmen at the aircraft structural maintenance corrosion

  • USAF shooting team aims for excellence at national competition

    Members of the U.S. Air Force Shooting Team are setting their sights on excellence as they compete in the 2009 National Rifle and Pistol Championships here. The championships, sponsored by the National Rifle Association, began July 14 and run through August 19. This competition is considered to be

  • Osan cross servicing program fosters good relations

    The first combat cross servicing program evaluation of the year for Osan Air Base Airmen took place Aug. 10 when two South Korean F-5's landed on the flightline here. The Osan AB combat cross servicing program is a mutual agreement between the U.S. and South Korean air force that allows maintainers

  • Air Force employee serves more than half a century

     When a 19-year-old Army recruit left New York City for Fort Dix, N.J., in 1944, he never imagined that 65 years later he would still be serving with the military. Anthony Duno had no idea where his Army service would lead him or how long it would last, but the humbling experience of growing up

  • Top enlisted Airman visits joint servicemembers at Fort Bliss

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force visited Biggs Army Airfield Aug. 10 for meetings at both Joint Task Force North and an Air Force squadron here. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy answered a few questions from task force Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines before ending up

  • Air Guard women honored for their service

    It may have taken place at the "House of Blues" in Los Angeles, but no one was feeling down last night as five Air National Guard women were honored for their service. The women were recognized as "unsung hometown heroes" as part of a "America's Search for Hometown Heroes" program, according to a

  • Tuskegee Airmen convention recognizes top Airmen

    Four honorees received awards during the 38th Annual Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., convention at the Palace Station Hotel Aug. 7 here. Among dozens of original and later-generation Tuskegee Airmen, the honorees at the Aug. 6 through 9 convention were recognized for outstanding leadership, professionalism

  • Monument to honor Air Force first sergeants at Enlisted Heritage Hall

    The Air Force First Sergeants Academy at Gunter Annex is currently in the process of developing a monument to honor the work and dedication of Air Force first sergeants, said the academy's director of education. Senior Master Sgt. Michael Bellerose said the monument will consist of two life-sized

  • Airmen hand over visitation operations at Camp Bucca

    A ceremony was held to mark the end of Air Force participation in visitation operations at Camp Bucca's theater internment facility as the Army assumed responsibility of the mission Aug. 10 here.More than 120 Airmen from the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron were recognized for bringing

  • Reservists integrate with active duty for theater security

    Air Force Reserve Command's first F-22 Raptor total integration unit is deployed here to suppport the U.S. Pacific Command commander's theater security package mission in the Asia-Pacific region. These Airmen are from the 302nd FS and the 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron from Elmendorf Air Force

  • Airmen partner with Kyrgyz security service K-9 team

    Airmen of the 376th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here are aiding a team of Kyrgyz Department of State Security Service dog handlers to hone the skills necessary to manage their own law-enforcement, force protection, antiterrorism and explosive-detection canine program.The program, which

  • Airmen rescue motorcyclist from raging fire

    As the fire quickly consumed the 4-foot-tall crops and anything in its path, Chief Master Sgt. James Eggers knew what he had to do. His first priority was to quickly locate the motorcyclist laying somewhere in the field. It was late July when Chief Eggers, the 31st Medical Group superintendent here,

  • AETC takes first step into Facebook

    Officials launched Air Education and Training Command  into the world of social networking Aug. 10 with the debut of a fan page on Facebook. AETC Public Affairs maintains the business page and plans to update "fans" a few times per week with news links, photos, events and videos. The goal is to

  • Luke Airmen to test new stain resistant footwear

    Stain resistant, low maintenance boot prototypes will soon be tested by Airmen at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. "This boot is expected to be a solution for low-maintenance footwear that upholds a professional military image no matter the environment," said 1st Lt. Ashley Hawkes, the airman battle

  • Airmen assist Iraqis with gunner training

    A trio of Airmen here are teaching Iraqi air force aerial gunners to defend their crew and cargo against threats. The three Airmen are part of the 721st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, whose mission is to "train, advise and assist" the Iraqis at the helicopter squadrons. The Iraqi gunners train

  • AFSO 21 senior leader course aims to improve future processes

    An Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century senior leader course took place here Aug. 3 and 4 to help leaders from across Wright-Patterson Air Force Base continue improving processes in the future. The two-day course aimed at colonels, GS-15s and chief master sergeants was kicked off by Maj.

  • Pararescuemen train at Joint Base Balad

    "Is she alive?""Copy. Still alive."The pararescuemen loaded their patient onto a litter and carried her off to the safety of an awaiting vehicle. But the mission wasn't over. This mission never really ends. Pararescuemen played out this scene during a crisis-action scenario Aug. 2 at Joint Balad

  • General stresses safety to Airmen

    As iron sharpens iron, we will all make one another more focused when it comes to safety, said the Air National Guard's senior officer here Aug. 4 during a safety summit. Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, the director of the Air National Guard, kicked off the summit that included guest speakers from the

  • Air Force family's 'Extreme' home revealed

    Amid a hearty "welcome home" shout-out from Airmen and volunteers, an employee from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, fought back tears as he and his family saw their new, custom-built home for the first time Aug. 6 here. James Terpenning, a civilian computer specialist, received the house

  • Biometric database offers security stamp of approval

    Members of the 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here ensure the security of base personnel and resources by using a Department of Defense advanced security system designed to track the movement third country nationals who work on base. Defense Biometrics Identification System is an

  • Total-force team airdrops 10-ton artillery load

    A team of Bagram Airfield Airmen airdropped an M198 artillery piece to an Army unit in a remote Eastern-part of Afghanistan Aug. 8. New York, Ohio and Missouri Air Guard members joined with reservists and active-duty Airmen to form the total-force aircrew that loaded and delivered the 155 mm

  • Airman have opportunity for education, commission with LEAD

    Airmen have the opportunity to compete for admission to the U.S. Air Force Academy through the Leaders Encouraging Airman Development program where they can earn a degree and a commission. "As an enlisted member, you have gained valuable knowledge, experience and discipline," said Col. Chevalier

  • 'Top Guns' receive awards at Tuskegee Airmen convention

    The National Tuskegee Airman Inc. president presented members of the historically-acclaimed 332nd Fighter Group awards during the 38th annual convention Aug. 6 through 9 here. The honoring ceremony marked the 60th anniversary of the original "Top Guns" who claimed victory in the 1949 National

  • Exercise tests joint cargo operations

    Airmen and Soldiers assigned to U.S. Transportation Command's Joint Task Force-Port Opening are participating in Eagle Flag 2009, an Air Expeditionary Center-sponsored exercise here where they are being evaluated on their ability to establish and operate a port of debarkation and cargo distribution

  • Airmen keep airlift mission moving

    Air Mobility Command Airmen and aircraft have flown nearly 74,000 sorties and delivered about 251,000 tons of cargo in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in 2008 and through June 30, 2009. With the statistics soaring, airlift is making a strong case as a primary source of warfighting

  • 379th AEW commander addresses bloggers' roundtable

    The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing commander spoke with online journalists during a Department of Defense Bloggers' Roundtable Aug. 5 from Southwest Asia. Brig. Gen. Stephen Wilson, spoke to journalists about how the men and women of the 379th AEW meet the ever-changing needs of the Combined Forces

  • Air Force Global Strike Command activated

    Air Force officials stood up a new major command to oversee all of its nuclear forces in an activation ceremony Aug. 7 at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. Air Force Global Strike Command will provide combat ready forces to conduct strategic nuclear deterrence and global strike operations in support of

  • Air Force Global Strike Command will stress nuclear mission

    A key step in reinvigorating the Air Force's nuclear deterrence mission will be made Aug. 7 with the activation of the Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said the new command will bring together the Air Force bomber force and

  • Hickam Airmen deploy to Afghanistan

    Fifty-four reservists from the 624th Civil Engineer Squadron left Hickam Air Force Base for a deployment to Afghanistan Aug. 5. Half the squadron is being mobilized and the Airmen will support Army personnel when the arrive in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Members of the 624th CES

  • 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.

  • Weather fails to dampen Air Force-NASCAR relationship at Pocono

    The Air Force and NASCAR have long enjoyed a proud relationship that continues to grow with each race. That relationship was very much in evidence at the Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania. Thousands of race fans flooded the track grounds Aug. 1 to watch their favorite drivers complete practice runs

  • EOD Airmen help keep community safe

    Airmen from the Cannon Air Force Base Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight responded to a bomb scare in July in Clovis, N.M., and they used their training and skills to defuse the situation. The suspected bomb turned out to be a training aid once owned by a now-deceased Albuquerque, N.M., arson

  • Last Voice Network Systems course graduates at Sheppard

    The Air Force's last class for the Voice Network Systems course graduated July 30 at Sheppard Air Force Base. The Voice Network Systems course trained Airmen to be future apprentices in one of 16 Air Force specialty codes that will be merging into a new career field known as the cyber AFSCs. The

  • Airmen provide dental care to Guyanese patients

    Members of the 59th Dental Group from the Wilford Hall Medical Center here participated in a humanitarian mission to give routine dental care to people in Guyana July 19 through 31. A team of six doctors and 14 enlisted Airmen brought mobile dental equipment needed for the two-week rotation to

  • AMC supports air forces in Africa

    Air mobility Airmen are providing their experience and expertise to the Air Force's newest geographic combatant command, U.S. Africa Command, and its components with daily C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules airlift missions across the continent. "Intratheather airlift is fundamental to building

  • New total force C-5 inspection program saves money

    Airmen are testing a new inspection program here that will not only save the Air Force $1.38 billion over the next two decades, but also will keep four extra C-5 Galaxy aircraft available every day for air mobility efforts. The new program, which will change the way the Air Force conducts C-5

  • New leaders take command of redesignated AFCENT, 9th Air Force

    New leaders took command during the 9th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Central change of command and redesignation ceremony Aug. 5 at Shaw Air Force Base.Lt. Gen. Gary North relinquished command of 9th Air Force/AFCENT, then the two units were redesignated into two separate commands.Army Gen. David

  • Guard officer model for new Air Force career field

    Can an Airman who never flew a combat sortie give expert advice to an Army commander on the use of airpower in battle? That question has been the focus of study and debate for nearly two decades in the Air Force. But Lt. Col. William Wheeler and nine others in the Air National Guard showed it could

  • Airmen assist Iraqis with maintenance training

    On the flightline, in hangars and in backshops here more and more Iraqi air force members are repairing their own helicopters with less and less instruction from American Airmen.Airmen assigned to the 721st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron help the Iraqi air force become self-sustaining by

  • Guam Guard members leave mark in Dili

    An 11-member team from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, recently provided much-needed civil engineering assistance as part of Operation Pacific Angel 2009 in Dili. Pacific Angel is a Pacific Air Forces humanitarian and civic assistance program conducted in the Asia-Pacific region and led by 13th Air

  • Photo essay: Bagram Airmen destroy explosives, munitions

    Airmen from the 755th Air Expeditionary Group's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight destroyed several hundred pounds of mixed ordnance, including discarded Soviet munitions from the 1970s, Aug. 2 at a disposal range several miles from here.  View the slideshow.

  • WaveRider test vehicle meets B-52

    Airmen successfully mated the X-51A WaveRider flight test vehicle to a B-52 Stratofortress July 17 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The fit check followed integration earlier in the month of the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne scramjet propulsion system into the X-51 at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale,

  • LeMay Center holds first Service Core Function Symposium

    The developers at the LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education here concluded a symposium July 28 that helped define the new service core functions enabling Airmen to accomplish the full gamut of missions the Air Force provides to the joint force. "The Air Force's first Service Core

  • Silver Flag provides contingency training for USAFE Airmen

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe Airmen participated in a week-long contingency operations training exercise here July 27 through 31. Silver Flag consisted of five days of classroom training and two days of field training. Airmen from various Air Force specialty codes had to work together to set up and

  • Photo essay: Airmen deploy

    Airmen from the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., deploy to Southwest Asia in support of operations. View the slideshow.

  • Explosion injures 2 Airmen

    Two Airmen were injured in a landmine explosion Aug. 2 about 12:30 p.m. at an off-base location near Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. The Airmen were transported to the Craig Joint Theater Hospital here. The Airmen are assigned to the 755th Air Expeditionary Group, which reports to the 455th Air

  • Historic first step taken to join bases in San Antonio

    A milestone in San Antonio's long military history happened here July 31 as Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz , commander of Air Education and Training Command, officiated the activation ceremony for the 502nd Air Base Wing with Brig. Gen. Leonard A. "Len" Patrick taking command. "Today's activation of the

  • Photo essay: Preparing a city

    Airmen at Osan Air Base, South Korea are making preparations for Ulchi Freedom Guardian, a joint bilateral exercise set to start in August. More than 550 military members will participate in the exercise. UFG is a regularly scheduled summer exercise involving forces from both South Korea and the

  • Goodfellow veteran relives experience for Airmen

    Five years ago a rocket attack in Iraq left a former 17th Security Forces Squadron defender without legs and a right arm. Brian Kolfage Jr., a retired senior airman, shared his story in Airman magazine, numerous newspapers, online magazines, patriotic Web sites and medical magazines. He was also in

  • Wright-Patterson employee to receive 'Extreme Home Makeover'

    A Wright-Patterson Air Force Base civilian employee living in Beavercreek, Ohio, will receive a complete home redo and be featured on ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" television program tentatively planned to air this fall. Show producers selected James Terpenning, who is confined to a

  • Physical therapists keep servicemembers in the fight

    Aircraft mechanics make sure the airframes they are assigned to are in impeccable condition, fine tuning them, ensuring there isn't any excessive wear and tear so these precision machines are ready to do their part in the today's fight. The human body is also a precision machine and needs to be well

  • 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.

  • Special Ops Command opens new headquarters

    Special Operations Command Central officials opened a new home with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for their new building July 29 here. The headquarters will allow SOCCENT members to better accomplish its mission of exercising operational control of more than 7,000 special operations servicemembers in

  • Uncertainty about military suicides frustrates services

    The most frustrating part about suicide prevention is the uncertainty about what causes troops to take their lives, top military leaders said here July 29. This near-unanimous chorus was sounded on Capitol Hill when the second-ranking military officers of each service testified about military mental

  • AMC Airman earns national recognition

    An Air Mobility Command NCO here recently earned the National Defense Transportation Association International Junior Executive Leadership Award. Tech. Sgt. Alisha Cua, an air transportation specialist assigned to AMC standardization, programs and resources branch, will be recognized at the NDTA

  • Minot Airmen use AFSO 21 to save $1 million annually

    Members of the 5th Maintenance Squadron Aerospace Ground Equipment Flight here recently initiated an Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century process to increase the unit's effectiveness with a $325 investment that is expected to yield a return and more than $1 million annually. An increase

  • Airmen save Iraqi girl's life after IED blast

    Security forces Airmen, emergency medics and hospital staff here saved an Iraqi girl after an improvised explosive device detonated at her feet in July near Joint Base Balad. The girl and her family had just attended a Joint Base Balad-sponsored clothing-and-toys distribution for local children at

  • H1N1 cases identified at Hurlburt

    Four Hurlburt Field Airmen have tested positive for the H1N1 virus in July and 59 others currently have symptoms consistent with the H1N1 virus. Most of the illnesses are clustered within one work center and a few are roommates with members who are from that work center. All are recuperating well,

  • Airmen step back as Iraqis take control of mission support

    American Airmen don't run dining facilities for the Iraqi military here. They don't pump fuel and they don't make runs to ammunition storage points. At least not any more. All of these daily tasks that require the utmost attention to detail to supporting mission readiness are handled directly by

  • Airmen build ties with Iraqi families

    Forty-five Airmen volunteered to visit and distribute donated items to local families here July 24 as part of the Sather Air Base Good Neighbor Program. This program, which is sponsored by the Sather AB Rising Six, is made up of volunteers who take a trip once a month to distribute care packages to

  • Photo essay: Raptors at Red Flag-Alaska

    An F-22 Raptor pilots braved a rainy day of flying July 27 during Red Flag-Alaska here. Red Flag is a field training exercise for U.S. coalition forces that provides joint offensive counter-air, interdiction close air support, and large force employment training in a simulated combat environment.

  • Post-9/11 GI Bill guidance sent to Airmen

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here provided updates to the field recently on the Air Force implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The updates, effective Aug. 1, include guidance on how eligible Airmen can choose to transfer part or all of their educational benefits to family members

  • War hero brought home, laid to rest after 40 years missing in action

    As three rifle vollies rang throughout Chapel Hill Memorial Cemetery July 27, the sounds meant a Vietnam War veteran who had been missing in action for more than 40 years was finally home to rest . Active-duty members, retirees and their families gathered at Chief Master Sgt. Quincy Adam's final

  • Lackland officer wins Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Award

    The operating room flight commander at the 59th Surgical Operations Squadron here recently was selected the 2009 recipient of the Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Military Award at the field grade officer category by the Tuskegee Airmen Incorporated. Lt. Col. Jacqueline Mudd will be presented with the

  • Photo essay: Working the night shift

    Airmen from the 100th Air Refueling Wing here participated in an operational readiness exercise in preparation for an operation readiness inspection later this year. The exercise is designed to prepare Airmen to do their jobs in a deployed environment and in a worst-case scenario. View the

  • Airmen aid coalition with multilanguage skills

    Thought not traditional Air Force linguists, two multilingual Airmen bring a unique skill to Manas Air Base. Capt. Jecek Dempnaik and Staff Sgt. Maria Hudgeons, who speak a combined seven languages, reduce communication barriers between Air Force members and coalition forces through written