NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Airman makes children smile in Cambodia

    Children here have already figured out that if they stop by the hospital here in the afternoon, they are almost sure to be in for some type of treat. The first day it was coloring books. Then it was lollipops and high-fives. May 23 it was clothes. But while the handouts have been random, there is

  • Now showing: May 24 edition of AFTV News

    The affect of extended activations on Air Force reservists, Air National Guardsmen, their families and employers, spotlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Tech. Sgt. Bill Scherer travels to Pennsylvania to profile Jillian Mentkewicz, a senior airman in the Air Force Reserve who is

  • Man becomes Airman, dreams of flying

    His destiny hit him in a flash, as an 8-year-old child watching television in his family’s home.“I just got a push,” said Senior Airman Kamarudini Raimi, a 509th Munitions Squadron supply liaison. “It came while I was watching TV. I saw pilots with their headsets and suits and I thought it was

  • Airmen, Iraqis dig up ancient site

    An ages-old mystery is being unearthed here thanks to some amateur archeologists serving with the 506th Air Expeditionary Group.Iraqi archeologists have determined the air base has at least one site with artifacts dating back to between 1200 B.C. and 2600 B.C., possibly predating the ancient

  • AF commercials begin filming

    Air Force officials want potential recruits to know “we’ve been waiting for you.”That is the message of four new commercials under production at various locations in California.In filming May 19, three Airmen from Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., floated for seven hours with the aid of cable

  • Three Airmen participate in dog-sled expedition

    It is one thing to appreciate the hardened life of the Inuit; it is another to actually live it. Three tenderfoot Airmen, 1st Lt. Lance Brenneke, Tech. Sgt. Dan Rea and Staff Sgt. Chris Knabe, got a taste of arctic frontier life while on a six-day dog-sledding expedition from Qaanaaq to Siorapaluk

  • Airmen help bring Iraqi infant to America

    Medical teams from the 791st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron here assisted with the medical evacuation of a critically ill 8-month-old Iraqi girl May 18 and 19.Fatemah Kalil Hassan was transferred to the Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, to undergo specialized treatment for an

  • Guard Airman participates in Lewis and Clark bicentennial

    When Lewis and Clark began their expedition 200 years ago, the National Guard, as colonial militias, was already 167 years old.To help with the bicentennial celebrations, the Montana Air National Guard’s Tech. Sgt. Al Garver will portray an early 19th century Soldier for the National Guard

  • Two Airmen among recipients of GEICO award

    Two Airmen were among the recipients of the annual Government Employees Insurance Company Military Service Awards. The Airmen were chosen for the award because of their work with drug- and alcohol-abuse prevention programs, officials said. Air Force award recipients for 2003 are: -- Senior Master

  • Civilian guards tapped to control base gates

    People entering the gates at 11 Air Force bases are being greeted by some new faces. About 400 contracted civilian guards began providing entry controller services at selected active-duty bases May 18. The bases gaining civilian guards are Andrews Air Force Base, Md.; Bolling AFB, D.C.; Hill AFB,

  • Geocaching: ‘X’ marks the spot

    Pirates sailed the high seas looting ships and left the bounty for future treasure hunters: Indiana Jones, Lara Croft and geocachers. What do all these have in common? Well, if “X” marks the spot, then buried treasure is the answer. Techno junkies have reinvented the wheel with geocaching,

  • Military brings Iraqi children gifts from America

    More than 300 Iraqi children from a small village near here thanked the Airmen and Soldiers who delivered a large number school supplies and toys from American children.About 30 Airmen and Soldiers traveled May 17 to the village to hand out school supplies and toys to the children. The items were

  • Officials return Vietnam War remains to family

    The remains of an Airman missing in action from the Vietnam War were returned to his family May 18 for burial. They have been identified as Col. Lester Holmes, from Plainfield, Iowa, who was missing since May 22, 1967.Senior Master Sgt. Roger Holmes, a first sergeant with the 36th Aerial Port

  • Airmen complete Marine Corps martial arts training

    Staff Sgt. Eric Earp does not necessarily consider himself athletic, but that did not keep him from completing a “grueling” weeklong Marine Corps martial arts training program. “I wanted to see if I could complete a Marine Corps program,” said Sergeant Earp of the 735th Expeditionary Communications

  • Yokota mail detachment is largest, busiest

    Detachment 2 of the Air Postal Squadron here operates the Air Force’s largest and busiest central mail processing activity. Its 48-person team of Airmen and local Japanese workers oversee the movement, sorting and distribution of more than 50 million pounds of mail annually.Det. 2 also has remote

  • Nellis holds firepower demo

    More than 2,500 people witnessed the first Air Force firepower demonstration since February 2003 at the Nevada Test and Training Range near here May 12.The demonstration showcased the Air Force’s air and space capabilities. After being put on hold, the original quarterly demonstration will now be

  • Bagram Airmen keep safety a priority

    Air Force safety rules are just as important here, in the heart of the worldwide war on terrorism, as they are at bases outside of the “war zone.”Challenges to maintaining a safe environment are all around here -- literally. There are land mines placed by the former Soviet military and the Taliban.

  • Medics help with war stress

    Their stories and experiences are harrowing: improvised explosive devices and small-arms fire attacks, comrades killed and injured in action and near-death experiences. It is the unfortunate reality of a combat environment that many U.S. servicemembers are confronted with daily throughout Iraq.

  • Center ensures blood ships safely

    No matter who you are, they have your type.“They” are the six-person staff at the blood transshipment center here. The team, part of the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group, is the first rotation here since the one-of-a-kind center was relocated in March. The Airmen ship blood supplies everywhere in

  • Access to pay information gets easier

    Defense Finance and Accounting Service officials announced May 12 that Airmen can receive personal identification numbers for myPay through their official Air Force e-mail accounts.Airmen can expect to receive a new or updated PIN within two hours of requesting it on the myPay Web site.The e-mail

  • Airman dies in Iraq

    An Airman deployed to Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq, died May 15 as a result of nonhostile injuries while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, Department of Defense officials announced May 17.Senior Airman Pedro I. Espaillat Jr., 20, of Colombia, Tenn., was a weapons loader assigned to the 4th Aircraft

  • Airman sentenced to life in prison for murder

    An Airman from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., was sentenced to life in a federal prison May 17 for murdering an Airman based here.Col. Mary Boone, chief circuit trial judge for the central circuit, convicted Staff Sgt. Jason Arindain, a fuels technician, of unpremeditated murder May 15. The

  • Medics provide multifaceted care

    Medical technicians here are perfecting the art of multitasking.Although they receive initial training in a variety of jobs, at a home base the technicians are usually only assigned one job at a time, said Master Sgt. Bill Wnek, the 447th Expeditionary Medical Squadron’s nursing services

  • Deployed surgical team keeps troops close

    While light rock ‘n’ roll plays in the background, he has a look of fierce concentration. A facial mask covers his nose and mouth, white rubber gloves cover his hands and green scrubs cover the rest of his body as he works to repair a fractured wrist.Maj. (Dr.) Warren Kadrmas, who is deployed from

  • Secretary, chief send Armed Forces Day message

    The following is an Armed Forces Day message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“Since 1949, America has paid tribute to its men and women in uniform by celebrating Armed Forces Day on the third Saturday in May. Grateful Americans in

  • Airman struggles to save her family

    Soon, Airman 1st Class Ayaan Nduli hopes to sleep well at night.It would mean 15 years of worrying and waiting were over.It would mean her family is safe.The story of Airman Nduli, an honor guard member here, begins in Somalia in 1981, when her mother, Sahra Cali Sherwac, was pregnant with her, the

  • Members of ‘greatest generation’ visit memorial

    They have been called the “Greatest Generation,” and now a fitting tribute to them adorns the National Mall here, set between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.“It is A-No.-1-plus,” retired Master Sgt. Paul Bradford said of the World War II Memorial. “But it’s 50 years late.”Sergeant

  • Airmen haul Operation Secure Tomorrow cargo

    The instant a C-141 Starlifter stops taxiing at its designated spot on the runway here, 84th Aerial Port Squadron reservists rapidly unload its cargo and immediately load material for the return flight. In a matter of minutes, without ever shutting down its engines, the cargo plane is airborne

  • Battlelab improves in-flight patient care

    Specialists at the Air Mobility Battlelab here have resolved a significant lighting deficiency aboard aeromedical evacuation aircraft by developing a portable lighting kit prototype.Because of insufficient lighting, several care providers reported having difficulty assessing patients, observing

  • Large Package Week puts the ‘air’ in airborne

    A U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules passed overhead and green parachutes dotted the evening sky above nearby Fort Bragg on May 11. Eight seconds later, the first Soldiers from the Army’s 18th Airborne Corps charged across the ground launching a simulated airfield assault.The Large Package Week

  • Recalled officer retires -- again

    An Airman who began his military career as a Marine Corps rifleman in 1962 is retiring for the second time.Lt. Col. Theron Sims, who is on terminal leave, rejoined the Air Force on May 15, 2002, as part of the Rated Officer Recall Program. Colonel Sims was the service’s senior lieutenant colonel,

  • Airmen participate in Combined Endeavor 2004

    Airmen from the 735th Communications Squadron and the 1st Combat Communications Squadron arrived here for exercise Combined Endeavor 2004. In roughly a day, a group of 26 communications experts from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, provided access to phones, the Internet and e-mail for more than 200

  • Air Force announces aviation resource management awards

    Air Force officials recently announced the winners of the 2003 Outstanding Air Force Aviation Resource Management of the Year Awards. The 2003 winners are: -- Headquarters Aviation Resource Management of the Year: Master Sgt. Andrea Wilcox from Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

  • Blood donors necessary in war, peace

    It may seem like blood centers are always asking for more. The fact is, there is a constant need for blood.Technological advances have a lot to do with this continuous need for blood, said Capt. Christine Murphy, the 48th Medical Group executive officer here. More and more, there have been

  • News anchor, base cook swap jobs

    A grill cook here saw what the view was like on the other side of the camera in the newsroom May 7 when she co-anchored the local news’ “Midday Edition” with host Rachel Wheat.Kimbra Lyons, a grill cook at the 360th Training Squadron's dining facility, earned her minute and a half on the air through

  • Special athletes compete at Yokota

    Pouring rain did not stop about 3,000 volunteers, athletes and spectators from participating in the 25th annual Kanto Plains Special Olympics here May 8 and 9.“It was a little soggy and cold, but seeing the smile and joy on the kids faces makes you feel warm inside,” said Master Sgt. Shari Wicks,

  • Now showing: May 10 edition of AFTV News

    Man’s thirst for flight highlights the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Stories from Staff Sgts. Melissa Allan and Leigh Bellinger illustrate two different ways flying has occupied and enriched two people’s lives.Sergeant Allen profiles Maj. Andrew Lurake. Despite having his leg

  • Command post controllers key to information flow

    There is an organization that many people think is the place to go for information. In part they are; however, the unit is a lot more than that. Airmen in the command post do much more than just pass along information, especially in a combat zone. The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s command post

  • Deployed reservists help charities in Kyrgyzstan

    Air Force reservists from here deployed to Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, are supporting combat operations in Afghanistan. They also are helping to make life better for people near there.Airmen of Air Force Reserve Command’s 908th Airlift Wing arrived at the old Soviet airfield in early December to

  • Officials name aircrew life support award winners

    Air Force officials recently announced the 2003 Outstanding Air Force Aircrew Life Support of the Year award winners.These awards recognize the accomplishments of aircrew life support people and programs.The 2003 winners are:-- Outstanding Aircrew Life Support Headquarters Staff Member: Master Sgt.

  • 88 Airmen face involuntary retraining

    Many Airmen have volunteered to change career fields or separate under the initial phase of the Air Force's fiscal 2004 noncommissioned officer retraining program. As part of the program's Phase II, Air Force officials have notified 88 Airmen selected as most vulnerable to retrain and asked them to

  • Incirlik supports OEF servicemember transitions

    While the spotlight has been focused lately on Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom’s war on terrorism still quietly continues in Afghanistan.Besides supporting troop movements of Soldiers from Iraq, thousands of Airmen and Soldiers supporting OEF are also passing through here, either

  • Desert ice just as nice for deployed Airman

    For the average Airman, the last thing on his or her mind when deploying to the desert is ice hockey. Not so for Senior Master Sgt. Daniel Morin. As soon as he heard he was being sent to a forward-deployed location as the 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Operations Squadron’s quality assurance

  • New system simplifies vehicle management

    A new program in production aims to revolutionize the way the Air Force’s fleet of vehicles is managed.The Logistics Integrated Asset Management System replaces five systems with one consolidated Web-based application, said Senior Master Sgt. Rex Curry, Air Force Vehicle Policy team member.“This

  • 2003 B-1B records become official

    Records set by a B-1B Lancer here during the 2003 Open House and Air Show were officially certified April 30 by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in Switzerland.In two flights Oct. 25 and 26, the B-1B set 45 world records and broke five previously set records in the National Aeronautic

  • Mother reunites with daughter after 15 years

    It was a mother’s nightmare. Juanita Heismann’s daughter, April Turner, was gone without a trace. It was June 1988. Mrs. Heismann, estranged from April’s father, dropped off the first-grader for a scheduled visit with him in Lawton, Okla. When it came time for April to return a few days later,

  • F-15E crew ‘walks away’ from crash

    Two 4th Fighter Wing aircrew members walked away uninjured from an F-15E Strike Eagle crash May 6 near Roanoke, Va.Base officials identified the pilot as Capt. Darren Wees and the weapon systems officer as Capt. Daniel Spier. Both Airmen ejected safely.The cause of the accident will be

  • Brother escorts brother in sister-service convoy

    When Lt. Col. Greg Harbin landed at the airport in Mosul, Iraq, he knew he had to travel to the operational headquarters on the other side of town. He also knew an Army convoy would be escorting him. What he did not know was that his brother would be the convoy commander.Colonel Harbin was there

  • International Airman of maintenance

    Tech. Sgt. Robert Damron wears nothing on his blue flightsuit to indicate his nation or rank. He motions to a group to follow him up the stairs to the hatch of the E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, a modified Boeing 707 most notable for the big radar disc mounted on the

  • Security forces provide protection on, off Bagram

    Besides their more traditional role of providing installation security, security forces Airmen here have taken on two other important combat-related responsibilities supporting the war on terrorism.Airmen assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron are providing security for convoys

  • European memorials honor those who fought for freedom

    An American bomber was shot out of the sky by German fighter aircraft 60 years ago, and on April 29, Airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe honored the fallen aircrew in a ceremony in Dinklage, Germany.The B-24 Liberator bomber, named “El Lobo,” was returning from a bombing mission to Berlin during

  • 1st Air Force looks inward to keep America safe

    It was the day the screens went black. Sept. 11, 2001, was the day that breathed life into what some considered a “sunset mission.” It was the day when everything changed. In the hours before the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, 1st Air Force and the Continental United States North

  • Air National Guard unit fights wildfires

    California Air National Guardsmen from the 146th Airlift Wing launched aircraft outfitted for aerial firefighting May 5 to aid in the fight against Southern California wildfires.The wing's first missions of the day were flown against Santa Barbara County's Cachuma fire.The Ventura County-based

  • Gunter park named for Air Force hero

    The monument tells the story of an Airman who earned two Silver Stars, a Defense Superior Service Medal, a Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses and 18 Air Medals.A park here now bears his name.Retired Chief Master Sgt. Wayne Fisk, who was a pararescue Airman, was honored April 28 when a

  • SECAF approves medal for tornado relief efforts

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche has approved awarding the Humanitarian Service medal to Airmen who directly participated in tornado relief for the civilian community surrounding Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., in November 2002.To qualify for the award, a person must have been assigned

  • Airmen shadow local workers

    Although shadows under a desert sun may be rare, whenever a local contractor works on an air base in Iraq one or two are always found.At nearby Camp Sather those shadows are Airmen from the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron's force protection escort element who accompany all foreign

  • May issue of Airman available

    Read about how Airmen at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and other locations protect America’s interior; take a look at the new Air Force basic training; and learn about Airmen who maintain lesser-known bases throughout South Korea. These features and more highlight the May issue of Airman magazine,

  • Active-duty Airmen will test for HIV every two years

    Beginning June 1, all active-duty Airmen will be required to complete routine human immunodeficiency virus testing every two years. This is a Defense Department policy change geared toward standardizing testing across the services, officials said. The policy, recommended by members of the Armed

  • Maintainers target wiring problems

    Maintainers from the 4th Component Maintenance Squadron here have created a process that could potentially change the way the Air Force troubleshoots electronic systems.They combined one-of-a-kind commercial hardware with locally written software programs to locate wiring problems within three

  • World War II ‘evaders’ congregate at memorial

    Their shoulders may be stooped, and their pace a little slow. Hearing aids are a common “fashion statement,” and their hair, what’s left of it, is a tad gray. But one look into their eyes is enough to know the old spirit of adventure is still there.About 80 members of the Air Forces Escape and

  • History Channel features Predator on ‘Mail Call’

    The History Channel show “Mail Call” will feature a segment on the MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle on May 9.“Mail Call” is a weekly series that answers viewer’s questions about technology, weapons and equipment used throughout history by the armed forces. A production crew visited nearby

  • Airmen help warriors get home safely

    At an hour when most people are fast asleep, 59th Medical Wing medics from Wilford Hall Medical Center here were wide-awake anticipating the return of 14 servicemembers injured in Iraq.Standing sentinel, a row of 14 ambulances lined the San Antonio International Airport flightline awaiting the

  • Maintainers keep refuelers in air

    Temperatures can climb above 100 degrees in the desert daily. On the flightline, it is about 10 to 30 degrees higher. In the avionics compartment of a jet, it is hot enough to “fry an egg,” said aircraft maintainers. Yet they work around the clock to launch KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-10 Extender

  • Officials: Risks low from depleted uranium

    Depleted uranium poses very low health risks to U.S. servicemembers, senior Defense Department officials said here April 29.Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said a 10-year, joint DOD-Veterans Affairs study shows "that low levels of depleted uranium

  • Presence policy helps define expeditionary force

    The secretary of the Air Force recently signed a policy clearly defining the structure and role of the air and space expeditionary force within the joint warfare environment. The Air and Space Expeditionary Force Presence Policy, among other things, defines AEF, outlines its command structure and

  • Air Force begins Raptor operational tests

    Operational testing on the F/A-22 Raptor began April 29 when the first two-ship sortie was flown and tested by members of the F/A-22 Combined Test Force here.After the operational testing is complete, a report will provide senior leaders with the information needed to approve the Raptor for

  • Airmen keep water flowing

    Keeping an air base hydrated in the desert is challenging, but Airmen here perform aquatic feats daily to guarantee the pipes do not run dry.The Airmen of the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron utilities shop supply water to more than 27 locations at military complexes around Baghdad

  • Officials announce OTS selections

    Air Force officials here announced April 29 that 187 enlisted Airmen have been chosen to attend Officer Training School, and trade in their stripes for gold bars.Air Force Recruiting Service officials conducted OTS Selection Board 0404, which met here March 29 to April 2. The board considered 324

  • Understanding Tricare benefits while traveling

    It is easy for a person to access his or her health benefits at home, but it can get complicated when they going on vacation across America or overseas.Emergencies, including injuries threatening someone’s life, limb or eyesight, are covered by Tricare Prime; but, the beneficiary still has some

  • Officials name manpower, organization winners

    Officials have named the winners of the 2003 Air Force Manpower and Organization awards. They are:-- Headquarters-Level Field Grade Officer of the Year: Lt. Col. Timothy Clary from the Air Force manpower requirements determination squadron here.-- Headquarters-Level Company Grade Officer of the

  • ‘The Rocket’ lands at Offutt

    The all-time strikeout leader in American League history, Roger Clemens, visited here April 26 as part of a United Service Organizations tour.Mr. Clemens, known in baseball circles as “The Rocket,” also participated in a USO tour to Qatar, Kuwait, Afghanistan and the Arabian Sea about a

  • AF Climate Survey results reveal progress in most areas

    The 2003 Air Force Climate Survey results have been analyzed, and final reports have been released to unit-level leaders for action. The survey ran Oct. 1 to Nov. 23.“As the leaders of the world’s greatest air and space force, we share a commitment to continually seek improvement. The survey

  • Airman prepares others for worst-case scenario

    Senior Airman Aaron Sanders spends his days teaching students information he hopes they never need to use. But he said he wants them to learn the material well, just in case.As a survival specialist deployed to the Combined Air Operations Center here, Airman Sanders travels to bases throughout the

  • Prevention, screening allow Airmen to come home healthy

    Surgeons general from the Army, Navy and Air Force testified before Congress on April 28 on the status of health care in the services. Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. (Dr.) George Peach Taylor Jr. spoke to members of the Senate Appropriations Committee defense subcommittee. He said the Air

  • Communications director prepares to leave Air Force

    When William C. Bodie leaves his job as director of communications to begin work for the private sector, he will do so with an elevated appreciation for the Air Force and the challenges it faces daily.In return, the Air Force comes away with a level of strategic communications capability that many

  • Team brings medical aid to Sri Lanka

    A decades-long war has claimed tens of thousands of Sri Lankan lives, and land mines continue to maim an untold number of civilians caught up in the aftermath of the war. A team of 20 military medical specialists began a weeklong humanitarian surgical training mission here known as blast,

  • Airmen earn FAA certification through CCAF

    Two aircraft maintainers are the first to earn Federal Aviation Administration certification under a Community College of the Air Force program launched in 2002.Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Gunson of the California Air National Guard and Tech. Sgt. Mark Faught from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, earned the

  • ARC liaisons bring Guard, Reserve into circle

    Many Airmen are deployed to fight the war on terrorism; however, Col. Bill Simpson and Lt. Col. Mike Mounts are deployed to fight for Airmen.The colonels serve as air reserve component liaisons for more than 3,100 deployed Air National Guardsmen and Air Force reservists -- almost a quarter of the

  • Brothers by blood, siblings by stealth

    Capts. Brian and Brad Cochran took different roads to reach their dreams of flight, but those paths led to the same destination. The captains are the first brothers to qualify as B-2 Spirit pilots.“As kids we always imagined we’d be pilots,” said Brian of the 393rd Bomb Squadron here. “I don’t

  • Chief rescues woman from burning car

    An Air Force Reserve chief master sergeant assigned to Air Education and Training Command's security forces directorate here received the Airman’s Medal on April 27 for saving a woman’s life.Chief Master Sgt. Joseph P. Salvaggio, also a lieutenant with the San Antonio Police Department, saved the

  • Pope C-130s supply beans, bullets to war on terror

    They like to think of themselves as the "18-wheeler trucks" that supply the front lines in the war on terrorism. C-130 Hercules aircraft crews from the 2nd and 41st Airlift Squadrons at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., deliver food, ammunition and servicemembers throughout Southwest Asia. Unlike larger

  • First Air Force provides top cover for America

    While much of the Air Force is engaged overseas, one organization has remained behind to fulfill a mission equally important -- Operation Noble Eagle, the air-defense mission aimed at preventing terrorist attacks in the United States.The organization comprises Air Force active-duty and reserve

  • Medevac squadron proves it’s 'always ready'

    The 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron lived up to its motto, “always ready,” April 19 as a routine C-130 Hercules channel mission to Pristina, Kosovo, turned into a life-saving assignment. An hour before takeoff, Maj. Chuck Wheeler, 86th AES training flight commander, learned there would be a

  • Mother risks life for son

    Maria Reyes had a choice back in May 1995: Risk her life or get an abortion.A doctor at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., told her that keeping her baby would put her life at risk.Now-Staff Sgt. Reyes-Witak is assigned to the 72nd Test and Evaluation Squadron here. Then a single senior airman, she

  • Now showing: April 26 edition of AFTV News

    In the latest edition of Air Force Television News, Tech. Sgt. Pachari Lutke visits Florida to report on the counterdrug program run by both the Air and Army National Guard. The program focuses on educating older children on the dangers of drug use and teaches them how to pass the message on to

  • Combat controllers play key role in war on terror

    The largest class of future combat controllers is training at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., to provide critical skills required in the war on terrorism. The current class of 32 students will help bolster the cadre of 360 combat controllers -- special-operations forces who deploy quickly into

  • Senior-enlisted course improves joint education

    U.S. Joint Forces Command officials will take a first step in kicking off the Command Senior-Enlisted Leader Capstone Joint Operations Module course at the Joint Warfighting Center here April 27 to 28.The course provides command senior enlisted Airmen, Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Coast Guardsmen

  • Service demographics available

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here recently published the quarterly demographics report offering a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force as of March 31.The report outlines information regarding the Air Force’s 375,093 active-duty Airmen and 139,373 civilian employees, such

  • Base motorcycle clubs will promote rider safety

    The formation of motorcycle clubs on Air Force bases worldwide may increase mentoring, an important element for promoting safe riding, said the Air Force’s senior safety official.Air Force leaders are alarmed at the rate that the Air Force is losing its Airmen, not only in four-wheeled vehicle

  • Airmen make good use of old uniforms

    An Airman here came up with a way to use unserviceable battle dress uniforms: Sewing them into blankets for local homeless people. “I got the idea from a blanket that my sister had sewn for me out of scrap pieces of cloth,” said Senior Airman Dennis Fry, a 48th Component Maintenance Squadron jet

  • Overseas quarterly assignment listing available May 4

    The Enlisted Quarterly Assignment Listing for overseas assignments for the January to March cycle will be available May 4.Airmen should work through their military personnel flights to update their preferences by May 20. They will be notified of their selection by mid-June.EQUAL advertises upcoming

  • Tanker aircraft delivers 1 billionth pound of fuel

    If you were to count from one to 1 billion it would take about 95 years. It took a little over a year for U.S. Central Command’s Combined Force Air Component Command-controlled tanker airlift to deliver 1 billion pounds of jet fuel. A KC-135 Stratotanker delivered 84,000 pounds of fuel to three

  • Officials explain CJR 'waiting list'

    To help meet end-strength goals under force shaping, Air Force officials will limit re-enlistments of Airmen in constrained specialties by establishing quotas, a waiting list and career job reservation application windows."All first-term Airmen must have an approved career job reservation prior to

  • Airman receives Purple Heart

    Airman 1st Class Scott Palomino received the Purple Heart and an Air Force Commendation Medal from Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on April 20.Airman Palomino is a surveillance technician from the 603rd Air Control Squadron based at Aviano Air Base,

  • Wearable computers move to flightline

    Maintenance is about to change because of new tools maintainers will have at their disposal.Through a pilot program at the 116th Air Control Wing here, 116th Maintenance Group workers are beginning to integrate a new wearable computer, which can be used across the maintenance spectrum.The small

  • Bagram Airmen receive taste of America

    With hand-written messages like, “We support you 100 percent,” and “Thanks for protecting our country,” on every package, reinforcements recently arrived here from the United States.More specifically, about 150 boxes of Girl Scout cookies sent by Brownie Troop 2859 from Marlboro, Mass., showed up at

  • Organ donation gives woman life, hope

    The gift of life through organ donations took on a new meaning five years ago for a senior noncommissioned officer here.Master Sgt. Jan Cutrona, a 56th Fighter Wing information manager, was prepared for the worst after her sister’s heart was attacked by a virus in February 1999.Sergeant Cutrona’s

  • Secretary Roche visits Manas Air Base

    Airmen of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing welcomed Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche for his inaugural visit here April 14 to 16. Manas is the primary strategic airlift hub for operations in and around Afghanistan and provides tactical-airlift and aerial-refueling support for Operation

  • ASVAB changes will not mean lower standards

    The Air Force will adjust the cutoff score used to gauge new recruits taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery in July.The change -- from 40 to 36 -- does not mean the Air Force is lowering its standards, said Tina Strickland, chief of Air Force testing policy and research integration.

  • Air Force honors Marquez award winners

    Air Force officials announced the winners of the 2003 Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Maintenance Awards.Winners for aircraft maintenance are:-- Field Grade Manager: Lt. Col. James Weber from Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.-- Company Grade Manager: Capt. Earl Williams III from Travis AFB, Calif.--