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U.S. Air Force News

  • MH-60S helicopter load validated on C-17

    Officials here performed a load validation on a C-17 Globemaster III for the MH-60S Knight Hawk helicopter recently with the help of Navy specialists.This is the seventh helicopter model validated on a C-17. Airmen from Altus' 58th Airlift Squadron along with 21 people from the Navy loaded the Navy

  • New machine makes materiel storage, retrieval easier

    A new mechanized cargo-handling machine here will make materiel storage and retrieval easier.The 60-ton Elevated Transfer Vehicle is a part of the Department of Defense Mechanized Materiel Handling System. The $11 million system, the largest in DOD, is being installed at the new air freight

  • U.S. Airmen deliver aid to Chad

    Answering an urgent request for assistance, units from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, responded with two C-130 Hercules aircraft in support of a European Command mission to deliver more than 19 tons of aid March 13 to Chad. The call for aid came after the Chadian army engaged in a heavy battle with a

  • Four Airmen help save Baltimore water-taxi victims

    Four members of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard were saluted as heroes at the National Guard Bureau’s joint headquarters here March 15. The salute came nine days after they helped save the lives of other water taxi passengers who were thrown into the frigid waters near Baltimore.Staff Sgts.

  • Basic training creates mission-ready Airmen

    Air Force leaders expect basic military training squadrons to deliver a tough program, professionally. Trainees want it tough as well, officials here said.This is great because training officials said they deliver. Graduates complete a rigorous indoctrination program and leave here as highly

  • Now showing: March 15 edition of AFTV News

    The shifting focus of the Air Force mission to meet new world threats is in the spotlight in the latest edition of Air Force Television News. In a two-part report, Tech. Sgt. Rusty Barfield and Staff Sgt. April Lawrence report from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and Minot AFB, N.D., on the

  • Murray talks rotations, uniforms, quality of life

    Retro was all the rage March 10 here as Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray met with enlisted Airmen here.Chief Murray, the Pacific Air Forces command chief before assuming his current job, addressed a standing-room-only crowd about several issues concerning the base, Pacific Air Forces

  • Grand challenge showcases unmanned vehicle technology

    Enthusiasm is building at California Motor Speedway in Fontana, Calif., as more than 20 unmanned ground vehicles prepare to face off against the clock March 13, while navigating 200 miles of rugged terrain.The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Grand Challenge will pit an array of innovative

  • Airmen search for fallen heroes in Southeast Asia

    When Master Sgt. Delbert Anderson received his deployment assignment to Southeast Asia, he said he did not anticipate his definition of patriotism would change forever.Sergeant Anderson, superintendent of trainer aircraft operations for life support in the Air Education and Training Command’s

  • Documentary 'discovers' Edwards aircraft, people

    A three-person crew with the Discovery Channel filmed parts of a documentary here recently on military wonders from around the world.The various aircraft featured were the F/A-22 Raptor, C/V-22, Airborne Laser, Global Hawk and the F-117A Nighthawk.The show, titled "Seven Wonders of the Military

  • AFSOC familiarization, recruiting seminar focuses on weather

    Air Force Special Operations Command weather directorate officials held their first special operations and airborne weather familiarization and recruiting seminar here March 3 to 5.Combat weather recruiting efforts have not produced enough volunteers to fill enlisted vacancies, said Lt. Col. Michael

  • Air Force avoiding Draconian measures while shaping force

    The Air Force will try to avoid "adverse consequences" while reducing its end strength during the next few years. During testimony before the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on total force, the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for personnel discussed the service's plans for force

  • Airmen win two gold medals at wrestling championship

    Staff Sgt. Steven Woods, of the 10th Services Squadron at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., won the 74-kilogram (163-pound) weight class in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2004 Armed Forces Wrestling Championships. Second Lt. Kevin Hoy, of the 10th SVS, won the 120-kilogram (264.5-pound) weight class

  • Charter Chief chats about change

    When Chief Master Sgt. Jim Flaschenriem was promoted to the Air Force’s highest enlisted grade Dec. 1, 1959, there was no tradition to the event. As one of the first to be promoted to that rank, he said it "wasn't very exciting."When the first chiefs were made, most of us who were promoted had

  • ‘Win the Peace’ coalition delivers hope for future

    More than 200 students at a school outside Nasiriya, Iraq, received a surprise delivery of school supplies donated by “Win the Peace.” WTP is an unofficial, organization made up of Airmen with the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing at a forward-deployed location. The group raised funds for the shipment

  • Airlifters haul forces to Haiti

    On Feb. 29, President George W. Bush ordered U.S. Marines into the Republic of Haiti as the leading element of a multinational peacekeeping force sanctioned by the United Nations.Air Mobility Command aircraft were tapped to bring up to 2,000 Marines into Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince, with 18th

  • Some personnel services become Web-only

    Starting March 15, Airmen will no longer have to stand in line to accomplish a personnel records review or several other common tasks.To make it easier for personnel customers, six different personnel services are now available only on the Web. Military personnel flight workers will point customers

  • Airmen return from deep freeze

    The last C-141 Starlifter from the 445th Airlift Wing returned March 4 from Christchurch, New Zealand, after completing its role in Operation Deep Freeze.Operation Deep Freeze flights support the National Science Foundation, which operates scientific stations in Antarctica to explore the origins of

  • Moseley: Airmen doing tremendous work

    During operations in Iraq, the Air Force experienced some of the highest mission-capable rates in recent history, said the service’s vice chief of staff.Gen. T. Michael Moseley spoke before a Senate Armed Service Committee subcommittee on readiness and management support March 9, directly crediting

  • Roche requests Army nomination be withdrawn

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche is no longer in the running for the vacant secretary of the Army job.Secretary Roche requested March 10 that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld withdraw the nomination. President George W. Bush nominated Secretary Roche for secretary of the Army on

  • Airmen deliver radio communications to servicemembers

    What do you get when you take the rim of an old tire, bolt wood into the lug nut openings, and secure an 11-foot fence pole to it? After attaching an 8-foot rod to the top of the pole, the answer is a ground-radio antenna that makes the communication needs of security detail Soldiers here.And what

  • Airmen learn convoy skills

    The grizzled, old retired Army instructor imparted combat wisdom to his students, as if he were reading directly from the combat bible. The most important thing he wanted them to take away from the training was when they drive into combat areas, they better look like death coming down the road. A

  • Kirstie Alley ‘cheers’ for McConnell

    Golden Globe-winning actress Kirstie Alley crossed into the blue March 8 during her “wild ride” here.She returned to her hometown of Wichita to raise money for the 1922 Orpheum Theatre with her show “Kirstie Alley’s Wild Ride” and wanted to visit one of the first places she worked -- McConnell.

  • Stress levels high among servicemembers

    Military deployments and other activities that keep servicemembers away from home are upping stress levels among people in uniform, a new Defense Department survey reveals.The 2002 Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Military Personnel, released March 8, showed that about one-third of the

  • Security forces get more boots on the ground

    Security forces Airmen will see 495 new civilians added to their ranks between July and October. Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James Roche directed the positions be added at the squadron level to free more Airmen for duties at home station and on deployments.Officials expect many of the new

  • Medicine man trains for sled-dog race

    A total of 16 barking dogs strain against their harnesses. The sled behind them is anchored into the snow to prevent the Alaskan huskies, each between 40 and 70 pounds, from pulling it across the starting line too soon. Volunteer dog handlers are busy adjusting harnesses, untangling lines and

  • Former Airman oversees U.S. cemetery in Manila

    Dan Neese gets strange looks when he invites people for dinner and gives them his address. It is not because he is some kind of a weird character, but living inside a cemetery is something most people do not normally brag about.Mr. Neese resides at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial here.

  • Tyndall operates newest engine test controller

    Revving an engine and tweaking a motor until it purrs is an art the “hush-house” team here has perfected and taken to the next level with the arrival of the F/A-22 Raptor.A process once involving intense troubleshooting can now be accomplished more efficiently thanks to a new engine-test controller

  • Korea vets recognized with medal

    A new defense medal will be issued to servicemembers who served in South Korea, or adjacent waters, after July 28, 1954. This includes those serving there today, and those serving up to a not-yet-determined future date. The Korea Defense Service Medal will be awarded to those assigned, attached or

  • Test uniforms soon arriving at Elmendorf

    In early 2002, the Air Force chief of staff and the U.S. Air Force Uniform Board put together a uniform that met distinct criteria. It had to be better fitting, less expensive and easier to maintain, and specific to the Air Force.Elmendorf is one of the nine testing sites for this proposed utility

  • Tuskegee Airmen opened doors for black aviators

    The modern Air Force is a diverse force made up of many races and cultures. But this was not always the case.More than 60 years ago, the U.S. Army Air Corps created an experimental black pilot-training program to test their abilities. With determination and persistence, the first black pilots, the

  • Computer-based training available to all

    For Air Force people wishing to further their education, the solution could be just a mouse click away. The U.S. Air Force computer-based training system, located at http://usaf.smartforce.com, allows people to supplement major blocks of formal education that may not be a part of an individual’s

  • Walking Shield helps American Indians

    For 10 years now, the Air Force has helped house and provide assistance to American Indians living on reservations in the United States through its participation in Operation Walking Shield. The Air Force deputy assistant secretary for installations, Fred Kuhn, co-chaired the OWS Management

  • Red Cross offers food, friendship to returning Soldiers

    As they enter Incirlik’s temporary terminal, hundreds of U.S. Soldiers coming from Iraq stop by the shoppette and souvenir booths, but ultimately end up at a makeshift American Red Cross stand.Red Cross volunteers are helping out at the terminal by providing hot beverages and baked goods to

  • Team tests for weapons of mass destruction

    To date, no nuclear, biological or chemical agents have been found here, but a team of Airmen stands ready around the clock to check for potential NBC agents, and it now has a controlled facility to perform the tests.The team, seven Airmen assigned to the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer

  • Camp Cunningham honors Air Force hero

    A true American hero was remembered March 4 during a ceremony that officially dedicated the Air Force compound here to the memory of Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham. Airman Cunningham gave his life supporting Operation Enduring Freedom while saving the lives of 10 others March 4, 2002.The

  • JASDF flies first humanitarian mission into Iraq

    The Japan air self-defense force flew its first humanitarian mission into Iraq as part of coalition air forces, landing at Tallil Air Base on March 3.While self defense forces have previously conducted humanitarian deployments to other locations in the world, this is the first time Japanese airmen

  • Air Force: Manpower unevenly distributed

    Air Force leaders said manpower within the service is unevenly distributed. While testifying March 2 before the Senate Armed Services Committee subcommittee on personnel, Michael Dominguez said the service is in the process of rebalancing its manpower resources. He is the assistant secretary of

  • Secretary briefs lawmakers in ‘posture’ hearing

    The F/A-22 Raptor, sexual harassment, force blending and the tanker lease program were all topics of discussion as the service’s senior executive testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 2.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche, along with the other service secretaries,

  • 'Scopes' get airmen quickly back on track

    Wilford Hall Medical Center surgeons are getting basic military trainees back into training faster with the help of laparoscopy. Surgical recoveries, which used to require four to six weeks, can now take as little as one to two weeks, according to medical officials. One recent case typified the

  • Wolfowitz addresses Guard, Reserve deployment concerns

    Though reserve-component forces are going through a stressful time, the Defense Department is working hard to improve the situation, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz told Guard and Reserve leaders here.Secretary Wolfowitz, speaking at the Adjutants General Association of the United States

  • March issue of Airman available

    Read about recent changes at the Air Force Academy and take a look at airmen serving in Southwest Asia -- from the airmen fresh out of training to the medical staff who save lives in Baghdad. These features and more highlight the March issue of Airman magazine, now available in print and online at

  • Predators move to Balad

    The unit came packed and ready to position themselves autonomously, so they could pursue their prey quietly, unseen for hours.Arriving ready to set up one of the most impressive unmanned aerial aircraft in the U.S. inventory, the Nevada unit was ready for business within days of their arrival here.

  • Personnel services now available on AF Portal

    The days where people need to remember numerous user IDs and passwords for basic online personnel services are coming to an end thanks to the Air Force Portal."The portal is a powerful tool," said Col. Gregory Touhill, director of personnel data systems at the Air Force Personnel Center here. "We

  • Officials work on balancing Guard force

    Governors will be able to call on at least 50 percent of their National Guard forces for homeland-defense missions and other state emergencies because of a plan to realign Army and Air Guard units during the next few years, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said."We will balance our forces,

  • Five generations keep proud tradition alive

    His life was spent fighting for freedom; his own freedom and the freedom of a country not yet born.Not only did he give his life in prelude to revolution from a tyrannical king, he left a legacy that continues to serve this country's continuous fight to preserve freedom at home and abroad. And one

  • Force-protection airmen keep alert

    With service and delivery contracts totaling more than $1.2 million and about 160 local nationals or third-country nationals on base at any one time, someone has to keep an eye on the workers.That duty falls to a team of about 50 airmen assigned to the force-protection section of the 407th Civil

  • Aircrew thinks fast during combat-zone emergency

    C-17 Globemaster III aircrews on departure from Iraqi airfields are accustomed to being on the lookout for threats to the aircraft. One crew from the 16th Airlift Squadron here had to wrestle with a threat from within the aircraft on a recent flight out of northern Iraq.The Globemaster III was

  • Airmen answer National Call to Service

    Since its inception in October, more than 240 trainees who enlisted under the National Call to Service Program have attended basic military training here.Under the terms set by the 2003 National Defense Authorization Act, the new airmen can serve a 15-month enlistment, followed by a possible

  • Airmen rescue civilian pilot in Alaska

    A pilot is out of the woods, literally, after being rescued by the Alaska Air National Guard’s 210th Rescue Squadron on March 1.Ted Greene, an Anchorage resident in his mid-70s, called in a mayday report after his plane crashed and was hung up in some trees in the Skwenta area, about 60 miles

  • Modeling, simulation agency names best performers

    The Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation recognized its best performers for 2003 during its yearly conference here Feb. 24 to 26. Best performers were recognized in four categories as either teams or individuals. Winners included: -- Acquisition Category: The Simulation and Analysis

  • Air Force brings aid, experts to Morocco

    In the early hours of Feb. 24, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Al Hoceima Province in northern Morocco. Within the next few hours, two smaller aftershocks measuring 4.3 and 4.1 shook the remote region. Initial reports indicated more than 570 people were killed and 405 injured. On Feb. 28,

  • Now showing: March 1 edition of AFTV News

    A landmark University of Rochester study of suicide in the Air Force headlines the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Staff Sgt. John Anderson talks to the study author, Dr. Kerry Knox, who said the Air Force program could be a model for private-sector businesses. The study found the

  • Still time to leave active duty early

    Nearly 1,250 airmen have applied to leave the Air Force early under force shaping. As the March 12 application deadline draws near, officials looking to trim the force by more than 16,000 are encouraging all airmen to carefully look at options to retire or separate earlier than they might otherwise

  • Portal provides information, access, instant messaging

    Air Force senior leaders have asked that all airmen sign up for a new Web-based technology that promises to streamline access to information across the force -- the Air Force Portal.In a December information technology initiatives memo, Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Chief of

  • Desert Storm veterans return after 13 years

    When Saddam Hussein ordered his forces to march south through Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990, little did he know of the resolve of the young airmen who would rise to the occasion to repulse the attack.From November 1990 to May 1991, Senior Airmen Darrell Wiedenbeck, Elbert Bembry and Edward Timberman, and

  • Services initiative lets 'you be you'

    A new initiative to introduce new airmen to the leisure and recreational activities available to them on base will kick off in March.A joint venture between Air Education and Training Command and the Air Force Services Agency, the new UBU program lets “you be you.” It allows airmen basic through

  • General briefs senators on sexual harassment in Air Force

    Sexual harassment is a problem in the Air Force, but the service’s second-highest ranking officer assured members of the U.S. Senate that it has the full attention of senior leaders.Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley testified Feb. 25 before the Senate Armed Services Committee

  • CMSAF addresses quality of life

    The service’s ranking enlisted member addressed quality-of-life issues to the House subcommittee on military construction Feb. 25.Overall, quality of life in the Air Force has greatly improved, contributing to increased morale and retention, said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray.

  • Drop-zone experts ensure success during Balikatan 2004

    “Winds are calm. Clear to drop.” With these words Capt. Laura Curvey, an air mobility liaison officer from the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, officially signaled the start of bilateral airdrop operations during exercise Balikatan 2004 here. The term Balikatan is a Tagalog word

  • Military working dogs help keep base safe, secure 24/7

    When military people are in trouble, they call the cops. When cops need help, they call the K-9 unit.Working dogs here provide explosive detection support and establish a force-protection presence that will halt or deter hostile action against coalition forces.“Our main mission here it to provide

  • All-weather friends vital to CAOC mission

    It really does all depend on the weather when it comes to planning air operations.This holds true at the Combined Air Operations Center here, the central hub for air and space operations dealing with operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and in the Horn of Africa region.The CAOC weather cell

  • Incirlik airman found guilty of assault

    An airman here was sentenced to five months confinement, forfeiture of $795 of pay per month for five months and a demotion to airman basic after being convicted of several crimes. This was Incirlik's first court martial since 2002.Airman Basic Lionel Young, of the 39th Logistics Readiness

  • Reservists vital for seamless flow of business

    In this time of heightened operations tempo, Air Force units are constantly cycling in and out of different conflict zones worldwide. With a few exceptions, servicemembers in almost every career field in the military have the potential to be sent on a temporary duty assignment for extended periods

  • Airmen experience sights, sounds, tastes of India

    For the 130 airmen working here in February during Cope India ‘04, the job of flying and fixing aircraft has taken on a whole new meaning.Cope India ’04 is a bilateral exercise between the air forces from the Unites States and India involving fighter aircraft -- the first of its kind in more than 40

  • Airmen fill joint airlift needs

    When Army and Marine units receive orders to deploy, a small group of airmen is often called upon to turn sister services' air mobility needs into reality. These airmen, known as air mobility liaison officers, are experienced rated officers permanently based with Army and Marine units worldwide.

  • Airmen help community by building homes

    Spending a Saturday morning working on your house may not seem like anything new, but what about spending that Saturday morning working on the house of someone you do not even know? This is what a group of airmen from throughout the base here have been doing with their spare time for Habitat for

  • DUI puts ex-cop on other side of law

    Handcuffed and scared, a 23-year-old senior airman here rode in the back seat of a local Warner Robins Police Department squad car, playing over in his mind the night that abruptly changed his life.It was Veterans' Day 2003 when Airman X, as he will be called at his request, drank, drove and crashed

  • Servicemembers can apply for expedited U.S. citizenship

    Foreign-born servicemembers can now speed up the process to obtain American citizenship.The immediate eligibility for servicemembers to become a naturalized citizen is based on Executive Order 13269 signed by President Bush on July 3, 2002. Section 329 of the 8 U.S. Code allows the president to

  • Cope India brings out fighter ops

    Residents who live in the nearby city of Gwalior are accustomed to the sounds of fighter-jet operations -- the noise of takeoff, landings and sonic booms. But the roar of U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle aircraft in the sky above this north central Indian air force station is something completely new.The

  • Leaders call for re-energized suicide-prevention efforts

    After 11 active-duty suicides since Jan. 1 and 14 during the final quarter of 2003, Air Force senior leaders are asking commanders and leaders across the service to assess and re-energize suicide prevention efforts at all levels. The 2003 calendar year suicide rate of 10.5 per 100,000 people was

  • Bombers arrive at Andersen

    The first three B-52 Stratofortress bombers from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., arrived here Feb. 22 under an overcast sky. A total of six bombers from the 5th Bomb Wing will call Andersen home for an undetermined amount of time at the request of U.S. Pacific Command officials.The bombers are the

  • U.S. forces provide medical, dental assistance in Thailand

    U.S. forces participating in Cope Tiger ’04 here helped improve the health and welfare of more than 2,100 Thai villagers during a three-day medical and dental civic assistance program visit Feb. 20 to 22.About 20 U.S. physicians, dentists and medical technicians -- comprising airmen, Marines and

  • OSI comes face-to-face with evil

    For a group of specially trained airmen serving in Afghanistan, coming face-to-face with evil is just "another day at the office" as they conduct counterintelligence and anti-terrorism operations. Tasked with providing military leaders current, accurate information about enemy threats, the Air Force

  • Airmen train Navy's 'Rocky' to become contender

    In the 1980s, Rocky Balboa knocked out many contenders. At Charleston a new Rocky is poised to arise and become victorious in 2004.The 437th Security Forces Squadron canine unit here is helping the Charleston Naval Weapons Station develop a kennel program. The unit here has opened its doors to

  • 817th EAS keeps crews flying

    A "C-17 one-stop combat ops shop" accurately depicts the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany.Airmen deployed from the 17th Airlift Squadron here provide every service needed for C-17 Globemaster III aircrews from here and McChord Air Force Base, Wash., as well as

  • B-24 pilot receives DFC, Air Medal

    A B-24 bomber pilot has finally received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal he earned in World War II. The presentation took place during a ceremony here recently that relived the perils airmen faced during the 1940s.Then a first lieutenant, Kenneth Kinsinger earned the Distinguished

  • PMEL professionals practice precision

    They diagnose, treat and cure. There is no room for error in their line of work, or it could cost someone his or her life.The professionals assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron’s precision measurement equipment laboratory are doctors for one of the Air Force’s most precious

  • Recruiting service unveils ‘shrink-wrapped’ buses

    Air Force Recruiting Service officials rolled out their latest advertising campaign to senior leaders Feb. 19: two very colorful buses.The vehicles are standard in every way, except they are covered with a shrink-wrap design rather than a traditional paint scheme. Each vehicle features the F/A-22

  • Chief of staff takes aim at safety

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper has made it clear that he wants a mishap-free Air Force.General Jumper posted his thoughts on safety in his Feb. 18 “Chief’s Sight Picture.” The Sight Picture can be accessed through the Air Force’s Internet home page at www.af.mil. “Our ultimate goal is

  • Air Force brings DFAS airmen back on base

    To improve its total-force personnel posture, the Air Force will move nearly 400 airmen assigned to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service back to base-level comptroller squadrons.Airmen working in Department of Defense billets like DFAS support the overall military mission, but do not directly

  • Barrier technicians ensure mission safety

    Their hard work and dedication is revealed in times of crisis, and throughout each flight mission, they are there.Mobile Aircraft Arresting System barrier technicians from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, are here for Cope India 04, the first bilateral dissimilar air combat exercise between the

  • Center steps up airlift support

    Strategic airlift directorate officials here are supporting an Air Mobility Command surge request with implications far beyond any in recent history.This strategic airlift surge, requiring both parts and aircraft, stems from an ongoing troop rotation touted as the largest swap out of U.S. forces

  • KC-135 team keeps fuel flowing down range

    One of the key missions of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing here is providing fuel to the fighters and bombers supporting coalition warfighters in Afghanistan.This means the KC-135 Stratotanker operators and maintainers from Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., and MacDill AFB, Fla., must keep their

  • Air Force announces OTS selections

    Air Force officials selected 84 enlisted airmen to trade in their stripes for gold bars by choosing them to attend Officer Training School, officials here announced Feb. 18.OTS Selection Board 0403, which met here Jan. 13 to 16, considered 396 applications. The board selected 263 people, including

  • Group turning crumbling symbol into a military airfield

    Airmen from the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group civil engineers are turning what was once a crumbling symbol of oppression into a military airfield that supports operations aimed at eliminating terrorists.In 1955, the Soviet Union promised $100 million to Afghanistan. Part of that money was to

  • Deployed airmen represent honor, dignity

    The American flag waves in a light breeze, its bright colors standing out in stark contrast over the gray, cracked concrete of hardened, Soviet aircraft shelters that once represented a communist state. Below the flag, airmen wearing perfectly pressed desert camouflage uniforms stand at attention.

  • Sexual assault review panel visiting Sheppard

    A cross-functional review panel is examining reports of sexual assault by students at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.Gen. Donald G. Cook, commander of Air Education and Training Command, selected Col. K.C. McClain, AETC deputy director of operations for technical training, to lead the panel's review

  • Now showing: Feb. 17 edition of AFTV News

    The latest edition of Air Force Television News is devoted exclusively to the Air Force mission in Iraq. Tech. Sgt. Pachari Lutke and Staff Sgt. Leigh Bellinger spent about two weeks in the country working with various Air Force elements to tell “The Air Force Story in Iraq.”In this program,

  • Goodwill project fosters relations

    Allied forces from the three countries participating in exercise Cope Tiger ’04 are fostering good relations in the local community by donating supplies to a rural Thai grade school.More than 1,370 servicemembers from the United States, Thailand and Singapore are taking part in the annual two-week,

  • Cope India 04 begins

    The first bilateral dissimilar air combat exercise between the U.S. Air Force and the Indian air force in more than 40 years began here Feb. 16. Approximately 150 airmen from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, are here for the exercise.Dissimilar AIR COMBAT TRAINING, otherwise known as DACT, is

  • Fuels flight powers Tallil

    In late March, they were some of the first Air Force airmen on the ground here and were instrumental in the air war effort against Saddam Hussein’s army, increasing the loiter time of A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft by providing the planes additional fuel.Almost a year later and with the

  • Space integrates air forces to win wars

    Integrating space into all operations -- air, land and sea –- is the future of Air Force Space Command, said Gen. Lance Lord during a symposium Feb. 12.“We feel good about how things have gone, and we want to talk about the future,” said General Lord, speaking at the 2004 Air Force Association

  • New visitor control bolsters base’s force protection

    The task for terrorists intent on attacking coalition forces here just got a lot more difficult Feb. 12 with the opening of the new visitor control center.The $1.3 million effort was the culmination of months of planning and construction.“In every aspect {including} the physical layout, the

  • Combat dentists keep troops’ teeth healthy

    The familiar high-pitch sound of a drill floats out from behind the curtain. Bits and pieces of decayed tooth are chipped away as the drill bores deeper and deeper. A cavity or other tooth emergency is never fun, but for soldiers and airmen in Iraq, help is just a dental visit away.The staff at

  • CSAF seeks improvements in warfighting

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper outlined new ways to make 21st century airmen faster, more efficient warfighters.General Jumper spoke at the Air Force Association’s 2004 Air Warfare Symposium in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Feb. 12.The general’s key point in addressing future capabilities

  • 'Transformation Flight Plan’ gives airmen roadmap to future

    Air Staff officials have put the finishing touches on the “Transformation Flight Plan,” which spells out the future direction of the Air Force.The TFP, a 176-page document, can be accessed through a link on the Air Force’s Internet home page at www.af.mil or on the office of force transformation Web

  • Secretary reveals future systems at AFA symposium

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche revealed a list of new focus areas, as well as planned changes to existing systems and proposals for new aircraft that could significantly increase the service’s lethality and effectiveness.The secretary laid out plans to improve special operations,

  • Human factor is primary cause of aviation mishaps

    The "human factor" is the primary cause of military aircraft mishaps.That testimony by Air Force Chief of Safety Maj. Gen. Kenneth W. Hess came as part of a congressional hearing on military aviation safety, Feb. 11, where safety directors from all four service branches testified before the House

  • ARC team offers link home, comfort

    There is a one-stop shop here that offers books to read, candy to eat, videos to watch and a shoulder to lean on during times of trouble. More than 1,000 books line the tent shelves, dozens of videos sit beneath a videocassette recorder and television, candy and snacks fill plastic containers, and a