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  • USAFE: Yesterday, today, tomorrow

    From the creation of Eighth Air Force in 1942, to Operation Atlantic Resolve in 2017, U.S. Air Forces in Europe has answered the call to service for 75 years.USAFE’s 75th anniversary is Jan. 19, but the command will celebrate the diamond anniversary of the U.S. Air Force presence in Europe on Jan.

  • AETC’s 75th Anniversary and the birth of a professional Air Force

    On Jan. 23, 2017, Air Education and Training Command celebrated its 75th anniversary — a date much more important in our nation’s heritage than a simple mark in time. Jan. 23, 1942, proved to be the birth of a professional Air Force – men and women precisely selected and trained to fly, fight and

  • Disbrow to serve as acting AF secretary

    Under secretary of the Air Force Lisa S. Disbrow will serve as the acting secretary of the Air Force as of Jan. 20, until the President nominates and the Senate confirms a permanent replacement.

  • Hill AFB fighter wings bring first F-35A to Red Flag

    Pilots and maintainers from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings deployed the F-35A Lightning II to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Jan. 20, 2017 for exercise Red Flag.This is the first deployment to Red Flag for the F-35A and the first large movement since the Air Force declared the jet combat ready in

  • EC-130s maintain constant presence in Afghanistan 15 years later

    All around the dimly-lit tent are enduring symbols of a constant presence. A name scrawled across a wooden wall, a lengthy list of deployment dates written underneath, updated year after year. A library stacked with books and games to pass the time. A built-in couch labeled “Snooze Town.”

  • AETC loads, releases first live bombs from F-35A

    The 33rd Fighter Wing loaded and released the Air Education and Training Command’s first live bombs from an F-35A here, Jan. 17, 2017.In total, six aircraft were loaded with armed GBU-12s, and two bombs were released over the Eglin Air Force Base range.

  • Heroism recognized: Special tactics Airman receives medal upgrade

    A combat controller will receive the Air Force’s highest combat medal for extraordinary heroism, after a service-wide review of medals awarded since 9/11. The Air Force Cross will be presented to former Staff Sgt. Christopher Baradat, now separated, who had received the Silver Star medal for his

  • Around the Air Force: Jan. 20

    On this look around the Air Force, Airmen lend a helping hand to support the inauguration and service members conduct subject matter expert exchanges at Clark AB, Philippines.

  • AF refuelers enable B-2 strike against ISIL in Libya

    KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-10 Extender crews from five bases on three continents provided aerial refueling support during the B-2 Spirit bomber mission which struck two Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant training camps in Libya Jan. 18, 2017.

  • Air Force faces fighter pilot shortage

    The Air Force is in the midst of a pilot shortage. While most platforms are affected by the shortage, the fighter pilot community has been hit the hardest.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • James awards Maxwell Airman two Silver Stars

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James spent her final day in office honoring an Airman here Jan. 19, 2017.Before a packed auditorium of base leadership, River Region community leaders and Air University students, James presented two Silver Star medals to Col. Christopher Barnett for his actions in

  • AF fighter jets practice for inauguration flyover

    Four Air Force fighter jets practiced for the inauguration flyover at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, Jan. 19, 2017.Two generations of fighter aircraft are scheduled to fly in a close formation during the inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump at the capitol in Washington, D.C., Jan.

  • Goldfein addresses priorities for the 21st century

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein outlined his perspective on the future of American airpower and how Airmen “deployed in place” play a vital role in today’s Air Force during his discussion at the American Enterprise Institute Public Forum in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18, 2017.

  • Citizen Airmen answer call to service

    “I thought it was going to be a normal drill weekend,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher Tedford, a 407th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron munitions systems specialist. “I was thinking about work on Monday and how I had plans with my wife and kids the next week.“Then everything changed.”As Tedford and

  • James awards medal upgrades to 8 Airmen

    The secretary of defense directed a review of medals, including the Air Force Cross and the Silver Star recommendations from recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, to ensure service members are appropriately recognized for their actions. Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James approved nine

  • Around the Air Force: Jan. 18

    On this look around the Air Force, Airmen at Edwards Air Force Base, California, developed a new way to reduce the cost of testing fire suppression systems, a satellite launched from Vandenberg AFB, California, and Civilian Health Promotion Services is helping people quit smoking.

  • Air mobility squadron keeps C-17s ready for fight

    Winning the fight against an adversary requires much more than just dropping bombs on targets and taking out key leaders. It requires coordinating the precise movement of necessary supplies to arrive at the right location at the right time; which is why logistics plays such an important role in the

  • Airmen deliver aid to refugees in northern Iraq

    Reservists from the 315th Airlift Wing delivered humanitarian aid here Jan. 13 while also conducting a multifaceted training mission; the aid is bound for refugee camps in northern Iraq.

  • Airmen perform bodywork, ensure capable aircraft

    Sandpaper scrapes along the wing of an MQ-9 Reaper, as debris drifts to the ground and the smell of chemical agents saturate the air. Squeals from an F-16 Fighting Falcon engine fill the temperature-controlled back shop. The Airmen are focused; there’s a job to be done, and it has to be done

  • Airman becomes first resource officer to Eglin Elementary

    Students at Eglin Elementary School will have another friendly face to greet them each morning as they enter the school. Staff Sgt. Justin Hogg from the 96th Security Forces Squadron was recently hired as the elementary's school resource officer.

  • Maintainer-turned-fighter pilot puts new skills to the test

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series. These stories focus on individual Airmen, highlighting their Air Force story.) When Capt. David was a child, his father would take him out to the flightline at Canon Air Force Base, New Mexico, and sit him in the cockpit of an F-111

  • Falcon 9 launches from Vandenberg AFB

    Members of Vandenberg Air Force Base, alongside SpaceX and Iridium partners, recently launched the Iridium NEXT satellite on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex-4, here, Jan. 14.

  • The aircraft canaries: HAAMS technicians breathe life into missions

    Twenty thousand feet above the drop zone, a multinational group of special forces prepares for a tactical insertion behind “enemy lines.” The seasoned jumpmaster positions himself on the open ramp of the C-130 Hercules, peeking his head out to confirm that the airspace below is clear to the drop

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • James bids farewell as SecAF

    The men and women of the Air Force bid farewell to the 23rd Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James during a ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Jan. 11.

  • Castaway Airman helped map the world

    For six months in 1956 Bob Cunningham, a former Air Force radar operator, lived on a remote knob approximately 2,000 feet long and 850 feet wide in the Spratly Islands group located midway between the Philippine Islands and Vietnam. His home was a canvas tent and he manned radio and radar equipment

  • Scott AFB celebrates century of service

    Located in the heartland of America, Scott Air Force Base marked the historic milestone with a kickoff celebration Jan. 7 that helped launch a yearlong effort to honor its heritage, thank its mission and community partners and posture the installation for the next 100 years.

  • AFPC to host EFMP webinars Jan. 12

    The Air Force Personnel Center will hold two Exceptional Family Member Program webinars Jan. 12 discussing the program’s three components – assignments, medical and family support.

  • Around the Air Force: Jan. 10

    On this look around the Air Force Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James talks about her priorities during her tenure.

  • Battle of Mogadishu hero passes, leaves behind legacy

    A former special tactics combat controller responsible for saving dozens of lives at the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia in 1993, was laid to rest recently, leaving behind a far-reaching legacy of valor, professionalism and combat success. Nearly 100 friends, family and teammates gathered to honor

  • James visits Malmstrom AFB for final time

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James visited Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, Jan. 5 to discuss morale, innovation and modernization of the nuclear enterprise with Airmen.

  • 2016 Air Force Year in Photos

    This 2016 Year in Photos feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This yearly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • SecAF highlights progress at AFA breakfast

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James addressed the Air Force Association’s Air Force Breakfast Series Jan. 6, at the Key Bridge Marriot in Arlington, Virginia.

  • Around the Air Force: Jan. 6

    On this look around the Air Force, President Obama says farewell to service members and new synthetic tie downs and winch cables on the C-17 Globemaster III are saving the Air Force money. Hosted by Airman 1st Class Jasmine Vanderheyden.

  • AF, NASA partner for mission success

    Developed in the mid-1990s by the NASA Geographic Information System office, the Flood Impact Analysis Tool illustrates the effects of localized tidal storm flooding.

  • Upgrade advances A-10s search capability

    A-10C Thunderbolt IIs assigned to active duty fighter squadrons at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base are in the process of having new lightweight airborne recovery systems installed.The LARS V-12 is designed to allow A-10 pilots to communicate more effectively with individuals on the ground such as

  • Patrol team has unique desert mission

    Members of the 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron base security zone patrol team have a more unique mission than the average security forces Airman while on deployment at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.

  • JB Charleston test new equipment, saves AF millions

    An operational evaluation of new synthetic tie downs and winch cables for the C-17 Globemaster III took place here in November 2016. Tie downs are ropes, cords, straps or chains that secure items during airlift operations; winch cables help adjust the tension on tie downs, securing the load.

  • Around the Air Force: Jan. 4

    On this look around the Air Force, Airmen march in the Rose Parade, coalition forces conduct more than 70 airstrikes in Syria and Iraq since the New Year, and an Air Force amputee is attempting to resume his career in Pararescue. Hosted by Airman 1st Class Cory Kuttler

  • USAF Total Force Band plays in Rose Parade

    The United States Air Force Total Force Band kicked off the Air Force’s 70th birthday celebrations by playing at several venues in Southern California, culminating in an appearance in the 128th Rose Parade Jan. 2.

  • AF program assists special needs family members

    The Air Force Exceptional Family Member Program allows Airmen to proceed to assignment locations where suitable medical, educational and other resources are available to treat special needs family members.

  • Airman finds potential through EPR

    Enlisted performance reports have the power to affect an Airman’s career. For one Airman, an EPR had the power to change how he saw his life. Staff Sgt. Preston Moten, a 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron aerospace ground equipment schedule and training monitor, said the rating from his first EPR

  • New civilian appraisal program to begin in April

    The Air Force will roll out a new Department of Defense civilian appraisal program in April 2017, designed to improve overall job performance, enhance supervisor and employee communication and more effectively develop and reward the workforce.

  • Top 10 most viewed AF stories of 2016

    The Air Force News Service has compiled a list of the top 10 stories on AF.mil for 2016. The stories were placed in order based on the number of views.

  • Around the Air Force: Dec. 28

    On this look around the Air Force, Airmen from the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing prepare meals for forward deployed service members and B-52s conduct combined joint operations. Hosted by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Koetz.

  • New Year, new you: Take control of your own health

    A new year can mean new opportunities, new discoveries and maybe a few new goals. While the New Year’s Resolution is a common tradition, many of them get abandoned long before the new year is gone again. Setting goals for a healthier you is something everyone can do, if you do it right.

  • Expeditionary aircrew spends Christmas at 30,000 feet

    A fog peeled back slowly from the flight line. Four aircrew members emerged from a transit van sharing witty banter and a few cheerful words as they moved their flight equipment towards a nearby KC-10 Extender.

  • FY 17 NDAA impact on Airmen

    The approval of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2017 provides a number of changes for Airmen, retirees, and families, to include stabilizing readiness and end strength, improving pilot retention, modernizing compensation and benefits and enhancing transparency in the

  • Air mobility squadron expedites the fight

    “You need it, we move it.” That is the saying of Airmen with the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron who enable rapid global mobility every day here at one of U.S. Central Command’s busiest en route stations.

  • Around the Air Force: Dec. 23

    On this look around the Air Force the first Japanese F-35 arrives at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona; Edwards AFB in California is testing ways to save fueling cost for the C-17 Globemaster III; and the Air Force band performs at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

  • Multinational paratroopers fill NC skies

    Instead of snow above North Carolina’s frigid skies, the horizon was filled with paratroopers as they ‘flurried’ to the ground, during the 19th annual Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop Dec. 5-16.

  • Goldfein visits ISR Airmen

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein met with Airmen and leaders at 25th Air Force Headquarters in San Antonio Dec. 19.

  • Air Force needs to grow to 350,000

    In ongoing efforts to size and shape the force to current and future requirements, Air Force officials explained why the service needs to grow to 350,000 active-duty Airmen over the next seven years.

  • AF announces 2016 Information Dominance Award winners

    Lt. Gen William Bender, the Air Force chief of information dominance and chief information officer, recently announced the winners of the 2016 General John P. Jumper Awards for Excellence in Warfighting Integration and the Air Force Information Dominance Annual Awards. The Air Force-level awards

  • Goldfein stands watch with Airmen at F.E. Warren AFB

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein visited Airmen at a missile alert facility in the F.E. Warren Air Force Base missile complex Dec. 19-20. Airmen stand watch 24/7, ensuring the nation’s nuclear deterrence capability is equipped and ready at a moment’s notice. The men and women who

  • Deployed squadron flies combat ops 15 hours after arrival

    When the 134th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron arrived at the 407th Air Expeditionary Group in early December, few people outside the two units would have expected them to generate combat airpower 15 hours after landing.But that is exactly what the Airmen in Southwest Asia did.

  • Largest military solar energy project in Northeast breaks ground on JB MDL

    Miranda A.A. Ballentine, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and energy, and Brig. Gen. Michael Cunniff, the adjutant general of New Jersey, helped break ground on a 98-acre solar farm at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Dec. 21.The 16.5-megawatt solar energy

  • Scoping it out: Shaw evaluated for Reaper mission

    Teams from Air Combat Command and Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, conducted a site survey at Shaw AFB Dec. 13, to assess the base as a candidate for an MQ-9 Reaper mission.Shaw AFB is one of four installations being evaluated for a wing-level mission, and one of five in the running for a

  • AF contingency response wing supports Army exercise

    Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing worked with Soldiers from Fort Wainwright, Alaska, to load 10 AH-64 Apache helicopters and two Stryker armored vehicles in extreme cold weather during the Rapid Alaska Airlift Week exercise Dec. 10-16.

  • New program streamlines safety reporting procedures

    Reporting a safety issue, whether a hazard or mishap, is about to get much easier across the Air Force with the scheduled release of a new web-based application by the Air Force Safety Center early in the new year.

  • ACC hosts chaplain leadership symposium

    Senior religious support teams from around the world met at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in early December for the Air Combat Command Chaplain Corps Leadership Development Symposium.

  • The long journey home

    Long rows of white marble headstones line the landscape of Arlington National Cemetery, each memorializing a fallen U.S. military member with a unique story of service to the nation. Nestled within Section 60 of the sprawling cemetery lies a marker for Air Force Maj. Troy Gilbert, an American

  • Active duty, Guard, Reserve integrate during Checkered Flag 17-1

    Active-duty, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard Airmen from around the country worked together through total force integration at Checkered Flag from Dec. 5-16. They prepared to rapidly respond to any current, real-world conflict, and trained for the future of air dominance.

  • Coalition launches largest airstrike of the year against ISIL

    The U.S.-led coalition launched one of its largest airstrikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant near Palmyra, Syria, Dec. 8, dealing a significant blow to the terrorist organization’s ability to finance and enable its means of war.

  • Airmen, civilians gain resilience through MMA

    As an Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter gets his hands wrapped and steps into the cage for battle, a cold chill runs down his spine; he’s nervous about the challenge ahead. Comparable to UFC fighters preparing for combat, Airmen may get a similar feeling whether preparing for upcoming

  • AFCENT helps deployed Airmen reach for their dreams

    Deployed Airmen often miss opportunities afforded to those back home; but personnel specialists at Air Forces Central Command headquarters here ensured deployed enlisted Airmen did not miss one opportunity – to pursue their ambitions of becoming part of the first group of enlisted pilots since World

  • Airman provides the logistics behind Obama’s archival move

    Many former presidents have a library in their namesake, showcasing many records and artifacts from their presidency. A library in honor of President Barack Obama is scheduled to open sometime in 2021 in Chicago, where records and archives from his presidency will be on display. However, the

  • AFVSA to implement new RPA childcare

    To combat these one-of-a-kind challenges, personnel from the Air Force Services Activity headquarters in Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, recently met with military members and conducted interviews here where they discussed new and evolving childcare options.

  • The evolution of the combat RPA

    In the 1980s, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency added modern-day technology to the decades old idea of using remotely piloted aircraft for reconnaissance purposes. As a result the Air Force immediately purchased a long-endurance RPA called the GNAT 750, resulting in the creation,

  • Expeditionary group clears way for combat ops

    When the Airmen of the 407th Air Expeditionary Group received notification in mid-October that they would bed down an expeditionary fighter squadron, they didn’t spare a moment getting ready.

  • Around the Air Force: Dec. 16

    On this look around the Air Force, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James held a Facebook town hall to address concerns from Airmen and their family members, and President Barack Obama spoke with Airmen at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • From gang leader to service member: Airman overcomes odds to find success

    Many Airmen gain leadership skills by progressing through the ranks and taking on more responsibilities. Many times this includes special schooling such as airman leadership school or the non-commissioned officer academy. One Airman became a leader at a much earlier age, before he even joined the

  • Life after loss: One Air Force family’s journey to recovery

    In March 2016, Lt. Col. Melchizedek “Kato” Martinez, a career tactical communications officer, was welcomed home from another combat deployment, a constant in the Martinez family. His wife, Gail, along with their four children, had planned a family retreat to their second home, the one place that,

  • Civilians take the oath

    Just as service members around the country have raised their right hands and taken the oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” so have the civilians who work alongside them.

  • Compass Call targets ISIL through electronic attack

    Military operations are complex. Attacking an adversary requires significant coordination and communication between a commander and their fighters. The fog and friction of war means that even the best laid plans are often adapted on the fly, and competent leaders need the ability to redirect their

  • T-38 maintenance significant to ISR

    Although various personnel provide support to T-38 flying operations a group of mechanics play an integral role. These civilian contractors work to keep the aircraft ready to fly whenever necessary.

  • Around the Air Force: Dec. 13

    On this look around the Air Force, Airmen deliver the first F-35s to Israel, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James visits Airmen at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, and Airmen attend the Enhancing Human Capital course.

  • Special ops surgical team saves hundreds during deployment

    If they stood on the roof of the abandoned one-story home they were working out of, at night they could see bombs dropping on the city three kilometers north. Limited resources, limited manpower, limited backup, and limited time didn’t stop this Air Force Special Operations Surgical Team from