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U.S. Air Force News

  • New AC-130J completes first test flight

    After more than a year of modification maintenance, the newly created AC-130J Ghostrider took to the sky for the first time as a gunship here Jan. 31.

  • Knowledge is power: Cadet, Academy works to end human trafficking

    In 2005, the Defense Department implemented a national initiative against human trafficking, requiring annual Combating Trafficking in Persons awareness training for all military members on how to combat labor trafficking, sex trafficking and child soldiering.

  • Senior civilians selected for strategic leadership program

    A dozen senior civilian leaders have been selected for the Air Force Civilian Strategic Leader Program following intense screening and assessment by a nine-member Air Force CSLP selection board, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.

  • Air Force introduces Volume 8 of Portraits in Courage

    The Air Force released its eighth volume of Portraits in Courage, highlighting three teams and thirteen Airmen for their honor, valor, devotion and selfless sacrifice in the face of extreme danger to themselves and others.

  • One for one: JB Charleston goes international

    As the sun begins to rise over the Australian outback, the very same sun is setting for Royal Australian air force Sgt. Daniel Humphreys, currently assigned to the 17th Airlift Squadron as an exchange loadmaster. Humphreys will be calling Charleston, S.C., his home for the next few years. In

  • CSAF thanks Edwards AFB Airmen, talks keys to AF success

    Almost a thousand Airmen, government civilians and contractors filled the base theater to hear Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III talk to Edwards Air Force Bases Airmen about current issues and future challenges involving the service.

  • SecAF visits Joint Base San Antonio

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James met with several Airmen during a visit Jan. 31 at Joint Base San Antonio. She served as the reviewing official for the basic military training graduation parade, toured dormitory facilities and visited with officials at the 24th Air Force Headquarters

  • CSAF to Airmen: Stay focused

    The Air Force’s highest ranking uniformed Airman released another edition of ‘Airman to Airman’ – a video series designed to highlight important topics to the force.

  • Nigerian, U.S. air forces partner for disaster relief seminar

    "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."This African proverb was referenced several times during a disaster relief seminar hosted by the Nigerian air force at the National Defense College here, Jan. 27-30. More than 40 senior service members from various career fields

  • Welsh thanks Eglin AFB Airmen, families

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III visited Team Eglin Jan. 26-28 to thank Airmen and their families here for their service and sacrifice, and to discuss current challenges and opportunities facing the service.

  • Official discusses Chinese air force, missile trends

    U.S. intelligence officials visiting Capitol Hill Jan. 30 reported to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission on the steady progress made by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force and the implications of that development to the United States.

  • Senior airman doubles as U.S. National Netball player

    A senior airman assigned to the 81st Medical Support Squadron logistics flight here recently returned from an international netball tournament in Singapore. Alisi Taka, a medical material technician, is a member of the U.S. National Netball Team. Taka joined seven other women in the six-country

  • Weapons Airmen bring bombs to fight

    The chill in the morning air and the dark before dawn didn’t deter the Airmen from the 366th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron as they prepared training munitions for aircraft participating in combat exercise Red Flag 14-1 here. By providing realistic combat training in a contested, degraded and

  • Space squadron optimizes wideband communication constellations

    Late in 2013, the 3rd Space Operations Squadron’s mission -- "Warfighters ensuring reliable wideband communications to national authorities and U.S. and Allied forces" -- was proudly displayed as the unit repositioned its eighth satellite during a nine-month effort to optimize the military wideband

  • Force shaping board to convene in July

    The Air Force will convene a fiscal 2014 Force Shaping Board here July 14 to consider eligible officers within competitive categories for continued retention, Air Force Personnel Center officials said Jan. 27.

  • Air Force's top leaders visit Global Strike bases

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody recently completed visits to Air Force Global Strike Command bases.

  • 44 selected for test pilot school

    Forty-four Air Force captains and first lieutenants have been selected as primary or alternate test pilot school program attendees, Air Force Personnel Center officials said Jan. 21.

  • CHIEFchat: CMSAF talks about force management, EPRs

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody addressed upcoming changes to enlisted performance reports and effects of force management during his 2nd worldwide CHIEFchat at Defense Media Activity here Jan. 9. CHIEFchat is a recurring initiative, designed to give Airmen around the world a

  • Recruiting on track, but officials worry about future

    Military recruiting is going well today, but economic and demographic changes will make the environment more difficult in the future, said Vee Penrod, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for military personnel policy.

  • 34 ICBM launch officers implicated in cheating probe

    Thirty-four intercontinental ballistic missile launch officers at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., have been implicated in cheating on the ICBM launch officer proficiency test, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said Jan. 15. The revelations emerged during an investigation into alleged illegal

  • DOD focuses on healthy, active lifestyle for kids

    With the national rate of childhood obesity increasing, the Defense Department wants to ensure children in military families lead healthy and active lifestyles, the Defense Department's director of the office of family policy and children and youth said.

  • New secretary testifies to commission on total force

    The Air Force will rely more on its Air National Guard and Reserve components in the future with the aim to preserve more capabilities as the service seeks to reduce its personnel , the service’s top leader said Jan.9.

  • Hagel visits Airmen, stresses importance of mission, gratitude

    Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel visited Airmen from the 90th Missile Wing here Jan. 9 to learn about the ICBM mission and the people who operate, maintain, secure and support the Minuteman III weapon system. Hagel also took time to speak to Airmen who were selected as top performers by their

  • Sexual assault reports drop at service academies

    Reports of sexual assault decreased in two of the three military academies in academic year 2012-13, officials of the Defense Department's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office said today.

  • Force protection team helps keep trainees safe

    A program office here is using its expertise to help ensure the safety of Air Force trainees. Following occurrences of sexual misconduct during basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, a commander's directed-investigation looked at various programs and procedures to see how

  • Hagel visits troops, defense nuclear facilities in New Mexico

    Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said he was impressed with what he saw here Jan. 8 at an Air Force base on the northern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert, where two facilities represent a large and historic part of the nation’s nuclear weapons expertise.

  • Grand Forks squadron named best small comm unit in AF

    The members of the 319th Communications Squadron have an extra reason to walk a little taller after recently being named the best small communications unit in the Air Force.The cyber warriors of the 319th CS won the 2013 Air Force Information Dominance Small Unit Award at the Air Force level.

  • Ease landlord disputes with few easy steps

    Most disputes between landlords and tenants are caused by one or both of the parties' failure to meet its obligations related to the rental property. There are several steps tenants can take to ensure tenancy is peaceful and dispute-free as possible. Service members and their families should seek

  • Airman cellist bows for audience

    The deep, rich sound of the vibrating strings echoed in front of thousands of people at a change of command ceremony as one Airman put to work 22 years of practice.

  • Shelton discusses importance of space defense

    Space is fundamental to the economy, the military and the way of life in the United States and officials must continue to guard against challenges in the domain from adversaries, the commander of Air Force Space Command said today. Gen. William Shelton shared with students at George Washington

  • AFNet PII breaches still a concern

    More than one month after Air Force Space Command's implementation of lock-out procedures for individuals found to have inappropriately transmitted Personally Identifiable Information, PII breaches still remain a significant issue.

  • CMSAF, wife visit air traffic control roots

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody and his wife, retired Chief Master Sgt. Athena Cody, returned here Jan. 3 and 4 to visit the men and women of the 157th Air Refueling Wing nearly 23 years after leaving as young staff sergeants.

  • Agency works to draw down costs, maintain top medical care

    The Defense Department’s goal to save medical dollars and deliver the best health care possible has made strides in its first 100 days, the director of the new Defense Health Agency said. Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Douglas J. Robb said the agency, which stood up Oct. 1 in Fairfax, Va., has been on a “journey”

  • Rescue squadron deactivates at Camp Bastion

    The HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter aircrew of the 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron and pararescuemen of the 651st Expeditionary Rescue Flight, deployed here, sat alert for the last time Dec. 31, 2013.

  • Doolittle Raider to Airmen: Training is key to mission success

    While the Air Force is often celebrated for its use of technology and reliance on hardware, a Doolittle Raider's visit here Dec. 30, 2013, re-enforced that the service's true strength stems from well-trained, innovative Airmen working jointly. Retired Lt. Col. Richard Cole, who served as then-Col.

  • Academy officer looks back on challenges, rewards of deployment

    When Lt. Col. Howard Gentry deployed to Afghanistan in May 2012, he knew he'd be stepping out of his comfort zone -- living and working in a different country, absorbing its culture, learning a new language and, for the next 12 months, watching his one-year-old daughter grow up and say her first

  • Eligible officers, enlisted members offered early retirement

    Staff through senior master sergeants and captains through lieutenant colonels in certain Air Force Specialty Codes may apply to retire with fewer than 20 years of active service under the Temporary Early Retirement Authority, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.

  • CV-22 arrives at AF museum, marks future expansion

    One of the Air Force's unique aircraft landed at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, Dec. 12. The arrival of CV-22 Osprey will be a centerpiece of the museum’s new 224,000 square-foot building.

  • Video: SecAF message to Airmen

    In this video, the 23rd Secretary of the Air Force, Deborah Lee James, gives her first remarks as secretary of the Air Force about what Airmen and their families can expect from her in the future.

  • Financial management leadership program open to eligible officers

    Nominations for active-duty line officers interested in the financial management leadership program, or FMLP, are due to the Air Force Personnel Center by Feb. 15, 2014, AFPC officials said Dec. 18. The FMLP is a four-year program that provides non-finance officers the opportunity to gain leadership

  • NATO advisers provide clean water to Afghan village

    Members of the 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group Commander's Emergency Response Program conducted a site visit to a project at the Old Russian Village, a village near Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan on Dec. 2.

  • AF envisions smaller force to preserve readiness

    Discussing upcoming budgetary variables during a Pentagon news conference today, the Air Force's top civilian leader for the past six months addressed the inevitability of a smaller force.

  • AFDW host developmental seminar with key Air Force leaders

    Airmen representing the National Capital Region enlisted, officer and civilian force attended the annual Air Force District of Washington Capital Airmen Development Seminar to enhance their leadership skills Dec. 2 through 5.

  • AF officials announce FY14 civilian workforce shaping

    The Air Force will reduce the size of its civilian workforce by about 900 positions in addition to maintaining approximately 7,000 vacancies across the force to meet the demands of a constrained fiscal 2014 budget, officials announced.

  • AF announces additional force management programs to reduce force size

    Air Force leaders announced force management programs today designed to reduce the force by thousands of Airmen over the next five years as a result of sequestration.Fiscal 2014 force management initiatives are in addition to the announcement made in July, stating the Air Force will implement

  • AF to convene CMSgt retention board in June

    The Air Force will convene a chief master sergeant retention board in June to select chief master sergeants for retirement no later than Nov. 1, 2014, officials announced today.

  • Wounded Airman receives new home

    The morning alarm wakes him. He gets dressed, brushes his teeth and gets his two-year-old son ready for the day. He does this with no legs, and only one arm.

  • Injured Airman returns to duty, celebrates promotion

    Staff Sgt. Brian Williams of the 87th Security Forces Squadron is just like any other Airman. He has been in the Air Force for 13 years, has deployed six times and served as a military working dog handler at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., since 2011.

  • An Air Force gatekeeper's day

    Ever wonder what a day in the life of an Air Force recruiter is like? How many people do they talk to versus how many will get to call themselves an Airman? Tech. Sgt. Michael Lundell is an Air Force recruiter here. His day-to-day routine is always busy, from going on school visits, to work outs

  • Joint Chiefs Chairman to host Facebook town hall

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is looking forward to interacting with a range of people during a town hall meeting on Facebook this week.Questions already are coming in to Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey's Facebook page, with more than 150 questions and comments so far over a wide range of

  • AF participates in first Israeli Blue Flag exercise

    The Air Force participated in the first Israeli Blue Flag exercise at Uvda Air Force Base, Israel, Nov. 24-28.Blue Flag is the largest multinational aerial warfare training exercise hosted by the Israeli air force. The exercise included forces from the U.S., Israel, Italy and Greece. Its objectives

  • AF appoints new space deputy

    A new deputy under Secretary of the Air Force for Space programs was appointed Nov. 18 to lead the way in innovation and plot the future of the program.

  • ROTC cadets, IRR graduates eligible for release

    Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets slated to graduate in 2014 and recently commissioned graduates in the Individual Ready Reserve waiting to enter active duty may be eligible for release from their military service commitment, Air Force officials said Dec.3.

  • Yokota Airmen share airdrop techniques with Japanese counterparts

    Yokota Airmen from the 374th Airlift Wing showcased their low-cost, low-altitude airdrop methods and capabilities with Japan Air Self-Defense Force members, showing their counterparts how to provide affordable, reliable, safe and accurate airdrops for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief

  • AF implements new personnel policies as it prepares to get smaller

    The Air Force will implement new personnel policies to posture for future force management programs as it prepares to become smaller, officials announced today. In the absence of Congressional direction to mitigate the impact of sequestration, the Air Force must proceed with changes to personnel

  • Unmanned aircraft maintenance partnership to increase production

    The Air Force Sustainment Center or AFSC and General Atomics reached a partnership agreement Nov. 9, for the maintenance of unmanned aircraft systems or UAS, including the Predator/Reaper and the Army's version, the "Gray Eagle." The an enterprise-level, public-private agreement, signed by Lt. Gen.

  • AF senior leaders tour Dakota bases, meet personnel

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III arrived here today for a three-day trip through the Dakotas.Welsh, his wife Betty, and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody will visit the base and then move to Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., to meet with Airmen and their families.

  • AFMC makes progress despite impacts of sequestration, restructure

    The vice commander of Air Force Materiel Command offered insight to recent developments and answered questions regarding the command’s recent restructure efforts and fiscal challenges at the Air Force Association’s 2013 Pacific Air & Space Symposium here Nov. 22.

  • The future of air and space operations in the Pacific

    Four retired Air Force senior leaders addressed Air Force Association Pacific Air and Space Symposium attendees during a panel, using their lessons learned to discuss the future of Air and Space operations in the Pacific.

  • Hagel focuses on readiness at Reagan Library Speech

    Long-term preparedness and near-term readiness are being affected by sequestration and America ignores this rise in risk at its peril, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Nov. 16, in California today. Hagel spoke at the first Reagan National Security Forum at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley. The

  • Women Empowered seminar instills Jiu-Jitsu, self-defense strategies

    Hundreds of feet pounding the wrestling mats echoed in the fitness center here. A stern man instructed the students to not remove their hand from the ground before planting their feet on the floor.In an effort to reduce the frequency of sexual assaults in the armed forces, the Gracie Academy created

  • Innovative tool streamlines requirements process

    Air Mobility Command officials recently introduced an innovative tool that is transforming the command's process for gathering and prioritizing Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) requirements, and will soon be expanded to include other requirements.

  • CMSAF launches worldwide CHIEFchat, answers questions from the force

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody shared the latest information on past, present and future of the Air Force with Airmen, Air Force civilians and their families Nov. 12, during a worldwide CHIEFchat session at the headquarters of the Defense Media Activity here.

  • AF student pilot wins Ms. Fitness bodybuilding competition

    Since March of this year, a student pilot with the 47th Student Squadron has worked to train her body to peak fitness. 2nd Lt. Colby Chaput's efforts culminated in her competing at the Ms. Fitness bodybuilding competition in San Antonio this past October.

  • DOD, VA collaborate to serve nation’s veterans

    The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs reaffirmed their commitment to serve and care for the nation’s military veterans in a joint message issued by Acting Undersecretary of Defense Jessica L. Wright and Undersecretary of Veterans Affairs for Benefits Allison A. Hickey.