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  • CMSAF strengthens ties with Colombian partners

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy visited Colombian military sites here Feb. 1 to 4.He said the purpose of the visit was to reaffirm U.S. Southern Command officials' commitment to a strong nation-to-nation partnership and to explore professional military education exchange

  • Mullen: Anniversary reaffirms U.S.-Kuwaiti bonds

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff joined in festivities Feb. 26 celebrating the 20th anniversary of Kuwait's liberation during Operation Desert Storm and the 50th anniversary of its independence."I am very proud to represent the United States here in Kuwait, as Kuwaitis celebrate their

  • Vice CSAF emphasizes modeling, simulation integration during AFAMS visit

    Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Philip Breedlove emphasized the need to standardize live, virtual and constructive modeling and simulation across the Air Force and the joint team during a recent visit to the Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation here."We must build to a modeling and

  • Future initiatives discussed during fuel efficiency summit

    Air Mobility Command members set the course for cultural change during a fuel efficiency summit here Feb. 16 and 17 that included participation by representatives from 11 Air Force major commands. AMC leaders hosted the summit to share and collaborate on ideas and initiatives that will help promote

  • Historic firsts for AFNORTH sergeants lead to distinguished honors

    It had all the markings of a historic event with firsts on several fronts.  As well it should; it was a historic event.At a ceremony held Jan. 28, two Air Forces Northern technical sergeants were the first U.S. Airmen to graduate from the Canadian Intermediate Leadership Program at the Canadian

  • USAFWS takes new approach to generating leaders

    U.S. Air Force Weapons School officials recently modified their syllabus to reflect that it is not only the Air Force's most challenging tactical training, but also a program designed to produce the Air Force's next generation of great leaders.The USAFWS has commonly been thought of as a leadership

  • Afghan air force develops loadmasters as C-27 fleet expands

    As the Afghan air force C-27A Spartan fleet grows -- now half way to its goal of twenty of the cargo/transport aircraft seen as the centerpiece of the AAF -- so does the need for qualified loadmasters. Responsible for the cargo, personnel and safety of the aircraft, the loadmaster backs up the pilot

  • Air traffic advisers aim high for Iraq's future

    As U.S. forces continue to draw down to meet the Dec. 31 deadline, Air Force air traffic control advisers have their eyes fixed on the sky above Iraq.Maj. Rudolf Kuehne and Capt. Maureen Trujillo, senior ATC advisers for Iraq Training and Advisory Mission-Air, are tasked with ensuring their Iraqi

  • Afghan air force C-27 fleet halfway to goal

    The Afghan air force received an addition to its forces with the arrival of the 10th C-27A Spartan at the Afghan Air Force Base in Kabul Feb. 20, marking the half-way point in the AAF's C-27 fleet as it continues to build to 20.Not only valuable for Afghanistan's burgeoning cargo capabilities, the

  • SecAF takes stock of progress, future challenges

    During remarks to the Air Force Association's 27th Annual Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition here Feb. 18, the Air Force's senior ranking official reviewed the service' s priorities and underscored Air Force commitment to making the most of available resources in a challenging fiscal

  • DOD officials strive to strengthen, empower military families

    From educational opportunities to spouse employment, Defense Department officials are expanding military family support programs to better meet families' current needs, as well as to empower them for the challenges that lie ahead, the DOD official who oversees military family programs said Feb.

  • SecAF, CSAF provide FY12 budget details

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz provided details on the service's fiscal 2012 national defense authorization budget request during a House Armed Services Committee hearing here Feb. 17.Air Force officials are requesting $150 billion in the

  • Results of command, control training study show roadmap ahead

    Standardizing command and control, or C2, training across air, space and cyber domains and consolidating training here were the main recommendations of a recent independent study completed for Air Combat Command.Results and proposed priorities of the study examining Air Force operational-level C2

  • 'Today's Air Force' features a look around the service

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force," meet a tech. sergeant who's teaching future officers at the Air Force Academy. Plus, it's Military Saves Week, and you'll get a few helpful hints on how to get your finances on track. And, Airmen in Japan get the PT session of a lifetime with the creator of

  • Exhibit features work of Tuskegee Airman turned artist

    In the 1930s, a teenage boy paid 50 cents for a "barnstormer" flight aboard a Ford Trimotor plane that carried him across the sky of rural Pine Bluff, Ark.That boy was Roy LaGrone, and the flight sparked his passion for aviation. Mr. LaGrone would go on to serve as one of the original Tuskegee

  • Defense communities cope with uncertain times

    Representatives from around the country have gathered here Feb. 14 through 16 for a three-day Winter Forum sponsored by the Association of Defense Communities to discuss the challenges faced by U.S. military installations, both those which are active and those which were closed over the years during

  • Fuel savings officials plan to broaden impact with AF-wide summit

    Members of the Air Force's Fuel Efficiency Office plan to host their first service-wide Aviation Operations Energy Steering Group summit here Feb. 16 and 17.Representatives from all Air Force major commands were invited to attend the summit. The event will be the first major meeting across the

  • Gates: Defense needs $540 billion for fiscal 2011

    Congress must provide $540 billion to the Defense Department for fiscal 2011 or the department will be in danger of not being able to perform its mission, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here Feb. 14. Secretary Gates also said he will look at "all legal options" to shut down the extra engine

  • New, enhanced VA benefits provided to caregivers of veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials are launching the first of a series of new and enhanced services supporting family caregivers of seriously ill and injured veterans. In May 2010, President Obama signed the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 legislation authorizing VA

  • Leaders explain Air Force manning impacts on Academy

    Air Force officials are implementing a strategy for force management, and the Air Force Academy is included in those efforts.Under the plan, the size of the cadet wing will be reduced from roughly 4,500 to 4,000 cadets by Oct. 1, 2012. Enrollment for each incoming freshman class will be shrunk

  • Deadline Feb. 22 for scholarship applications

    Applications for the 2011 Scholarships for Military Children program must arrive at a commissary by close of business Feb. 22. Eligible students must complete and deliver their application materials by that date. Scholarship applications are available in commissaries and online at

  • Opportunities available in financial management

    Air Force line officers interested in applying for the Financial Management Leadership Program must submit their nominations to the Air Force Personnel Center by March 3.The four-year program specializes in Air Force leadership development by providing an opportunity for line officers outside of the

  • Chairman asks communities to help veterans reach their dreams

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today that he is proud and privileged to lead a military that is the best he has seen in more than 40 years.Speaking during a town hall meeting at Capitol Theatre in Chambersburg, Pa., Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said, "I'll state the case up front: I believe

  • Nuclear policy official visits Malmstrom

    The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs obtained a close-up view of the Air Force's nuclear deterrence mission while visiting with Airmen and local civic leaders Feb. 6 through 8 here.Andrew C. Weber highlighted the Defense Department's responsibility

  • Afghan C-27 maintenance cadre begins building towards the future

    The initial cadre of Afghan air force C-27 maintenance trainers recently began teaching a second group of C-27 maintainers Feb. 9 at the Afghan Air Force Base in Kabul. The development of Afghan C-27 maintenance instructors further propels the "year of the Afghan trainer" initiative being

  • Airmen conduct coalition training with Slovenian soldiers

    Airmen from Aviano Air Base, Italy, partnered with members of the Slovenian army  to conduct a NATO coalition combat-capability training exercise Jan. 31 to Feb. 4 at Pocek A-G Range here. The exercise consisted of close-air-support training between nine 8th Air Support Operations Squadron Airmen

  • General Schwartz talks past, present of special ops

    The U.S. has the world's most competent and most capable special operations forces thanks to the selfless dedication of countless U.S. special operations professionals over the years, according to the Air Force Chief of Staff.Gen. Norton Schwartz discussed the past and present of SOF at the National

  • New training simulator debuts at Schriever

    At first glance the Standard Space Trainer Integrated Training Center here appears to look like a normal operational control center. Large, high-definition monitors dominate the walls, while multiple computer workstations provide telemetry and other important data to would-be users. The desks,

  • DOD must train for 'degraded' environments, official says

    The military needs to do a better job of training to conduct operations in less-than-perfect conditions, the chairman of the Defense Science Board said here Feb. 9.Paul G. Kaminski said that given the cyber and space threat environment that exists today and likely will grow in the future, commanders

  • Mullen: Military must plan for future transition

    Special operations forces today are the best the U.S. has ever had, and are a good example of the military's need to plan now for continued success in the future, the nation's highest-ranking officer said Feb. 8.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke during the

  • Top doctor cites importance of psychological health

    Psychological health is among the military's most critical and most promising areas of medical treatment, the Defense Department's assistant secretary for health affairs said Feb. 8.Speaking at the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury's Warrior Resilience

  • Airmen vie for slots in Army Air Assault course

    The sound of 12 Airmen chanting "air assault, air assault, air assault" over and over with every left step as they marched double time through the woods was audible from a distance.They'd been on duty since 4:30 a.m., completed an Army physical training test, and were about to face "The Tough One,"

  • Force shaping board details announced

    Officials are convening the 2011 Force Shaping Board May 9 at the Air Force Personnel Center here to consider officers for retention as part of the service's force management efforts to meet its end strength. This board is one of a variety of voluntary and involuntary measures being taken by service

  • Airmen join Soldiers in Joint Dawn

    About two dozen contracting Airmen trained here to get a taste of contracting operations in a contingency environment. The Airmen came from as far away as Japan, Alaska and Hawaii to participate in the U.S. Army Expeditionary Contracting Command Operation Joint Dawn 2011. When they hit the ground

  • Leaders call operational Reserve 'a new DOD efficiency'

    The new role and future direction of the Department of Defense's reserve components was the focus of the Reserve Officer Association gathering attended by more than 600 people at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel here Jan. 29 through Feb. 2.Senior DOD leaders here discussed how the Reserve programs

  • Hickam C-17 drops a Navy boat over Pacific

    It was 'zero-dark-thirty' and only the blue line of runway lights met the joint Air Force and Navy crew under the wings of a C-17 Globemaster III.A 535th Airlift Squadron aircrew from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and the U.S. Navy Special Warfare Unit One from Guam teamed up to drop a

  • Mullen highlights families, budget in podcast

    The "Strengthening Our Military Families" commitment President Barack Obama announced last week is a "tremendous initiative," the nation's top military officer said Jan. 31.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed that initiative, defense budget concerns and the

  • Advisers fight fire with knowledge

    Iraq Training and Advisory Mission-Air advisers provided critical training to Iraqi firefighters at New Al-Muthana Air Base Jan. 24. The class, spearheaded by NAMAB's Base Transition Team - Det. 3, taught 24 Iraqi firefighters how to safely handle a fire aboard an Iraqi C-130 Hercules. The class is

  • Officials to issue new camouflage uniforms to deployers

    Airmen deploying to Afghanistan in 2011 will see a new uniform issued to them as part of their deployment gear beginning in March. While Airmen have been faced with a slew of uniform changes in recent years, this new uniform is not a matter of image or heritage but instead has resulted from a joint

  • Collaboration is key to family support effort, official says

    Collaboration is at the heart of the government's new military family support directive and is the key to supporting service members and their families in the months and years ahead, a Defense Department official said Jan. 26."We clearly are trying to find in every agency in the government ways to

  • First U.S.-trained Afghan helicopter pilots begin Mi-17 qualification course

    The first two Afghan air force helicopter pilots to complete basic pilot training in the U.S. recently began the initial Mi-17 qualification course meant to convert them into Mi-17 helicopter pilots at the Afghan air force base in Kabul. A hybrid of Croatian and U.S. helicopter training syllabi, the

  • Lynn: Defense budget plans strike 'right balance'

    The Defense Department's plans to cut $78 billion from its budget over five years, and find more than $100 billion in savings for reinvestment, was a collaborative effort and a reasonable balance between military needs and budget constraints, said Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III Jan.

  • Program helps service retain RPA, rated pilots

    Air Force officials announced their plans Jan. 26 for the fiscal 2011 Aviator Continuation Pay program to help retain active-duty pilots and combat-systems officers who are trained as remotely piloted aircraft pilots.The ACP program allows some active-duty, rated aviators to qualify for a monetary

  • Gabon commanders visit German bases in security familiarization

    Two Gabonese air base commanders visited Ramstein, Sembach and Spangdahlem air bases in Germany Jan. 17 through 20.The trip, focused on air base defense. "The sorts of threats that exist in Gabon also exist here," said Gabon air force Col. Jean Paulin Asseko Makoka, the commander of Liberville Air

  • Iraqi Air Force College trains pilots and ground support officers

    For future pilots and ground support officers, the gateway to Iraqi air power opened Sept. 1, 2010, at the Iraqi Air Force College here.There are 143 cadet pilots studying courses in avionics and aviation theory, along with geography, history, and an extensive core curriculum in the English

  • Rescue Airmen take on 'Titan' training

    An unused rocket-assembly building here is finding new life as a training facility to teach high-altitude, high-angle and confined-space rescue techniques. Air Force Reserve pararescuemen and combat rescue officers from the Air Force Reserve Command's 920th Rescue Wing here, joined their active-duty

  • Airmen demonstrate capabilities during life-like exercise

    Airmen here recently participated in Beverly High 11-02, a local operational readiness exercise that used scenarios to gauge Airmen's ability to react and respond to different situations and base emergencies.In one scenario Jan. 19, firefighters, security-forces and flight-medicine professionals

  • Afghan air force help desk receives upgrade training

    The Afghan air force and the NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan advisers recently started a new computer training course here Jan. 17. A+ training provides the basic fundamentals on desktop computers and networking. Upon completion of the course, the AAF technicians or individuals will be able to

  • Airmen consolidate flying missions, free space for Afghan unit

    Officials from the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing recently began moving assets here as part of a long-term project to consolidate the wing's missions and to free space for the expanding Afghan unit. The move of the 75th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron marked the first of 10 units and two groups to be

  • Air Force chief of staff releases 2011 reading list

    The Air Force chief of staff announced his latest professional reading list Jan. 21. "Effectively operating within our increasingly dynamic, interconnected and complex world requires steadfast commitment to personal and professional growth," Gen. Norton Schwartz said in a letter to

  • Reserve C-130 special mission units learn from each other

    Air Force Reserve aerial spray, aerial firefighting and hurricane hunting units gathered at the command's C-130 Special Missions conference learned that they share common issues, though they perform vastly different missions. That was the focus of the two-day conference that ended here Jan 13."This

  • CSAF meets with Airmen during Bagram visit

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz visited the Airmen of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing here Jan. 18 through 19 during a trip to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.The Air Force's 19th chief of staff also took time to present Purple Hearts to Capt. Gil Wyche and Senior

  • Consumer advocates seek military's input

    Leaders implementing the federal government's new consumer protection agency met with Joint Base San Antonio service members here Jan. 18 to discuss the unique financial issues facing military families.Elizabeth Warren, the assistant to the president and special adviser to the secretary of the

  • McKinley: Relationships vital to National Guard domestic operations

    The National Guard's ability to respond to a domestic response depends largely on relationships established prior to an incident, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said Jan. 19 at the 2011 National Guard Bureau Domestic Operations Workshop here. "You establish these relationships in your

  • Hickam aircrew maximizes training in Guam

    It took 23 passes over designated drops zones and a 12-hour tactical duty day of training to finish a single day of airdrop training in Guam.An aircrew from the 535th Airlift Squadron from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, dropped four training pallets, five container delivery system bundles,

  • Milestone for Afghan air force means better trained pilots

    The Afghan air force reached a new milestone with the opening of the pilot training program recently here. The first Afghan pilots began their eight-week instruction course early in January with a four-day academic schedule before beginning flight instruction on the Mi-17 Hip H. "We are helping the

  • F-16s' arrival brings 'battle rhythm' to joint strike fighter wing

    After 17 months of silence, the 33rd Fighter Wing flightline here finally roared back to life Jan. 13. The 33rd FW received four F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 56th FW at Luke AFB, Ariz. The jets will help establish a "battle rhythm," as the wing stands up the first joint training center for the

  • Warfighters gather at Nellis for WEPTAC

    More than 1,300 U.S. and coalition forces members participated in the 2011 Weapons and Tactics Conference held here Jan. 10 through 14.Held annually, WEPTAC brings together U.S. and allied warfighters from across the combat air force to discuss current issues, look at future issues, and provide

  • SOUTHCOM chief praises Haiti quake response

    A year after his headquarters staff jumped into action to coordinate the military response to a devastating earthquake in Haiti, Gen. Douglas Fraser, the commander of U.S. Southern Command, offered high praise Jan. 12 for the hard work and dedication they demonstrated. General Fraser, during his

  • Global Observer makes first hydrogen-powered flight

    The Global Observer unmanned aircraft system successfully completed its first flight powered by the aircraft's hydrogen-fueled propulsion system here Jan. 6.This milestone marks the beginning of high-altitude, long-endurance flight testing for the demonstration and operational utility phase of this

  • Airmen donate school supplies to local Iraqi children

    Airmen assigned to the Echelon Above Division-Advise and Train team at Tallil Air Base, Iraq, recently handed out school supplies and toys to more than 70 children at Ur Elementary School, located in a small village near the base."The local children are the future leaders of this country," said Lt.

  • Airmen build foundation of Iraqi air force

    In an effort to strengthen the strategic partnership between Iraq and U.S., Airmen assigned to the 821st Expeditionary Training Squadron here are helping the Iraqi government and its people develop a stable and self-reliant air force for their nation.Airmen with the 821st ETRS work daily with the

  • Afghan family treated for burns by Bagram medics

    Air Force health professionals train continuously, from medical school to retirement, to provide life-saving treatments to patients. In most cases, they count on providing those treatments to service members, but Airmen assigned to the Craig Joint Theater Hospital here are finding themselves working

  • CMSAF visits Tinker AFB Airmen

    The Air Force's top enlisted Airman came here Jan. 5 through 6 to speak to Airmen about being ready for the joint/coalition fight, building resiliency and developing Airmen. Chief Master of the Air Force James. A. Roy visited areas of the base and met with officers, chiefs and Airmen."There are a

  • Chairman calls for military self-examination

    As the military enjoys tremendous support from the American people, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said now is the time to step back, assess the impact of 10 years of war and ensure the institution remains on course.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, opening a leadership conference Jan. 10 at the

  • HAW, Ramstein AB Airmen team up for training

    Airmen from the Heavy Airlift Wing at Papa Air Base, Hungary, and Ramstein AB will participate in for aerial port training Jan. 10 through 13 near here and Grafonvier, Germany.The Airmen will conduct two personnel airdrop flights and two heavy equipment airdrops, which will mark the first time HAW

  • Fielding success enables pilot-to-pilot link

    A team of former fighter pilots from the Electronic Systems Center here is continuing to make sure current fighter pilots -- both U.S. and Allied forces -- can operate the sophisticated communication network known as Link 16.Link 16 takes data from multiple platforms, including Airborne Warning and

  • Base exchange rewards those who 'Made the Grade'

    Military children, especially those with deployed parents, face unique stresses that often result in higher rates of school absenteeism and failure, according to the American Academy of PediatricsKeeping these unique challenges in mind, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service established an

  • Air Force Global Strike Command gets new top leader

    Lt. Gen. James Kowalski assumed command of Air Force Global Strike Command here Jan. 6, becoming the second commander of the organization.  As such, he is responsible for all of the nation's ICBMs and nuclear-capable bombers.Presiding over the ceremony, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz

  • New Afghan facilities key for Kandahar Air Wing

    Afghan air force's Kandahar Air Wing officials invited coalition forces, tribal elders and school children here Jan. 1 to the open house for their newly constructed facilities and aircraft inventory.With assistance from the international community, the $60 million facility improvement project now

  • Expeditionary center formally assumes command of five AMC units

    U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center officials assumed command of five Air Mobility Command organizations during a ceremony Jan 6 here. The AMC restructuring allows 18th Air Force officials to focus almost exclusively on worldwide mobility flying operations and gives the expeditionary center added

  • Gates reveals budget efficiencies, reinvestment possibilities

    Defense Department officials have found $154 billion in budget efficiencies over the next five years and will be able to invest $70 billion of that saved money in more-deserving accounts, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Jan. 6.The secretary announced the savings and reinvesting of the

  • Airman named MVP, helps Team USA win gold

    An Airman stationed here contributed to Team USA's gold medal finish at the 2010 SHAPE International Basketball Tournament on Dec. 4 in Mons, Belgium. Team USA is the U.S. armed forces basketball team.Second Lt. Mathew Holland, an intelligence analyst assigned to the 614th Air and Space Operations

  • Air Guard officials prepare for new medical mission

    Air National Guard members will begin flying a newly assigned critical care air transport team mission from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 10, the air surgeon said in an interview here Jan. 4.The CCATTs, which consist of a physician specializing in critical care, pulmonology, anesthesiology or

  • Afghan National Army conducts fingerprint training

    The Afghan National Army Legal Development Office hosted a one-day training seminar on crime-scene processing, securing and fingerprint analysis for the 21 members of the Afghan National Army Criminal Investigation Command Dec. 29 here. The crime scene training was conducted by Tech. Sgt. Jarrod

  • Air Force Space Command welcomes new commander

    Air Force Space Command members welcomed their new commander during a change of command ceremony here Jan. 5.Gen. William L. Shelton accepted command from Gen. Norton Schwartz, the chief of staff of the Air Force, in front of an audience of family members, community members and AFSPC members. In

  • Medical Airmen ready Soldiers for medal ceremony

    Working as gently as they could, medical Airmen from an intensive care and in-patient care unit helped ready two injured Soldiers for a Purple Heart ceremony Jan. 4. The Soldiers of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, were injured just days earlier in an improvised explosive

  • AMC Fuel Efficiency Office shows how 'efficiency promotes effectiveness'

    Officials with Air Mobility Command's Fuel Efficiency Office here are putting forth an initiative called precision loading. By refining the ability to maximize available space on mobility aircraft, fewer missions are required and fuel and resources are saved, and Air Force officials find another way

  • Wars, people, balancing risk top chairman's 2011 guidance

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's guidance for 2011 charts the way forward in America's wars, in improving the health of the force and in balancing global risks.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen's 2011 guidance was released Jan. 15, relaying the admiral's priorities and strategic objectives for the

  • Changes coming to the Post-9/11 GI-Bill

    The Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 was recently signed into law. Effective Aug. 1, 2009, but not payable until Oct. 1, 2011-- Certain National Guard members mobilized on Title 32 orders on, or after, Sept. 11, 2001 are now eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and any

  • Security forces advisers provide advanced training for Iraqi airmen

    Airmen deployed in support of Operation New Dawn recently trained a small detail of Iraqi security forces airmen to teach several advanced techniques for one-on-one confrontations.Master Sgt. Grady Driver, a security forces adviser, is a member of the Iraqi Training and Advising Mission. He said

  • Royal Air Force aircrews to train at Offutt

    Whether it's performing strategic bombing missions in World War II, defending Europe during the Cold War, monitoring Iraqi no-fly zones, or battling the Taliban in Afghanistan, the U.S. Air Force and the U.K. Royal Air Force have been close allies for many years.Recently, this partnership was

  • General Klotz reflects on command, career

    Editor's Note: When he enlisted in the Air Force Reserve in 1968 to attend the Air Force Academy Prep School, Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz says he never imagined where his Air Force career would take him. Now, after more than 37 years of commissioned service, he took a few minutes to sit down and reflect on

  • Networthiness sets standards for DOD, AF networks

    The Air Force soon will have a relatively new term to add to its network operations lexicon: "Networthiness." Air Force Network Integration Center officials recently led efforts to develop the Department of Defense's networthiness concept, an operational assessment that goes well beyond information

  • Nellis Airmen, joint partners prep Marines for Afghanistan

    U.S. Joint Forces Command joint fires experts joined Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group and other joint enablers during a mission rehearsal exercise here to prepare Marine Corps Regimental Combat Team-8 for its upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.Exercise Spartan Resolve, led by MCTOG

  • Fisher House program still growing after 20 years

    The Fisher House Foundation isn't basking in past achievements as it prepares to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the opening of its first home on the grounds of the National Naval Medical Center here.As the first military families move this week into one of three new Fisher Houses just across

  • Officials shape NAF employee careers

    Force support senior leaders sought ways to shape the careers of nonappropriated-fund employees during the first NAF development team meeting at the Air Force Personnel Center here Nov. 30 to Dec. 1, 2010. The development team reviewed, assessed and scored 143 records of NF-03 and above NAF

  • Mullen: Leaders key to nation's, military's future

    Because leaders at all levels are key to U.S. success, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a CNN interview broadcast Jan. 2, his main concern is ensuring military officials continue to develop and encourage great leaders for the country.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told Fareed Zakaria on the

  • VA officials set to verify veteran small businesses

    To further advocate for veterans, VA officials have announced that companies identifying themselves as small businesses or veteran-owned businesses to gain priority for some Department of Veterans Affairs contracts now must provide documentation verifying their status within 90 days of receiving

  • Combat camera Airmen learn battlefield forensics

    It was a first for the Air Force when a cadre of instructors from Six3 Systems Inc. arrived here to teach a battlefield forensics course to 4th Combat Camera Squadron Airmen. In the past, company officials taught the course to only Army and Marine Corps units, but 4th Combat Squadron officials

  • CMSAF visits Yokota Airmen

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force kicked off his tour of Pacific Air Forces bases with a visit to Yokota Air Base, Dec. 27 to 28. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy, along with his wife, Paula, visited Yokota AB Airmen to receive an overview of the 374th Airlift Wing's mission as

  • Spreading the love of language

    An officer here uses a special skill to communicate with local Djiboutians as well as international partners throughout Eastern Africa. Capt. Sylvia Kim speaks fluent French, one of the official languages of Djibouti and a dominant language throughout the African continent. Realizing her skill could

  • VA officials start mentoring for veteran-owned small businesses

    To help small businesses owned by service-disabled veterans and other veteran-owned small businesses become more competitive in the marketplace, Department of Veterans Affairs officials have selected 20 mentor-protégé teams to participate in a new program. "For VA, it's a natural goal to award

  • USAFE vice commander discusses Air Force operations

    More than 100 business and military professionals gathered here recently to hear the U.S. Air Forces in Europe vice commander's perspective on Air Force operations and what it means as Air Force communications and information Airmen transition from a support role to an operational cyberspace

  • Reese Technology Center: Research powerhouse in Lubbock

    Pilots trained to fly at the former Reese Air Force Base here may remember the "interesting crosswinds" in the area. The military pilots are gone, but the blustery winds are placing this northwest Texas city on the renewable energy map.These winds, as well as other hallmarks of the area, such as

  • 300 take part in virtual battle

    More than 300 joint warfighters converged in a virtual battlespace for a four-day exercise ending Dec. 16.Participants from 18 locations joined forces to defeat the simulated threat in Virtual Flag 11-1. The 705th Combat Training Squadron here executes four VFs each year. It's the largest Air Force

  • Air Force Research Laboratory engineer receives Harold Brown Award

    A senior scientist from Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., received the 2010 Harold Brown Award Dec. 15 for her breakthrough research in pioneering new infrared technology that will augment aircraft defense and impact numerous Defense Department systems .Dr. Candace Lynch strengthened aircraft

  • Communications Airmen prove vital to Regional Command-West mission

    Imagine a small group of elite Soldiers on patrol in the mountains of the northern Herat province of Afghanistan coming under heavy attack by a large group of insurgents.What if these outnumbered and outgunned Soldiers called back to camp for close-air support but found no answer on the receiving