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  • Pararescuemen demonstrate special jump capabilities

    Pararescuemen from the 58th Rescue Squadron stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., demonstrated the rigged alternate method zodiac, or RAMZ, capabilities in the Caribbean June 9 for members of the Belize National Coast Guard and local media. Before the team jumped out of a C-130J Hercules into

  • New software system offers better accessibility, speed

    Intelligence analysts' hunt for a piece of data in the puzzle of situational awareness got a little easier with the delivery of the latest version of DCGS Integration Backbone or DIB version, a software system that puts more flexible features and services into warfighters' hands. "The key to this

  • Admiral Mullen offers leadership lesson to National Defense University grads

    Flanked by rows of professors cloaked in traditional academic regalia, the nation's top military officer offered one final, brief lecture June 11 to a group of graduating senior military officers at the National Defense University here. But Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen

  • Defense travel system to modify reservation process

    Minor changes are scheduled to take place within the Defense Department's travel reservation system later this summer to support the Transportation Security Administration's new pre-flight screening program, a Defense Department official said June 10. Under the current format, when travelers arrange

  • Mullen: Warfighters, families, wounded warriors drive budget request

    The nation's top military officer told Congress June 9 that the fiscal 2010 defense budget request puts money where it's needed: to recruit and retain the quality troops and their families who form the foundation of the all-volunteer force. But Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of

  • Operation Southern Partner servicemembers paint brighter future in Belize

    Nearly a dozen servicemembers of Operation Southern Partner found time between their subject matter exchanges to help renovate and enhance the New Stella Maris School for the Physically Disabled with a fresh coat of paint here June 8. The small, 13-classroom school in the Belize City center was

  • General Gould takes command of the Academy

    Lt. Gen. Michael Gould took command of the U.S. Air Force Academy as the 18th superintendent during a ceremony here June 9. General Gould is a class of '76 Academy graduate and the first superintendant to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Prep School.General Gould comes to the Academy from Scott Air

  • Air Force officials revise fitness program

    The need for a "clear, understandable and simpler" fitness program will mean significant changes to the Air Force's current fitness program, said the service's top officer during a senior leadership conference held June 4 through 6 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Air Force Chief of Staff

  • CORONA yields personnel decisions, mission requirements

    Air Force senior leaders addressed numerous strategic and personnel issues, from manpower re-alignment to uniform changes to nuclear enterprise initiatives, when they met here for CORONA TOP June 4 through 6. "This is a forum where we need to address everything from fundamental strategic issues to

  • Research officials study energy harvesting for future unmanned aircraft

    The University of Washington's Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative project team is working on airborne solar cells that are dye-sensitized solar cells and expected to power Air Force unmanned aircraft in the future because they are an optimum energy harvesting source that may lead to

  • Airmen test emergency response at Joint Base Balad

    Airmen in the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing here participated in a major accident response exercise June 5 at Joint Base Balad. "A MARE is an opportunity for the 332nd AEW disaster response force to conduct response actions, evaluate emergency response plans, solidify tactics, techniques and

  • Air Force researcher wins top science award

    A Wilford Hall doctor has received one of the highest distinctions a researcher can achieve, according to medical officials here. Maj. (Dr) Vikhyat Bebarta, chief of medical toxicology and a staff emergency physician, is the recipient of the Best Basic Science Research Award, presented by the

  • Public invited to new NASA 'human space flight' Web site

    NASA officials are inviting people to make their voice heard as a panel of experts undertakes an independent review of planned U.S. human space flight activities. They have created a Web site for the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee to facilitate a two-way conversation with the

  • AFSOUTH gearing up for New Horizons Guyana

    Nearly 650 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen are preparing to take part in New Horizons Guyana, a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored annual exercise starting July 1.The exercise is designed to strengthen ties with partner nations in Central and South America through combined quality-of-life

  • Photo Essay: Learning swift-water rescue procedures

    Members of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force's Special Service Unit practice swift-water rescue procedures June 5 that were taught by U.S. Air Force pararescuemen during Operation Southern Partner in La Toc, St. Lucia. Operation Southern Partner is a long-term commitment between U.S. and partner

  • Officials announce commander of 24th Air Force

    Air Force officials announced June 4 the commander of 24th Air Force, a new numbered Air Force focused on the cyber mission. Maj. Gen. Richard E. Webber will assume command of the NAF later this year.Currently, General Webber is the assistant deputy chief for air, space and information operations,

  • Teamwork key to construction of communications hub

    A week ago, this vast expanse of land represented particles of dust, rocks, hardened dirt and scrubs located on the other side of Kandahar Airfield's perimeter, mirroring the landscape of this portion of southern Afghanistan. Today, the area is bustling with Airmen dragging cables and laboring to

  • Academy of Military Science moving to Maxwell

    With the Academy of Military Science moving from Tennessee's McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base to Maxwell Air Force Base's Officer Training School, all Air Force commissioning sources, except the U.S. Air Force Academy, will be under one roof. "Starting this fiscal year, all officer trainees will

  • Air Forces Southern officials commit to 'summer of engagement'

    Active-duty, Air Guard and Reserve Airmen from across the Air Force are set to begin a host of missions with the Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) team in South and Central America during the summer months of 2009. The surge in theater security cooperation missions in the U.S. Southern Command

  • General cites importance of airpower for Afghanistan

    The Afghan National Army Air Corps is a vital and rapidly growing component of Afghanistan's security forces and is building airpower to deny terrorists a safe haven in Afghanistan, a U.S. Air Force general here said. Afghanistan's vast and forbidding terrain, the threat posed by roadside bombs and

  • Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft makes first flight

    Members of the Air Force Research Laboratory and Lockheed Martin's famed 'Skunk Works' launched a new era of aircraft manufacturing technology and performance with the successful initial demonstration flight of the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft June 2 at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif.

  • Gates visits Elmendorf, addresses servicemembers

    The secretary of Defense held a town hall meeting and visited military members June 1 at Elmendorf Air Force Base. Some of the topics Secretary Robert M. Gates spoke about deployment increases and return dates, Air Force cutbacks, future replacement aircraft and weapon upgrades. "What I'm here for,

  • Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors to conduct air defense exercise

    An Oregon National Guard base will host nearly 200 Soldiers and Airmen, and a U.S. Navy destroyer will patrol coastal waters while participating in a major U.S. Northern Command air defense exercise in mid-June. Exercise Amalgam Dart '09 will take place at Camp Rilea and nearby Warrenton, Ore., June

  • Military training instructors transform recruits into Airmen

    Rising at 3 a.m. is a small sacrifice for military training instructors.  The future of the Air Force awaits.With uniforms in perfect order, they pull the immediately identifiable campaign hats low and straight, down their foreheads to nearly the eyebrows. With stern voices and stoic physical

  • Whiteman Airmen prepare to redeploy back home

    Airmen here are preparing to redeploy to Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., after completing more than 120 flights, or sorties, in three and a half months while supporting the continuous bomber presence here. "We have been here as part of the continuous bomber presence in support of Pacific Command's

  • OTS selection board results announced

    A total of 200 men and women from across America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for an officer's commission, officials here announced today. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 798 applications as part of Officer Training School

  • Air Force named among top HBCU supporters

    In a 2009 survey, U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology magazine recently named the Air Force among the "Top Supporters of Historically Black Colleges and Universities." USBE & IT magazine and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Computer Science at Howard University, Washington,

  • President announces cyber security office

    The nation's computer network infrastructure will be defended as a national strategic asset, President Barack Obama said here May 29. In a White House announcement, President Obama said he will appoint a cyber security coordinator for the critical infrastructure that all Americans depend on. "We

  • Servicemembers gear up to provide New Horizons for Guyana

    Nearly 650 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen are preparing to take part in New Horizons Guyana, a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored annual exercise starting July 1 designed to strengthen ties with partner nations in Central and South America through combined quality-of-life improvement projects.

  • ID card process at Beale undergoes rapid improvement

    In an effort to shorten customer wait time at the 9th Mission Support Group common access card/identification card section, Beale personnelists conducted a Rapid Improvement Event May 18-21. With the help of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century specialists from Air Combat Command, the

  • AFSO 21 makes processes smarter, faster, cheaper

    Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, more commonly referred to as AFSO 21, is the Air Force's version of Lean Six Sigma. Lean Six Sigma is a civilian business strategy which is designed around the idea of making a product or procedure "smarter, faster and cheaper."For many corporations

  • AFSOUTH set to begin Operation Southern Partner in Caribbean

    More than 60 Airmen from across the Air Force are preparing to board a C-130J Hercules on May 30 to participate in the second iteration of "Operation Southern Partner" in seven Caribbean and Latin American nations. The Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern)-led event is aimed at providing

  • VA researchers study advanced prosthetic arm

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials have announced a three-year study of an advanced artificial arm that easily allows those with severe limb loss to pick up a key or hold a pencil. "This arm is a high-tech example of how VA researchers are continually modernizing the materials, design and

  • Airmen contribute to the fight in Iraq

    The 586th Air Expeditionary Group is one of three Air Force groups organized to complete joint expeditionary taskings and is contributing significantly to operations in Iraq and Kuwait, the group's commander said. Col. Alan Metzler, 586th AEG commander, spoke with journalists and bloggers during a

  • Dedication culminates efforts of embedded American advisors

    More than 250 U.S. servicemembers and Afghan security forces celebrated seven years of military cooperation during a monument dedication ceremony at Camp Blackhorse here May 14. The ceremony also culminated the efforts of nearly 20 Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors who have embedded with the 5th Kandak

  • New PCS program puts customers in the driver's seat

    With nearly 200,000 permanent change of station moves expected in the approaching season, it is important for Department of Defense personnel to note several broad changes to the personal property shipment process. The uniformed services began using the Defense Personal Property System to move DOD

  • Officials look for best, brightest to fill first sergeant positions

    Taking care of today's Airmen is the responsibility of everyone in leadership and supervisory positions in the Air Force. But, for a select group of senior non-commissioned officers, this specific mission is their primary job. Air Force first sergeants are the eyes and ears of a unit and serve as

  • Training team, Iraqi air force host first joint commanders' conference

    The Coalition Air Force Training Team and the Iraqi air force held their first joint commanders' conference for nearly 100 coalition and Iraqi senior leaders here May 20. "Based on the level to which the Iraqi air force has matured over the past couple of years, it was time to have a combined Iraqi

  • Space operations vital to Air Force, nation

    Air Force officials discussed the importance of space as a warfighting domain before members of the Senate May 20 on Capitol Hill. Senior Air Force leaders in the space realm answered questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee Strategic Force Subcommittee, telling them that Air Force

  • Space Command officials exceed GPS standard

    Air Force Space Command officials here maintain the Global Positioning System constellation that now has 30 operational satellites, six more than the standard."I have high confidence we will continue to sustain at least the 24 satellites required to maintain our current performance standard," said

  • Air Force leaders issue posture statement

    The Air Force's top leaders presented the official Air Force posture statement May 19 to the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. During their testimony, they focused on the upcoming budget as well as current and future Air Force capabilities.Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force

  • Space Command official tweets on GPS

    An Air Force Space Command official hosted a tweet forum on the Global Positioning System from 2 to 3 p.m., May 20. Col. Dave Buckman, AFSPC command lead for position, navigation and timing, responded to fellow tweeter's questions on GPS and clarified some points that came out of the recent

  • Personnel officials asking e-subscribers to forego hard-copy news

    Subscribers to the e-Afterburner are being asked to forego receiving hard-copy editions by allowing their names to be removed from the postal mailing list. Retirees and annuitants who receive the e-Afterburner should send their full name, U.S. Postal Service mailing address, and the last four digits

  • Keesler officials open gates to military bloggers

    Airmen in the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron here hosted the Air Force's first ever orientation flight for military bloggers May 19. The flight, which took place aboard one of the Reserve unit's WC-130J Hercules, was designed to give the bloggers a taste of what it's like to fly on a military

  • Senior enlisted leaders strengthen international bonds

    Senior enlisted leaders from nine countries met in the San Antonio area for a closer look at Air Education and Training Command programs and processes during a visit May 12-15. As part of the 2009 Senior Enlisted Leader Summit, international enlisted leaders from Australia, Bulgaria, Japan,

  • AFSO 21 improves war-ready engines

    The 20th Component Maintenance Squadron is currently taking steps to improve the process of producing war-ready engines by applying Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century. From March 23 to March 25, Airmen from the 20th Maintenance Group gathered to participate in the TF34 Rapid Improvement

  • Guard bureau chief sees peacekeeping as likely National Guard mission

    The National Guard can expect peacekeeping roles in Afghanistan and Iraq in the future, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said here last week. "I've challenged our staff with thinking through what happens after Iraq, what happens after Afghanistan," Gen. Craig R. McKinley told an audience at

  • Freedom Conference Center NCOs boost morale

    Air Force supervisors make it their mission to provide leadership to their subordinate Airmen as well as boost unit morale whenever possible. One pair of NCOs here takes boosting morale one step further serving as the focal point for the entire base. 379th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron, Tech.

  • 'Air Force Knowledge Now' turns 10

    Randy Adkins, Knowledge Management Center of Excellence director, clearly recalls the Friday afternoon when the idea of Knowledge Now was first raised. Members of the Air Force Materiel Command staff discussed the possibility of a "lessons-learned" database and sent the idea to Mr. Adkins, who had

  • Air Force leaders testify on infrastructure budget

    The four pillars of the Air Force budget strategy--people, readiness, infrastructure, and modernization were the main topics May 12 when the deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for Installations testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee. Ms. Kathleen Ferguson, flanked by Brig.

  • President issues Armed Forces Day proclamation

    President Barack Obama signed and issued a proclamation May 14 designating May 16 as Armed Forces Day. Here is the presidential proclamation: On Armed Forces Day, 1961, President Kennedy connected civic engagement and our nation's security. He stated, "The strength of our armed forces rests not

  • Air Force leaders chart way forward for service

    The Air Force has made tough choices and some prudent trade-offs to balance the service across the spectrum of capabilities needed for the future, Air Force leaders said.Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz discussed the service's efforts to balance

  • CSAF reflects on importance of PACAF

    The chief of staff of the Air Force wrapped up a week-long, four-base tour of Pacific Air Forces here May 13 on his first visit to the region since becoming the nation's top-ranking uniformed Airman last August. Gen. Norton Schwartz said the United States has a vested interest in the Asia-Pacific

  • CSAF speaks candidly at Yokota Airmen

    "In the end what it's all about is performance," said the senior Air Force officer responsible for organizing, training and equipping nearly 700,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces. "If the United States Air Force performs, we don't need to advertise ourselves and proclaim how good

  • New uniforms: Comfortable, functional are goals

    Officials from the Uniform Program Office here continue to work for Airmen, researching and purchasing uniforms that provide more function, protection and comfort. The Air Force chief of staff met with office personnel April 21 for an update on clothing issues Airmen face as they support global

  • U.S., Australia, India train to improve medical care in Pacific

    Thirty-two critical care specialists from the United States, Australia and India are scheduled to train on the movement of severely-ill patients in the Pacific theater during a course here May 11-15. Thirteenth Air Force's Theater Patient Movement Requirements Center-Pacific, the aeromedical

  • AFCENT officials begin to look at Iraq reposture

    More than 80 Air Force, Army and Navy functional experts gathered here May 5 to 8 to lay the groundwork for U.S. Air Forces Central's reposture from Iraq over the next two years. "The conference ensured AFCENT's reposturing and responsible drawdown is synchronized with (Central Command's) guidance

  • Airmen build on partnership in Rwanda

    U.S. Air Forces Africa conducted a military-to-military engagement with Rwandan Air Force air traffic controllers April 20-24 to expand on the two nations' existing partnership here. Seventeenth Air Force planners (AFAFRICA) from the plans and programs directorate organized the theater security

  • AAFES benefit soon to be available in all 50 states

    Barely a month before it marks its 114th anniversary, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service will make history as the Department of Defense's oldest and largest general retailer sets up shop at Rhode Island National Guard Air Base, Quonset Point, R.I. "Until the Quonset Point Shoppette's grand

  • General calls for new thinking on cyberspace

    The Air Force's top cyber official told a mostly industry-based audience here May 8 that the cyber arena is filled with new business opportunities, and some very hard challenges. "In an Air Force that is a lot of times focused on kinetic activity -- read that as F-16 (Fighting Falcons) and

  • Enlisted Heritage Hall receives Airey's CMSAF ring

    Paul Wesley Airey, the first chief master sgt. of the Air Force, had a close and very special association with Gunter, which he proved by leaving his CMSAF ring to the Enlisted Heritage Hall museum, his son said. "Dad always wanted his ring to come to Gunter because of his association with the

  • Air Force continues partnership with Professional Bull Riders

    Air Force Recruiting Service officials here announced May 11, the continuation of the Air Force partnership with the Professional Bull Riders, Inc., making it the official armed services branch of PBR. "The Air Force is extremely excited about partnering with the Professional Bull Riders again this

  • 2009 Senior Enlisted Leader Summit held at Gunter

    The Air Force vice chief of staff of the Air Force addressed the third annual Senior Enlisted Leader Summit May 6 at Gunter's Senior NCO Academy. Gen. William M. Fraser III said all Airmen should know and support the Air Force priorities and live by the Air Force core values of integrity first,

  • Multinational medical assistance aids Filipino community

    Civilian and military medical specialists from Japan, Australia, Indonesia and Papua-New Guinea provided much-needed care to a community May 4 here as part of the 2009 Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum Voluntary Demonstration of Response on Disaster Relief. The ARF-VDR on DR is a

  • University students learn about cyber mission

    A group of students from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, La., got a first-hand look at how Air Force men and women conduct cyberspace operations during a tour of Air Force Cyber Command, (Provisional) here May 5. According to Louisiana Tech professor Dr. Brian Etheridge, director of the honors

  • Airmen help Florida youth see inner potential

    For 10 troubled young men from the Liberty Juvenile Unit for Special Treatment in Bristol, Fla., May 5 was a chance to receive some respite from the confines of juvenile delinquency. Members of the 325th Security Forces Squadron here hosted the teenagers, who ranged from ages 15 to 18, on a tour of

  • New facility gives junior officers space to learn self-defense

    Arms and legs flailed and thrashed in grappling and arm bars as instructors and students demonstrated self-defense tactics for a grand opening ceremony May 1 at the new Expeditionary Training Center here. Combatives are now part of the new warrior-ethos curriculum being developed and integrated into

  • Military spouses receive recognition for valued service

    Five military spouses received recognition for their valued service to the nation at an award ceremony here May 7. The Military Spouse of the Year awards honor individuals that embody the best characteristics of today's military spouse, said Babette Maxwell, a Navy spouse and the co-founder and

  • 'Today's Air Force' features physical fitness changes

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights upcoming changes to the physical fitness test, a special exercise known as Coronet Cactus and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command. To be accepted as a student pilot is just the beginning of an exciting career.  Becoming a full-fledged pilot is another

  • Manas hosts symposium for medical partners

    A gathering of medical minds met here recently for a coalition medical symposium sponsored by the 376th Expeditionary Medical Group. Guests attending the symposium included personnel from the Spanish coalition medical staff, U.S. Embassy medical unit, Peace Corps medical staff and the Bishkek

  • Airmen, veterans can now apply for new GI Bill

    The Department of Veterans Affairs opened its doors for accepting Post-9/11 GI Bill applications May 1. All Airmen and former Airmen with at least 90 days of active duty service since Sept. 11, 2001, can choose to apply for education benefits, which begin Aug. 1 under the new GI Bill law. To apply

  • Continuous Process Improvement workshop held

    Lean practitioners from across the Department of Defense came together to share, learn and educate each other during a Continuous Process Improvement workshop, held April 22 and 23 at Tobyhanna Army Depot. "This is the first of what I believe will be many types of these events," said J. D. Sicilia,

  • Software proves effective in avoiding aircraft crashes

    Leading-edge software technology 25 years in the making by specialists in numerous Defense Department agencies and NASA has demonstrated a continuous 98 percent effectiveness rate of eliminating aircraft crashes, a NASA test flight director said. The primary development of the software technology

  • Forces train Iraqis to manage communications

    U.S. forces in Iraq increasingly are focused on training Iraqis to be self-sufficient, and most recently that training has brought Iraqis closer to managing their communications frequencies, information security and automotive maintenance. Fourteen students drawn from Iraq's ministries of

  • Global Hawk flying mapping missions south of border

    The RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft is currently using its sensors for non-military environmental mapping missions over South, Central America and the Caribbean at the request of partner nations in the region. The flights, dubbed "eco-missions" by the Air Forces Southern team, provide vital

  • Chief scientist: Airmen's innovative spirit vital to future

    The Air Force's top scientific adviser expressed his appreciation for the innovative spirit among today's Airmen, during a visit with Air Mobility Command here May 1. Air Force Chief Scientist Dr. Werner J.A. Dahm said each Airman plays a vital role in innovation across the Air Force, as

  • Program makes high-cost schooling available to troops, vets

    Servicemembers and veterans who enroll in the new Post-9/11 GI Bill will be able to attend some of the country's most prestigious, and high-cost, universities, thanks to a new program that's gaining momentum in academic circles. Keith Wilson, director of education service for the Veterans Benefits

  • Air Force chief of staff returns to roots

    Some thirty-five years ago, 2nd Lt. Norton Schwartz graduated Undergraduate Pilot Training, walking away from here with a set of silver wings and a promising career with unlimited potential. On April 24th, now Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz came full circle, returning to Laughlin as

  • Quadrennial Defense Review fact sheet available

    People who are interested in learning more about the Defense Department's Quadrennial Defense Review process can do so by just accessing the QDR fact sheet that was posted April 29 on Defenselink, the Pentagon's public Web page. "The QDR takes a long-term, strategic view of the Department of Defense

  • Deployment volunteers needed

    The operations tempo for Air Force employees, both civilian and military, is still high, but volunteers for extended deployments have dropped by more than 20 percent in the past two years. According to an internal Air Force Materiel Command memo released April 21 by Gen. Donald Hoffman, AFMC

  • Airmen build Iraqi air operations center capability

    Ten Iraqi airmen at the Iraqi air operations center recently completed a seven-day air operations planning course taught by American Airmen air advisers in April here. This training enables the Iraqi air force to build their operational planning capability, which is a critical component to

  • Top officer addresses Air Force's role in irregular warfare

    As combat requirements evolve, so must the Air Force's unique capabilities to engage the enemy, the service's top officer said. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz discussed the role of Airmen in counterinsurgency operations and irregular warfare April 24 at the Brookings Institution

  • Air Force flight surgeons train Iraqi counterparts

    American Air Force flight surgeons continued their mission to teach and train Iraqi air force and army flight surgeons here recently to better prepare the Iraqi officers to eventually take over the aerospace medicine mission. The Coalition Air Force Training Team is conducting a flight surgeon

  • F-35 test plane flies over Eglin

    The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter test aircraft arrived here April 21 to educate the base and local community about the Department of Defense and world's newest fighter.The arrival of the test F-35, called AA-1, kicked off a week full of events to showcase the aircraft at Eglin Air Force

  • Senator Glenn receives White national defense award

    Marine, test pilot, astronaut and four-term U.S. Senator John H. Glenn, Jr. was honored April 22 as the recipient of the 2008 Thomas D. White National Defense Award. Named in honor of Gen. Thomas Dresser White, former Air Force chief of staff, it is presented annually to a U.S. citizen who has

  • Blue Flag enhances ability to protect U.S. from attacks

    More than 500 Air Force personnel along with Army, Navy and Marine representatives completed a two-week training exercise April 24 here to improve how to monitor and intercept hostile military aircraft and to respond to potential terrorist attacks. Part of a series of military defense training

  • Engaging the Afghan media

    Lt. Gen. Gary L. North, the Combined Forces Air Component commander for forces in Southwest Asia, met with Afghan media recently to discuss airpower missions and contributions to the safety and security of the Afghan people. Reporters from more than 20 television, radio and news print organizations

  • Senior officials define leadership during Air Force Week

    Leadership was the key topic addressed during an Air Force Week panel discussion April 23 on the campus of the College of William & Mary. Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley led the panel with comments on the theme of "Leadership for the Future," and panel members shared their insights

  • Armament unit improves operations with AFSO 21

    Six Airmen from the 20th Maintenance Group recently conducted a Rapid Improvement Event here as part of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century initiatives happening across the Air Force. Senior Airman Ronnie Eveland, 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, explained that while the RIE focused

  • Quadrennial defense, nuclear posture review begin

    Pentagon officials kicked off the Defense Department's 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review and Nuclear Posture Review processes April 23 to determine what types of capabilities will be required to maintain U.S. national security now and in the coming years, senior officials said. "The QDR takes a

  • ISR leader shares future of intelligence field

    "We're changing the way we view intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance from the past," said Lt. Gen. David Deptula, Air Force deputy chief of staff for ISR, during his visit here April 16. "In the past, we had stratified pockets of industry. Now we're heading toward an integrated,

  • The services align, sign new working group charter

    The first big step towards achieving commonality and interoperability of expeditionary basing equipment in the joint force was taken April 13 as the service logistics chiefs came together here to sign the Joint Expeditionary Basing Working Group charter. The lead JEBWG organizations are the Air

  • Airmen, Marines work together to test-load helicopters

    Playing a game of inches, a team of Airmen and Marines worked together April 20 to test-load two Marine helicopters into a C-5C Galaxy.With inches to spare, Airmen from the 60th Aerial Port Squadron here and Marines from the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron-303 and HMLA-367 at Camp

  • Secretary Gates presses to boost network security

    Defense Department officials are working to reduce vulnerability to cyber-attack attempts that occur regularly and are likely to continue for the foreseeable future, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said."We are under attack virtually all the time, every day here," Secretary Gates told CBS Evening

  • Sustaining the mission through green innovation

    On April 22, the Air Force will join the nation in observing Earth Day. On this occasion, we take the opportunity to reflect on our daily commitment to excellence and leadership in protecting and preserving the environment and our natural resources. As we fly, fight, and win today and in the future,

  • Silicon Valley rescue C-130s go digital

    Nestled in the center of the world's technology epicenter is the California Air National Guard's 129th Rescue Wing.  Search and rescue is the wing's primary mission, which often involves low-tech but courageous life-saving actions. The mission is about to get a high-tech boost from an innovative

  • EPLOs redefine part of Air Force mission

    When most Americans think of the Air Force, they envision slick, fast fighter jets soaring through the skies at Mach speed. A picture that doesn't normally come to mind is a military organization that helps local communities during hurricanes, wildfires, floods or other natural disasters. Nor does

  • Senior enlisted leader summit set for May

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader is set to convene the 2009 Senior Enlisted Leader Summit May 3 to 8 at Maxwell Air Force Base's Gunter Annex, Ala. Command chief master sergeants, career field managers, professional military education commandants and other key senior enlisted leaders from Air

  • Panjshir PRT unites Airmen, Soldiers for common cause

    A team of nearly 80 individuals, including 25 Airmen and 12 Soldiers, come together to perform a critical mission in Afghanistan's Panjshir Province. All of the servicemembers come from different walks of life, but now come together to help the impoverished province. One year ago, Staff Sgt. David