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U.S. Air Force News

  • Cadet cyberwarriors head to AFIT

    Two Air Force Academy first-class cadets will soon be the first graduates to go directly from the Academy to the Air Force Institute of Technology's cyber warfare track. Cadets 1st Class Aaron Gross and Nicholas Fritts have followed the Academy's undergraduate cyber warfare degree track as computer

  • Gaming, simulation training in near future for military

    Defense Department officials are looking for ways to integrate a structured learning environment and gaming to train military members, a senior official said. "Structured learning environments are doing very well, but games offer such a tremendous motivational component to users," said Robert A.

  • Chairman of Joint Chiefs sends Memorial Day message

    "Let no ravages of time testify to the present or the coming generations that we, as a people, have forgotten the cost of a free and undivided republic." With that solemn promise, Army General John Logan signed the order in 1868 that established Memorial Day. We have honored his promise faithfully

  • Secretary encourages Airmen to be 'agents of change'

    Airmen must be capable of explaining what the total Air Force is doing and where it is going, said Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne during an Air Staff Call May 22 at the Pentagon. The Air Staff Call targeted action officer, senior noncommissioned officer and mid-grade civilian levels of

  • Chief authorizations through 2011 to be downgraded

    A board recently completed a chief master sergeant grade review that will downgrade the number of authorizations in which the top one percent of the enlisted force will serve. Based on budgetary restraints over the next three years, chief master sergeant manning authorizations at most major commands

  • VA secretary focuses on continuum of care

    Five months after taking the helm of the nation's second-largest cabinet department, the secretary of veterans affairs laid out his priorities and talked of transitioning the organization to meet the needs of veterans today as well as those of the next generation. Veterans Affairs Secretary Dr.

  • Wing maintenance, logistics to merge with operations

    On May 12, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley signed the Global Wing Structure Program Action Directive 08-01. PAD 08-01 directs the realignment of fighter, rescue and bomber aircraft maintenance units under flying squadrons. The Air Force will implement these changes between July 1

  • Airman's Roll Call: Thrift Savings Plan

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on the long-term retirement savings plan Airmen and civilians can use to supplement their retirement plans. The savings plan gives investors the opportunity to lower their taxes each year they contribute. The taxes are deferred until the employee withdraws from

  • Top leaders unite for senior enlisted summit

    More than 350 of the Air Force's top enlisted leaders converged on Maxwell Air Force Base's Gunter Annex to participate in the 2008 Senior Enlisted Leader Summit May 18 to 23. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley, along with hundreds of Air Force command chief master sergeants,

  • Drill team provides northern exposure for Air Force

    The Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team recently returned from a two-week tour across three major installations in North and South Dakota representing all Airmen and showcasing Air Force precision to recruit, retain and inspire for the Air Force mission. The team spent time touring through the bases

  • USAFE officials continue to build partnerships

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe officials joined representatives from seven countries in Bucharest, Romania, May 5 to 9 to participate in a Building Partnership Seminar.  The seminar was part of the Unified Engagement series, a transformation wargame designed to explore future joint warfighting concepts

  • Pulsed detonation engine flies into history

    The engine that naysayers thought could never propel an aircraft across the sky is now at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, where it will be displayed this summer and remembered for its 2008 history-making flight. The pulsed detonation engine, developed by a team from the Air Force Research

  • Multinational exercise in Croatia wraps up

    Croatia hosted the closing ceremony for the 2008 Medical Training Exercise in Central and Eastern Europe, or MEDCEUR, here May 14. MEDCEUR is a Joint Chiefs of Staff regional, multilateral exercise sponsored by U.S. European Command. The exercise provides an opportunity for medical people to share

  • General discusses Burma relief posture, mobility issues

    "Every time a C-17 (Globemaster III) from McChord, or any of our other bases, lands anywhere around the world, it's a symbol of hope," said Gen. Arthur Lichte, commander of Air Mobility Command, during his visit here. "It may be in the middle of an earthquake, it may be in the middle of a tsunami,

  • Airmen, Soldiers improve Afghan lives

    Airmen from around the world and Soldiers from Pennsylvania, Texas, North Carolina and Virginia arrived in Afghanistan in early March to improve the lives of the people of Nangarhar Province. After two months on the ground, the team has gotten its bearings and is working to build strong

  • New experimental equipment enhances Airmen capabilities

    It's not uncommon for tactical air control party Airmen, navigating through miles of rugged terrain, to carry nearly a hundred pounds of equipment in order to call in an air strike. In fact, it is their mission to advise Army commanders about that capability and use of airpower to enhance combat

  • Iraqi air force performs medical evacuation

    May 14 marked another significant event when members of the Iraqi air force flew its first medical evacuation mission since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The crew consisted of an Iraqi pilot, flight medic and aerial gunner -- each with a U.S. military counterpart -- as they transported

  • Officials to explore cyberspace mission at symposium

    Air Force officials invite military and civilian defense personnel, industry and business leaders, academics and others interested in the Air Force's cyberspace mission to attend its upcoming symposium to analyze and discuss the service's role in cyberspace. Aimed at engaging military, industry and

  • SECAF discusses 'culture shift' toward continuous process improvement

    Speaking to more than 500 military members and civilians representing all services, as well as interagency and international partners, during the Department of Defense Continuous Process Improvement Symposium May 13, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne emphasized Department of Defense officials

  • Name the Tanker: Leaders seek inputs from Airmen

    Air Force senior leaders are asking all Airmen for suggestions on a name for the service's newest tanker aircraft, the KC-45A. "I've asked that we seek our Airmen's help to find a name for the KC-45," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne. "I prefer the name emphasize our heritage or our

  • Area Processing Center consolidates mail, file sharing

    A new Area Processing Center that enables the Air Force to consolidate e-mail, Web, file-sharing and other information services for more than 160,000 active-duty Air Force, contractors, civilians and Air National Guardsmen into one location opened May 1 at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. This is a

  • NORAD, USNORTHCOM open integrated command center

    North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command unveiled their new integrated command center in a ceremony May 13 attended by dignitaries from both Canada and the U.S. The command center opening coincided with NORAD's 50-year anniversary of the partnership between Canada and the

  • New technology proves to be dynamite during JEFX 08

    F-22 Raptor pilots using an experimental version of a Tactical Targeting Network Technology, or TTNT,  were able to send and receive information such as command and control messaging, imagery, airspace updates and even free text messages using a cockpit touch-screen color display during the Air

  • Prepositioning weapons at Balad to save $1.3 million

    Balad Air Base has been chosen by Air Force leaders to be the test base for a weapons prepositioning initiative expected to save the Air Force approximately $1.3 million per year in transportation costs. This initiative involves the prepositioning of M-9s and M-16s that will allow certain Airmen to

  • FOL Manta helps give away 6,500 backpacks

    Members of Forward Operating Location Manta helped give away 6,500 backpacks that were purchased recently by U.S. Embassy officials in Quito, Ecuador, for underprivileged children. Embassy officials selected 23 schools with underprivileged children in Manabí province in areas affected by flooding:

  • Portable electronic power initiative energizes possibilities

    An Air Mobility Battlelab initiative could "energize" new possibilities for aeromedical evacuations in the future. Termed the Portable Electronic Power Supply for Aeromedical Evacuations, or PEPSAE, initiative, it addresses a problem of heavy and cumbersome avionic frequency converters used to power

  • Air Force, military photographers recognized with special exhibit

    Several Air Force photographers recently found themselves in an unfamiliar position: In front of the cameras. The photographers, whose work is featured in a new exhibit,  "On the Other Side of the Lens ... Military Photographers in Action," were special guests at the opening May 1 at the National

  • Air Force's only UAV wing marks one year in the fight

    Lt. Gen. Norman Seip, the 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) commander, congratulated Airmen at Creech Air Force Base May 6 as the 432nd Wing marked its first year as the Air Force's only MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle wing. "The 432nd Wing has grown exponentially over the

  • Study of Iraqi birds to help reduce aircraft mishaps

    One of the Air Force's greatest airpower adversaries doesn't wear the uniform of another country; it wears feathers. Both deadly and expensive, aircraft accidents and mishaps caused by collisions with birds have cost the service approximately $35 million each year since 1985, according to Air Force

  • First Virtual Uniform Board attracts Airmen response

    The first Air Force Virtual Uniform Board received about 800 uniform change requests via the IDEA Program Database System since its release in March. Airmen were able to submit uniform change requests via the IPDS between March 5 and April 14. The Uniform Enterprise Working Group -- acting as

  • Russian delegation visits USAFE bases

    A Russian delegation visited two U.S. Air Forces in Europe bases April 27 through May 1 to discuss theater security cooperation between the U.S. and Russian air forces. The meeting was approved during last year's U.S.-Russia Work Plan process after more than a year in planning, said Maj. Scott

  • Air Force pilot breaks own world aviation record

    An Air Force Reserve pilot deployed here broke his own world record for hours spent flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon when he surpassed the 6,000-hour milestone May 2. Lt. Col. Michael Brill, a pilot assigned to the 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, has been breaking world aviation records since

  • Holloman prepares for Raptor

    After retiring the F-117A Nighthawk, officials here are now preparing for the arrival of the F-22A Raptor. With the new aircraft come many transition projects."One of the projects we have going on is phasing out tools used exclusively for the F-117," said Chief Master Sgt. James Harris, chief of the

  • Financial management, services to Airmen evolving

    The assistant secretary of the Air Force for financial management and comptroller described a bright future for financial services during a visit with Air Mobility Command  financial management officials here April 28. John H. Gibson II said current and pending enhancements allow Airmen to work

  • Air Force officials suspend training flights of T-38C aircraft

    Air Education and Training Command officials suspended flights of T-38C Talon aircraft May 1 following a fatal crash at Sheppard AFB, Texas. The crash was the second in two weeks involving a T-38, following an April 23 accident in which two pilots were killed when their T-38 crashed at Columbus AFB,

  • Send your name to the moon

    NASA invites people of all ages to join the lunar exploration journey with an opportunity to send their names to the moon aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, spacecraft.   The LRO is scheduled for launch in late 2008.The Send Your Name to the Moon Web site enables everyone to

  • Precision landing system ready for take off

    After many years of technology refinement, the Electronic Systems Center-led land-based increment of the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System is poised to progress to the system development and demonstration phase. Known as JPALS, the system uses the Global Positioning System, or GPS, to

  • Revamped Airman online now available

    Airman online has a new look -- and will feature Airmen at war. The magazine's new Web page went online May 1, along with the special May-June issue of the magazine dedicated to profiling some of America's Airmen at war. The Web page change brings the magazine in line with the rest of the Air

  • AF officials select Airmen for AFIT graduate program

    Air Force officials recently selected six enlisted Airmen to continue their education through the Enlisted to Air Force Institute of Technology Graduate Degree Program. "My congratulations go out to these fine Airmen," said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley. "We had a number of

  • JTF-Bravo volunteers give needed food to local Hondurans

    About 60 Joint Task Force-Bravo personnel used a day off from work April 26 to continue the mission of humanitarian assistance as volunteers giving food to local Hondurans in need. The volunteers were participants in the Joint Task Force-Bravo Chapel Hike, a program in which people from Soto Cano AB

  • Initiative aims to give aircrews newer 'paperless' option

    Whether it's referencing Air Force instructions or a flight manual, aircrews are required to have documents on hand when completing their mission. The Air Mobility Battlelab, located in the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center at Fort Dix, developed an initiative to make document reference lighter

  • KC-135 wing moves from Michigan to Florida

    Air Force Reserve Command's 927th Air Refueling Wing transferred to MacDill AFB April 27, forming a classic associate unit partnership with Air Mobility Command's 6th Air Mobility Wing. Before the move, the 927th ARW was at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., where it flew and maintained its

  • Smithsonian puts UAVs on display

    Officials at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum unveiled a new exhibit April 24 of military unmanned aerial vehicles representing each branch of service. Of the six UAVs on display, three artifacts came from the U.S. Air Force: - MQ-1L Predator A - RQ-3A Darkstar - X-45A

  • Air Force officials announce OTS selection board results

    More than 270 men and women from across America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for an officer's commission, officials at Randolph AFB released April 25. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 579 applications as part of Officer Training

  • High velocity maintenance merges processes

    In early fiscal 2007, the idea "high velocity maintenance" was outlined in a paper on how to move aircraft through a depot faster by increasing man-hours per day. In May 2007 a steering group and subsequent high performance team was established to develop the high velocity maintenance, or HVM,

  • Air Force family helps Purple Heart recipient, wife

    Staff Sgt. Matthew Slaydon lay motionless on a dusty road in Iraq, his body riddled with shrapnel after an improvised explosive device exploded about 2 feet from his face. His left arm hung by a couple of tendons and his face was unrecognizable. His friends worked frantically to save him from an

  • American servicemembers visit Honduran military academy

    A group of U.S. Airmen and Soldiers from here gained insight into the Honduran military training academy and saw firsthand how the institution prepares candidates for service in the Honduran army April 16 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Academy staff and instructors welcomed the servicemembers from Soto

  • Gates urges unconventional thinkers to address unconventional challenges

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates challenged military officers to become forward thinkers with the courage to advance new approaches needed to confront current and emerging threats. "An unconventional era of warfare requires unconventional thinkers," Secretary Gates told Air War College students

  • Senior leaders meet at Blue Summit

    On the 66th anniversary of the historic Doolittle Raid on imperial Japan, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley gathered every Air Force general officer and senior civilian to chart the future of air, space and cyberspace power at the Blue Summit.

  • Ellsworth first in Air Force to receive EPA incentives

    Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is the first Air Force installation to receive special incentives from the Environmental Protection Agency based on its exceptional example as a steward of the environment. The criteria for entering into the EPA's Performance Track program include having an

  • Joint Chiefs chairman strives for balance in current role

    To keep U.S. forces well resourced, trained and poised for unknown future threats, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff strives for balance, he said April 16. Whether weighing regional versus global threats, military resources against mission needs, or adjusting the amount of deployment time

  • New satellite provides more power, better warfighter support

    The most powerful communications satellite in the Department of Defense inventory is circling the Earth and went operational April 15.The Wideband Global SATCOM, or WGS, satellite is the first of six satellites that will take over long-haul communications from the legacy constellation, the Defense

  • Officials work to improve absentee-voting procedures, boost participation

    The Defense Department has made great strides over the past four years to ensure servicemembers, particularly those stationed and deployed overseas, have greater opportunity to vote, a senior defense official told Congress April 15. Michael L. Dominguez, principal deputy undersecretary of defense

  • C-130 unit gets a new bird with an old history

    For years, U.S. Air Force, coalition and sister service forces have relied on the steady stream of supplies and equipment brought in by aircrews flying KC-135 Stratotankers, C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster IIIs and other airlift workhorses. One airplane new to Southwest Asia carries something

  • CMSAF addresses Academy cadets

    Academy cadets had an opportunity to receive insight from the Air Force's top enlisted member April 10. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney McKinley visited the Academy to address cadets from the classes of 2008 and 2009 in Arnold Hall at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. Be a sponge and soak

  • Secretary of state receives honorary Air University degree

    Air University officials presented an honorary doctor of letters degree upon Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for her academic achievements and contributions to international relations and national security April 14 here. Lt. Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, the Air University commander, gave Secretary

  • Smart Ops teams simplify processes to save thousands, earn certification

    Thousands of dollars in savings are on the horizon for Tinker Air Force Base as a result of the work by two AFSO21 process improvement teams who presented their final projects and graduated from training Jan. 14.In August, two four-member teams were given one Air Logistics Center problem each with a

  • Air Force Reserve highlights birthday, future

    The Air Force Reserve was formally established April 14, 1948, and Air Force reservists have served proudly and with great distinction ever since. It is 60 years old today! And today, responding to a variety of threats to our national security and fighting a global war on terrorism, we serve with

  • Air Force secretary tells cadets of changing times

    The Air Force has met the challenge of change with a combination of innovation, adaptability and flexibility for the last 60 years, said the Air Force secretary in his address to first and third class cadets April 8 in Arnold Hall here. "Character and leadership skills are always in high demand and

  • Honduras, American medics gather to share skills

    More than 35 Honduran doctors, nurses and emergency medical members met with Joint Task Force-Bravo medics to discuss emergency procedures April 6 at Hospital Militar Luis Alonso Discua in Honduras. During the exchange, American medics stationed at Soto Cono Air Base explained emergency protocols

  • Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment underway

    The Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2008 third quarter event kicked off here April 14 and will run through April 25 after two years of planning and preparation by Air Force officials. Global Cyberspace Integration Center officials here will lead the experiment with participation from sister

  • Deployed Airmen serve on Reserve's 60th anniversary

    More than 1,400 Air Force reservists will celebrate their command's 60th anniversary April 14 while fighting the war on terrorism throughout U.S. Central Command's 27-nation area of responsibility throughout Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa. "The real success story is you cannot tell the

  • Sheppard officials begin replacing T-37s with T-6A Texan II

    The T-37 Tweet officially began its march toward full retirement March 31 when 80th Flying Training Wing officials here "took the car keys" to its replacement, the T-6A Texan II. Retired Navy Rear Adm. James Maslowski, the vice president of government business for Hawker Beechcraft in Wichita, Kan.,

  • Euro-NATO committee has eyes on future

    The spring Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program's Steering Committee completed its weeklong discussions April 4 regarding the future of the program, including its syllabus, budget and infrastructure. The committee also said goodbye to six-year chairman Royal Netherlands Air Force Air Commodore

  • New concept in maintenance training comes to fruition

    Years of hard work and planning came to realization April 7 when the first class of F-22 Raptor maintenance students graduated from the $21 million F-22 Maintenance Training Facility here. Eight Airmen graduated from the 13-week Aircraft Armament Systems course and became the first pipeline Airmen

  • Letter to Airmen emphasizes core values

    In the latest Letter to Airmen, the secretary of the Air Force stresses to Airmen the critical nature of attention to detail in every area of the Air Force. "We must always have the moral and intellectual courage to do the right thing and must continue to follow our moral compass in the decisions we

  • Air Force secretary discusses tankers, cyber operations

    The secretary of the Air Force spoke of the future while reflecting on the past during an April 3 and 4 visit to Hanscom Air Force Base. "For all the advances we've made, I still believe there are more imaginative things to be done with electronics," Secretary Michael W. Wynne said. He said he

  • Program benefits American, Bulgarian maintainers

    American and Bulgarian Airmen received familiarization briefings on F-15 Eagles and MiG-29 aircraft in an effort to increase theater security cooperation in April here. F-15s are deployed to Bulgaria for Operation Noble Endeavor supporting the NATO summit, and it presented maintainers from the two

  • Some civilian career updates just clicks away

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here recently introduced a new self-service application as part of its ongoing commitment to civilian force development. The Electronic Civilian Record Update, or ECRU, gives civilians preparing to meet a development team panel the ability to perform Web updates

  • Mobile CASF training course now available worldwide

    Sheppard Air Force Base medical training took another step toward the future with the certification of the Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility Mobile Training Course taught here."Certification means we can go anywhere now and teach the course," said Maj. Tammy St. Armand, an instructor

  • Air Force ready, but general has concerns for future

    The Air Force vice chief of staff and his counterparts from the other services, testified on readiness before the Senate Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support April 1. Gen. Duncan J. McNabb addressed Senate questions about the wear and tear on aircraft caused by

  • Temporary hospital finds permanent place in history

    Airmen from the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group and the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron here worked together to preserve a piece of Balad Air Base, Logistics Support Area Anaconda and Operation Iraqi Freedom history. The emergency room from the old Balad AB Air Force Theater Hospital,

  • U.S., Japan AWACS units join forces

    A Kadena Air Base squadron signed an agreement here March 26 with its Japan Air Self-Defense Force counterpart formalizing the joint working relationship they've enjoyed for years. Lt. Col. Rene Romero, the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron commander, endorsed the first sister squadron agreement

  • Chairman of Joint Chiefs visits Pope

    Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Pope Air Force Base and Fort Bragg March 31. While at Pope, he toured Pope's Green Ramp, visiting with warfighters from many of Pope's squadrons. He met with an aeromedical evacuation crew from the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron;

  • Researchers explore materials degradation in space

    When Space Shuttle Endeavor launched March 11, more than 1,000 new materials were onboard to be tested as a part of the sixth Materials International Space Station Experiment, or MISSE-6. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research initiated MISSE-6 to gain a theoretical understanding of the

  • Phoenix Rally celebrates 60th Anniversary of Berlin Airlift

    Air mobility leaders gathered for the annual Phoenix Rally to acknowledge past and present accomplishments while celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift March 24 through 28 here. The theme of Phoenix Rally was "A legacy of global reach and hope," chosen to recognize the Air Mobility

  • Reservists may face limit on man-day tours

    Later this year hundreds of reservists nationwide could reach the limit on the number of man-days they can serve in Air Force Reserve Command. Reservists through the rank of colonel received permission 3.5 years ago to serve up to 1,095 man-days of the previous 1,460 days in a rolling four-year

  • Vandenberg lieutenant has special tie to Endeavour mission

    The crew of the recent Space Shuttle Endeavour traveled with a unique payload designed in part by a lieutenant assigned to Vandenberg Air Force Base. 1st Lt. Anna Gunn-Golkin, a 1st Air and Space Test Squadron launch mission manager, was part of a nine-person team that designed, built and tested the

  • New warfighter education courseware released

    The commander of Air University has launched a major initiative aimed at enhancing the professional development of the Air Force warfighter. Lt. Gen. Stephen Lorenz recently released the first two courses of the Warfighter Developmental Education program. WDE is a Web-based educational program

  • Bagram Airman gives all for the families

    A Bagram Air Base Airman is making a difference for servicemembers and their families as she has one of the most difficult jobs in the area of responsibility.Senior Airman Sekina Moye, a services journeyman assigned to the 755th Air Expeditionary Group, is filling a six-month in-lieu-of tasking with

  • Hanscom unit preps new CAOC facility

    Members of the 652nd Electronic Systems Squadron here are preparing for the future home of the U.S. Air Force Central's Combined Air and Space Operations Center facility as construction continues in Southwest Asia. The Air and Space Operations Center Weapons System, officially referred to as the

  • Air Force officials launch new mentoring program

    Officials from the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center here and the U.S. Air Force Academy launched a new mentoring program when they signed a memorandum of agreement March 17 at the Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The agreement enables AFOTEC members to mentor Academy cadets

  • AMC commander reinforces need for new tanker

    While many are focused on the formal protest of the recent KC-45A contract award, the needs of the warfighter -- and the nation -- remain unchanged. The Air Force's nearly 50-year-old KC-135 Stratotanker must be replaced with a newer, more capable aircraft as soon as possible. "This is a matter of

  • Air Force leaders, lawmakers discuss BRAC construction

    Air Force leaders met with members of House and Senate subcommittees in March here to discuss military construction, base realignment and closure and joint service basing issues. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley and Maj. Gen. Del Eulberg, the Air Force civil engineer, met with

  • Little, but strong: Burned Iraqi child overcomes odds

    Editor's Note: The names of the Iraqi mother and son in this article have been changed, at the mother's request, to protect their identities from terrorists who would harm them if it was known that the pair received help from American servicemembers and the U.S. government. A photo of an adorable

  • Officials provide Virtual Uniform Board update

    Air Force officials recently announced the new Virtual Uniform Board, which transforms the Air Force Uniform Board process by providing a streamlined tool for submitting recommendations to improve dress and personal appearance standards.Recommendations will be initiated in accordance with AFI

  • President's anniversary speech honors servicemembers

    The president of the United States honored servicemembers during a speech at the Pentagon March 19 to mark the five-year anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom. "We removed a tyrant," said President George W. Bush, "liberated a country and rescued millions from unspeakable horrors. Some of those

  • Whiteman officials dedicate Child Development Center

    More than 150 base and community members paid tribute to the late Susie Skelton by dedicating the Whiteman Air Force Base Child Development Center in her honor March 15 here. The base Child Development Center, completed in 2007, provides specialized childcare provisions and development for infants,

  • Conference addresses air, ground synchronization issues

    More than 100 coalition members met March 3 to 5 at Al-Faw Palace in Baghdad to discuss ways to better synchronize airpower with future ground operations across Iraq. Dubbed simply the Air Synchronization Conference, the meeting brought together ground operators and planners from the Army-led

  • Joint basing plan takes shape

    Joint basing is a reality, it's happening in San Antonio, and it will effectively support the city's military communities here. That is the message from local military leaders as they move toward consolidating support operations at three San Antonio installations as mandated by the 2005 Base Closure

  • Top leaders testify on '09 budget

    The Air Force's top two leaders testified before the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittees on Defense during hearings about the fiscal 2009 budget March 11 and 12. While the main topic of discussion among congressmen and senators remained the KC-45A contract award, Secretary of

  • Airpower's advantages unlocked via sound strategy, paper says

    American leaders should worry less about which armed service is preeminent and more about their severe strategy deficit, according to a new research paper written by Dr. Colin S. Gray. No single service will dominate all future conflicts, writes Doctor Gray, a well-respected author of 22 books on

  • Dutch air chief predicts continued cooperation

    His air force has a history of training pilots in the United States that dates back to 1941. It's a long relationship Lt. Gen. Hans de Jong would like to continue. General de Jong, commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, said he expects his country to not only maintain its aircrew training

  • AF leaders focus on the future during CORONA South

    "Securing the Future" was the central theme of this year's CORONA South, held at Bolling Air Force Base here. The discussion and debate among the Air Force's senior leaders focused on preparing the Air Force to meet tomorrow's challenges as well as the potential need to restructure the force to

  • RC-135 surpasses 50,000 flying-hour mark

    A 763rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron RC-135 Rivet Joint surpassed the 50,000 flight-hour mark during a mission supporting Operation Enduring Freedom March 12. RC-135 Tail No. 132 boasts an impressive resume of tours over the years including Vietnam, operations Southern and Northern Watch to

  • Airmen complete first Air Advisor Course

    The first class of Airmen headed to Iraq and Afghanistan to train foreign military members on Airmanship graduated here March 7. A total of 59 Airmen completed the course, developed to prepare instructors to train Iraqi and Afghan airmen to re-establish their national air forces. The U.S. Air Force

  • Ramstein team gives planners Eagle Vision

    The availability of accurate imagery is critical when planning an operational mission. The responsibility to provide this vital information to those mission planners resides in the capable hands of eight members of an Air Force team here dubbed, "Eagle Vision-1." The vision for the program came

  • Secretary Gates accepts resignation of CENTCOM chief

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today reluctantly accepted Navy Adm. William J. Fallon's letter of resignation as commander of U.S. Central Command and request for retirement. Admiral Fallon's resignation will take effect March 31, Secretary Gates said during a Pentagon news conference. His

  • Biofuel research could result in alternative energy source

    Air Force-funded biofuel researchers are investigating ways to produce large quantities of hydrogen gas using photosynthetic microbes, commonly known as algae and cyanobacteria. In large quantities, the hydrogen gas could function as a renewable, cheap and clean energy source for future military