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  • Wake up and smell the coffee at Rickenbacker’s

    Guests at the Westward Inn at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., now wake up to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the smells of bacon, egg and cheese breakfast burritos -- because of Rickenbacker’s in the lobby of the new lodging facility. Rickenbacker’s, a contemporary espresso coffee quick

  • Air Force, Army to purchase small cargo aircraft

    By 2010, both the Army and the Air Force may be flying the same aircraft  to provide airlift inside places like Afghanistan and Iraq. The Secretary of Defense has given approval for the Army and the Air Force to work together to purchase those aircraft. The Army has been calling it a "Future Cargo

  • USAFE reaching out to establish security ties

    Airmen and their counterparts from other countries meeting to discuss ways to fix runways may not impact the war on terror like an airstrike against al Qaeda forces. But these face-to-face meetings could one day lead to a security accord that could help combat terrorism, said Mike McMullan, chief of

  • Air chiefs discuss Middle East challenges

    Air chiefs from 13 nations gathered here March 25 to 27 for the fifth Middle East Air Symposium to discuss issues and challenges facing the region. The focus of the talks was the unconventional roles of air forces in the changing security environment. King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of

  • Secretary Wynne considers Airmen as diplomats

    Warfighting is about relationship building as the Air Force moves forward in the 21st century, especially in the Pacific where bilateral exercises are taking on increasing importance. That was one of the messages from the secretary of the Air Force as he addressed a crowd of about a thousand Airmen

  • Seminar brings hope, help to abused, neglected children

    More than 16,000 cases of suspected child maltreatment are reported annually in the military, according to the Armed Forces Center for Child Protection Web site. The AFCCP is helping to protect children throughout the DOD through education and awareness training such as that held here at Wilford

  • Food for thought: Dining facility continues to break records

    Thirty-five tons of apples, oranges, bananas and plums, 1,600 gallons of milk, 16 tons of grilled chicken breasts and 39,040 candy bars. The list of food consumed here in one month goes on and on. “It’s an amazing operation,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Schields, 379th Expeditionary Services Squadron

  • Flying, fighting in space important to Air Force

    Space is an integral part of the Air Force mission. Whether someone is flying an airlifter, sending an e-mail or surveying a new runway, chances are space-based weather forecasting, navigation or communications systems helped make it possible. In fact, the Air Force is boldly developing new systems

  • Predators deliver data, firepower in Iraq

    “I never thought I’d be doing anything like this,” said Airman 1st Class Kyle Bridges from his seat at an RQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ground control station. “I signed up to be an imagery analyst, which I thought was going to be a cool job. Instead I was offered the chance to be a sensor

  • Japanese Airmen intern with Kadena NCOs

    Could something as simple as tying engine wires by hand instead of by tool bring two allies closer together? For Staff Sgt. Aiko Koba and Senior Airman Airica Velazquez, it means gaining a greater appreciation for what they do for their respective air force. Sergeant Koba is one of seven Japan Air

  • Top enlisted leader visits Lakenheath

    As threats against the United States evolve, Airmen can expect the Air Force to evolve as well. During his visit to Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray talked about the Air Force evolution and the initiatives leadership is taking to modernize the

  • Deployed Airmen teach English to Kyrgyzstan teenagers

    With the help of volunteers from the American military base just a few miles away, teenagers in Kyrgyzstan are learning the English language. During hectic deployment hours and long work weeks, Airmen from U.S. Central Command Air Force’s Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan still find time to help out the

  • Wing modifies tactics, sharpens Airmen's combat skills

     “Alarm Red, MOPP 4.” Those familiar words of exercises past ring throughout a base’s loudspeakers during exercises. Hundreds of Airmen sucking air through gas masks or hours while hunkered down in work centers during scenarios, disaster training is considered a rite of passage in the Air Force.

  • AFIT graduates Class of 2006

    More than 270 scientists, engineers and management specialists received graduate and doctorate degrees from the Air Force Institute of Technology. AFIT’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management held its 2006 graduation ceremony March 21 on the school’s campus. The graduating class was awarded

  • Air Force releases UAV strategic vision

    The Air Force recently completed a vision document to provide high-level guidance to service development and integration of unmanned aircraft for the next 25 years. While the Air Force has been experimenting with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles since 1962, the technology has only recently evolved to a

  • SECAF makes first official tour of Pacific Region bases

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne is currently touring the Pacific Region to introduce his top priorities for the Air Force -- winning the war on terrorism, fostering mutual integrity and respect, and revitalizing for the service’s aging infrastructure and fleet. The 21st secretary of the

  • Refuelers await over Afghanistan

    On any given night over Afghanistan, a KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft may be flying nearby as Soldiers in night-vision goggles move in on an enemy position. If needed, Soldiers call for close-air-support from the Air Force -- an A-10 Thunderbolt II may answer the call for help. No matter how

  • Statistics show command's fitness program needs to improve

    Since the new fitness program began in 2004, Air Force Reserve Command’s performance has stumbled. In 2003, 76 percent of unit reservists took the fitness test. Most of them -- 98.9 percent -- passed their assessments. Now, two years later, 68 percent of the reservists tested. But, this time 7

  • Minot Airman competes in Food Network Challenge

    The smell and taste of cookies hot from the oven for many evokes happy memories of childhood. For one Airman here, his fresh-baked cookies landed him on national television. Senior Airman David Sutherland, a 741st Missile Squadron chef, was selected by the Food Network and competed March 20 in

  • Program streamlines training for IMAs

    A partnership between Air Force Reserve Command and Air Force Space Command may signal a change in the way individual mobilization augmentees train. A common training assembly at Patrick AFB, Fla., earlier this month allowed more than 200 IMAs to fulfill more than 20 hours of training and readiness

  • Reservists' mission keeps 'boots on the ground'

    It’s hot, dry, windy and dangerous on the air base. Sand blows in your face and stings like it would at the beach. But this is no beach. This is where people from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., are playing a vital role in the war on terrorism, thousands of miles from home. Chief Master Sgt. Tim

  • Joint Strike Fighter program crucial to future air dominance

    Keeping the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program on track is important because the Air Force needs to replace aging aircraft and it is an important complement to the F-22A Raptor aircraft. That Capitol Hill testimony came March 16 from Lt. Gen. Carrol H. "Howie" Chandler, deputy chief of staff for Air

  • KC-135 aircrews ‘fuel the fight’ for B-52s

    In six short weeks, deployed KC-135 Stratotankers have delivered more than 11 million pounds of fuel to B-52 Stratofortresses that have flown forward into Afghan airspace to provide close air support for U.S. and coalition forces on the ground. Without this fuel, the B-52s would not be able to carry

  • Responsive, affordable satellite enhances support to warfighter

    In the battle environment, every second counts, and accelerated (within 10 minutes) information downloaded to the joint warfighter, to be demonstrated in the upcoming TacSat-3 mission, could result in victory, but more importantly, in lives saved. Planned to launch in summer 2007, the TacSat-3

  • JDAM continues to be warfighter's weapon of choice

    To call yourself the Airman warfighter's weapon of choice is one thing, but it's quite another to go out and back it up. Since its debut in 1999, the Joint Direct Attack Munition, or JDAM, has been called upon more than 15,000 times and continues to be used in the global war on terror. JDAM is a

  • Combat-ready for 50 years: B-52s fly past another milestone

    The B-52 Stratofortress reached a milestone March 12 with the 50th anniversary of the first B-52 wing being declared combat-ready. The 93rd Bombardment Wing was declared combat-ready March 12, 1956, after being activated June 29, 1955. Although it had been declared combat-ready for 10 years, the

  • Missouri Guard unit first ever selected for B-2 mission

    Air Force officials announced March 16 that the 131st Fighter Wing at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis will join the elite B-2 mission at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. The announcement means the 131st Fighter Wing's Airmen will team up with the world's only B-2 long-range stealth bomber

  • Commander shares vision for future force

    Lt. Gen. Gary L. North, 9th Air Force and U.S. Central Command Air Forces commander, shared his insight and vision for the future at the Combined Air Operations Center March 10. During his first visit as CENTAF commander, General North discussed the CENTAF mission and challenges facing Airmen and

  • Airman Battle Uniform finalized, ready for production

    The new Airman Battle Uniform is ready for production and will be available in fiscal 2007, said the Air Force deputy chief of staff of personnel. Many factors were considered in developing the final uniform selection, with the concern for Airmen being at the top of the list, said Brig. Gen Robert

  • First Air Force dive course graduates 17 Airmen

    This was the final test. An underwater compass and a buddy harnessed three feet from their bodies provide direction. A 25-pound breathing device strapped to their chests provides vital oxygen while underwater without making surface bubbles. A 50-pound rucksack and weapon weighted on their backs are

  • Two Airmen killed, one injured in off-base accident

    Two Airmen were killed and one injured in a car accident outside the city of La Ceiba on March 15 at about 1 p.m. The Airmen were deployed in support of New Horizons 2006-Honduras, a joint training exercise between the U.S. military and the Honduran government. They were assigned to Joint Task Force

  • CMSAF speaks about future changes

    As threats against the United States evolve, Airmen can expect the Air Force to evolve as well said the Air Force’s senior enlisted member during his visit here, Friday, March 10. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray talked about the Air Force’s evolution and the initiatives

  • Air Force gets aggressive about combat training

    To become the best Airmen in the world, the Air Force trains against the best Airmen in the world. Aggressors, as they’re known, scrimmage against their fellow Airmen, much like football teams preparing for a game. Traditionally, aggressors have focused on aircrews, but in the near future, the Air

  • What’s in a name?

    The Space Warfare Center here became the Space Innovation and Development Center in a formal ceremony March 8. The name has changed, but the organization’s mission remains the same, the commander said. “One of the things I want people to understand is that there’s no change in our mission,” Col.

  • The nose knows -- military working dogs complete security forces mission

    “Get 'em!” With one swift movement, military working dog Breston is off like a flash, covering the distance between his handler and his target in just a few fluid strides. The reward for his speed and agility is a nice juicy bite. Of course the juicy bite was just the “bite suit” but Breston, a

  • Analysis of tanker fleet alternatives released

    The RAND Corp. released an executive summary March 7 detailing its findings from an analysis of alternatives study to replace the Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker fleet. The report states, "A fleet of medium to large (300,000 to 1,000,000 pounds maximum gross takeoff weight) commercial derivatives is

  • Warfare center creates mobility warriors

    Every day more than 550 Airmen pick up a proverbial sword and shield and step onto the battlefield. Their sword is knowledge honed to a razor’s edge by experience and technology; their shield, the Air Mobility Warfare Center; their battlefield, deployed locations around the world. “We are

  • Air Force introduces next generation cruise missile

    Since the late 1970s the Department of Defense has tried and failed numerous times to give the warfighter an affordable standoff cruise missile capable of taking out the enemy's air defenses early on in a conflict. Fast forward to 2006 and that warfighter need has finally been met by the Air Force's

  • Philippine Airmen attend professional military education at Hickam

    The Hickam Professional Military Education center is hosting Philippine Air Force students at its Airman Leadership School to help them develop a program of their own. After an assessment by Air Force senior noncommissioned officers from Pacific Air Forces, the Philippine Air Force expressed the

  • Integration builds on fighter wings' strengths

    The ongoing association between the 419th and 388th Fighter Wings here will make both organizations stronger by capitalizing on the strengths of each, said Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, commander of Air Force Reserve Command. General Bradley welcomed reservists from the 419th FW home in late January

  • SECAF releases latest Letter to Airmen

    In his latest Letter to Airmen, released March 8, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne focused on Air Force Smart Operations 21. The program is based on both Lean and Six Sigma business process improvement tools. These tools were developed chiefly in the private sector to focus on increasing

  • Eagle Flag launches humanitarian relief missions for exercise

    More than 350 Airmen are testing their humanitarian mission support skills during the Air Mobility Warfare Center’s Eagle Flag exercise. This is the first time the flag-level exercise has specifically provided a humanitarian relief mission scenario. “Basically, we are trying to create the most

  • Command's High Flight program opens door to civilians

    Air Mobility Command added a new twist to the High Flight program here when Air Force civilians were added to the professional development and orientation course. Forty-seven captains from across the Air Force and six civilians from the command recently participated in the twice-a-year program.

  • Air Force Judge Advocate Corps streamlines operations

    The Air Force's Judge Advocate General’s Corps has a plan to optimize their operations for the 21st century, and move out on Air Force Smart Operations 21. In a recent interview, Maj. Gen. Jack L. Rives, the Air Force's new judge advocate general, said the service's JAG Corps will begin transforming

  • Contingency response wing takes baby steps around the world

    Helping the relief victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and Pakistan’s earthquake disaster were its baby steps. The infant is the 621st Contingency Response Wing, which celebrated its first birthday on Monday, March 6, 2006 at a ceremony in its contingency response warehouse. “Each person here is

  • Daring and dedication: that others may live

    Man figured out how to fly. Then he left it up to Air Force pararescue jumpers to figure out how to rescue him from the jungle, the ocean, the mountains and hostile territory when a plane crashes. The need for a highly trained rescue force was highlighted in 1943. In a rescue famous in pararescue

  • Air Force committed to energy-efficient strategies

    The Air Force continues its pledge to be a leader in energy stewardship. For the last six months, the Air Force has been working on a strategy to have energy as a consideration in nearly all of its activities, from operations to acquisition. The Air Force is increasing efforts to reduce the demand

  • General Lord retires from Air Force Space Command helm

    After a 37-year career, Gen. Lance W. Lord, commander of Air Force Space Command, retired in a ceremony here today. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley presided over the event. There were more than 700 current and former defense leaders, active and retired military members and civic

  • Iraqi Air Force takes giant step forward

    A fully certified aircrew takes flight and a single air base opens its gates. To Iraqi Airmen training alongside U.S. Airmen these feats represent giant steps toward independence and national security. Since November, the Air Force has taken on the mission of standing up the Iraqi Air Force,

  • Air Force leaders testify on processes used to combat costs

    The Air Force has seen a rise in the cost of doing business, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne told members of the House Armed Services Committee during testimony March 1."We are experiencing unyielding second order effects that continue to drain our top line -- we are exhausting all our

  • Virginia Guard unit begins integrating with fighter wing

    He wears a battle dress uniform and looks just like any other maintainer working on a F-22 Raptor, but this Airman is very different from most others in the 27th Aircraft Maintenance Unit here. He is paid by the hour, reports to a different supervisor and has a 70-mile commute to and from Richmond

  • KC-135s serve as enablers providing air bridges

    Their mission is critical to the global war on terrorism. They perform maintenance for the KC-135 Stratotankers that enable U.S. and coalition aircraft to sustain flight and take the fight to the enemy. Stratotanker maintainers are the keys to the KC-135’s success in supporting Operation Enduring

  • Kunsan units deploy to Singapore

    More than 70 Airmen from the 80th Fighter Squadron and 80th Aircraft Maintenance Unit deployed from Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, March 2 for Operation Commando Sling. The month-long deployment, involving joint warfare operations between the U.S. Air Force and its Singapore counterparts, will

  • Air Force completes negotiations with St. Louis County Port Authority

    The Air Force has completed negotiations with the St. Louis County Port Authority for the transfer of 39 acres in the Lemay community of St. Louis. The property, once home to the National Imagery Mapping Agency, was declared excess to the federal government by the General Services Administration in

  • Keesler infrastructure continues to improve after Katrina

    In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, people here don’t take things like electricity, drinking water, housing, offices and plumbing for granted. Thanks to a team effort, each day brings improvements in base infrastructure, facilities and utilities, as the base braces for the next hurricane season.

  • Guard rescue wing still making mark on history

    Amid the quiet picturesque towns sprinkled across Long Island, N.Y., are more than 800 Airmen who are a part of history. They are the men and women of the 106th Rescue Wing -- a unit that battled the “Perfect Storm,” witnessed the TWA Flight 800 disaster, supported response efforts after the

  • GPS helps warfighters track ‘bad guys’

    When U.S. forces get to Iraq and Afghanistan, they’re finding dry, featureless terrain with no real landmarks or points of reference to use when they travel across these wide-open and often dangerous landscapes. In the past, maps and a compass were the decisive tools used by servicemembers to track

  • Big leap forward in detecting ground targets from cosmos

    When launched in 2010, a football-field-in-length demonstrator radar antenna, weighing more than 5 tons, will serve as the forerunner for the future of America's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets in space. Administered by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles

  • Hospital lab provides life-saving products, procedures

    The Air Force Theater Hospital here can do amazing things every day and is able to save lives through the hard work and dedication of the entire staff. But many of the life-saving procedures they perform would not be possible without the information and blood products the laboratory provides. “We

  • Special operations focus of senior leader discussion

    Senior leaders from the U.S. Special Operations Command and the Air Force Air Staff met recently to discuss the role of airpower in special operations. The talks involved 16 senior leaders, including Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley and Army Gen. Bryan Brown, commander of SOCOM. The

  • Air Force vision embraces warfighters, heritage

    Heritage, future innovations and focus on the joint warfighter are three key points in the newly released Air Force Vision document, “Lasting Heritage…Limitless Horizons: A Warfighter’s Vision.” This vision document, released to Airmen worldwide Feb. 28, replaces the older “Vision 2020” version,

  • Airmen help secure Iraq’s infrastructure

    Forty percent of Iraq’s oil and 14 percent of the world’s oil supply comes from Kirkuk, Iraq. Since oil is the lifeline of Iraq, it’s important to secure the country’s pipelines from danger and help make the oil run as efficiently as possible. That’s where the three-man POInT team comes in.Tech.

  • Botswana Defense Force learns about warehouse management

    Five members of the Botswana Defense Force, or BDF, visited Ramstein last week to learn about the Air Force’s warehouse management procedures and operations. The 435th Logistics Readiness Squadron hosted the visit, touring the group through the base’s inbound cargo sections, receiving section,

  • International students receive eye-opening glimpse of America

    Twenty-one international pilots in training here visited Atlanta Feb. 18 to 20 for a glimpse into America’s history and culture. Maj. William Hendrickson, base international liaison officer, organized the trip to expose the international military members to a side of American culture not locally

  • From Hawaii, C-17’s fly first contingency response mission

    Active-duty Airmen and Guardsmen from Hawaii are flying a C-17 contingency response mission to support relief efforts in the Philippines. The split crew of active-duty Airmen from the 535th Airlift Squadron and Guardsmen from the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 204th Airlift Squadron departed Hickam Air

  • Global Hawk UAV welcomed home after three-year deployment

    After supporting the global war on terror for three years, Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle No. 3 (UAV-3) received its official homecoming Feb. 20 when its wheels touched down at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.During its overseas deployment, UAV-3 logged more than 4,800

  • Civilian sector the biggest space customer

    The head of Air Force Space Command said people might be surprised to learn that corporate America is the biggest user of Air Force space products. Gen. Lance W. Lord said the main reason for this is the reliability of space-based assets and because the technologies -- which are giving coalition

  • Air Force announces OTS selection board results

    Two hundred fifty men and women have been selected to attend Officer Training School. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 810 applications as part of Officer Training School, or OTS, Selection Board 06OT02. The board selected 250 for a 30.9 percent selection rate. Of those, 87 enlisted

  • Global Hawk UAV returns to America

    The Edwards flightline is the scheduled return landing site for Prototype Global Hawk Air Vehicle No. 3, an unmanned aircraft that has flown 4,245 hours in support of combat operations for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and the Combined Task Force-Horn of Africa mission. This

  • Air Force women help save convoy

    The lives of four women and their convoy team changed forever Dec. 5. They were ambushed that night. Insurgents from a village outside of Balad Air Base, Iraq, fired on the convoy, injuring two as they drove back to the base. Airman First Class Nicole O’Hara, a convoy gunner deployed from Langley

  • Chief master sergeant of the Air Force testifies on quality of life issues

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray testified on Capitol Hill Feb. 15 about Air Force quality of life issues before the House Appropriations Committee subcommittee on military quality of life, veterans affairs and related agencies. "I truly believe, and I think you'll agree, that our

  • Former chiefs reflect on today’s Air Force

    Several former chief master sergeants of the Air Force came together here Feb. 13 to 15 to meet with Airmen and speak with current service leaders. Of the 14 Airmen who’ve held the highest enlisted position, nine were present as the group met at both Bolling Air Force Base and the Pentagon. It’s

  • General Lord launches high frontier adventures

    Air Force Space Command’s senior leader headed back to the classroom this week, not to brush up on the latest space concepts, but to share some of his expertise with the students. Gen. Lance W. Lord shared his space experience with some of Discovery Canyon’s fifth and sixth graders. The AFSPC

  • Going virtual: Flight training takes shape in cyberspace

    How do you get 30 bases, hundreds of personnel and tons of aircraft and equipment together in one place? The answer -- cyberspace. For the second time since its conception in September, aircrews from the 23rd Fighter Group stepped into a simulated exercise called Virtual Red Flag. The virtual war

  • Manpower agency activates four new squadrons

    The Air Force Manpower Agency activated four new manpower squadrons to more effectively meet the needs of today’s expeditionary Air Force and to better position itself to support future capabilities. The 5th Manpower Requirements Squadron at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., and the 4th MRS at Buckley

  • Former Chief Master Sgts. of the Air Force to meet

    The 14th Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force, Gerald R. Murray, will host a conference for former chief master sergeants who have held the Air Force's highest enlisted position. Eight of the nine living former CMSAFs will attend the conference, to be held at the Pentagon Feb. 13 to 16. "This group of

  • Team tests in-the-field aircraft decontamination procedures

    The Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Test Force pulled an F-16 Fighting Falcon out of a special hangar Feb. 11, marking the culmination of a series of unique tests here. As a surrogate for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the F-16 was used to test Department of Defense chemical and biological

  • Keystone is key to future of joint operations

    Joint warfare is a way of life for servicemembers fighting the global war on terrorism. That wasn't the case 20 years ago when Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Thomas Hall enlisted. His training with armored infantry rarely brought him together with other services. While attending a course here for E-9s from

  • Joint task force takes first steps to securing future

    The initial stages of a four-month long joint training exercise between the U.S. military and Honduran government, dubbed Operation New Horizons 2006 -- Honduras, began here in January. Joint Task Force, or JTF, Asegurar el Futuro, or “Securing the Future,” conducted the New Horizons mission and

  • Top generals meet at Corona

    The Air Force’s top-ranking leaders met recently for a two-day forum at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., continuing a tradition that has shaped the service’s leadership since 1944. The Corona meetings happen three times per year and they allow Air Force senior leaders to come together for frank, open

  • Air Force medics set pace for treating patients in Ecuador

    It was a busy day for the 21st Medical Group -- 1,501 patients seen in eight hours during a medical readiness exercise here. The constant stream of Ecuadorians moved through the treatment areas like a quiet, but strong steam engine. There was a sense of calm and orderliness as the Ecuadorian Army

  • C-5 Galaxy aircraft engine test successful

    The Air Force reached a milestone last month in the effort to modernize its C-5 Galaxy fleet. A successful test of newly mounted C-5 engines occurred Jan. 21 at a Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Ga. The test was part of the C-5 Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program, or RERP, said

  • AF general to retire at reduced rank

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne has directed that Brig. Gen. Richard S. Hassan, former director of the Air Force senior leader management office, retire in the permanent grade of colonel effective March 1. The retirement grade determination follows an Air Force Inspector General

  • Uniform board results released

    The 97th Air Force Uniform Board released their newest results for proper wear of the uniform. The board met in October and discussed everything from eliminating the Air Force Good Conduct Medal to maternity uniforms. In addition, a Headquarters Air Force badge will be available this summer. The

  • Duty history centralized for Reservists

    Beginning mid-March, Reserve Airmen will be able to access and change their duty history through the virtual Personnel Center Guard and Reserve, or vPC-GR, a 24/7 customer service Web portal operated by the Air Reserve Personnel Center here. ARPC continues to centralize processes once located at

  • Team trains for personnel transformation

    Personnel experts will begin visiting major commands today to train specialists on the changes that will affect the way Air Force does personnel business. This new initiative called Personnel Services Delivery Transformation will use technology so all Airmen can conduct personnel transactions

  • Space transformation prepares for Air Force future

    Information superiority is the difference between today and tomorrow, said Air Force Space Command commander, Gen. Lance W. Lord. The general told more than 800 attendees at the Air Force Association meeting, here Feb. 3, that there is a tremendous threat “out there,” which is why it is extremely

  • Interdependence is key to future success

    Interdependence is the key to future Air Force success, according to the service’s secretary and chief of staff as they addressed more than 800 attendees at the Air Force Association meeting here Feb. 2. Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley

  • Quadrennial review allows DOD to make 'vector changes'

    The Quadrennial Defense Review is a chance for the Defense Department to make "vector changes" on the transformation of the American military, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Navy Adm. Edmund Giambastiani said the review allows the department to assess the path it is on and move

  • QDR directs Air Force future

    The Department of Defense released the results of the quadrennial defense review Feb. 3 here. "The QDR guides and supports Air Force transformation in pursuit of key joint, interdependent combat capabilities that enable us to deliver more sovereign options for the defense of the United States of

  • QDR focuses on protecting Americans

    Just as the fall of the Soviet Union led to changes in how the U.S. military is organized and operates, the post-Sept. 11 world requires continuation of that process, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here Feb. 1. At a Pentagon news conference, Mr. Rumsfeld and Navy Adm. Edmund Giambastiani,

  • Air Force leaders share Corona issues

    The global war on terror, the state of readiness for Airmen, and the Air Force inventory are the three main priorities for the Air Force, said the service's top two leaders here Feb. 2. At the Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium here today, Michael W. Wynne, Air Force secretary, and Gen. T.

  • Adjustments essential to maintaining Tricare benefits

    Adjustments to the Tricare program are necessary to ensure military health benefits are maintained at a superior level for many years, said a Defense Department official here Feb. 1. The changes, which will be introduced next week with the release of the Quadrennial Defense Review and the

  • 12th Air Force embraces 'A staff' structure

    The Air Staff at Headquarters Air Force in Washington is switching to the “A staff” structure today. However, the staff functions at 12th Air Force are already organized under the “A staff” structure.Twelfth Air Force, located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., restructured in June 2004. Since

  • Military health system headed to joint future

    "Jointness" is the future for military operations, and the military health care system will be no different, two Defense Department officials said here Jan. 30. As the military health system transforms, the services will unite to provide more complete and efficient care to all servicemembers, their

  • F-35 simulator demonstrates fighter of tomorrow

    While the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is still in development, Airmen are getting a “sneak peek” at the future of air superiority thanks to a unique simulator. The Lockheed Martin Corporation’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, or JSF, pilot interface simulator is demonstrating the fighter’s capabilities to

  • Transformed battlefield medical care saving more lives

    The military health system has revolutionized battlefield medical care in the past four years, reducing fatalities and raising the quality of care to all-time high levels, two Defense Department officials said here Jan. 30. Injured servicemembers are now more quickly transported from the battlefield

  • Rapid prototyping speeds up design assessment

    The Air Force Research Laboratory has developed a new rapid way to test wind tunnel designs. Traditional wind tunnel models are meticulously machined from metal in a process that can take several months. While very precise, the manufacturing process is too slow to assess a new design's feasibility

  • Quadrennial review a 'snapshot,' not a revelation

    The Quadrennial Defense Review being released Feb. 6 is not a new revelation. It is a snapshot of where the Defense Department is as it transforms to meet new threats, officials said recently. The review, released in conjunction with the president's fiscal 2007 defense budget request, combines

  • High-speed air vehicles designed for rapid global reach

    For an aircraft to achieve hypersonic speeds, ranging from 6,000 to 15,000 mph (Mach 9 to Mach 22), and reach altitudes between 100,000 to 150,000 feet, it needs an airframe structure designed to survive intense heat and pressure. Such technology is in development by scientists and engineers with