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  • New technology 'dazzles' aggressors

    A laser technology weapon will be the first man-portable, non-lethal deterrent weapon intended for protecting troops and controlling hostile crowds. The weapon, developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate, employs a two-wavelength laser system and is a hand-held,

  • Recruiters, enlistees highlighted at A/TA Convention

    Pledging one’s devotion to their country and reciting the Oath of Enlistment can be inspirational to most. This first step to becoming a member of the nation’s military is special in itself, but 10 enlistees from the 330th Recruiting Squadron had this moment made even more memorable during this

  • Tuskegee Airmen come to encourage, leave inspired

    It was to deliver a message of inspiration and support that led five members of the famed Tuskegee Airmen to visit the members of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing here Oct. 29. However, during a question-and-answer session here at their last stop in the region before returning home, the Tuskegee

  • Air Force introduces new helicopter for pilot training

    The Air Force will rollout the TH-1H helicopter at the home of pilot instructor training and Headquarters Air Education and Training Command on Nov. 5 in conjunction with the base's 75th anniversary and 2005 air show. The TH-1H, the latest version of the UH-1H Huey, has undergone an extensive

  • Cheney thanks Robins troops for terror war support

    Vice President Dick Cheney traveled to Robins Air Force Base, Ga., Oct. 28 to thank the troops personally for their contributions to the war on terror and recent national disasters around the world. Cheney thanked the troops for meeting their commitment to the nation during what he called "a very

  • Podcasting becomes another Edwards first

    Edwards became the first base to offer news updates through podcasting recently when it launched the service through its public Web site. Podcasting, a method of publishing audio broadcasts via the Internet, allows users to subscribe to a news feed of MP3 files. These feeds deliver audio broadcasts

  • The AC-130U Gunship program explores viper strike capability

    The AC-130U Gunship, managed by Aeronautical Systems Center's Special Operations Forces Systems Group here, is undergoing an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration for a standoff precision-guided munition called Viper Strike. Viper Strike is a small, precision-attack munition with guide/glide

  • Air Force communications directorate expands

    The Air Force chief of staff announced plans today for an enhanced integrated communications capability that will enable the Air Force to better inform the American public about its engagement in the global war on terrorism and support to the nation. The plan eventually calls for a two-star general

  • 820th SFG field tests chemical warfare garments

    The 820th Security Forces Group here began the first military field durability tests on new chemical warfare garments Oct. 24.  The 820th SFG, which provides force protection for expeditionary air forces, is putting the latest version of the chemical warfare suit to the test to assess its fit,

  • Raptors return with insight, information

    The familiar sound of flying Raptors will soon fill the Virginia skies again. The 27th Fighter Squadron returns here Oct. 28 from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, ending two weeks of out-of-town training and bringing the first-ever deployment for the F/A-22 Raptor to a close. “Training like this is

  • New processor makes Strike Eagle more lethal

    When F-15E Strike Eagles starts getting a new core processor next year, they will be more lethal and effective weapons in the war on terrorism and beyond. The Aeronautical Systems Center's F-15 Systems Group here is managing the development, test and acquisition of the advanced display core

  • Tuskegee Airmen return to war zone

    The Tuskegee Airmen know about war. They battled the Nazis abroad and racism at home. Now they've made their way back to the front lines to show their support for Airmen fighting the war on terror. Five members arrived here Oct. 25 to interacting with military members, sharing their stories and

  • Academy gets new reserve squadron

    A new partnership between the reserve and active-duty force soared into the Rocky Mountains when the 70th Flying Training Squadron opened for business here. Formed Oct. 25, the new squadron -- formerly known as Detachment 1, 302nd Operations Group -- marks the first time citizen Airmen have had a

  • Introductory flight training undergoing changes

    The introductory flight training program that prepares pilot candidates for specialized undergraduate pilot training will decrease from 50 to 25 hours next fall. The transitional program will bridge the change from the current introductory program to a new program called initial flight screening.

  • Peering through window to world of ‘sniffing’

    Security forces military working dog handlers have a unique job. But not every handler gets the opportunity to train with customs agents from a host nation. Military working dog handlers here train with Japanese K-9 agents from Narita and Osaka as part of a joint-training opportunity established

  • Lakenheath opens air dominance center

    The Air Force’s first Joint and Combined Air Dominance Center of Excellence is now open for business here. Lt. Col. Dave Slade, the center commander, said the Air Force established the center in response to the changing security environment in European Command’s area of responsibility with the

  • UAV testing begins at Andersen

    Testing being done here will help determine if the tiny Weatherscout unmanned aerial vehicle can track tropical cyclones in the Pacific Ocean. The Weatherscout -- called the WUAV -- flew its first mission from this base’s Northwest Field Oct. 15. That kicked off a six-week testing period by members

  • Moseley: Air Force needs to bolster intelligence cadre

    The Air Force can do a better job training and maintaining the Airmen that gather, process and distribute military intelligence, the Air Force chief of staff said. Gen. T. Michael Moseley said there are not enough Airmen working in military intelligence. And the Air Force must do a better job

  • Personnel center will conduct force shaping board

    In an effort to right size and shape its future force, Air Force officials approved an annual board to evaluate officers for continued service at their three-year point. The board will be part of the service's force management program. The first Force Shaping Board is scheduled to convene at the Air

  • Force shaping board meeting in 2006

    A force shaping board will convene in 2006 and continue to meet annually to properly shape the officer corps to meet emerging Air Force needs. Instituted by the Air Force, the board will be a regular aspect of force management and development in the future. Authorized by the Secretary of the Air

  • Memphis Belle at Air Force museum

    The "Memphis Belle," is one of the Eighth Air Force's first B-17F heavy bombers to complete 25 successful bombing missions over Europe during World War II, is now at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force here. The move came under the terms of an agreement between the Air Force and the Memphis

  • Officers, civilians selected for developmental education

    More than 1,100 officers and civilians will attend intermediate and senior developmental education programs during the academic 2006-07 year, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced. The Intermediate and Senior Developmental Education Center Designation Board met Sept. 14-16 to select line

  • General McNabb takes command of AMC

    Gen. Duncan J. McNabb took command of Air Mobility Command during a ceremony here Oct. 14. During the ceremony, the general discussed the importance of the command now and in the future. "It has been six years since I left here as commander of the (Tanker Airlift Control Center)," said General

  • VA finding jobs for Iraq, Afghanistan vets

    For young men and women fighting the war on terrorism, coming home in good health is a major goal. But coming home to a good job also is a primary concern, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson said during a news conference Oct. 13. He announced a VA jobs program for

  • Electric cars cut fuel costs

    As gas prices soared this summer, the 37th Mission Support Group here searched for something new to help the it lower the cost of official transportation. “With gas prices approaching $3 per gallon, we were looking for something that would be beneficial over the long haul,” said group commander Col.

  • Moseley: We are moving towards interdependence with sister services

    The Air Force’s future path requires more jointness and interdependence between the total force, sister services and coalition partners. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley spoke Oct. 11 about this vision for the future of the Air Force, but began with a vision of its recent past. The

  • Keesler Airmen back in school at Sheppard

    Sheppard has a new electronic principles course to train Airmen from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., displaced by Hurricane Katrina. It took Sheppard two weeks to have the course ready for instruction, said Master Sgt. Rosa Marlin, 365th Training Squadron avionics test equipment flight chief. It

  • Eddy current inspection shop saves lives, money

    Saving lives and money: That is what employees in the eddy current inspection shop at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center are all about. And it is their life management approach to reliability-centered maintenance that allows them to extend the life of rotating jet engine components by

  • Domestic Violence Awareness Month aims to reduce violence in homes

    Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the United States -- more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined. It is also estimated that a woman is battered every 15 seconds in the United States, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

  • Airmen deliver first relief supplies to Pakistan

    The first relief supplies from the United States arrived here on a C-17 Globemaster III less that 48 hours after the devastating earthquake that left thousands dead and injured. The C-17 and its crew, from the 7th Airlift Squadron, McChord Air Force Base, Wash., delivered 12 pallets -- almost 90,000

  • Edwards, DARPA explore new C-17 capability

    Soaring 6,000 feet above the sun-baked California desert, a pair of Edwards aircraft -- a C-17 Globemaster III shadowed by a C-12 Huron observer aircraft -- carried out an unusual mission with an even more unusual cargo recently. The rear of the aircraft yawned open, and at the prompt of "five,

  • Cope Thunder exercise begins

    Cope Thunder 06-1 participants are using the 62,000 square miles of airspace at this remote base to “fly, fight and win” during Pacific Air Force’s premier combat airpower exercise. The two-week exercise, which will run through Oct. 21, is the command’s largest air combat training exercise,

  • Capability assessment helps AF prepare for future

    Air Force leaders use a future capabilities assessment to assist in planning for 2025 and beyond. More than 100 participants from the Air Force's planning, operations, research and development communities gathered Oct. 4 in Herndon, Va., to play out scenarios that may threaten the United States in

  • Texas National Guard relief mission begins drawing down

    With power coming on throughout the area, Texas National Guardsmen with Task Force-Seguin transferred food and water distribution duties to other task forces and local authorities Oct. 4. The team returned to their home units and families Oct. 5. “There are still a few rural areas requiring

  • Academy chemistry department leads UAV research

    Future Air Force leaders here are working to produce a stealthier unmanned aerial vehicle powered by an alternative energy source. The research project into fuel cells and hydrogen storage materials started about 10 years ago as a collaboration between the academy, Ball Aerospace Corp in Boulder,

  • Rhein-Main mission ends, but not its legacy

    Bob Keffer is looking for work again. But at age 70, he knows it won’t be easy.But he has no choice. There is no future for him at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany -- outside Frankfurt -- where he worked for the past 31 years. The base closes this year.Still, he’s optimistic. If he can just find a

  • Air Force Climate Survey helps shape future force

    Airmen will have the power to shape the Air Force of the future through the 2005 Air Force Climate Survey that begins Oct. 1. “This survey will help us ensure we are taking care of our most important asset -- our people,” said Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. T. Michael Moseley. “We have used

  • Albanian and Slovakian officers visit Warrior Preparation Center

    Nine Albanian and Slovakian officers visited the Warrior Preparation Center here Sept. 20 to 23.The officers viewed hands-on tactics through high-tech training demonstrations at the facility, which is jointly owned by U.S. Army, Europe and U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Although they were there to gain

  • Air Force busy before the storm

    Waiting for Hurricane Rita is now a national vigil -- but the Air Force has not been idle, waiting for the storm to hit.Instead, it mobilized.Some Airmen moved to locations nearer to where the hurricane will make landfall -- along the Texas-Louisiana border. They need to be close when the order

  • Tricare continues medical support for Katrina victims

    Tricare is continuing its efforts to ensure the more than 136,000 displaced servicemembers and family members in the Gulf Coast region have access to medical care during Hurricane Katrina recovery operations. Tricare is the Department of Defense agency responsible for managing the military’s health

  • Users can log on to Portal with common access card

    Users can now log on to the Air Force Portal using their common access card and personal identification number. This latest change to the Air Force Portal means fewer passwords for users to remember and leads to greater security for Air Force networks, said Maj. David Gindhart of the Air Force

  • Airpower supports Afghan elections

    Airpower was in full effect as aircraft and crews supported Afghanistan’s National Assembly elections Sept. 18 by deterring attacks on the ground.U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II and EC-130H Compass Call aircraft and U.S. Navy EA-6B Prowlers here have stepped up efforts to provide safe and secure

  • Displaced hurricane family finds help in Air Force

    It was like walking into a family reunion. The children were riding scooters outside; the adults were mostly inside talking, surfing the Internet, and just enjoying one another’s company.Tech. Sgt. Christopher Reeves, of the 16th Logistics Readiness Squadron here, opened his base house to 22 family

  • Arctic search-and-rescue exercise ends

    U.S., Russian and Canadian pararescuemen concluded a weeklong exercise here Sept. 16 that tested the three countries’ ability to conduct search-and-rescue operations in the Arctic region.Arctic Search and Rescue Exercise 05 concluded with a freefall jump from an Alaska Air National Guard HC-130 P/N

  • Civil engineer units have different missions, same goal

    It is 110 degrees and temperatures are steadily on the rise. Luckily, the office is air conditioned -- until the power goes out.An Airman puts in a work order, but it is not the only office that is suffering from this side effect of the heat. However, within 15 minutes, an ice-cold breeze of

  • Base photographers document history for future generations

    Photographers here are proving that a picture is truly worth a thousand words in fighting the war on terrorism. “Our images tell the military story to the American public, our children and their children, and beyond,” said Master Sgt. Maurice Hessel, base multimedia center manager and still

  • Moseley: Future of the Air Force

    To determine the way ahead, one must understand the heritage and history of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley said during his keynote address on the future of the Air Force at the Air Force Association’s 2005 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here Sept.

  • ‘Skills development’ becomes ‘arts and crafts’

    Air Force Services Agency officials gazed into the past to predict the future recently when they changed the name of skills development to the name it held until the early 1990s -- arts and crafts.“Generations of Air Force families took advantage of arts and crafts programs on Air Force bases

  • Eglin wing picks ups missions from Louisiana ANG

    As many of the bases Air Force-wide support Joint Task Force-Katrina, the 33rd Fighter Wing here is doing its part by scrambling to help the Louisiana Air National Guard.Just 36 hours after the wing’s 60th Fighter Squadron returned from a Hurricane Katrina evacuation Aug. 31, the squadron has been

  • Edwards Airmen help 'Monk' solve mystery

    When most people watch an episode of the USA Network TV show "Monk," they see an obsessive-compulsive detective, but may never realize the hundreds of people it takes to bring this character to life.In the same way, many people see an F-16 Fighting Falcon fly over Dodger stadium during pre-game

  • Senior leaders address key issues at conference

    Air Force senior leaders answered questions on topics ranging from the buildup of military power in China to the status of Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., during an open panel discussion here Sept. 13.Six Air Force major command commanders joined Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Air Force chief of staff, to

  • AF Climate Survey launches Oct. 1

    Airmen have the power to shape the future when the 2005 Air Force Climate Survey launches Oct. 1. “The direction we take depends on you!” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald Murray. “The motto of the 2005 Climate Survey, ‘Speak Today, Shape Tomorrow,’ accurately reflects the impact this

  • Deployed sergeant served in Marines, Army, Navy and now Air Force

    Staff Sgt. James Murphy isn’t your typical Airman. A 30-year-old tattoo of U.S.M.C. peeking out from his T-shirt sleeve and his no-nonsense attitude may shed light on some of his life story, but it wouldn’t come close to telling most of it.Sergeant Murphy, a night shift supervisor for the flightline

  • Officials to determine course for Keesler Airmen

    Officials here should find out soon a more definitive future for the more than 1,200 Airmen trainees from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., who arrived here Sept. 1 after Hurricane Katrina hit their base.Until a decision is made, Airmen will shadow permanent-party Airmen in the career field they are

  • Command chiefs address Airmen’s concerns

    The chief master sergeant of the Air Force joined command chief master sergeants from Air Force major commands during a forum at the Air Force Association’s 2005 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here Sept. 12."This is truly a historic time in which we serve in the Air Force," said

  • CENTCOM command chief: Knowledge, actions have far reach

    The command chief for U.S. Central Command wants everyone who has deployed to go back to their bases and share their experiences.Chief Master Sgt. Curtis Brownhill also wants people to remember that their individual actions have a far-reaching effect.During his visit to the CENTOM area of

  • Air Force Association begins 2005 conference

    The Air Force Association's 2005 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition opened here Sept. 12.The conference features three days of workshops focused on professional requirements, networking and dialogue among active-duty and reserve-component Airmen, civilians, retirees and industry

  • Keesler commander: Don’t count us out

    Two weeks after Hurricane Katrina caused $500 million in damages at this training base, it has become a vital staging area for Gulf Coast disaster relief efforts.The base has a new transitional mission supporting relief efforts, said Brig. Gen. William T. Lord, 81st Training Wing commander. And the

  • Edwards' testers 'propel' Hurricane Hunters through Katrina

    It has been labeled the greatest disaster in this nation's history by government officials. Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall Aug. 29, has devastated the Gulf Coast and left thousands homeless.As Air Force bases nationwide work to provide immediate aid through airlift, medical support,

  • Airmen serve in Iraq to honor 9/11 victims

    Never in a million years did Kara Gaines dream she would enlist in the military and follow in the footsteps of her retired Air Force father. That was until the senior airman with the 407th Expeditionary Communications Squadron here watched in horror as terrorists rammed three planes into some of the

  • Geren: People, equipment top Air Force priorities

    Beginning with operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Southern and Northern Watch and operations in countries such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, the Air Force has been on war footing since the summer of 1990, said the acting secretary of the Air Force."The men and women of the Air Force

  • Displaced Airmen return to Keesler after hurricane

    Twenty Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., people who evacuated here because of Hurricane Katrina made a bittersweet day trip back to their homes and belongings Sept. 5, just one week after the storm devastated much of the Gulf Coast.The Airmen rode in a convoy of eight security-escorted vehicles for the

  • Air Force paralegals aid survivors through claims process

    The legalities of disaster recovery can seem murkier than floodwater, but for some Air Force families, making claims for belongings destroyed by Hurricane Katrina will be easier, thanks to Air Force paralegals.Two teams of Airmen from various Air Education and Training Command bases arrived at

  • Pentagon to hold 9/11 memorial tour, walk

    The Defense Department will open the site of the planned Pentagon Memorial and the existing America's Heroes Memorial to the public for the first time Sept. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Military honor guard tour guides will lead tours and answer questions, and a model of the future Pentagon Memorial

  • Barksdale helps hurricane evacuees, families

    The family assistance control center here continues to help relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina.Hundreds of servicemembers and Department of Defense civilians have fled to the Bossier City and Shreveport area in northern Louisiana seeking a safe haven, said Theresa Marvin, family support

  • Recruiting service seeking hurricane-affected future Airmen

    Air Force Recruiting Service officials here are seeking contact from members of the delayed entry program who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina.Those affected may contact the recruiting service at (210) 671-2951 Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. CDT. After normal business hours,

  • World War II vets honored at 60th anniversary of war's end

    World War II veterans gathered with military, political and diplomatic leaders and the public to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the war's end Sept. 2 at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall here.Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld sponsored the event, and military leaders from every

  • After recovery, Keesler’s future uncertain

    Hurricane Katrina tried to give Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., a knockout blow. But though it left a huge path of destruction in its wake -- it did not succeed. The massive storm devastated the base. No doubt about that, base officials said. And it claimed the base’s once vibrant training mission.

  • Air Force announces OTS selections

    More than 60 men and women from throughout America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for a commission, officials here announced Sept. 2. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 467 applications as part of Officer Training School Selection

  • Safety enforced by motorcycle club

    Motorcyclists here know there is safety in numbers, which is one reason they created a motorcycle club.Missileers on Bikes is a private organization dedicated to offering motorcyclists here an opportunity to meet fellow riders, ride in a group, learn from more experienced riders and participate in

  • Raptor releases JDAM during first 'follow-on' evaluation mission

    Members of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron here flew the first F/A-22 Raptor Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation mission Aug. 29, releasing Joint Direct Attack Munitions on the Utah Test and Training Range.In one of the largest Raptor test phases to date, Air Force organizations are

  • Aeromedical evacuation hub established at Lackland

    Patients from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport are now being flown to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, where a hub has been established to support Hurricane Katrina aeromedical evacuation operations.Base officials said the location was chosen as a hub because of its ramp

  • Maxwell serves as staging facility for hurricane operations

    As evacuees continue to surge here fleeing the devastating affects of Hurricane Katrina, officials are bracing for the 1,300 Keesler Air Force Base training students expected here Sept. 3. So far, 750 hurricane refugees from flooded coastal regions have made their way here to escape what President

  • AFPC announces corrected CJTF credit guidelines

    Officials at the Air Force Personnel Center here announced updated guidance to state cumulative credit awarded for combined joint task force deployments cannot be combined with present or future joint duty assignments.Also, full joint credit for JTF deployments can only be awarded if the total

  • Jumper reflects on challenges facing Air Force

    During his final media availability session here Aug. 29, the departing chief of staff of the Air Force discussed his vision of the future force, Base Realignment and Closure and the challenges he faced as the service's senior military leader.Gen. John P. Jumper said he believes the F/A-22 Raptor is

  • Officials address defense pay issues in Katrina's wake

    Banks and credit unions in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi have implemented contingency procedures in the wake of Hurricane Katrina that will mean a normal payday for those expecting Defense Finance and Accounting Service automatic deposits Sept. 1, DFAS officials announced.DFAS has completed

  • CCAF unlocks doors of opportunity

    Many Airmen could be closer than they think to a degree from the Community College of the Air Force.Among work, family, temporary duty and deployments, many Airmen may feel they do not have enough time to finish their degree.“One of the biggest obstacles is discouragement,” said Tiffany Dalmida, the

  • Airmen support close-air support missions

    This time, things went down differently than planned. As arranged, the men prepped and fired a mortar at coalition forces. They shuttled into their vehicle, certain of a smooth exit. What the terrorists did not count on was what happened afterward: An American fighter aircraft zoomed overhead,

  • Certain officers eligible for CJTF credit

    Active-duty officers in the grades of major and above, and some captains, are eligible to receive joint duty credit for deployments because of a recently expanded list of approved operations.The fiscal 2002 National Defense Authorization Act and Title 10 United States Code Section 664 authorizes

  • 1st Air Force transitions to warfighting headquarters

    First Air Force and Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region are making structural changes to transition into one of 10 warfighting headquarters to better support geographic and functional combatant commanders worldwide.The transition is part of the Air Force’s move to

  • Exchange program connects U.S., Dutch Airmen

    Training young pilots to push the F-16 Fighting Falcon to its operational limits is a job Lt. Col. David Stine loves as much as flying.Even better is doing both those things with the Royal Netherlands Air Force, he said. That is just what he has done for three years as an exchange pilot at this

  • Homeland defense exercise wraps up in Alaska

    A massive homeland defense exercise in Alaska wrapped up Aug. 19 after five days of simulated natural disasters and terrorist events, including earthquakes, aircraft crashes and anthrax attacks in 21 communities statewide.Alaska Shield/Northern Edge 05 allowed local, state and federal agencies to

  • Willow Grove operates joint hazmat pharmacy

    More joint operations seem to be the way of the future for America's military, with the four branches of service sharing land, runways, missions and services. At Willow Grove, they are sharing chemicals, too.Located on the southeast side of the base, the hazmat pharmacy here provides the chemical

  • Force shaping Phase II evolves for officers in fiscal 2006

    The Air Force’s officer corps is overmanned by about 4,000 Airmen.In fiscal 2005, the Air Force’s voluntary force shaping initiatives successfully reduced the size of the active duty population to its congressionally authorized level of 359,000.However, the fiscal 2006 budget trims the Air Force

  • Kirtland Airman hits jackpot

    A master sergeant here got a whole lot more than milk during a recent trip to the supermarket.In fact, Master Sgt. John San Cartier, a special operations loadmaster instructor with the 58th Training Squadron, “got” a lottery ticket that ended up winning the $93.4 million jackpot.The 15-year Air

  • International academy program gives worldly perspective

    Today’s officers must be prepared to function in an international environment. While the academy’s international program provides cadets with a variety of opportunities to hone their leadership skills overseas, foreign cadets travel here to study similar skills.There are 48 four-year international

  • Iraqi, U.S. C-130 crewmembers fly boy to receive heart surgery

    Although 8-year-old Baher looks happy and healthy, Iraqi and U.S. Air Force C-130 crewmembers knew his true condition when they gave him the ride of his life Aug. 22.Baher and his mother, Afaf, were headed to New Orleans to repair a hole in his heart via a new program called Operation Mend a Heart.

  • DOD officials announce one-year open enrollment for SBP

    Department of Defense officials announced Aug. 19 that military retirees, who opted out of some or all their Survivor Benefit Plan coverage, will have another opportunity to elect coverage during a one-year open enrollment period beginning Oct. 1 and running through Sept. 30, 2006.Upon a retiree's

  • Jumper: BRAC decisions needed to continue transformation

    The Air Force chief of staff told the Base Realignment and Closure Commission on Aug. 20 that while many of the decisions related to base closure are “gut wrenching,” the changes are needed to allow the Air Force to continue to transform to meet the war-fighting demands of the 21st century.“The

  • Advance planning key to successful deployment financial management

    Get ready early. This is the common theme among base agencies that assist Airmen preparing for deployment.The preparation can be stressful, time consuming and exciting, but above all, requires planning and thinking ahead to the future.Oftentimes, the focus of deployment is on taking care of the

  • Dyess AFB demonstrates B-1B's upgrades, combat capabilities

    The 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron here set a number of “firsts” recently for the B-1B Lancer.Those 'firsts' were demonstrated July 25 over the White Sands Missile Range, N.M., when two Lancers from Dyess auto-released a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile as well as three dissimilar weapons

  • Air Force conducts test of new officer assignment system

    The Air Force will conduct a test of a continuous officer assignment system for a select group of career fields beginning in September.The test system, designed as the result of a Lean process review, seeks to eliminate the vulnerable-to-move list and facilitate deliberate career moves through force

  • First Air Force Stryker unit deploys to Iraq

    The first Air Force Stryker unit marked its first deployment with the high-tech Army vehicle when it departed here Aug. 14 for Iraq.About 20 Airmen from the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron deployed with the Army’s 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, both stationed at nearby Fort Wainwright.“Our

  • Deployments keep air operations squadron on the go

    Directing airstrikes in Afghanistan and Iraq might be easier for the 4th Air Support Operations Squadron than finding enough Airmen to meet deployment commitments.With a workload that rivals any in the Air Force, a third to a half of the unit’s Airmen “are gone all the time,” said Maj. Mike Abair,

  • Rabbi uses Iraq trip to help shape AF vision, values

    Iraq was one of the first places the new adviser on Air Force values and vision went to see how Airmen apply their guiding principles in a wartime environment.Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff, special assistant for values and visions to the secretary of the Air Force and the chief of staff, traveled to

  • FTF set to leave lasting impression in Pacific theater

    The Air Force broke ground last August for the first Pacific Air Forces C-17 Globemaster III squadron based outside the continental United States. One year later, using the Future Total Force initiative with an eye toward the future, Hickam Air Force Base is building a strong foundation for a new

  • Chaplain serves Airmen, Soldiers at remote posts

    When Army Spc. Jacob Boomsaad fell in love with a fellow Soldier while serving in Iraq, he feared he would have to delay the wedding until almost six months after returning from their deployment to marry in a Catholic church. That is until the specialist with the 2nd Battalion, 142nd Infantry

  • Atlas V MRO launches from Cape Canaveral

    The 45th Space Wing supported the successful launch of a satellite to Mars on Aug. 12.An Atlas V rocket from nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station launched the NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter satellite into space.“The men and women of the 45th Space Wing provided top-notch range services to

  • BRAC focus on right-sizing total force

    The co-chairman of the Air Force's base closure executive group recently discussed the views the Air Force took when considering the Base Realignment and Closure recommendations."We have to base our future Air Force on a smaller but more capable force, and organize that force in the most effective