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  • Congressmen review Reserve role, budget, mobilization

    As Congress debates ways to address the federal debt ceiling, reserve component military leaders were on Capitol Hill recently to testify and answer questions about retaining operational roles, changes to mobilization and future budget challenges.Led by chairman Joe Wilson, of S.C., and ranking

  • Obama, Thurman commemorate Korean Armistice anniversary

    As President Barack Obama commemorated the anniversary of the armistice agreement that established a demilitarized zone between North and South Korea and brought an end to fighting there, the top U.S. officer in South Korea emphasized today the need for international cooperation to curb the North

  • French award National Defense Gold Medal to pararescue Airmen

    Three 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron Airmen were awarded the French National Defense Gold Medal with bronze star during a ceremony at Forward Operating Base Morales-Frazier July 8.French Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Maurin, the Task Force La Fayette IV commander, presented Capt. John Mosier, an HH-60G

  • Airmen tackle CBRN threat response training in WV tunnel

    The Center for National Response is hosting the Air Force Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Response Challenge here July 18-22. Ten bioenvironmental and emergency management teams representing nine Air Force major commands and the Air National Guard will spend the week facing a series

  • New guide helps communities aid homeless women vets

    Officials with the Women's Bureau of the Department of Labor have released an online publication that will help community service providers aid homeless women veterans, Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis said July 20.Solis addressed an audience of several hundred at the Women in Military Service for

  • TRICARE covers skilled nursing facility care

    A skilled nursing facility is designed to provide short-term care for people who no longer need acute care in the hospital but are not well enough to go home. Under TRICARE, a SNF must have the staff and equipment to provide skilled nursing, skilled rehabilitation or other medically necessary health

  • Aviano Airman wins $10,000 IDEA award

    The Innovative Development through Employee Awareness Program recently awarded an Aviano Air Base Airman $10,000, the highest reward available. Tech. Sgt. Rey Andrade, the 31st Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment NCO in charge, received the award after solving a problem that cost

  • New Jersey base realizes joint benefits

    With two months left for Defense Department officials to comply with the 2005 base realignment and closure plan, a related initiative -- joint basing -- already is paying off through closer interservice collaboration and the promise of future cost savings, officials here reported.Joint Base

  • Airmen tackle Corporals Course

    Six Airmen diversified their leadership training by participating in the Marine Corps' Corporals Course, which was held here June 10-24. The Corporals Course was a two-week program consisting of classroom lecture, hands-on instruction at the small arms range and vigorous physical training around the

  • DOD sets rules for schools receiving tuition assistance

    All schools participating in Title 10 tuition assistance will need to have a signed memorandum of understanding with the Defense Department under a new policy that will take effect Jan. 1, officials said.Carolyn Baker, the chief of voluntary education for DOD's military community family and policy

  • On vacation with TRICARE: Urgent or emergency care?

    Even the best-planned vacations can be disrupted with injury or sickness. While TRICARE follows beneficiaries when they travel, understanding when something constitutes an emergency room or urgent care visit can help the beneficiary save money and time, officials said.TRICARE defines an emergency as

  • Security forces members begin march to Ground Zero

    Members of the Joint Base San Antonio security forces community began the kickoff leg of a 2,181-mile ruck march here July 12. Participants from installations across the nation will continue the daily "Ruck March to Remember," which is scheduled to end Sept. 11 at Ground Zero in New York, on the

  • Airmen prepare for a ruck march to remember

    Airmen in the 4th Security Forces Squadron here are gearing up to host participants of a 2,181-mile ruck march that begins at the Air Force Security Forces Center in San Antonio July 12 and ends at ground zero in New York Sept. 11 in recognition of the 10th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist

  • Air Force chief scientist lauds AMC as a leader in energy initiatives

    The Air Force's chief scientist, Dr. Mark T. Maybury, visited Air Mobility Command here June 27 to 29 and lauded AMC's initiatives as he discussed the importance of energy efficiency. Maybury's visit included serving as the keynote speaker for the AMC "Future Aircraft Fuel Efficiency Industry Days"

  • TRICARE Standard gives families more options

    TRICARE Standard is a great option for military families who want more freedom when it comes to selecting their medical providers.TRICARE Standard is a fee-for-service plan available worldwide to all eligible, non-active duty beneficiaries. They include:· Active duty family members· Family members

  • Security forces members march to remember

    As a memorial to the 10th anniversary of 9/11, Air Force security forces members will participate in the Ruck March to Remember from July 12 to Sept. 11.Security forces members from 23 units will march 2,181 miles from the Air Force Security Forces Center in San Antonio to Ground Zero in New York

  • White House reverses policy on condolence letters

    President Barack Obama and Defense Department officials will send condolence letters to the families of service members who commit suicide in a war zone.The change is in keeping with administration efforts to remove the stigma of mental health treatment, an administration official said on

  • Personnel pennies pay off for Fisher families

    Pennies paid off for the Lackland Air Force Base Fisher House when Air Force Personnel Center civilian force integration directorate members waged a penny war that raised $800 for the military support organization.The Fisher House Foundation provides free lodging for family members of wounded

  • Air Force Marathon opens new transfer program

    For a limited time, any Air Force Marathon, Half Marathon or 10K registered runner who is not able to participate in the Sept. 17 event can transfer his or her entry to a non-registered runner through the marathon's new Transfer Program. The online transfer form is available at www.usafmarathon.com.

  • JTACs guide air strikes, turn tide during major battle

    Airmen from the Washington Air National Guard directed multiple airstrikes May 25 helping a significantly outnumbered U.S. Army and Afghan National Security Force unit fight through an ambush and free a district center from insurgents.Joint terminal attack controllers from the 116th Air Support

  • Education program promotes relationships, partnerships

    Walk into just about any U.S. professional military schoolhouse, and you're likely to see a surprising number of foreign officers and noncommissioned officers mixed among the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps students.They're a testament to the popularity of the International Military Education

  • College students receive training through AF internship

    College students can intern in Air Force youth and recreation programs - and get paid for it.The Air Force Services Agency Student Intern Program is open to college juniors, or older, to become Air Force nonappropriated fund employees at nearly any Air Force installation world-wide, and earn college

  • Air Force normalizes short-tour credit policy

    Beginning July 1, Airmen will no longer receive short tour credit for overseas temporary duty assignments of 181 consecutive days. This change initially was announced in a memorandum signed by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz in April.In June 2003, a temporary exception to policy was

  • Top Pentagon doctor lauds overseas labs

    The Defense Department's overseas medical research laboratories will play a key role in ensuring the readiness of deployed U.S. military forces well into the future, while also contributing to global health and U.S. partnership building around the world, the Pentagon's senior health affairs adviser

  • DOD launches military spouse employment partnership

    In an effort to address military spouses' employment challenges, the Defense Department launched a program June 29 to expand career opportunities for military spouses worldwide, and to recognize the skills and talents they bring to the employment table.Flanked by military spouses and corporate

  • Guard, Minot Airmen continue support as flood slows

    A press conference held at city hall here June 26 offered a shred of good news for those residents, Airmen and family members impacted by Minot's record-shattering floods during the month of June. The mayor announced that the Souris River measured at 1561.72 feet late in the evening June 25 and

  • Defense Department, services monitor Arctic melting

    With the number of geopolitical hotspots in the world today, the Arctic is not an area that comes quickly to mind for possible defense operations. But it is a place of great national security and strategic importance that the Defense Department and services are monitoring closely.In a report sent to

  • New IDs put personal info at the Exchange on a 'need to know' basis

    Social Security numbers are enjoying the top-secret clearance they have always deserved as the Department of Defense officials have removed the nine digit number from identification cards issued after June 1. Authorized Exchange shoppers who receive the new ID will notice some changes when writing a

  • Families, friends of Khobar Towers victims gather for remembrance ceremony

    Fifteen years since the terrorist attack in which a truck bomb exploded at Khobar Towers, killing 19 Airmen and wounding hundreds of other Americans, the victims' friends, families and other guests paid tribute to them in a remembrance ceremony here June 25.Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley

  • Khobar Towers victims remembered on 15th anniversary

    Airmen, Marines, Sailors and family members gathered here to remember 19 brave warriors and 12 valiant 33rd Fighter Wing Airmen on the 15th anniversary of the Khobar Towers bombing June 24."I'm humbled to be a part of this ceremony," said Col. Andrew Toth, the 33rd FW commander. "It reminds us, as a

  • Obama announces troop reductions, way forward in Afghanistan

    Thanks to the tremendous progress U.S., coalition and Afghan troops have made, the United States will draw down the number of troops in Afghanistan by 10,000 this year and 33,000 by the end of summer 2012, President Barack Obama said here June 22."The tide of war is receding," the president said

  • Arrival ceremony welcomes fallen U.S. military members home

    Three unidentified American heroes returned from war June 17. They were greeted here by friends and fellow service members, with full military honors. Although their return was sad because they were ones who had paid the ultimate sacrifice, their return also was joyful because they are fallen heroes

  • Abandoned paintings make Air Force history

    Nine paintings depicting the evolution of air and space, which are displayed in the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station technical support building lobby, will be adopted into the Air Force Art Program this year. The paintings were rescued years ago after being abandoned inside a storage closet at

  • SMART scholars visit D.C. to learn about their new jobs

    Students ranging from undergraduates to PhD candidates will visit Joint Base Andrews, Md., in June, to learn more about their future with the Department of Defense.The students, as Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation program scholars, represent a $50 million investment in the DOD

  • Enlisted members selected for nurse commissioning program

    Twenty-four enlisted Airmen will head back to the classroom in August following their selection for the 2011 Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program.The NECP selection board meets annually in May to review records and identify the top applicants for a commissioning opportunity in a critical career

  • Fiscal crisis requires responsible approach, Lynn says

    A fiscal crisis that's putting the squeeze on defense budgets and related industries requires difficult choices for leaders and a responsible approach that manages the spending slowdown while retaining military effectiveness, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here June 19.In a

  • TRICARE does not retire when you do

    When beneficiaries retire from active duty, they may have big plans for how they are going to spend their time. Along with choices about where to live and their next great adventure, they must make choices about their health care. Understanding these choices will help beneficiaries and their

  • Gates, Mullen support 'Stand up for Heroes'

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke for the need for enduring support for service members at a fundraising event for wounded warriors and their families.The Defense Department leaders spoke before a crowd of about 800 who gathered

  • CMSAF visits, tours Transit Center at Manas

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader visited members of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing here June 11 during a Central Command area of responsibility tour.During the visit, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy toured the Transit Center and spoke with Airmen during an "all hands" call.One

  • Investigation nabs 30 Air Force spice users

    In April,  the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Det. 114 here completed a two-month Spice-use investigation that resulted in the identification of 30 Airmen. The Airmen, who are assigned to six units within Air Force Materiel Command, Air Combat Command and Air Force Space Command, have

  • Teens soar at 11th-annual aviation camp

    Thirty-six teens from around the Air Force participated in the 11th-annual Teen Aviation Camp here June 4 through 8.All of the 16- and 17-year old campers come from Air Force families and have parents who are active duty, retirees, reservists, or members of the Air National Guard. Teens and their

  • Academy hits switch on solar array

    Officials with the Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs Utilities and SunPower Corp. flipped a switch signifying the official dedication of the Academy's 6-megawatt solar array in a ceremony June 13.Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michael C. Gould called the event significant because it demonstrates

  • Rescue community remembers fallen Airmen

    Airmen from the 66th Rescue Squadron here held a remembrance ceremony June 9 for the crewmembers of an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter, call sign Pedro 66, who lost their lives in a crash a year ago on this date.Lt. Col. Daniel Jefferies, the 563rd Rescue Group deputy commander, presided over the

  • Policy changes consider troops, families, official says

    The Pentagon office for personnel and readiness and the programs it oversees will not be immune from Defense Department efficiency initiatives, but will keep troops and their families at the forefront in the consideration of changes, the office's top civilian leader said."I joined with an efficiency

  • Airlines officials revise policies for troops' checked baggage

    Military members traveling on orders on several major U.S. air carriers can check four, and in some cases, five bags without charge based on new policies the airlines instituted in recent days. Officials from Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines and Continental Airlines announced the

  • Air Force leaders praise Tinker's efficiency, warfighter support

    Two Air Force senior leaders toured the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center here June 6, and praised the partnerships they saw in action.Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin C. Conaton and former OC-ALC commander Lt. Gen. Loren M. Reno, who serves as the Air Force deputy chief of staff for logistics,

  • Airmen assist residents in tornado relief efforts

    Airmen provided critical aid for elderly, uninsured and disabled people who were impacted by tornadoes April 25 through 28 that tore through the southern and midwest regions of the United States.Chief Master Sgt. Mark Ericson, the Air Force tactical air command and control career field manager, said

  • JAG corps announces law school programs

    Applications for the Funded Legal Education Program and Excess Leave Program are being accepted from January through March 2012. The number of FLEP and ELP applicants selected in any academic year is determined based on the needs of the Air Force."Our Air Force missions are constantly changing, and

  • Captain shares Student Flight knowledge to help unit build program

    Capt. Bryan Williams, the Student Flight coordinator for the California Air National Guard's 129th Rescue Wing at Moffett Federal Airfield, Calif., helped establish the new Student Flight training program for the West Virginia ANG's 130th Airlift Wing here.A Student Flight prepares new recruits for

  • Lakenheath Airmen pay homage to fallen

    Airmen from the 48th Fighter Wing Honor Guard at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, participated in a memorial ceremony honoring fallen heroes at the Scottish-American War Memorial here May 30.This year marks the 77th annual Scottish-American Memorial Day service at "The Call," a war memorial

  • Group members dedicate camp to fallen hero

    Members of the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group at Kandahar Air Wing dedicated their camp recently at a ceremony to honor the life of Maj. Charles Ransom. Major Ransom was assigned to the 738th AEAG when he died as a result of wounds received from enemy gunfire at the Afghan air force base

  • TRICARE ECHO helps families with special needs

    For beneficiaries with specific mental or physical disabilities, TRICARE's Extended Care Health Option provides benefits, including financial assistance that is not available through the basic TRICARE program.ECHO does not replace benefits from other TRICARE programs; it simply offers supplemental

  • Air Force officials to hold selective early retirement boards

    As part of the FY11 Force Management programs announced in early February, Air Force officials are preparing for the selective early retirement boards for lieutenant colonels and colonels to further size and balance the force within congressionally authorized end-strength levels. The lieutenant

  • myPay goes mobile

    Users of myPay now can check pay statements on the go using a smartphone or other mobile device that has a web browser.This update for myPay, the online pay account management system for service members, military retirees and many federal civilian employees, is based on customer feedback received

  • Gates: Defense cuts must be prioritized, strategic

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he is determined that the department not fall victim to the mistakes of the past, "where the budget targets were met mostly by taking a percentage off the top of everything, the simplest and most politically expedient approach both inside the Pentagon and

  • Advisers from 3 bases converge for evacuation training

    Air Force and Army medical advisers from bases throughout Iraq converged here to conduct aeromedical evacuation training with their Iraqi counterparts May 18 to 19.Medical advisers and helicopter pilots with the 171st General Support Aviation Battalion at Camp Taji, medics from Joint Base Balad's

  • Fairchild Airman accepted to doctor of pharmacy program

    Airman 1st Class Bart Hardwell never imagined it could happen, but through hard work, perseverance and support from his peers and leadership, it did.He was one of 249 selected out of 1,200 applicants to attend the fall 2011, doctor of pharmacy program at the University of Southern Nevada College of

  • Law enforcement members honored during Police Week

    Security forces members, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the South Korean air force honored two law enforcement Airmen by ceremonially retiring them and removing them from duty here May 19.The ceremony was part of National Police Week, which ran from May 15 to 21 and honored law

  • 'Golden hour' initiative pays off in Afghanistan

    Two years ago, Defense Secretary Robert Gates traveled throughout Afghanistan, promising deployed troops he would make sure they had everything they needed to accomplish their mission -- including more forward-deployed medical capabilities in the event they were wounded.The goal, Secretary Gates

  • Lynn cites progress in DOD, VA partnership

    The partnership to ensure seamless transitions for wounded warriors from military to Veterans Affairs medical care has made significant progress, but work remains to be done, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here May 19. In testimony before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee,

  • K-9s honored at memorial ceremony

    Military and civilian law enforcement dogs were honored and remembered during a ceremony May 17 at the Military Working Dog, or MWD, memorial at the Air Armament Museum here.The ceremony, hosted by members of the 96th Security Forces Squadron, was just one of the events taking place during National

  • Cadets win Boeing design challenge

    A year of hard work paid off for team of cadets recently, when they won the Boeing CrewSystem 2035 challenge. CrewSystem 2035 was a year-long design competition sponsored by Boeing. Teams from the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy were tasked to design the

  • McConnell's 349th ARS named best Air Force air refueling unit

    The 349th Air Refueling Squadron has been named the most outstanding air refueling squadron in the Air Force. This is the second time members of the 349th ARS have received the Gen. Carl A. Spaatz Trophy within three years. "I am extremely proud of the 349th ARS," said Col. Jamie Crowhurst, the 22nd

  • Cadet honored in Pentagon ceremony

    The newest name engraved on the Millennium Sword of Friendship in the Pentagon is that of a student at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., who was presented with the 2010 U.S. Air Force Cadet of the Year Award here May 12.During a ceremony hosted by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen.

  • Pentagon must handle spending slowdown responsibly, Lynn says

    Managing a slowdown in defense spending responsibly will take more than being more efficient, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said.As the keynote speaker May 11 for the Royal Bank of Canada Defense and Aerospace Conference here, Mr. Lynn told an audience at the Intrepid Sea, Air and

  • EPA awards Aviano clinic second Energy Star

    Environmental Protection Agency officials recently awarded the 31st Medical Group a second Energy Star, making the Aviano Air Base clinic the "greenest" in the Air Force.To qualify for the Energy Star, a building must earn 75 or more points on the EPA's 100-point performance scale, indicating that

  • 'Total Force 21' paper offers new force mix, DOD savings

    Air Force Reserve officials recently announced new guidelines that may help combat planners better access reservists, make the Air Force more efficient and save money.Called "Total Force 21," this new approach refocuses planning efforts on how many reservists can be mobilized instead of traditional

  • AFOSI personnel pay tribute to their latest fallen hero

    Hundreds of military and civilian mourners packed Chapel One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., May 9 to attend a memorial service honoring the latest Air Force Office of Special Investigations fallen hero. Master Sgt. Tara R. Brown, 33, of New York, died Apr. 27 of wounds sustained when an Afghan

  • AF lodging officials announce new payment procedures

    As part of the Air Force's recent implementation of the new Citibank controlled spend account travel cards, funding for lodging costs will be pre-loaded on the card once authorization is approved in the Defense Travel System.As a result of the CSA travel card implementation, Air Force Inns guests

  • U.S., Congolese military complete MEDLITE 11

    Airmen and Democratic Republic of the Congo service members finished a joint-medical exercise here May 5.The MEDLITE 11 exercise focused on aeromedical evacuation to improve the readiness of personnel. According to Lt. Col. June Oldman, the director of MEDLITE 11, the exercise focused on five key

  • Proposal would save $3.2 billion in health care costs

    The Defense Department's proposal to reform the TRICARE health plan and the military health system would save at least $3.2 billion between 2012 and 2016, the Pentagon's chief financial officer told Congress yesterday. In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee's personnel subcommittee,

  • Memorial honors fallen warriors

    Hundreds of military and civilian personnel packed a dimly-lit hangar April 30 to pay their final respects to eight Airmen and one retired Army civilian contractor killed April 27 when a gunman opened fire during a meeting with NATO trainers."We come together to mourn the loss of nine brave

  • 33rd RQS wins third straight "Jolly Green Rescue Mission of the Year" award

    A split second after a two-man rescue team touched ground, the ear-shattering explosions of rocket-propelled grenades, or RPGs, rang out overhead. Capt. Koa Bailey and Master Sgt. Roger Sparks, a combat rescue officer and a pararescueman from the Alaska Air National Guard's 212th Rescue Squadron,

  • Counselor presented national drug/alcohol abuse prevention award

    An Airman assigned here received the Government Employees Insurance Company Military Service Award at a ceremony April 18 in Washington.Tech. Sgt. Jeannie Washington was selected as the Air Force recipient of the award, which recognized service members from each branch, as well as the guard and

  • Air Force further reduces officer RIF requirements

    Several year groups and competitive categories no longer will be required to meet the September 2011 reduction-in-force board. Air Force officials announced that RIF-eligible officers from previously announced competitive categories for chaplains, medical service corps and 1999 and 2000 judge

  • AFSOC waste-to-energy system converts garbage to usable energy

    Air Force Special Operations Command became 4,200 tons closer to securing effective alternative energy solutions and even greater environmental stewardship here April 26.Following a ceremony, the transportable plasma waste-to-energy system began converting 4,200 tons of garbage per year to usable

  • MEDLITE 11 benefits from experiences of Air National Guard members

    Air National Guard officials are bringing a critical depth of experience and demonstrating its ability to be a seamless player as part of total force during the MEDLITE 11 exercise here, the director of operations for MEDLITE 11 said April 26."MEDLITE is showing that we can execute our mission,

  • Energy conservation sticks at Scott AFB

    When the members of the Scott Energy Conversation wanted to make the ideas of energy conservation and awareness "stick" they decided to get literal. The group created small, 1.5-inch diameter circular stickers to place on energy-consuming items such a computer monitors, light switches and coffee

  • Network would link defense functions, people

    To optimize U.S. cybersecurity using a new information-sharing enterprise network in a reduced-budget era, a top Defense Department official gave industry leaders a challenge: "We need your innovation."Robert J. Carey, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for information management integration

  • Officials eliminate exception to short-tour credit

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz approved rescinding a temporary policy established in 2003 that allowed Airmen to receive short-tour credit for overseas TDYs of at least 181 consecutive days. The effective date of the new policy will be announced at a later date.Although the policy

  • Defense Finance and Accounting Service revamps website

    Defense Finance and Accounting Service officials are rolling out a redesigned website tonight to give the Defense Department's workforce easier, quicker access to the information they need. "We know our online visitors don't want to spend more of their time on our website than they have to," said

  • Doolittle Raiders visit Offutt Air Force Base

    Almost 69 years to the day since their famous air raid on Japan, the five surviving Doolittle Raiders gathered April 14 through 17 for their annual reunion, this year in Nebraska.Included in this year's events, spread throughout Omaha and Lincoln, was a visit to meet the men and women of Offutt Air

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

    In this edition of "Today's Air Force" the Air Force Academy Falcon football team reclaims the coveted Commander in Chief's Trophy after an 8 year drought. Plus, Airmen partner up with their Afghan allies to protect Kandahar Airfield from insurgent attacks.  And, see how a squadron in the U.K. paid

  • Goodfellow AFB firefighters respond to wildfire

    As dense smoke from a nearby fire engulfed the base April 15, crews and assets from here and the Louis F. Garland Fire Academy joined forces with hundreds of other firefighters to battle the fire.Persistent drought, high winds and temperatures have complicated attempts to battle the fire, which was

  • Eielson recycling project kicks off

    People here soon will have the opportunity to reduce waste by recycling paper, plastic, tin, aluminum and glass products on base when a new recycling program kicks off in the weeks following Earth Day April 22.Officials in the 354th Civil Engineer Squadron Environmental Flight have been working

  • Nominations open for Portraits in Courage Vol. 6

    Nominations are currently being accepted through May 20 for Portraits in Courage Vol. 6, officials said here April 18.Five years ago, Air Force officials developed "Portraits in Courage," highlighting compelling stories of Airmen's honor, valor, devotion and sacrifice in a time of war. The

  • Department ends voluntary departure authorization from Japan

    The Defense Department's voluntary authorized departures for service members' eligible family members to leave Japan in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake effectively ended April 18."The Defense Department concurs with the State Department's determination that the situation in Japan does not

  • Civilian developmental education application deadline May 1

    Air Force civilians interested in civilian developmental education opportunities during academic year 2012 have until May 1 to submit completed application packages to the Air Force Personnel Center force development branch.Civilians must be nominated for CDE by their local leaders and endorsed by

  • Programs help Airmen obtain financial success

    For Airmen wondering if the struggle for total financial success will ever end, there is good news. The Airman and Family Readiness Center's financial advisers help members reach their financial goals. According to James McDaniel, an accredited financial counselor here, financial readiness is a

  • Organization honors service members' children

    Officials with Our Military Kids honored four children and a military family here yesterday in an award ceremony at the Navy Memorial here.During the organization's "Our Military Kids of the Year" event, retired Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, the 16th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and an Our

  • Officials seeks process to fund urgent needs

    The Pentagon's top acquisitions official April 13 asked Congress to help set up a funding system so the Defense Department can more quickly meet deployed warfighters' most urgent requests.Ashton B. Carter, the undersecretary of defense for acquisitions, technology and logistics, thanked the House

  • CMSAF discusses quality-of-life, personnel issues on Capitol Hill

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee here April 13 about personnel and quality-of-life issues impacting the enlisted force.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy, alongside his sister-service counterparts, highlighted the importance of

  • Officials seek input on new consumer protection office

    Treasury Department officials met here April 13 with service members and their families to better understand financial challenges in the military community.Holly Petraeus, the head of the Office of Servicemember Affairs in the Treasury Department's Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, has been

  • Policy permitting media access for dignified transfers two years old

    Two years ago, on April 6, 2009, the dignified transfer of a fallen service member with media in attendance took place under new policy directed by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. The policy, issued on March 25, 2009, sponsors family members wishing to attend and empowers the primary next of kin

  • Readiness exercise paves way for Operation Tomodachi success

    For six days in March, Airmen here focused on an operational readiness exercise, working long hours every day to prove that the base's warfighting plan was sound. The 374th Airlift Wing surged demands across the base, ensuring that individuals would be ready to support contingency operations if they

  • Military family support a 'national priority,' Obama says

    President Barack Obama today made caring for military families a national priority, calling to action his entire administration and communities across the U.S. on their behalf."The strength and the readiness of America's military depend on the strength and readiness of our military families," the

  • Hanscom team helps 'forge' new path for software development, testing

    Acquisition by its nature is a fairly rigid business, governed by established rules and procedures designed to ensure integrity, fairness and programmatic oversight. This creates a vexing problem for those trying to increase acquisition speed and agility. It's particularly challenging when dealing