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  • Human performance training optimizes Airmen

    As the Air Force continues to scale down its numbers, it's more important than ever to have Airmen performing their missions at the highest levels. This means working smarter, not harder, and doing it safely. Helping to optimize the performance of members here is the goal for the 18th Aerospace

  • Airmen donate clothes, sports items to Malian

    Months of hard work came to fruition for Airmen from Aviano Air Base, Italy, when they delivered boxes of clothing to a local orphanage July 16 in Mali. When Airmen from Aviano found out they were going to Mali for a medical mission, they joined efforts with the local community to gather more than

  • Air Force officials buy 'offices in the air'

    Air Force officials recently approved the purchase of pallets that will provide work and rest areas for senior leaders traveling aboard mobility aircraft. The service is purchasing two types of removable mobile command workspaces for use by military and senior civilian leaders who are required to

  • 302nd AEG conducts its 21st day of California wild fire support

    Aircraft and firefighters from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group began their 21st day of aerial firefighting support missions July 16 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. On July 15, aerial assets of the 302nd AEG did not perform aerial firefighting missions due limited

  • AETC first to receive new acquisitions authority

    Air Education and Training Command became the first major command authorized to pursue services acquisitions valued at up to $500 million, following the signing of an agreement between the command and Air Force Acquisitions officials. The new agreement is expected to help streamline the acquisition

  • Lakenheath Airman gives someone a second chance at life

    Staff Sgt. James D. Kelley, 48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron repair and reclamation journeyman here, is saving a life by donating peripheral blood stem cells July 18 to a hospital in Fairfax, Va.The PBSC transplant consists of shots for five days to increase the amount of stem cells in the

  • Malians learn life-saving techniques during exercise

    In a dimly lit, dusty classroom, 32 Malian medics and nurses received their first-ever mass casualty training July 15 in Kati, Mali, 15 kilometers outside the capital city of Bamako. More than 90 servicemembers deployed to Mali for MEDFLAG 08, a multi-national medical training exercise designed to

  • Airframes transform to save lives

    Fixed wing aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules, KC-135 Stratotanker and C-17 Globemaster III, can transform into aeromedical evacuation, or "aerovac," airframes, allowing medical personnel to care for larger patient loads, over longer distances, at higher altitudes, with a greater ability to care

  • Air Force doctors begin medical exercise in Panama

    Air Force and Panamanian doctors began seeing patients here at a local school as part of Medical Readiness Training Exercise-Panama July 14. On the first day patients began lining up, hundreds upon hundreds waited in orderly fashion; looks of curiousness and anticipation on their faces. Some looked

  • Coast Guard provides maintenance support to 302nd AEG

    Coast Guardsmen from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento opened their hangar doors for maintainers from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group, making it easier for them to work on the modular airborne fire fighting system-equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft that are assisting with fighting wildfires in

  • Coalition doctors remove tumor, save Afghan girl's life

    On a warm morning in early June, a worried Abdullah Haqim walked with his daughter into the weekly Coalition medical clinic in Farah province, Afghanistan. Six-year-old Gulzana was sick and local Afghan doctors could not diagnose or treat the painful swelling that had engulfed her left eye. The

  • 302nd AEG conducts its nineteenth day of California wild fire support

    Aircraft and firefighters from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group stand ready to begin their 19th day of aerial firefighting support missions July 14 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. July 13, aerial assets of the 302nd AEG did not perform aerial firefighting missions due

  • 302nd AEG conducts its twentieth day of California wild fire support

    Aircraft and firefighters from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group stand ready to begin their 20th day of aerial firefighting support missions July 15 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. On July 14, aerial assets from the 302nd AEG did not perform aerial firefighting missions

  • Enlisted medical training to consolidate at Fort Sam Houston

    A ceremonial groundbreaking for the Medical Education and Training Campus here July 10 marked another step toward what leaders are calling the largest consolidation of training in the history of the Department of Defense. Upon completion in 2011, the joint campus, led by tri-service leadership, will

  • Working dog kennels receive massive renovation

    Military working dogs transitioning through a base in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility are receiving a "bone-a-fide" upgrade to their accommodations, courtesy of the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron. The renovations, which included floor stripping and resealing, and the

  • 'The Swoose' finds new home at Air Force museum

    The Swoose, the oldest surviving B-17 Flying Fortress and the only "D" model still in existence, was transferred from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Shipment of this unique aircraft from Washington, D.C., is in progress and it is expected

  • EOD flights take out 'things that make you go boom'

    Improvised explosive devices account for more than 40 percent of all U.S. servicemember deaths, but a small group of professional Airmen make the roads of Baghdad a little safer by taking out any IED, explosively formed penetrator or unexploded ordnance that gets in their way. The 447th

  • Military aircrews continue California wildfire suppression support

    Airmen from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group began their 18th day of aerial firefighting support missions July 12 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. The Airmen and their military airborne assets performed 26 air drops delivering more than 67,200 gallons of fire retardant

  • Medical team deploys to Mali for MEDFLAG 08

    More than 90 servicemembers deployed to Bamako, Mali, July 11 for MEDFLAG 08, a multinational medical training exercise designed to enhance medical capabilities and readiness for U.S. and African forces. "MEDFLAG 08 gives us the opportunity to conduct medical training in a simulated mass casualty

  • Airman's packaging idea cuts hazmat response time

    One Airman's initiative has cut the response times for hazardous material teams from hours to minutes, and his supervisors want civil engineer units throughout the Air Force to adopt the idea. Senior Airman Michael Blair, an emergency management equipment technician with the 332nd Expeditionary

  • Enlisted education gets new namesake

    The official designation ceremony of the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education July 11 was the last in a series of events transforming Air University into streamlined centers for professional education, research and doctrinal development. The Barnes Center will serve as the umbrella

  • Chief of staff retires after 37 years

    In a ceremony filled with military tradition, the 18th chief of staff of the Air Force, General T. Michael Moseley, retired July 11 after 37 years of service. "We honor here today the career of a warfighter, diplomat, historian and Airman," said former Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne, who

  • Fire retardant reload operations moved to Channel Islands

    The 302nd Air Expeditionary Group moved some critical fire retardant reloading equipment to the Channel Islands Air National Guard Station July 8 to increase the efficiency of modular airborne firefighting systems-equipped C-130 Hercules in battling wildfires in California. The purpose for setting

  • Eye doctors give patients new outlook

    Eye doctors deployed to the Air Force Theater Hospital in Iraq see more than twice as many eye traumas than they encounter at their homestations. Among their patients are Iraqis and American servicemembers who have suffered eyesight-threatening injuries. Ophthalmologists can't always save their

  • Iraqi air force acquires new aircraft from U.S. forces

    U.S. forces transferred ownership of 11 aircraft to the Iraqi air force July 9 during a ceremony at New Al Muthana Air Base. Army Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, commander of Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq, signed over eight Cessna 172s and three Cessna Caravan 208s worth more than $9

  • Satellite's instrumentation providing scintillation forecast data

    Whether it's static interrupting a radio station, or crackling noises interfering with a theater commander's attempt to contact a deployed unit, scintillation can cause communication chaos. Scintillation occasionally occurs when radio waves transiting an unstable ionosphere, located 50 to 360 miles

  • Officials unveil portrait of AF pioneer

    Air Force officials unveiled a portrait of the late Gen. Bernard Schriever in a ceremony July 8 at the Pentagon. General Schriever is often called the "father of the Air Force space and missile program" because of his advocacy of the need for space superiority and contributions to the development of

  • Maintainers keep C-130's flying during wildfire operations

    As the fires in California continue to threaten lives and property, maintainers from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group ensure that the modular airborne fire fighting system-equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft are ready to fly and drop fire retardant on time and on target. When it comes to getting the

  • AF introduces civilian acculturation, leadership program

    Applications are now being accepted from Air Force civilian interns and Student Career Employment Program graduates for the Civilian Acculturation and Leadership Training program. This opportunity is a chief of staff initiative designed as an intensive leadership development program for civilians

  • Team teaches trauma course at Honduran conference

    Members from the Joint Task Force-Bravo Medical Element presented a medical trauma refresher and trauma simulations to more than 200 Honduran medical professionals at an annual medical conference in the Honduran capital July 8. Medical officials from all over Honduras converged on the capital city

  • Pentagon officials reopen bidding on tanker contract

    Defense Department officials have reopened the bidding process for a multibillion-dollar midair refueling tanker contract, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. The announcement comes after Government Accountability Office officials last month found improper practices related to the $35

  • Air Force video earns top awards

    A Secretary of the Air Force video describing the role of air power in the war on terrorism earned two top television awards recently. The Telly Awards honored the service's "Setting the Conditions for Victory" video with two Silver Awards, which is the highest honor bestowed to the best of local,

  • Afghan print plant supports mission, training

    Mentoring the Afghan National Army staff at the Kabul print plant is a great mission, said Maj. Paul Kaster, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan ANA communications mentor. But, he says he may have worked himself out of a job. Major Kaster, deployed from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.,

  • California fire support missions continue July 4

    Airmen from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group launched their ninth day of Aerial support missions July 4 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. The aircrews, flying Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems-equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft, focused their firefighting efforts on the

  • Airmen continue California firefighting support

    Aimen from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group launched their eighth day of Aerial support missions July 3 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. The C-130 aircrews focused their firefighting efforts on the Gap fire in the Los Padres National Forest and the Piute fire located in

  • C-130s continue aerial firefighting operations in California

    Aircraft from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group continued aerial firefighting support missions July 5 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. C-130 Hercules aircraft flew 25 sorties in approximately 50 flight hours. Twelve sorties flew to the Goleta, or Gap, fire located

  • California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visits 302nd AEG

    During a visit to the California National Guard fire fighting training facility at McClellan Airfield here, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger paid a brief visit to the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group to wish Airmen a happy 4th of July and thank them for their service in assisting with

  • Air Force names 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year

    Air Force officials have selected the service's top enlisted members, naming the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2008. An Air Force selection board at the Air Force Personnel Center here considered 33 nominees who represented major commands, direct reporting units, field operating agencies and

  • Air traffic controller supports California wildfire effort

    As a C-130 Hercules from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group rolls down the ramp here ready to take off to fight California's wildfires, an air traffic controller in the tower at McClellan Airfield ensures each flight takes off and lands safely. William Grava looks over the airfield and scans the

  • Airmen fight California fires for 12th day

    Airmen of the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group here began their 12th day of aerial firefighting support missions July 7 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. The 302nd AEG military airborne assets performed 69 airdrops delivering more than 100,300 gallons of fire retardant and

  • Promotion release 'virtual' success

    It was deathly quiet at 7:45 a.m. at the Air Force Personnel Center here June 26. Both here, and around the world, noncommissioned officers eligible for promotion to technical and master sergeant hit the Internet, hoping someone had posted the promotion list prior to the 8 a.m. scheduled release. At

  • Andrews Airman participates in national golf tournament

    When he was in high school, Senior Master Sgt. Kirk Kessler worked part-time at a golf course in Mobridge, S.D., to earn some cash and play the sport for free. As he mowed the fairways and greens, he didn't think much of the game. "I played a little bit, but I didn't take the game seriously," he

  • President salutes wounded Airman at medical center groundbreaking

    A scar peeked out from beneath the navy blue beret Staff Sgt. Scott Lilley borrowed to wear July 3 during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center here. "Luckily we have the same size head," said the cap's owner, Staff Sgt. Michael Barczik of Andrews Air Force

  • Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman sends Fourth of July message

    Seldom in our nation's history has this anniversary fallen at so critical and dangerous a time.  Al-Qaida has been beaten back in Iraq, but it is not defeated. The Taliban still claws for power in Afghanistan. Extremists of all kinds all over the world still plot against us, our fellow citizens, and

  • Iraqi air force soars through U.S.-guided exercise

    Members of the Coalition Air Force Training Team assigned to the 370th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron here have been training and mentoring Iraqi air force members in their functional areas for years. Recently, the 370th AEAS staff partnered with members of the 447th Air Expeditionary Group at

  • Airmen's support of California fires goes into seventh day

    Airmen of the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group here have launched their seventh day of support missions July 2 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in northern California. Operating out of McClellan Airfield in Sacramento, the Airmen fly C-130 Hercules aircraft equipped with the Modular

  • AETC officials welcome new commander

    Air Education and Training Command officials welcomed their new commander in a change-of-command ceremony July 2 at Randolph Air Force Base. Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz assumed command of AETC as Gen. Duncan J. McNabb, the Air Force vice chief of staff, presided over the ceremony.General Lorenz is

  • National Guard ordered to battle California wildfires

    Approximately 200 California National Guard members were ordered by the state governor July 2 to provide direct ground support to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to extinguish wildfires in the northern part of the state. There are already more than 500 Guard Soldiers and

  • Air Force, Army leaders discuss new concept of operations

    Air Force and Army leaders met June 30 to discuss developing a new joint unmanned aerial system concept of operations and maximize the contributions these systems provide to joint forces in the field. Gen. John D.W. Corley, Air Combat Command commander, met with Army Gen. William S. Wallace, Army

  • Air Force officials clarify uniform change announcements

    As the Air Force transitions from the legacy battle dress to the modern airman battle uniform, questions and concerns are bound to come up, said the head of Air Force uniform and recognition branch. "Anytime there is new information about uniforms for Airmen, we will get that out to the field as

  • Cyberspace career fields, training paths, badge proposed

    Air Force officials recently proposed a plan to develop its enlisted and officer corps into Airmen who specialize in establishing, controlling and fighting in the cyberspace domain. That's according to Maj. Gen. William T. Lord, the Air Force Cyber Command (Provisional) commander who referenced

  • Airmen support California firefighting for sixth day

    Airmen of the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group here are into their sixth day of California wildfire support July 1 helping to control fires engulfing areas of the Sequoia National Forest. Airmen of the 302nd AEG operate out of McClellan Airfield in Sacramento and fly C-130 Hercules aircraft equipped

  • U.S. Forces Japan commander reviews troops

    The commander of both U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force spoke about the importance of meeting the men and women stationed on Okinawa as he toured Kadena Air Base and other local American bases June 18 through 20. Lt. Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr. said seeing the servicemembers stationed here with his

  • Air Force medics join Navy mission

    Twenty-eight Air Force medics from across the Pacific region are spending time on the open sea as they participate in Pacific Partnership 2008. Alongside other public health and preventive medicine professionals from the Navy, Army, U.S. Public Health Service and the Military Sealift Command, the

  • Budget leader earns service's top management award

    The deputy assistant secretary for budget received the 2007 Eugene M. Zuckert Management Award during a ceremony recently at the Pentagon. "It is truly an honor to receive such a high-level award, but there are many people who deserve credit for it," said Maj. Gen. Larry O. Spencer, who is

  • Civilians can consider military treatment facility if injured

    If an Air Force civilian employee is injured on the job, time can be vitally important in getting that injury treated. One of the best solutions for both an employee and the Air Force is to use an emergency room at a base military treatment facility. Yet few employees take advantage of this

  • Program offers enlisted members chance to LEAD

    Enlisted Airmen with eyes on U.S. Air Force Academy appointments may have their chance to become an officer through the Leaders Encouraging Airman Development program. The program, initiated in 1995 by Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman, the former Air Force chief of staff, delegates authority to unit and wing

  • Airmen donate medical equipment to Bulgarian hospital

    Airmen from Homestead Air Reserve Base recently raised $2,800 to purchase a new cardiac monitor for the children's ward at local hospital during a deployment to Graf-Isnatievo Air Base, Bulgaria. Reservists from the 482nd Fighter Wing deployed with 10 F-16 Fighting Falcons to train with Bulgarian

  • Veterans honor Berlin Airlift's 60th anniversary

    American, British and French veterans have returned to Germany to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. Dr. Helmut Trotnow, the curator of the Allied Museum in Berlin, attributed part of the dissolution of the Soviet blockade to the U.S. armed forces involved in the airlift. "This

  • National Guard on duty from coast to coast

    About 2,300 Air and Army National Guard members remain on duty in the Midwest, down from a peak of more than 5,700, officials reported. Meanwhile, officials in California called for more aircraft to fight the wildfires. While the number of guardmembers needed on the ground went down, the number of

  • Airmen bring joy through cooking at Center for the Intrepid

    The apartment-style kitchen on the fourth floor of the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio was bubbling with excitement June 24 as the sound of conversation and the smell of delicious foods permeated the air. The Center, located near Brooke Army Medical Center, provides traumatic amputee

  • Berlin Airlift vets return to Germany for anniversary

    For 50 years, Dub Southers recalled the grueling hours he worked at an air base in northern Germany at the start of the Berlin Airlift, not the historical significance of what he helped achieve as a flight engineer and crew chief. He remembered well the stacks of coal being shipped in from local

  • Air Force officials announce library of the year winner

    Air Force Library Program officials announced the winner of the Air Force Library of the Year award June 12 here.The Eglin Base Library, with an eight-man staff, was recignized for their outstanding customer focus and satisfaction."Even in times of scarce budgets, we still aim to fulfill our

  • Doctor provides medical care in native country during mission

    "I see myself in their faces." These are the words of Maj. Victor Inga, an Air Force doctor participating in New Horizons-Peru 2008, a humanitarian mission providing relief for underprivileged Peruvians. Major Inga uttered these words seconds after he watched yet another young Peruvian boy walk

  • Entries sought for military essay contest

    The Military Officers Association of America is seeking entries for its inaugural Military Professional Essay Contest.  Essays may address any topic that has relevance to the association's stated mission of preserving a strong national defense. The contest is open to current, former and retired

  • Leaders eye dorm improvements

    Air Force leaders are currently looking at service dormitories to ensure first-term Airmen are living in facilities that meet standards. "Our Airmen's quality of life is a top priority for the Air Force," said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley, who recently collected photos and

  • Whiteman Airmen make first all-air Guard B-2 flight

    Airmen of the 131st Bomb Wing here completed the first B-2 Spirit sortie flown and launched by Missouri Air National Guard members June 18 at Whiteman Air Force Base. Col. Gregory Champagne, the 131st Fighter Wing vice commander, and Maj. David Thompson, a 131st FW pilot, were launched by Master

  • Program helps deployed Airmen with career decisions

    Expeditionary Top IV members here are helping Airmen to make major career decisions while deployed, and far away from career advisors and other personnel specifically trained to help.The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Top IV Mentor/Shadow Program, currently managed by Master Sgt. Judy Quintana, gives

  • Unit becomes Cyberspace Technical Center of Excellence

    The Air Force Institute of Technology and the Center for Cyberspace Research here were designated as the Air Force's Cyberspace Technical Center of Excellence June 19 by the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force. The Cyberspace Technical Center of Excellence, or CyTCoE, is chartered to be

  • Servicemembers begin medical mission in Peru

    American servicemembers kicked-off medical mission New Horizons-Peru 2008, a U.S. and Peruvian humanitarian initiative scheduled through Aug. 31 to provide relief to underprivileged Peruvians.The humanitarian medical mission, currently staffed by 35 Air Force medics, will provide free medical care

  • AFCYBER headquarters staff to operate virtually

    Air Force Cyber Command officials announced their intent to spread out headquarters staffing among nine locations so it can meet the 45 percent manning requirements needed for initial operations. "Normally, a major command headquarters will house all its staff functions at one place, but because the

  • Stenner takes reins of Air Force Reserve

    Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr. assumed command of the Air Force Reserve and its 68,000 members June 24 in a ceremony at the Air Force Memorial here. He succeeds Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, who held the post since 2004. "I'm excited to lead the finest group of warriors I have ever known," General

  • Mullen urges Joint Staff to speed up warfighter support

    The nation's top military officer called on the Joint Staff today to speed up efforts to get new capabilities to warfighters and to focus on building capabilities needed to win not just the current war, but future wars as well. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told

  • Eglin team prepares Small Diameter Bombs for warfighters

    Guided munitions such as the Small Diameter Bomb have helped change the way wars are fought. SDBs, prepared by 681st Armament Systems Squadron members here, give aircrews the ability to destroy targets that would normally be passed over due to the proximity of friendly troops, civilians, structures

  • President nominates woman Army general for fourth star

    President Bush nominated Army Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody for promotion June 23, which, pending Senate approval, would make her the first woman to be a four-star officer in U.S. history. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced the president's nomination of General Dunwoody as the commander of Army

  • Chairman calls homeless veterans 'hugely important issue'

    Calling the issue "hugely important," the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here June 23 that the nation must fully integrate efforts to help homeless veterans. "How do we reach out to them, and how do we create opportunities?" Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen asked an audience of about 200

  • Firefighters saving lives, money

    Kadena Air Base is now home to a rescue technician course designed to help Pacific-region firefighters save lives and at the same time save the Air Force dollars. The three week course is offered by Detachment 1, 554th Red Horse Squadron, who teaches firefighters how to manage personnel and

  • Airman teaches CPR to Afghan medical providers

    Six Afghan medical providers learned basic lifesaving skills at a Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team CPR course held June 18 at the Rokha Clinic in Rokha. Staff Sgt. Janine Duschka, a PRT medical technician deployed from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., taught the course. "It is important to teach

  • Donley in as acting Air Force secretary

    Michael B. Donley is the new acting secretary of the Air Force, succeeding Michael Wynne, who held the position since November 2005. Mr. Donley was previously the administration and management director for the Secretary of Defense, a position sometimes referred to as "mayor" of the Pentagon. The

  • Missouri Air National Guardsmen man checkpoints

    Jon Taggert is a full-time political science major at Missouri State University most of the year, but June 20, and for the next few weeks, he's Airman 1st Class Taggert and he's helping to maintain order in the partially flooded town of Foley, Mo.Airman Taggert, a member of the 131st Security Forces

  • Officials provide flood info for federal employees

    Defense Department officials have issued information to assist federal employees and agencies affected by the recent flooding throughout the Midwest and Mississippi River Valley, military officials said. "Our Defense Department employees are a valued resource and an essential part of our total

  • UPDATED - SECAF salutes Airmen during ceremony

    Beneath the spires of the Air Force Memorial erected under his watch, the secretary of the Air Force bid farewell to Airmen June 20, his last day as their senior civilian official. Secretary Michael W. Wynne addressed the crowd of Airmen, civilians and media in a ceremony at the memorial, speaking

  • 3-D imaging to help A-10 integrate latest weapons

    The A-10C Thunderbolt II is undergoing state-of-the-art 3-D measurement here through June 20 to help the close-air support aircraft carry the latest in smart weapons technology. The 46th Test Wing's Air Force Seek Eagle Office, Computerized Physical Fit team is collecting approximately 100,000 3-D

  • Wilford Hall team treats ENT patients in Honduras

    A 14-person medical team from Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, completed a two-week readiness training mission in Honduras June 19, after performing numerous ear, nose and throat procedures. The surgical team accomplished 240 patient evaluations and more than 40 surgeries and a

  • JCS vice chairman: break service barriers

    Nattily attired in his khaki-and-olive uniform, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James E. Cartwright squinted through the stage light glare before beginning to speak at the second annual Air Force Cyberspace Symposium here June 19. Looking out at a sea of blue uniforms and business

  • Illinois Air National Guard gathers to help save town

    More than 300 Air National Guard members from across Illinois gathered June 19 to help save a small farming community from the swelling Mississippi River here. A collective group from the 126th Air Refueling Squadron at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., the 183rd Fighter Squadron at Springfield, Ill., and

  • Korea, U.S. join forces for Exercise Max Thunder

    Airmen and aircraft from units across the Pacific Air Forces descended June 16 to participate in Exercise Max Thunder here. Hosted by Kunsan Air Base officials, Max Thunder is a bi-lateral training exercise intended to increase interoperability between Korean and U.S. forces. The exercise will

  • General counsel honors AFMC Ethics Program Office

    Members of the Air Force Materiel Command's Ethics Program Office received the Air Force General Counsel's Excellence in Ethics Program Award for 2007 during a presentation ceremony June 11 at the General Counsel's Acquisition Conference in Dayton, Ohio. Mary L. Walker, the Air Force general

  • Chronic Critical Skill career fields offer opportunities

    Enlisted Airmen serving in certain career fields have a greater opportunity for promotion through an annually updated Chronic Critical Skills Program list. A number of factors are considered before certain Air Force Specialty Codes are put on the list. For one thing, the AFSC must have manning

  • ACC commander speaks at Joint Warfighting Conference

    Gen. John Corley, Air Combat Command commander, gave the plenary address here June 20. General Corley addressed dominance, relevance and readiness during the third and final day of the Joint Warfighting Conference 2008. On this date in 1944 the battle of the Philippines Sea, a major battle during

  • Bombers drop sea mines to end deployment

    B-52 Stratofortress bombers dropped 162 inert sea mines 80 miles off Guam's south coast during a recent training exercise to finish a four-month rotation to the Pacific island. Aircrews from the 96th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron dropped the MK-62 sea mines on strategic spots to deter "enemy forces"

  • New radar facility to open

    Officials from the Ellsworth Air Force Base and Minot AFB, N.D., Radar Approach Control Facilities are preparing to open the Dakota Air Traffic Control Facility this summer here.The facility will be a noncontiguous, co-located RAPCON and will service both bases and the region. "The current Ellsworth

  • Strike Eagles roar above the Pacific

    Eighteen F-15E Strike Eagles and more than 400 Airmen from the 389th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, arrived June 4 here to help maintain deterrent capabilities in the Pacific. The mission is part of a scheduled air expeditionary force rotation for the 389th EFS,

  • Cadets learn mission through Operation Air Force

    Eighteen U.S. Air Force Academy cadets visited McChord Air Force Base June 13 to experience operations and day-to-day experiences in the Air Force.The cadets visited McChord AFB during the first phase of Operation Air Force, a career-broadening program, and then flew on board a C-17 Globemaster III

  • Air National Guard works to corral Mississippi

    The men and women of the 185th Air Refueling Squadron from Sioux City, Iowa, are teaming with local farmers to maintain the 20 miles of levees, keeping the flooded Mississippi from inundating the 14 thousand acres of homes and farmland here. The river is flowing 23 feet over flood levels and 20 feet

  • Air National Guard's Airmen of the Year announced

    Air National Guard officials identified six Airmen as their Airmen of the Year for 2008 following their arrival here June 15 for a week-long celebration and tribute to their achievements. This year's Airmen of the Year were chosen through a process of unit, state and national selection panels and

  • Master, technical sergeant promotion rates announced

    Air Force officials here selected 5,404 of 24,223 eligible technical sergeants for promotion to master sergeant, and 7,110 of 38,324 eligible staff sergeants for promotion to technical sergeant in a list that will be released June 26.The master sergeant selection rate, 22.31 percent, decreased 2.58

  • JTACs train in complex art of coordinating close-air support

    Exercise Atlantic Strike VII kicked off June 14 in the swampy pinegroves of the Avon Park Air Ground Training Complex as more than 800 joint and coalition warfighters from around the world gathered to practice and train in the complex art of coordinating close-air support for ground maneuvers. The

  • Aircrew flight equipment award winners announced

    Air Force officials announced the 2007 Outstanding Air Force Aircrew Flight Equipment career field award winners June 17. The 2007 Aircrew Flight Equipment award winners are: -- Headquarters Staff Member of the Year is Master Sgt. Troy J. Bauerbach, Hurlburt Field, Fla. -- Officer of the Year is

  • Special concert given for some special children

    The U.S. Air Forces Central Band Falcon gave a special performance to some special children at the Belvodosky Orphanage June 14 in Kyrgyzstan. The band members, who are deployed from the Heartland of America Band at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., sang about a dozen songs for about 80 children. The