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  • Air Force leaders testify on processes used to combat costs

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

  • Virginia Guard unit begins integrating with fighter wing

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

  • KC-135s serve as enablers providing air bridges

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

  • Air Force seeks new tanker

    The Air Force wants a new refueler aircraft, something commercially available now, which can be modified to replace the existing KC-135 Stratotanker fleet. That testimony came from Air Force leaders associated with the tanker replacement program, Feb. 28 in front of the House Armed Services

  • Guard rescue wing still making mark on history

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

  • Civil engineers do their part in rebuilding Iraq

    Civil engineers wage the war on terrorism by stepping outside the wire and bringing the fight into the streets. They are the only Air Force unit in Iraq who come with armored dump trucks, excavators and concrete, repairing the many craters pitting the roads in Kirkuk and surrounding area. The

  • Force shaping issues explained to Congress

    The Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel testified on force shaping and its effect on Airmen before the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee March 1. Lt. Gen. Roger A. Brady's testimony was presented to the committee that ensures servicemembers have the resources needed

  • General Scott, “God Is My Co-Pilot” author, dead at 97

    Brig. Gen. Robert L. Scott Jr., World War II fighter ace and author of the 1943 book “God Is My Co-Pilot” has died. The general passed away Feb. 27 in Warner Robins after a stroke. He was 97. Though the general retired from the Air Force in 1957, for the following decades he continued to serve the

  • Guard tests world’s first multi-person rescue basket

    An Air National Guard rescue unit successfully tested the world’s first multi-person rescue basket, a cage-like device that, once certified, can carry up to 15 people. “We really could have used this after hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” said Lt. Col. Brad Sexton, a program manager in the Air National

  • Air Force announces preferred F-22A locations

    The Air Force's preferred alternatives for the third and fourth operational F-22A beddowns are Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., and Hickam AFB, Hawaii, said Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Air Force chief of staff, today . “Although we must still complete the environmental analyses required under the

  • Hospital lab provides life-saving products, procedures

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

  • Bird flu -- fact and fiction

    A global outbreak of disease -- that is what many people think when they hear the words “bird flu.” But is it really the next pandemic or just fowl play? Properly named avian influenza, this virus has spurred global awareness and growing concerns about the possibility of the virus mutating into a

  • Ramstein Airmen train Iraqis to fly, fix C-130s

    Ramstein Airmen deployed to Iraq to train Iraqis on the C-130 Hercules aircraft -- standing up the first Iraqi airlift squadron under the country’s new regime. A Ramstein pilot, navigator and enlisted maintainers deployed from August through January to train their Iraqi counterparts to fly and

  • Special operations focus of senior leader discussion

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

  • Air Force vision embraces warfighters, heritage

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

  • Vehicle operators return home after teaming with Army

    Seven vehicle operators with the 92nd Logistics Readiness Squadron returned to work Feb. 21 after driving the war-ravaged roads of Iraq for nearly six months. “We were the last medium to light (Air Force-operated) gun trucks solely responsible for providing security to convoys,” Staff Sgt. Scott

  • Air Force realigns combat search and rescue ops

    Administrative control for select active-duty Air Force combat search and rescue assets is transferring from Air Force Special Operations Command to Air Combat Command. “Our military must always have the combat capability to rescue its people ... our warriors ... wherever and whenever required,”

  • Advertising team spotlights special ops

    An aircrew displays teamwork while firing 105 mm artillery from their gunship at night. Special operators freefall toward Earth at terminal velocity. Battlefield Airmen descend from hovering helicopters by rope, pilot small unmanned aerial vehicles and call for close air support. The Air Force’s

  • Total force in action with Predator operations

    The U.S. Air Force Warfare Center’s implementation of total force initiatives continues as more Guard and Reserve members integrate into Predator operations here. In an Air Force first, the center selected Reserve Lt. Col. John Breeden, to command the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, one of three

  • ARPC expands customer support for drilling reservists

    Beginning March 3, Air Reserve Component members will be able to speak to an Air Reserve Personnel Center customer service representative the first weekend of each month from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. MST. “ARPC will now be manned Saturdays and Sundays to help better serve all ARC Airmen,” said Col.

  • Acquisition career track may be redirected

    Bringing more engineers into the Air Force acquisition career field is a priority for Air Force Materiel Command's top officer. Gen. Bruce Carlson, AFMC commander, discussed this topic and other issues with 170 people attending the 2006 U.S. Air Force Acquisition Leaders Forum. The event was held in

  • Joint STARS keeping eye on the ground

    High over Iraq, an E-8C Joint STARS aircraft surveys hundreds of miles of the country at a time, looking for insurgent activity, controlling those situations and taking action if needed. The aircraft's crew ultimately keeps ground troops safer by communicating with convoys and directing air power to

  • Philippine relief mission provides hands-on training

    A C-17 Globemaster III from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., along with an aircrew from here, delivered relief supplies to Clark Air Base, Philippines, Feb. 22. The village of Guinsaugon, on the Philippine Island of Leyte, was hit by a killer 100-foot deep mudslide Feb. 21. Filipino officials fear

  • Medical group helping keep 'boots on the ground'

    Airmen are maintaining the health of troops and helping the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing meets its mission -- put “boots on the ground” and support the aeromedical evacuation of sick and injured servicemembers. The 386th Expeditionary Medical Group does this key mission with the help of its medical

  • Preschoolers tell Katrina stories with art

    Art is the key that unlocked the thoughts, fears and memories of some Keesler preschoolers after Hurricane Katrina. The hallways of the child development center and some doorways at the Keesler Medical Center now serve as galleries for storm-inspired artwork by 3- to 5-year-olds. The scribbles,

  • Air Force implements new cell phone restriction

    The Air Force is implementing a new cell phone restriction for drivers. Beginning Feb. 27, drivers are not allowed to talk on their cell phones while driving on Air Force installations without a hands free device. This policy is part of the Department of Defense’s Joint Traffic Guidance. This

  • Training center uses combat lessons to evolve

    Security forces in Europe are preparing for deployment to war zones with an up-to-date curriculum. The mission of the 786th Security Forces Squadron’s regional training center, otherwise known as "Creek Defender," is to provide predeployment integrated base defense training for U.S. Air Forces in

  • Airmen help secure Iraq’s infrastructure

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

  • Coalition mercy missions: Bringing heroes home

    The thunder of the C-130 Hercules engine vibrates through the cabin as the aircraft lifts off of the runway. Today’s mission is different than most. Today, Australians and Americans leave pallets and passengers behind, making room to gather the wounded and bring them back home. Affectionately called

  • Keeping Tuzla’s airfield operational

    There was a time in the late 1990s when Tuzla Air Base was crawling with hundreds of Airmen. As times changed, the duty of airfield maintenance has increasingly moved into the hands of contractors, but the Air Force still has a presence at the base. While the majority of the U.S. military presence

  • EOD Airmen remove, detonate World War II-era bomb

    Explosive ordnance disposal Airmen with the 16th Civil Engineer Squadron destroyed a World War II-era explosive device found in Pensacola. The 100-pound photo-flash bomb, common to the World War II or Korean War period, was found by construction workers Feb. 14 clearing storm debris in the waters of

  • Reserve and Guard run deployed personnel ops

    Guard and Reserve members provide many support roles in Personnel Support in Contingency Operations, or PERSCO, around the region. However, this rotation, Reserve component servicemembers comprise more than 95 percent of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing PERSCO team. “We’re not sure why it happened

  • DOD identifies Airmen killed in helicopter crash

    The Defense Department has announced the names of two Airmen and eight Marines killed in a Feb. 17 helicopter crash while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Ten servicemembers died when two CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters crashed into the Gulf of Aden near Ras Siyyan in northern Djibouti, while

  • Academy to hold leadership symposium

    "Courage in The Face of Adversity” is highlighted by the personal stories of a holocaust survivor, the commander of the successful return of the Apollo 13 mission, a terrorist survivor, two NFL head coaches, the only deaf Miss America and an Air Force Chief of Staff during the 13th Annual National

  • Medical group keeps warfighters in fight

    The 379th Expeditionary Medical Group Hospital provides medical care impacting missions well beyond its boundaries, helping warfighters stay in the fight in-theater. Minor shrapnel and gunshot wounds often prevent a soldier from staying in theater while they recover, so they come this hospital to

  • Air Force women help save convoy

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

  • Former chiefs reflect on today’s Air Force

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

  • Bolling Airmen share Valentine’s Day with veterans

    Ninety Air Force and civilian volunteers from Bolling and the Pentagon visited the Department of Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System Medical Center in Baltimore and the Baltimore VA Rehabilitation Center Feb. 14 as part of National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Week. Before the trip,

  • Getting dirty keeps planes flying

    Dirty hands and smudged faces are just the icing on the cake when it comes to maintaining A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and C-130 Hercules. It’s all that and more that make engine and hydraulic maintenance one of the dirtiest jobs here.Every aircraft that launches from the flightline here has been in the

  • Operation Winter Games -- Let the games begin

    Not long after the Olympic torch was lit honoring the beginning of the Winter Olympics games in Torino, Italy, a local team of Airmen were preparing for winter games of their own -- Operation Winter Games. The games, held Feb. 11 at Igriste-Vlasenica Ski Area, Bosnia, may have lacked the pomp and

  • Air Force and VA to build joint clinic in San Antonio

    The South Texas Veterans Health Care System and Wilford Hall Medical Center announced construction of the North Central Federal Clinic during a groundbreaking ceremony Feb. 14. The new clinic will be located in north San Antonio and is scheduled to open in October. “This clinic is an innovative

  • Deployed fuels flight makes airlift delivery

    When fuel supplies are not available in the region, tactical and ground forces rely on the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron. A team is always on standby to fulfill an aerial bulk fuels delivery system request. The team consists of two fuels technicians who have undergone special

  • Air Force regains decision authority on acquisition programs

    The Air Force recently regained oversight authority on some of the acquisition programs taken from it more than 10 months ago. The Department of Defense returned major milestone decision authority to the Air Force on 10 of 21 acquisition programs in January. The DOD had taken that authority from the

  • Forces prepare for Exercise Balikatan 2006

    U.S. servicemembers and Armed Forces of the Philippines are in the final week of preparations for Exercise Balikatan 2006, the 22nd annual bilateral combined exercise, scheduled Feb. 20 to March 5. The exercise will be conducted in three phases: humanitarian and civic assistance on the island of

  • Missile flight test program targets new successes

    The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile flight test program added two more successes to its record during recent tests conducted at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The program, one of Air Combat Command's priority programs, flew successful test flights at the missile range Jan. 25 from a B-1B

  • Letter to Airmen focuses on core values

    In his latest Letter to Airmen, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne focused on the three core values of the Air Force:  Integrity First, Service Before Self and Excellence In All We Do."These core values should reflect the values we share from the moment we take our oath to support and

  • Base honor guard goes Hollywood

    Seven of the base’s elite took part in the filming of a primetime network drama Feb. 9 at a local church. The Los Angeles Air Force Base Honor Guard supported a request from NBC’s “The West Wing” for an Air Force presence in a television episode featuring the funeral of the series’ White House chief

  • AF director of staff visits hometown schools

    As a child growing up in the shadow of Yankee Stadium, the recently designated Air Force director of staff said he wanted to be Mickey Mantle. When he returned to his old neighborhood Feb. 9, he told the children at Sacred Heart Grammar School he was proud to serve his country in the military

  • Cyber crime investigators search for truth

    Tech. Sgt. Jeff Barefoot has a strong presence in the courtroom. Three times he's stepped up to testify in court, and three times the defendants suddenly took a plea deal to avoid Sergeant Barefoot on the witness stand. Not because of his imposing stature or his 20 years of military experience, but

  • Command post: commander's eyes, ears

    The 380th Air Expeditionary Wing’s command post Airmen have one of the most important areas in the area of responsibility to track. With four controllers and a superintendent covering around-the-clock operations this group is ready for anything. “We are the nerve center for the base in this war

  • Manpower agency activates four new squadrons

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

  • International affairs specialists to enter training pipeline

    The Air Force recently selected 87 officers out of more than 400 volunteers to become its first class of international affairs specialists. Those officers will enter training this summer to become either Political-Military Affairs Strategists, or PAS, or Regional Affairs Strategists, or RAS. The

  • First piece of Air Force memorial placed

    Construction crews raised the first piece of the Air Force Memorial here on top of a hill overlooking Arlington National Cemetery. The 40-foot long piece of stainless steel, which weighs more than 28 tons, is the first of 15 pieces to be placed. When completed, the memorial will be 270 feet tall.

  • Airmen to pay tribute to hospitalized veterans

    Airmen worldwide will be visiting Veterans Affairs medical centers, nursing homes, state veterans homes and other facilities this week to pay tribute to hospitalized veterans. They are helping celebrities, youth groups, community leaders, members of the general public and veterans service

  • Providing ‘red carpet’ service, without the carpet

    Day and night they arrive -- four-star generals, ambassadors. congressional leaders and even Vice President Dick Cheney. Whether they stop for a formal visit or are here en route to another location, a two-person protocol team is there to greet them with a salute and a smile. “We are the first

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

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

  • ‘Speckled Trout’ -- Air Force bids farewell to unique plane

    A distinguished career came to a close here Feb. 10. After flying senior military leaders and undergoing rigorous testing for more than 31 years, the Speckled Trout tail number 61-2669 officially retired. "Speckled Trout was the primary transport aircraft for every Air Force chief of staff since

  • Keystone is key to future of joint operations

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

  • Pilots reflect on being Tuskegee legacy heirs

    Something special began July 19, 1941. For the first time in the history of military aviation, blacks were given an opportunity to prove themselves in the sky. The first black aviators began their flight training at Tuskegee Army Air Field, Ala., and went to the famed 99th Fighter Squadron. The

  • First lady visits Aviano

    On her way to the 2006 Winter Olympics, the First Lady of the United States, Laura Bush, visited Aviano Air Base, Italy today. As the head of the official U.S. delegation to the games in Turin, Mrs. Bush traveled here with her daughter, Barbara, and five former Olympic medalists. “These athletes

  • Family, friends send Arizona heat to deployed Airmen

    Standing a post, any post, is a tough job. But when the post is a perimeter guard tower at a base in Iraq and it’s the middle of winter, the stakes go up. Thanks to one family in Arizona, the Airmen of the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron are feeling a little bit warmer this winter. When

  • Weapons load crews keep mission on target

    It would be a lot harder to accomplish the mission in Iraq if F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots couldn’t drop 500-pound bombs exactly where they wanted. And more Soldiers would have to go into harm’s way if MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft weren’t able to engage targets with Hellfire missiles from 10,000

  • Munitions Airmen get back to basics

    Deep in the heart of Iraqi bunkers are the weapons that helped defeat Saddam Hussein. Surely the dictator would have never thought just five Airmen would track and maintain the same weapons that freed the Iraqi people from his oppression. The mission of the 506th Air Expeditionary Group Munitions

  • Fill ‘er up: POL keeps base, mission running

    Against a constant battle with the elements, the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s flying mission depends on one unit to always be ready when called on. The 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s petroleum, oil and lubricant, or POL, flight stands ready to deliver fuel to anyone who needs

  • Schriever holds African-American Month kickoff breakfast

    It was a central question the guest speaker for the African-American History Month kickoff breakfast asked the 150 people in attendance Feb. 1 at a dining facility here. “Can a neighborhood be a community? Absolutely,” said Dr. Jacqueline Taggart, a business professor at a community college in

  • Top generals meet at Corona

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

  • DOD proposes Tricare hikes for younger military retirees

    The Defense Department is proposing that working-age military retirees and their families pay higher premiums to help address health care costs that have doubled during the past few years, senior DOD officials said here today. The proposed changes would apply only to eligible military retirees under

  • Air Force releases revised religious guidelines

    The Air Force released a revised version of its religious guidelines Feb. 9, its latest step in a process started after a review at the U.S. Air Force Academy indicated a need for additional guidance. Air Force Directorate of Personnel officials issued a first set of interim guidelines in August.

  • C-5 Galaxy aircraft engine test successful

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

  • Liaison office links air, ground forces

    Ensuring that pilots and ground forces are aware of one another’s intentions, limitations and capabilities is a full-time job. That responsibility falls into the hands of three people assigned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Ground Liaison Office, or GLO. Comprised of one Airman and two

  • Uniform board results released

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

  • Air Force conducts dietary supplement survey Feb. 13 to 27

    Twenty-six Air Force installations will participate in a survey Feb. 13 to 27 regarding dietary supplement usage in the Air Force. “The survey will help the Air Force keep track of what supplements people are taking, so the Air Force can educate Airmen on any dangers that may go along with taking

  • Air Warfare Battlelab: Turning ideas into reality

    They aren’t mad scientists who wear lab coats and pocket protectors, and their expertise extends far beyond the confines of their think tanks. They were chosen because they’re the Air Force’s most innovative thinkers, and they’re turning ideas into operational force enhancers all over the world. The

  • Plan outlines strategy for war on terror

    A document being released today by the Pentagon defines the national strategy for the war on terrorism for the U.S. armed forces. The National Military Strategic Plan for the War on Terrorism, developed by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, supports the national U.S. government strategy by

  • Military working dogs, handlers train for mission success

    Author Corey Ford once wrote, “Properly trained, a man can be dog’s best friend.” For 12 highly trained servicemembers here, the military working dog, or MWD, is not only their friend but their trusted companion, loyal follower and No. 1 teammate. But, this team like so many others comes from lots

  • Team trains for personnel transformation

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

  • Electronic Systems Center gets 'Smart'

    In a sweeping effort to improve its processes, the Air Force launched "Smart Operations 21." This initiative combines key aspects of several industry efficiency tools. Most notable among them are Lean and Six Sigma, which have been used extensively to improve customer value while reducing waste,

  • Japanese officers attend AF security forces basic course

    The first Japanese air force officers since 1992 are attending the Air Force security forces basic officer course here. “I would like to emphasize that we really appreciate being accepted here,” said Capt. Hideaki Nakamura, one of the three Japanese officers attending the nearly four-month-long

  • Interdependence is key to future success

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

  • Quadrennial review allows DOD to make 'vector changes'

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

  • QDR directs Air Force future

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

  • BMT extended, NCOs to learn new languages

    Civilians wanting to be Airmen are going to have to tough it out for an additional two and a half weeks at basic military training, said the Air Force's top general here Feb. 2. Airmen graduating from BMT are going to be better trained and better equipped to be war fighters, said Air Force Chief of

  • QDR focuses on protecting Americans

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

  • Moseley discusses uniform changes

    The top Air Force general is enthusiastic about the upcoming utility uniform and its head-to-toe changes, he said at the Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium here Feb. 2. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley said during a discussion at the symposium that officials have finalized

  • Air Force leaders share Corona issues

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

  • 615th CRW plays role in joint exercise

    Airmen with the 615th Contingency Response Wing here participated in a joint forcible entry exercise, or JFEX, at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., Jan. 21 to 28. JFEX is designed to enhance cohesiveness between the Air Force and Army by executing large-scale heavy equipment and troop movements. The

  • Airmen coordinate relief airdrops for Afghan people

    The sounds of cargo aircraft echo through the Afghan hillside. Families huddle against their makeshift homes, watching air-dropped bundles glide to the ground. These deliveries contain blankets, firewood, medical supplies and food -- a gesture of compassion and a foundation to build on. Since

  • Adjustments essential to maintaining Tricare benefits

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

  • Air Force charity ball set for April 1

    After raising more than $630,000 the last two years, the Air Force’s official charity ball returns April 1 at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C. The first official ball was in 2004. The committee will stop taking reservations Feb. 10. “We look forward to another successful event thanks to the

  • Sergeant thanks Congress for helping keep her team together

    As the president spoke to the nation during the State of the Union address, an Airman sat in the gallery, dressed in blues, displaying the combat medals she earned in Iraq. America’s most prominent leaders were gathered in one room on Capitol Hill for the annual speech Jan. 31. Sitting attentively

  • 12th Air Force embraces 'A staff' structure

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

  • Air Force Assistance Fund campaign begins Feb. 13

    This year's Air Force Assistance Fund "Commitment to Caring" campaign, from Feb. 13 to May 5, will provide Airmen the opportunity to contribute to any of the four official Air Force charitable organizations. Now in its 33rd year, 100 percent of designated AFAF contributions will benefit active-duty,

  • Luke Airmen enjoy 'Lt. Dan Band' show

    Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band received rave reviews from the more than 1,500 Luke Airmen who attended a free United Service Organizations concert Saturday night. Well known for his “Forrest Gump” character “Lt. Dan”, Gary Sinise and his band, the Lt. Dan Band, played a variety of music from

  • AEF rotation perfect time to set goals

    The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing command chief makes no bones about it at the Right Start Briefing. “You’re here for a rotation, and our mission comes first; but, it’s also a great time to set some goals and achieve them,” said Chief Master Sgt. Dwayne Hopkins, 379th AEW command chief. Tech. Sgt.

  • New documentary showcases unique military careers

    A new documentary launched today will help to educate the American public about military service and clear up misconceptions, said a Department of Defense official. David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said the one-hour film, "Today's Military: Extraordinary People;

  • Gunsmith shop gets new name, command

    The U.S. Air Force Gunsmith Shop is getting a new name and command. After 48 years of operations here under Air Training and then Air Education and Training Command, the shop is realigning under Air Force Materiel Command. Now known as the U.S. Air Force Gunsmith Integrated Product Team, the

  • Overseas EQUAL list available Feb. 1

    The Overseas Enlisted Quarterly Assignment Listing will be available Feb. 1 for overseas requirements, October to December. Airmen should work through their military personnel flights or commander's support staff to update their preferences. Deployed personnel should work with their personnel

  • Chief makes history, home at 433rd AW

    “When I was told that I was the first African American female chief in the 433rd, I was proud because I have made a milestone,” said Chief Master Sgt. Laverne Vick, who has been with the wing her entire 28 years in the Air Force Reserve. “I wanted to set an example so I wouldn’t be the last and

  • Tuskegee Airmen leave strong legacy

    On July 19, 1941, the Army Air Force began a program in Alabama to train black Americans as pilots for the first time. Civil rights organizations and the black press exerted pressure that resulted in the formation of an all black pursuit squadron based in Tuskegee, Ala., in 1941. They became known

  • CMSAF announces retirement

    The 14th chief master sergeant of the Air Force, Gerald R. Murray, announced plans to retire this summer after serving more than 28 years. Chief Murray has served as the chief master sergeant of the Air Force since July 1, 2002. “I’ve grown up as an Airman,” Chief Murray said. “The Air Force has