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  • Air Force medics care for ABC correspondents

    The Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad Air Base, Iraq, is caring for more than servicemembers. ABC news correspondent Bob Woodruff, co-anchor for “World News Tonight” and his cameraman, Doug Vogt, were two of their recent patients. They were wounded when the Army convoy they were traveling with was

  • Airmen pitch in to support Iraqi children

    Surrounded by stacks of school supplies, Senior Airman Aaron Smith stands in the middle of a mission that almost didn’t go. The supplies are donations from stateside groups and individuals and the mission is Operation Provide School Supplies. Without the Airmen of the 506th Air Expeditionary Group,

  • Memorial services held for fallen Airmen

    More than 500 Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and multinational partners attended a memorial service Jan. 27 to pay their final respects to two Airmen who were killed in Iraq by an improvised explosive device Jan. 22. Tech. Sgt. Jason Norton, 32, and Staff Sgt. Brian McElroy, 28, were assigned to

  • American, Korea forces combine efforts in peninsula-wide exercise

    Seventh Air Force launched a peninsula-wide exercise Jan. 23 with a combination of forces from Osan, Kunsan and South Korea. This exercise was the largest in South Korea in recent history. “Seventh Air Force Headquarters, the 51st Fighter Wing and the 8th Fighter Wing have completely integrated into

  • Field medics move in out of the dust

    The thought of a field hospital conjures up images of medics rolling battle-wounded troops on gurneys into a dimly lit operating room. The 447th Expeditionary Medical Squadron at Sather Air Base located at Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, no longer battles the desert dust or works in cramped

  • Headquarters Air Force realigns similar to 'J-staff' model

    The staff functions at Headquarters Air Force, major commands and warfighting headquarters will soon all share the same "A-staff" structure. By Feb. 1, the Air Staff at Headquarters Air Force here will adopt an organizational structure that closely mirrors the Army's "G-staff," the Navy's "N-staff"

  • HVAC team keeps Airmen ‘cool’ under pressure

    Every humming metal box, tangle of wires and yawning duct on a military base has some function. But, it usually doesn’t get much attention until it stops functioning. In this way, heating, venting and air conditioning, or HVAC, technicians in the 376th Civil Engineer Squadron here, are attuned to

  • New location, same C-130 airlift mission

    Airmen and aircraft have relocated and the name of the squadron has changed. But, the mission of Airmen deployed here from the 463rd Airlift Group at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., has not. These Airmen deliver cargo in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility and are now flying their

  • Chilean air force receives F-16 Peace Puma

    The delivery of two new F-16 Peace Puma aircraft from the United States to Chile Jan. 24 kicks off a promising era of interoperability between the two nations. Over the next 10 months, the Chilean air force will receive eight additional F-16 C and D model aircraft from the contractor Lockheed Martin

  • Air Force-led convoy hands reins back to Soldiers

    As the Air Force has taken on roles traditionally held by the Army, one of the most visible of those tasks has been convoy duty. One of those Air Force-led convoys is ending its run and handing the reins back over to Soldiers. Their last convoy will be a certification run for the Soldiers who are

  • 'Why' Smart Ops 21?

    Why do we do the things we do, the way we do them in the Air Force? “Because that’s the way we’ve always done it,” is a common reply. While tradition is important to the existence of an organization, the growth required to propel an organization forward doesn’t happen without honestly applying the

  • Air Force cardiologist helps Iraqi children

    As a volunteer pediatric cardiologist for several nonprofit organizations, Lt. Col. (Dr.) Kirk Milhoan has screened children with congenital heart disease in Mongolia, Kosovo, Uzbekistan, Mexico, Tibet and Sudan. When he deployed to the Air Force theater hospital at Balad Air Base, Iraq, in 2005, he

  • High-speed air vehicles designed for rapid global reach

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

  • Small office comes up big for armament, munitions Airmen

    When it comes to handling munitions no one does a better job than the munitions materiel handling equipment focal point here. The focal point is an organization assigned to the agile combat support systems squadron. Its sole purpose is to support the entire Air Force armament and munitions community

  • PMEL Airmen ensure equipment is serviceable

    The precision measurement equipment laboratory’s claim to fame is being the only 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron workgroup that serves the entire area of responsibility. The team falls under the responsibility of the test measurement and diagnostic equipment, or TMDE, flight. The laboratory

  • Services Airmen handle record-breaking ‘invasion’

    More than 3,000 transient servicemembers invaded this desert base recently. These travelers broke the base’s records for lodging and dining. "They came in droves, hungry and tired," said Lt. Col. David Preston, the commander of the 379th Expeditionary Services Squadron. "But, Services was up for the

  • Italian pilot deploys with U.S. forces

    For four months an Italian air force pilot, as part of an exchange program, has been deployed to Southwest Asia with the U.S. Air Force. Capt. Daniele Poli, 738th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron pilot, has flown C-130 Hercules on more than 240 sorties, for more than 60 missions since September 2005.

  • DOD encourages overseas voters to register for 2006 elections

    In 2006, U.S. citizens will elect 34 senators, the entire House of Representatives, 37 state governors and hundreds of state and local officials. Overseas voters and military personnel have a variety of means that will enable them to participate in the 2006 elections, starting with the primaries

  • AMC Airmen deploying 'a little lighter'

    Air Mobility Command Airmen who deploy are traveling a little lighter -- nearly 90 pounds lighter -- thanks to the mobility bag pre-positioning initiative. The program, now in its second phase, will allow 5,000 Airmen -- about 1,000 from AMC -- to deploy without carrying the typical three mobility

  • Security forces work side by side with Soldiers in Iraq

    Imagine searching door to door with Soldiers, looking for insurgents, high-value targets and weapons caches in Iraq. Envision the nerve it takes to do the job after having another Airman in the area critically injured by an improvised explosive device, or IED, only two weeks after being assigned to

  • LEAD deadline fast approaching

    Airmen looking for opportunities to enter the commissioned officer ranks can apply for the 2006 Leaders Encouraging Airmen Development, or LEAD, program until Jan. 31. LEAD is a program that allows commanders to nominate highly qualified Airmen for direct entry to the Air Force Academy or

  • Three questions can make a difference: warning signs of stroke

    Nearly 20 years ago when Ida Glover asked her 40-year-old son a question and he couldn't respond, she thought he had suffered some type of nerve damage. Days later she discovered his prognosis was much worse. Doctors at the Medical Center of Central Georgia told Ms. Glover her son had experienced

  • Little Rock Airmen provide “beans and bullets” downrange, again

    A trip to the desert is nothing new for the 463rd Airlift Group here. On Jan. 20, 24 Airmen and two C-130 Hercules stepped up to deliver "beans and bullets" to the warfighter for more than 120 days. The experienced crew understands that airlift is important for reducing convoy operations in

  • Air Force casualties identified

    The Department of Defense today identified the two Airmen killed Jan. 22 supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Airmen were killed when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device while conducting convoy escort duties near Taji, Iraq. They are: Tech. Sgt. Jason L. Norton, 32, of Miami,

  • Nine Airmen to represent AF at boxing championship

    After two weeks of intense training and one tournament, nine Airmen have been selected to represent the Air Force at the Armed Forces Boxing Championship at Ventura Naval Base, Calif., Feb. 6 to 11. The boxers are: -- 1st Lt. Rodney Ellison, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.; -- Senior Airman Celsa

  • EOD working to protect others

    It takes a special person to deal with the stress of working with explosives. That pressure motivates the 34 Airmen assigned to the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s explosive ordnance disposal flight here and at five forward-operating bases. Staff Sgt. Micah Jobe, EOD team leader, is

  • Airmen survive on island showcased in 'Survivor'

    Capt. Kristen Bakotic first learned about Palau while watching the two-hour finale of the reality television show “Survivor.” When she found out the Air Force was looking for enlisted people to volunteer for a six-month tour here, she checked to see if they needed an officer. The Air Force had in

  • CMSAF Murray visits Southern Command units

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray toured units throughout U.S. Southern Command Jan. 16 to 19 to express Air Force leaders’ appreciation for what Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and civilians within the command do every day. Chief Murray visited Airmen in Honduras, Ecuador,

  • F-22A Raptor flies first operational missions

    The F-22A Raptor showed another of its capabilities when it flew its first two operational sorties over the United States in support of Operation Noble Eagle Jan. 21 and 22. The Raptor mission came one week after the 27th Fighter Squadron -- the first unit to fly the jet -- converted to the Air

  • ACC chief visits with deployed Airmen

    The top Air Combat Command chief master sergeant recently toured units here to ensure Airmen were properly trained and equipped before deploying. Command Chief Master Sgt. David Popp said the No. 1 reason for his visit was ensuring that the Airmen deploying from ACC units are trained, equipped and

  • Total force meets at Fort Dix for conference

    More than 20 senior officers from the air mobility total force met to improve practices during a director of mobility forces conference at the Air Mobility Warfare Center here Jan. 18 to 19. The conference was an opportunity for leaders in the mobility world to enhance practices in current

  • Leasing option increases Air Force land value

    Underutilized Air Force land does not need to sit idle any longer. The Air Force Real Property Agency converts underutilized land and infrastructure into real value for the Air Force, installations and communities through the enhanced use leasing option, officials said. "Enhanced use leasing is a

  • Security forces transformation to affect total force

    As the Air Force continues to adapt for the future, changes to the security forces career field will affect the total force. Brig. Gen. Robert Holmes, director of security forces and force protection, calls these transformations a “refocus” on how his people train and fight. “We’re not in the Cold

  • Guam Guard works side-by-side with active-duty counterparts

    Maria Ronquillo is known as one of the nicest and most caring teachers on Guam. As a teacher consultant for a high school here, she frequently visits students to make sure they have good grades and make progress in their classes. But you don’t want to see this friendly islander make a “house call”

  • 5+1+1 equals U.S. air superiority

    Five + one + one = the ability to direct the command and control of U.S. and coalition air power across the globe. “It also equals seven of course. That's the number of ‘Falconer’ air and space operations centers, and Falconer support centers, how online with common capabilities,” said Lt. Col. Rob

  • ROBE upgrade sets KC-135 on forefront of battle communications

    A KC-135 Stratotanker here was fitted with upgraded communications equipment recently which will revolutionize battle space and the way the United States and its allies fight wars. After 18 months on the drawing board, the Roll-On Beyond Line-of-Sight Enhancement Spiral 2 program, ROBE, has been

  • Airmen teach islanders construction skills

    Members of the all-Air Force civic action team working here are not content with just building construction projects -- they want to teach Palauan how to do it. Eleven islanders are employed under the team’s apprenticeship-training program. Each works with a team member for training in the Airman’s

  • Reservists attend first safeguard training exercise

    While many Airmen were glued to the tube watching the NFL playoffs, the 939th Air Refueling Wing went to training camp to learn how to better survive and operate in a war, contingency or emergency. The 43 Reservists went to the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center at Camp Douglas, Wis., to

  • Balad add-on armor shop comes to a close

    After the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, a need for extra armor on convoy vehicles arose. Insurgents were killing Airmen and Soldiers through roadside improvised explosive devices. Airmen here have been protecting convoys and the people who ride in them since then by installing extra armor to

  • Air Force to replace combat search and rescue helicopters

    Air Force combat search and rescue teams will use a new helicopter -- the now under development CSAR-X -- to help recover downed pilots around 2012. The new helicopter will replace 101 HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters Air Force combat search and rescue teams now use. The Air Force expects to begin

  • Alaska Airmen operate out of Guam

    The 168th Air Refueling Wing was the first Air National Guard tanker unit deployed to Guam after Sept. 11, 2001. Five years later, the Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Airmen are back on the island with their KC-135 Stratotankers as part of a theatre support package for U.S. Pacific Command flying

  • Flight showcases future Weapon Data Link Network

    Two-way communications with a weapon after it's released from an aircraft is at the forefront of all new weapons technology, and standards for it has become a priority. Such standards were successfully implemented and demonstrated during a recent series of flight demonstrations here for the Weapon

  • Think of safety first

    Keeping Airmen here safe is not a task taken lightly by the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s ground safety office. "Our job is to prevent the loss of life or damage to government equipment," said Tech. Sgt. Clyde Lathon, 332nd AEW ground safety manager. "We are the Air Force equivalent to the

  • Airmen extend knowledge and manpower to island of Palau

    For only the second time since the mid-1970s, the civic action team program in Palau is composed entirely of Airmen from around the world. Thirteen Airmen are living and working on the island made famous a year and a half ago on the reality television series “Survivor.” But the Airmen aren’t here

  • Rex the Dog finds new home

    A 21st Security Forces Squadron Airman is the first military working dog handler allowed to adopt her K-9 partner from active duty. Tech. Sgt. Jamie Dana, a military working dog handler, has been waiting since August for the official word after she requested to adopt her K-9, Rex. The two were

  • Langley celebrates Raptor's initial operational capability

    The 1st Fighter Wing held a ceremony here today to celebrate the F-22A Raptor's initial operational capability. The event comes after the 27th Fighter Squadron was officially declared IOC on Dec. 15 by Gen. Ronald E. Keys, commander of Air Combat Command. The IOC declaration proves the F-22A is

  • SERE instructor takes training to a new level

    As nightfall approaches, the temperature drops to single digits. The layers of clothing that seemed more than adequate earlier, now offer little protection from the bone-chilling breeze and icy ground. But, that is the least of the survivors’ concerns. “They’re not just surviving,” Tech Sgt. Micheal

  • Air Force looks to be best in acquisition

    The Air Force hopes to be the model within the Department of Defense for how best to procure goods and acquire weapons systems. "Five years from now, (we want) people to consider the Air Force the premier acquisition service in the DOD ... that we are heads and shoulders above everybody else in how

  • SECAF celebrates welcome to the blue

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne was “welcomed into blue” during a ceremony here today. He was received by a hundreds of Airmen, the Air Force Honor Guard and Air Force Band. Gen. T. Michael Moseley, chief of staff of the Air Force, presided over the event and told everyone present it was

  • CENTAF commander visits deployed Airmen, Sailors on last trip to Afghanistan

    As part of his final trip to Afghanistan, the commander of U.S. Central Command Air Forces visited deployed Airmen and Sailors here Jan. 10 to 11. During a troop call, Lt. Gen. Walter E. Buchanan III addressed Airmen and Sailors who are deployed to Bagram as part of Air and Space Expeditionary Force

  • AF selects four Airmen to vie for GEICO awards

    The Air Force selected four Airmen to compete for the 2005 Government Employee Insurance Company Military Service awards. The Airmen are now authorized to wear the Air Force Recognition Ribbon and will compete against the nominees selected by the other military services. -- Staff Sgt. Lindsay J.

  • Privatized housing now available at Scott

    The Air Force closed a housing privatization deal recently at an Illinois base, bringing the total of privatized homes across the service to more than 16,000, said housing officials here. Scott Air Force Base, Ill., will benefit from $250 million in total development of 1,593 homes within the first

  • Mission is out of this world

    Its material is found nowhere else on Earth but here, while its mission is out of this world. Detachment 5, 22nd Space Operations Squadron has an antenna that uses a durable Kevlar mix as its cover, the first of its kind in the world. They use it because the material must withstand 195-mph typhoon

  • Airman saves career through yoga

    If a picture can say a thousand words, Staff Sgt. Bonnie McKinley’s picture of herself would tell you of a time when she, at 5-foot-4-inches and 25 years old, weighed 215 pounds, putting her at risk of a heart attack or stroke. Not to mention, her Air Force career was in jeopardy. She did something

  • Cannon visitor explores BRAC options

    As directed by the final 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommendations, the Air Force is exploring new mission options here. Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Logistics William C. Anderson visited here Jan. 4-5 to gather information in an attempt

  • Leaner processes working at Kirtland

    The Air Force is becoming leaner without the help of fad diets or abs-crunching exercise regiments. Logistics and maintenance programs imported from the private business sector, like Lean, are turning once-bloated processes into models of streamlined efficiency. The payoff is less cost, improved

  • Air mobility operations Airmen keep cargo aircraft moving

    Airmen deployed to the Detachment 5, 721st Air Mobility Operations Group, traveled thousands of miles to help the Air Force enable the global aspect of "global vigilance, reach and power." The 35 Airmen who work at the detachment are responsible for the maintenance, launch and recovery of all

  • Air Force improving production with Smart Operations 21

    The Air Force used the best parts of several civilian efficiency programs to develop an Air Force-unique process-improvement program called "Smart Operations 21," Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne said. The program will take the Air Force forward in a journey of self-improvement, the

  • 23:59:60… Atomic clock takes quantum leap

    A leap second. It’s a time on the clock that doesn’t come along very often, and it’s a subject of debate between astronomers and clock watchers. Outside the debate is the job of making sure everyone who relies on the leap second receives it. That job, in the hands of the 2nd Space Operations

  • Patrick auto hobby shop achieves Air Force first

    The 45th Services Squadron auto hobby shop earned the highest honor any automobile repair facility can earn -- the National Institute for Automotive Excellence Blue Seal of Excellence. After 10 years of automotive knowledge tests, equipment inspections and certifications, the auto hobby shop earned

  • Ellsworth Airmen provide security in Iraq

    Security forces from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., are serving in southern Iraq this winter. Twenty-four of the more than 300 Airmen who make up the 586th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron are from the 28th Security Forces Squadron at Ellsworth. They provide base, convoy and area security

  • Security forces assist Korean community

    The “Wolf Pack” worked side-by-side with the Korean Army and Kunsan City firefighters to help a local farmer. Nineteen security forces members, along with approximately 50 Korean soldiers and firefighters helped clear a farmer’s greenhouses. The building collapsed under the weight of record-breaking

  • Long convoy duty is no easy task

    By dawn, Airmen of the 424th Medium Truck Detachment had finished preparing for their mission -- move Army 4th Infantry Division supplies and material from Kuwait into Iraq. These Airmen do not fly their cargo, and it’s quite possible they may go their entire deployment without even seeing a

  • Air power key to many 2005 successes

    More than 75,000 Airmen rotated in and out of the theater to 12 locations during 2005 and helped coalition forces take part in historic events and record-breaking accomplishments. From ensuring millions of people in Iraq and Afghanistan had the opportunity to vote, to providing humanitarian aid

  • Aggressor squadron stands up at Nellis

    The Air Force will reactivate the 65th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 12. In a letter to Airmen, Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Air Force chief of staff, cited the history of the unit as “legendary” and said the aggressors will “directly contribute to the combat capability of our

  • President Bush thanks Pentagon troops for service

    President George Bush greeted a handful of Airmen today after wrapping up discussion with top Department of Defense leaders about the war in Iraq. Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines lined a hallway near the Pentagon office of Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld for the meeting. Staff Sgt.

  • Joint Chiefs examining differing combat tour lengths

    The Joint Chiefs of Staff continue examining how long servicemembers should serve in Iraq, but for now they are satisfied the tour lengths are about right, Marine Gen. Peter Pace said. General Pace, who was flying back after leading a weeklong United Service Organization trip to the U.S. Central

  • California Guard to get the Predator

    As part of ongoing Total Force initiatives, the Air Force, the National Guard Bureau and the Adjutant General of California announced today that the California Air National Guard’s 163rd Air Refueling Wing, March Air Reserve Base, Calif., will become the home for a new MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial

  • Good eats means happy troops

    An army marches on it stomach. Napoleon Bonaparte said, and believed, that in 1812. Truth is he might have been thinking more about the importance of a good supply line. But a visit to a military camp -- then or now -- would reveal that good eats and tasty treats are just as important to the troops.

  • Airmen ‘drop the ball’ on New Year’s Eve

    With inspiration from New York -- the city that never sleeps -- Airmen at this desert base that never sleeps got to drop the ball this New Year’s Eve. In less than 72 hours, some 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron members constructed a New Year’s Eve Ball like the one dropped at New

  • Keeping Predators flying helps keep Balad safe

    Airmen who maintain the MQ-1 Predator here take great pride in ensuring the unmanned aerial vehicles they look after can keep and eagle eye on what goes on in Iraq. The 61 Airmen of the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Unit -- and three Royal Air Force Airmen -- keep the Predators flying for the pilots who

  • Military, civilian medals approved for hurricane relief work

    Servicemembers and civilians who took part in Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita relief efforts may be eligible for a medal. The director of the Joint Staff has approved awarding the Humanitarian Service Medal and the Armed Forces Service Medal for U.S. military personnel. Department of Defense

  • EQUAL listing available Jan. 10

    The Enlisted Quarterly Assignment Listing for Airmen returning from overseas --and continental United States mandatory movers for May through July -- requirements will be available Jan. 10. Airmen need to work through their military personnel flights or commander's support staff to update their

  • For Reserve aircrew, New Year’s Eve over Iraq is routine

    People around the globe welcomed 2006 with a variety of New Year’s Eve celebrations. High above Iraq, a Reserve C-130 Hercules aircrew headed for Balad Air Base, celebrated in a different way -- flying another mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. With the drone of the aircraft’s four

  • General brought a band (but could have flown solo)

    Maybe it was Uncle Joe or Aunt Grace. Maybe it was just dad’s old Air Force buddy or mom’s best girlfriend. Everybody seems to have somebody who whizzes into their lives much too infrequently, makes them laugh, has them talking about anything in a matter of seconds, leaves too soon and always leaves

  • Academy honors distinguished graduates

    The Air Force Academy’s Association of Graduates announced the two recipients of its 2005 AOG Distinguished Graduate Award. Chosen were retired Gens. Hansford T. Johnson, Class of 1959, and Michael E. Ryan, Class of 1965. The award is given to academy graduates for a lifetime of service to the

  • Process speeds up IT acquisition

    The Secretary of the Air Force implemented Information Technology Lean reengineering improvements slated for the information technology acquisition process last month. The Electronic Systems Center's Operations Support Systems Wing will begin to use the process immediately, with the Air Force-wide

  • Controllers keeping Iraqi skies safe

    Another small dot drags a string of numbers with it as it hesitantly shuffles onto the screen. Now there are 30 dots with numbers. Airman 1st Class Grant Gers slips a strip of paper, no wider than a magazine and shorter than two end-to-end sugar packs, neatly but quickly enters the squawk (four of

  • Chaplains: a spirit of service

    Since the time of the American War for Independence, the value of supporting the spiritual part of military members through the service of chaplains has been recognized. Here in Southwest Asia, the men and women of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing and coalition forces have the opportunity to

  • Murray: Enlisted joint military education available

    Joint professional military education will become a reality for enlisted Airmen throughout their careers. A new Department of Defense policy requires joint learning objectives in all enlisted levels. While the officer corps is mandated by law to include joint education, this policy specifically

  • 2005: an Air Force year to remember

    It’s going to be hard to forget 2005, with the war on terrorism, tsunami response, hurricanes and floods. But light did find its way through the darkness. Most memorable are the Airmen who lent a helping hand to those in desperate need. This year also brought new technology, a continued presence at

  • Wilford Hall, Malcolm Grow earn DOD awards

    Two Air Force medical centers earned Department of Defense Patient Safety Awards for their leadership and innovation in quality, safety and commitment to patient care. Getting awards are the 59th Medical Wing’s patient safety office at Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas,

  • Bagram A-10s take fight to enemy

    A-10 Thunderbolt IIs continue taking the fight to the enemy by providing close air support to U.S. and coalition forces participating in Operation Enduring Freedom.  Shortly after deploying in September to this base at the foot of the Hindu Kush mountains from Davis-Monthan Air Base, Ariz., the

  • Herc undergoes reconstructive surgery

    After about a month of tender loving care performed by the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron's structural repair shop at a forward-deployed location, a C-130 Hercules is once again ready for flight. The C-130, from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and currently deployed to Manas Air Base,

  • Implementation of BRAC begins this year

    Now that the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure commission has approved, modified or disapproved the Office of the Secretary of Defense's recommendations for the 2005 round of base realignment and closure, the individual services must plan the implementation of those recommendations. The Air Force

  • Deployed Airman receives call from president

    An Airman here received an unexpected early Christmas surprise when she received a call from the commander-in-chief Christmas Eve. Staff Sgt. Melina Russell, a security forces fire team leader, received that call at 4 p.m., when the White House switchboard put the president through to her. She had

  • Parents, children reunite for Christmas in Iraq

    Two different families deployed at two different places in Iraq have reunited over Christmas. The first article, written by Sergeant Mitchell, is about a mother and son who made it a point to visit one another during Christmas even though they were stationed in different locations. The other,

  • DOD releases sexual harassment, assault reports

    The Department of Defense today released the results of two reports on sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military: the 2004 survey of the reserve components and the Academic Program Year 2005 assessment at the three military service academies. Reserve components: The survey of about 76,000

  • Air Force, Army team to care for Iraqi patients

    The 447th Air Expeditionary Group has teamed with members of the 48th Brigade Combat Team and Charlie Company, 490th Civil Affairs Battalion, to provide medical care near the Radwaniya Civil Military Operations Center. Soldiers constructed the clinic by refurbishing an existing building. The clinic

  • CAOC memorializes Airman’s sacrifice

    A New York Airman, who was killed when responding to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center, was honored Dec. 22 when the Combined Air Operations Center entry control point was rededicated in his honor. After the closing of the old CAOC entry point Dec. 9, the rededication of the new

  • EOD technicians busiest outside of Iraq

    With more than 1,200 man-hours spent on reportable incidents and destroying 595 unexploded bomblets, mortars and various other threats, the wing here has the busiest explosive ordnance flight outside of Iraq, said explosive ordnance disposal flight chief Master Sgt. Chris Schott. “The (first Gulf)

  • Red Horse team maintains smooth operations in, out of Kandahar

    A team of about 20 Red Horse civil engineers from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., are doing their part to keep flights coming in and out of here in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. As part of a $7 million construction project, warfighters can expect to see more than 150,000 square feet of

  • New medical staging facility opened

    The new 332nd Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility opened Dec. 19 and will serve as a transition point for medical evacuations from Iraq. Construction on the $850,000 building began in September. "With the move into this new semi-hardened facility, we are continuing to improve the care we

  • Schriever family members ‘deploy’ to fitness center

    About 60 Airmen and family members came to the base’s main fitness center recently for a three-hour “deployment.” Children moved through a processing line and received necklaces, certificates and hand-pressed buttons. Some went into the racquetball court to practice their marksmanship on skee-ball

  • Post-Katrina relief operations bolster community recovery

    Keesler is at the tip of the sword in the battle to restore the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. After the storm devastated the base and surrounding communities, Keesler's training mission was broadened to include humanitarian relief operations under the direction of the

  • Legal office helps Airmen stay prepared for deployment

    Combat readiness is key in the post-9/11 military environment. Since the terrorist attacks more than four years ago, thousands of Airmen have deployed to locations all over the world. Some have even deployed two or three times. A key component to ensure combat readiness is to make sure one’s legal

  • Air Force leaders foresee personnel cuts

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne said a proposal aimed at reducing the number of Air Force total-force personnel has been discussed. During a press conference Dec. 13, Secretary Wynne said the reduction would take affect across the total force -- active duty, Reserve, Guard and civilian

  • Manas Air Base Outreach Society visits hospital in Bishkek

    Six Airmen from the Manas Air Base Outreach Society donned Santa caps and visited children at a hospital and passed out presents, generated cheer, and sang Christmas songs. Master Sgt. Dan Cline and seven other Airmen left Manas Air Base with toys gathered by family and friends. They traveled to the

  • Air Force leaders send holiday message

    The following is a holiday message from Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray: “As 2005 draws to a close, we have the opportunity to reflect on the past year and prepare ourselves for

  • Chairman of the joint chiefs sends holiday message

    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace has sent the following holiday message: “Throughout our history, the men and women of the Armed Forces have spent many holidays far from loved ones, serving to defend the ideals of freedom and liberty that Americans hold so dear. “Today,