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U.S. Air Force News

  • Airman sentenced to death

    The Airman here who was recently found guilty of two specifications of premeditated murder and one specification of attempted premeditated murder, has been sentenced to death by a military panel. Senior Airman Andrew Paul Witt, 23, is now the only Airman to sit on death row. Airman Witt's death

  • Helicopter pilot is Cheney Award recipient

    An Air Force MH-53 Pave Low helicopter pilot from Fort Bragg, N.C., received the Cheney Award in a ceremony at the Pentagon Oct. 13. Maj. John Groves earned the award for his actions while delivering supplies to Iraq as part of two-ship formation. The major’s wingman was shot down en route. Major

  • Moseley: We are moving towards interdependence with sister services

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

  • Maintainers keep Cope Thunder going

    Tucked away in an office on the far corner of the Thunder Dome, two men ensure Airmen and Sailors get Cope Thunder 06-1 missions off the ground -- on time and on target. Without the oversight of Col. Mark Fluke and Chief Master Sgt. Darrin Dwyer, exercise Cope Thunder would, theoretically, only be a

  • Keesler Airmen back in school at Sheppard

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

  • Uniform board meets this month

    The Air Force Uniform Board meets here Oct. 20 to 21 to consider Air Force uniform improvements and standardization. The board will address various uniform requirements, including the Airman's new battle dress uniform, and Air Force Instruction 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force

  • ETDC supplies gear downrange so deployed troops don’t have to

    The 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s expeditionary theater distribution center here is leading the way in expeditionary mobility gear processing to make life easier for thousands of deploying Airmen. The center is part of an Air Force test where Airmen can deploy from their home

  • Academy Board of Visitors discuss top issues

    Sexual assault prevention and religious tolerance, and the academy’s handling of these issues, were topics discussed by the academy’s Board of Visitors here during an Oct. 6 meeting. Despite the heaviness of the topics, “this was an upbeat meeting,” said Johnny Whitaker, director of communications

  • Robins Airman found guilty on all charges

    A military jury here unanimously found Senior Airman Andrew Paul Witt guilty of two specifications of premeditated murder in the July 5, 2004, stabbing deaths of Senior Airman Andrew Schliepsiek and his wife, Jamie. Airman Witt was also found guilty Oct. 5 of one specification of attempted

  • Secretary of State visits Manas, inspires Airmen

    Perfect weather and more than 500 Airmen with the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing here greeted the 66th secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, when she arrived Oct. 11. The relatively small, but strategically important Kyrgyzstan was the secretary’s first stop in her four-day, four-country tour of

  • Airmen deliver first relief supplies to Pakistan

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

  • Moseley: C-17 'worth weight in gold' in Pacific

    Basing C-17 Globemaster IIIs in Hawaii will boost Pacific Air Force’s airlift capabilities in the region, the Air Force chief of staff said Oct. 6. Gen. T. Michael Moseley said with the huge transports flying out of Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command

  • Fairchild Airmen test for Ranger School

    Airmen assigned to the 22nd Training Squadron and select Airmen with the 66th Training Squadron here have taken on a rare challenge to push themselves beyond normal endurance for the chance to attend the Army’s elite training program -- Ranger School. And they only had a day to do it. The 12-hour

  • Cope Thunder exercise begins

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

  • Fall 2005 quarterly issue of Airman available online

    Read about the Air Force’s explosive ordnance disposal team in Baghdad disarming the enemy, get inside the Air Force’s response to Hurricane Katrina, follow a little boy named Eddy as he undergoes surgery in Ecuador, and discover the ins and outs of the F/A-22 Raptor. These features and more

  • A-10 phase dock keeps OEF frequent flyers flying

    A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft here flew 500 sorties in September over Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Direct close-air support missions accounted for 380 of those sorties. Whether supporting ground troops in the war or conducting a training mission at their home station, A-10

  • Servicemembers pay respect to fallen Airman

    More than 225 Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and multinational partners crowded the new base chapel Oct. 6 to pay their final respects to their comrade in arms, Airman 1st Class Elizabeth Jacobson. Airman Jacobson was killed on a convoy near Camp Bucca, Iraq, on Sept. 28 when her vehicle was hit by an

  • Airmen push to limit with turn of a card

    “Right now, I’m at 15,541.” And counting. As he counts down the days before returning home, increasing his push-up total has become a goal for Lt. Col. Jeff Sheppard, the 28th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron commander at a forward-deployed location. What began as a challenge among several

  • Intel officer assumes command of Air Intelligence Agency

    A career intelligence officer assumed command Oct. 6 of the Air Force organization charged with providing information warfare capabilities to air component and joint force commanders around the world. Maj. Gen. John C. Koziol became the 28th commander of the Air Intelligence Agency and Joint

  • Dawgs put PERSCO back online

    It was 5 p.m. on Oct. 2 and the 407th Personnel Support for Contingency Operations section here was winding down the day shift. The cable dawgs of the 407th Expeditionary Communications Squadron were doing the same. But things changed rapidly 10 minutes later when 1st Lt. Adam Pudenz walked into the

  • Total force proves beneficial to hurricane recovery

    More than 6,900 active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen supported Hurricanes Katrina and Rita relief operations, proving that the total-force concept works, said the Air Force chief of staff here recently. “America’s Air Force answered the call for emergency assistance in this crisis,” said Gen. T.

  • Capability assessment helps AF prepare for future

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

  • Air Force named executive agent for Katrina-related funds

    In a recent memorandum, defense officials named the Air Force as the executive agent for Hurricane Katrina funding. As the executive agent, Air Force officials will ensure services within the Department of Defense are reimbursed for expenses incurred while providing Hurricane Katrina relief support,

  • Officials name vice chair of Scientific Advisory Board

    Dr. Ann R. Karagozian assumed her duties Oct. 5 as vice chair of the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, an independent group that provides technical advice to Air Force leaders. Dr. Karagozian, a professor with the University of California-Los Angeles’ aerospace and mechanical engineering

  • Enlisted quarterly assignment listing available Oct. 11

    The Enlisted Quarterly Assignment Listing for Airmen returning from overseas and continental United States mandatory movers for February to April 2006 will be available Oct. 11. Airmen need to work through their commander's support staff to update their preferences by Oct. 27. Deployed Airmen or

  • Security escorts eyes, ears for base security

    They are “not your average babysitter.” In fact, the 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s security escorts are referred to as the frontline of defense and the eyes and ears of security forces here. “They provide the base with the ability to support multiple contracts without impacting the

  • Loyal partners sniff out trouble in Iraq

    After a couple of years apart, Ori and Tyreese are partners again. And the security forces duo is deployed and back on the job sniffing out trouble at an entry control point here. Staff Sgt. Tyreese McAllister was the first handler Ori was assigned to after the German shepherd graduated from the

  • 407th ECES brings boxes together, expands clinic

    The magazine selection has not changed, but everything else about the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron medical clinic here has. Fifteen Airmen from several occupational specialties came together recently to double the clinic’s work space. Patients now have more privacy during screenings and

  • Bioenvironmental engineers keep people healthy

    Staff Sgt. Terrence Jaimungal dips a vial into the Back River and comes back up with water, dirt, grass and other visible objects. But it is the things that cannot be seen by the naked eye that Sergeant Jaimungal is concerned with -- things most Airmen will not notice but can do them harm, such as

  • Returning crews brave thunderstorms, land safely

    It is the stuff movies are made from: A thunderstorm wall as high as 45,000 feet and two aircraft -- one with limited radar coverage -- 100 miles from their intended course. After unloading 70 passengers and their cargo at El-Fashir airstrip in Darfur on Sept. 30 as part of the African Union

  • Bagram upgrade taken on by Red Horse engineers

    Aircraft parking space is getting a boost from the ground up here as a team of Red Horse engineers remove and replace 60,000-square meters of ramp space. Once complete, the $4.4-million airfield construction project will provide U.S. and coalition aircraft supporting Operation Enduring Freedom a

  • Air Force posthumously awards Bronze Star

    An Air Force chaplain’s assistant was posthumously recognized in a Brewer, Maine, ceremony Sept. 27 for his participation in a Korean War airlift that saved nearly 1,000 orphans. Staff Sgt. Merle Y. Strang played a key part in evacuating orphans from war-torn Seoul, South Korea, to the safer

  • Volunteers give comfort by sewing

    Sewing circles are not a thing of the past. On Tuesday nights, in a suburb just outside of Washington, D.C., a half-dozen women -- sometimes more -- gather to talk about their week, share a few laughs and sew. They are not sewing for themselves or their families, however. They are volunteers of the

  • Rhein-Main mission ends, but not its legacy

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

  • Air Force hospital saves lives of Iraqi terrorist attack victims

    Shortly after terrorists set off a string of car bombs in the nearby town of Balad on Sept. 29, medical professionals at the Air Force Theater Hospital here prepared for an influx of severely injured patients."When we started unloading the first Army helicopter, I realized that everyone who came in

  • Dividends from OEF, OIF pay off for medics in Katrina aftermath

    The Air Force Medical Service’s response to Operation Katrina drew from a process that began in Operation Enduring Freedom, broadened in volume in Operation Iraqi Freedom and paid dividends in the huge military medical response to a devastating domestic disaster, the Air Force surgeon general

  • Myers retires; Pace takes JCS helm

    Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld hosted an armed forces farewell tribute and hail ceremony in honor of Gen. Richard B. Myers, the 15th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, 16th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Sept. 30 at Fort Myer, Va. The ceremony

  • Air Commandos build bonds with African country

    A select team of combat aviation advisors from the 6th Special Operations Squadron here recently deployed to the edge of the Sahara desert to train with the fledgling Niger Air Force.Because the 6th SOS has been to Niger numerous times, the air commandos understand how to adapt to living and working

  • Small Diameter Bomb certified for operational test, evaluation

    19! 23! 35! 37! 20!No, that's not a football audible at the line of scrimmage, but the accomplishments of the Small Diameter Bomb Program: the number of months, 19, from the system design and development contract award to the first production contract award; the number of months, 23, from

  • Air Force Climate Survey helps shape future force

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

  • Air Force engineers get regional airport up, running

    Two Airmen with the 147th Civil Engineer Flight here provided critical support to the Southeast Texas Regional Airport by restoring power to the facility after it was disabled by Hurricane Rita.Senior Master Sgt. Michelle Milliard, the engineer flight noncommissioned officer in charge, along with

  • Captain one of 10 outstanding young Americans

    A captain with the 116th Air Control Wing here is one of the 10 Outstanding Young Americans for 2005 chosen by the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce.Capt. Paul Maykish received the award during the Jaycees’ 67th annual black-tie awards ceremony held at the Boston World Trade Center Sept. 17.The

  • Air Force chapel programs donate thousands

    In recent weeks, Air Force chapels raised thousands of dollars to provide comfort for those affected by Hurricane Katrina.Chapel communities contributed more than $376,000 for Hurricane Katrina survivors since the storm hit three weeks ago, according to the Air Force Chief of Chaplains Office

  • C-141 approaches historical conclusion as last flight nears

    Since its first flight Dec. 17, 1963, the C-141 Starlifter has enjoyed a prestigious history.The last chapter of that history will be written in October when the Air Force's last C-141 unit, the 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, starts replacing its Starlifters with the

  • Eglin fighters shine at Bright Star

    The 33rd Fighter Wing here was the Air Force’s lone fighter unit in Egypt to participate in the joint-combined training exercise Bright Star 05/06.The exercise, which began Sept. 10 and ends Oct. 3, is U.S. Central Command’s largest coalition exercise. It tests theater engagement activity and boosts

  • Rehab center to target rebuilding lives

    A former Soldier and his son, now philanthropists, joined wounded warriors and military leaders at Brooke Army Medical Center here Sept. 22 to break ground for two 21-bedroom Fisher Houses and a privately funded rehabilitation center.Arnold Fisher, honorary chairman of the Intrepid Fallen Heroes

  • Albanian and Slovakian officers visit Warrior Preparation Center

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

  • All-female combat crew takes it in stride

    A crew of six Airmen at a forward deployed location climbed aboard a C-130 Hercules together recently for the first time in their careers. But something distinguished this mission from others they had flown --it was the first time an all-female C-130 crew flew a combat mission. Capt. Carol

  • Rita doesn’t prevent happy homecoming

    Senior Airman Leah Saldivar waited with excitement for her father, Master Sgt. Florencio Saldivar, to depart the plane that brought him home from Balad Air Base, Iraq. It had only been a few days since she had last seen him. Airman Saldivar had returned from the same deployment only a few days

  • Guard Airmen create solution, refuel evacuation efforts

    Two Texas Air National Guard Airmen created a custom-made fuel truck nozzle allowing 100 stranded buses to return to evacuation support efforts in Beaumont, Texas, Sept. 23. Master Sgt. Lynn Bailey, 147th Fighter Wing fuels shop superintendent, and Staff Sgt. Vic Taylor, 147th FW refueling mechanic,

  • ACC commander praises role of Airmen

    Endurance will be the key to winning the war on terrorism, and the Air Combat Command commander told Airmen here their long-term commitment is paying off.“This is a long-haul engagement we’re in, and we can’t falter now,” said Gen. Ronald E. Keys. “We’re making some real advances, but we can’t pack

  • ROVERs aid in search and rescue

    In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, local recovery authorities needed helping seeing what was happening on the ground. That is when Airmen brought in ROVER, the Air Force’s cutting edge combat technology to the table, to support combined rescue operations. The Remote Operations Video Enhanced Receiver

  • Air Force issues headphone guidance for PT uniforms

    Air Force officials issued guidance for the wear of headphones while wearing the official physical training uniform.Airmen dressed in the PT uniform are authorized to wear headphones while participating in personal fitness and other off-duty activities said officials at the Air Force Personnel

  • Combat convoy course expands to driving 18-wheelers

    The Basic Combat Convoy Course here now includes teaching Airmen to drive tractor-trailer supply trucks and gun trucks as convoy operations in Iraq have evolved into longer, more dangerous missions, course leaders said.All Airmen in the course also are now receiving combat lifesaver training during

  • Power pro creates energy to sustain base operations

    One office here works behind the scenes day and night to harvest an under-appreciated necessity everyone needs to do their job -- electricity. Every time a person here flips a light switch, turns on a computer, gets a cold drink out of the refrigerator or relaxes in air conditioning, he or she can

  • Air Force programs help families rebuild post-Katrina

    Hurricane Katrina is long gone, but civilians and Airmen are still picking up the pieces of their devastated lives.The Air Force helped many civilians in the aftermath of that storm, but it also made sure to take care of its own through Air Force OneSource, family and child development centers and

  • Keeping the mission going at home, away

    It has been nearly six months since the runway here closed for construction and more than 300 base Airmen “deployed” to Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., to continue the wing’s mission.Since then, a great relationship between the two bases, said Lt. Col. Paul Schultz, the 905th Air Refueling Squadron

  • Military paralegal gets 12-year prison sentence

    Staff Sgt. Ramona Greiner was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit premeditated murder, solicitation to commit murder and dereliction of duty for failing to maintain a professional relationship.Sergeant Greiner, a paralegal with the 37th Training Wing’s legal

  • Air Force mobilizes for Hurricane Rita

    As Hurricane Rita churns through the Gulf of Mexico, the Air Force is mobilizing forces in anticipation of the storm hitting the Texas Gulf Coast.The Category 5 hurricane -- some are already calling it a “monster storm” -- could make landfall near Galveston by late Sept. 23 or early Sept. 24,

  • Edwards medical squadrons assist Marines

    The purple force isn't just for joint operations at deployed locations.Technicians with the 95th Aerospace Medical Squadron, the 95th Medical Operations Squadron and the 95th Medical Support Squadron here helped out a Marine detachment recently by making sure their physical examinations were current

  • Tricare continues medical support for Katrina victims

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

  • Users can log on to Portal with common access card

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

  • Airmen in New Orleans prepare for Rita

    As Hurricane Rita gains strength in the Gulf of Mexico, the men and women of the 4th Air Expeditionary Group here are battening down the hatches in preparation for yet another storm surge.As of Sept. 21, weather experts were predicting that 2 to 4 inches of rain may fall here when Rita passes by

  • Air Force streamlines regional supply system

    In a significant reorganization of the Air Force supply system, two logistics support centers will soon replace and assume the responsibilities of five regional supply squadrons.Beginning in April 2006, the Mobility Air Forces Logistics Support Center here will begin handling supply back-shop

  • Airpower supports Afghan elections

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

  • Air Staff officials expand warrior image

    “We are a nation at war,” Gen. T. Michael Moseley wrote in a letter to all Airmen on Sept. 2, the day he was sworn in as Air Force chief of staff.As many Airmen are deployed on combat missions in places including Iraq and Afghanistan as well as humanitarian relief efforts in the Gulf Coast region,

  • Practicing good eye care, safety 'out of sight'

    The comic book hero Daredevil gained superhuman powers when he was blinded by toxic waste that hit him in the eyes. Unfortunately, outside of the superhero realm, anyone else would just be blinded.Therefore, protecting eyes and keeping them healthy is paramount, said Maj. Ryan Traver, 325th

  • Airmen deliver medicine to Marshall Islands

    A C-17 Globemaster III departed here Sept. 17 at 9:17 a.m. for Majuro, Marshall Islands, bringing much-needed supplies and medicine to hospital staff and patients after a fire ravaged the capital city’s hospital. With less than 24 hours of medicine on hand at the city’s only hospital, time was of

  • Kirkuk unit controls Iraqi sky

    The 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron Detachment 1 here provides instantaneous and continuous information superiority by providing commanders and pilots with a real-time view of northern Iraq’s airspace.The detachment’s Airmen give operators at nearby Balad Air Base a key airspace picture,

  • Library service records messages for deploying Airmen

    While on active duty, Tech. Sgt. Jim Callahan wished that there was a way his wife and children could see and hear his voice, even though he was deployed thousands of miles away.Now retired and working as a computer systems analyst at the base library, Mr. Callahan and the rest of the library staff

  • Airmen, families provide relief to hurricane victims

    Renee Siddall knew something needed to be done.When she turned on the news the morning of Aug. 30 and saw the trail of destruction left by Hurricane Katrina, she immediately went to Mountain Home Mayor Joe B. McNeal’s office and asked how the city, more than 2,000 miles away from the affected areas,

  • Insomniacs invade Manas

    They came fired up and ready to entertain the troops, and that is exactly what comedians Dave Attell and Scott Kennedy did here Sept. 14.The two stand-up comedians have been touring U.S. Central Command hot spots entertaining everyone from Florida Army National Guardsmen at a forward-deployed

  • Moseley: Future of the Air Force

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

  • Keesler hospital recovery picks up

    Part of the huge medical center at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. -- closed by Hurricane Katrina damage -- could open sooner than base officials estimated less than a week ago.The section, on the hospital’s first floor, could open in as little as two months, said Brig. Gen. (Dr.) James J. Dougherty,

  • Military lawyer sentenced to 18 years in prison

    Capt. Barry Brown was sentenced to 18 years in prison for pleading guilty to attempted premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit premeditated murder and for violating a lawful general regulation by wrongful fraternization.Captain Brown, a lawyer assigned to the 37th Training Wing here, pleaded

  • Systems group adds technology to Katrina relief support

    While tons of relief supplies are flowing into the Gulf Coast daily, the Operations and Sustainment Systems Group here is shoring up the vital flow of communications to the hurricane-stricken region.Hours after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the group's team of communications, logistics,

  • Eglin wing picks ups missions from Louisiana ANG

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

  • OSI ‘protecting the force’ at New Orleans airport

    When Air Force Office of Special Investigations special agents arrived at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Sept. 6, their mission was to help protect 4th Air Expeditionary Group Airmen deployed here.“We’re conducting local criminal threat assessments to determine if there are any

  • Edwards Airmen help 'Monk' solve mystery

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

  • Senior leaders address key issues at conference

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

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

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

  • Airmen pitch in for New Orleans cleanup

    After living at the New Orleans airport for 10 days while building three tent cities, Air Force civil engineers headed downtown Sept. 13 to help clean up Hurricane Katrina wreckage.“It’s great (the engineers) can get out and help these people directly,” said Capt. Paul Fredin, who is assigned to the

  • Recapitalization highlighted at AFA conference

    Modernizing and investing in the aircraft inventory and technology is an ongoing process that will never go away, said the Air Force's senior-most civilian and military leaders.During the Air Force Association's 2005 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here Sept. 12, Air Force Chief

  • Reserve conducts aerial spray mission over Louisiana

    The Air Force Reserve continues to save lives in Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath by conducting the first of many aerial spray missions that began Sept. 12 over Louisiana in an attempt to reduce mosquito and filth fly populations.The Department of Defense’s only fixed-wing aerial spray unit, the 910th

  • Officials: Beware of donation scams

    Scenes of chaos and destruction resulting from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina have left Airmen nationwide wondering how they can help those affected by the tragedy.Like many Americans across the nation, Airmen and their families seek to help in the hurricane recovery. While these Samaritans

  • Keesler helping restore Gulf Coast medical infrastructure

    The Air Force joined a unified medical command of local, state and federal agencies aiming to restore primary care services to Mississippi’s ravaged Gulf Coast.The area needs a unified response since Hurricane Katrina crippled its medical infrastructure and scattered many of its health-care

  • Air Force goes back-to-back, claims third title in four years

    The leader of the All-Air Force Men’s Softball Team knew it was going to take more than talent alone to claim the 2005 Armed Forces Men’s Softball Championship.But after claiming the title with a 7-2 record during the three-day round-robin tournament held here Sept. 7 to 9, the four-time head coach

  • Geren: AF fighting three wars

    The Air Force is now fighting three "wars," said the service's senior-most civilian leader. Those three wars are the war on terrorism, the effort to provide disaster relief in the United States, and the push for reform of the Air Force acquisition process, said Pete Geren, acting Secretary of the

  • COMM ensures information gets to rescuers, Air Force

    The safety of those stranded in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast could hinge upon 450 Airmen deployed here as part of the 347th Expeditionary Rescue Group and their ability to communicate rapidly and effectively across vast distances.From setting up Internet connections and radio systems to

  • Air Force medics help Katrina victims locate loved ones

    Searching through handwritten passenger manifests and scouring computer databases is not in the usual day’s work for Air Force medics. However, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, medics with the 4th Air Expeditionary Group are doing just that for families separated from loved ones airlifted from

  • Air Force Association begins 2005 conference

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

  • Maintainers keep rescue helicopters flying

    As Air Force rescue helicopter aircrews plucked survivors from flooded New Orleans and other Gulf Coast areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina, they drew upon adrenaline to keep going during the 10- to 12-hour missions.However, to keep their HH-60G Pave Hawk aircraft flying, they relied on a

  • Keesler commander: Don’t count us out

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

  • Keesler cleanup going well

    Staff Sgt. Art Hughes brushed wood chips and sawdust from his black T-shirt, which smelled of sweat and fresh pine. After cutting down trees all morning, it was break time, so he grabbed a bottle of water and gulped it down.Across the street, the rest of “Youngblood’s Crew” kept working. The crew,

  • DOD health care reaches out to military affected by hurricane

    As recovery and relocation efforts continue in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Department of Defense is embarking on an aggressive outreach to nearly 360,000 active duty servicemembers, retirees and their families displaced by the storm.Tricare Management Activity, the DOD agency that

  • Guard counterdrug units aid hurricane rescue effort

    Guardsmen from several state counterdrug programs are here using their specialized equipment for recovery mission support after the devastating attack from Hurricane Katrina. Using Light Armored Vehicles, also known as LAVs, counterdrug Airmen and Soldiers have rescued more than 150 victims from

  • Air Force engineers make home for 82nd Airborne

    After a week of sleeping on ponchos inside hangars, nearly 900 Soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division can now rest easy in an Air Force tent package thanks to the efforts of Airmen deployed to the 4th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron.The engineers worked hard to establish a bare base for Airmen

  • Schwartz takes reins of U.S. Transportation Command

    Transportation of war materials has been vital to military services throughout U.S. history, a fact proved every day as the United States fights the war on terrorism and recovers from a natural disaster, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here Sept. 7 during a change-of-command ceremony for

  • Airmen serve in Iraq to honor 9/11 victims

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