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  • Rumsfeld clarifies civilian-workforce proposal

    Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld cleared up some misconceptions about the proposed Department of Defense civilian personnel system during testimony before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee on June 4.Rumsfeld said that the current system is not flexible and agile enough to confront the

  • OIF aircrews donate to museum

    Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans started the OIF page in the Air Force Museum's history book here June 4 by donating items they used on combat missions.Aircrews presented the items during a ceremony at the museum. The items will be displayed to show one of many Air Force undertakings that are being

  • War and Peace -- a look at Operation Iraqi Freedom

    As Operation Iraqi Freedom transitioned from war- fighting to peacekeeping, the speed of the campaign came as a surprise to some deployed airmen, but was a welcome relief to all.At the 40th Air Expeditionary Wing, Chief Master Sgt. Daniel Mingo said his troops were braced for the long haul, but

  • Drill team faces ‘tip of the spear’

    Standing shoulder to shoulder, the drill team members twirled, tossed and caught their 35-inch-long, 19-ounce sabers. Often coming perilously close to their teammates, the well-practiced team flawlessly executed the routines.The Sabre Drill Team, the only active-duty enlisted group of its kind in

  • Officials set promotion release dates

    The Air Force plans to release its list of new technical and master sergeant promotions June 26 (June 27 for those units across the international date line). The list of new staff sergeant promotions will be released Aug. 13 (Aug. 14 for those units across the international date line).The lists of

  • SSG will head technology council

    Standard Systems Group experts here will now develop Air Force-wide strategies for buying and managing information technology products as they assume their role as head of the new Air Force Information Technology Commodity Council. The council will stand up in mid-June.John Gilligan, Air Force

  • Phoenix Readiness training ends

    Air Mobility Command’s Phoenix Readiness combat training has ended and will be replaced in October by the Air Force's expeditionary combat-support training program, Eagle Flag. The training cadre at the Air Mobility Warfare Center here are excited about Eagle Flag.“It's exciting for us to be

  • Air Force helps Iraqi dog immigrate

    A German shepherd of Iraqi descent arrived here May 30 aboard a C-17 Globemaster III after putting his life on the line to guard U.S. special forces.Fluffy, a dog from northern Iraq with visible scars, will retire at Fort Bragg, N.C., as an honorary military working dog.When Fluffy first joined Sgt.

  • Wife turned over to U.S. marshals

    An Air Force wife has been turned over to U.S. marshals and returned to the United States following the death of her husband.Latasha Lorraine Arnt was turned over to the custody of two U.S. marshals here June 1. She had been detained on base since May 27 in connection with the death of her husband,

  • AF simplifies travel-payment processing

    The Air Force has automated the process of filing travel-accrual payment requests for military travelers, making it available on the Virtual Military Personnel Flight Web page.“This should simplify the process not only for the traveler but also deployed and home-station financial services offices,”

  • Being a reservist requires ‘juggling act’

    Recognizing that Air Force reservists must balance military obligations with family and civilian-employment requirements, the service’s senior reservist pledged to reduce unnecessary pressures.“I want to say ‘thank you’ to families and employers -- they make great sacrifices in order for Reserve

  • Iraqi forecasters back in business

    For the first time since 1980, members of Iraq’s meteorological organization are back in a Baghdad tower sending weather observations after going through training with Air Force weather forecasters. Airmen taught the Iraqis how to operate and maintain the new meteorological measuring set that was

  • War teaches major about Air Force

    Maj. Ken Sersun said he learned more about the Air Force mission during his first deployment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom than at any point in his 16-year career.As chief of staff for the Air Support Operations Center at Camp Virginia, Kuwait, Sersun was one of nearly 150 airmen among 10,000

  • Quality-of-life survey results are in

    The results of the 2002 Chief of Staff Quality-of-Life Survey have been compiled and show an increase in satisfaction with the Air Force as a job and way of life, survey officials said.The survey, sent to more than 100,000 active-duty airmen and civilian employees in September, included questions

  • Merger creates new health organization

    Two organizations here merged recently to form the Air Force Institute for Operational Health to enhance public health, improve disease surveillance and detection, and make sure America's warfighters are fit and healthy.The institute merges the Air Force Institute for Environment, Safety and

  • Academy graduates 45th class

    As parade caps flew and the Thunderbirds soared overhead, the Air Force Academy Class of 2003 added 974 names to the 45th list of academy alumni at graduation ceremonies here May 28.Guest speakers were Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper.The

  • Coalition crew helps injured K-9

    The 376th Air Expeditionary Wing showed its true coalition colors May 25 as a medical team composed of Army, Air Force and Korean people prepared to perform surgery on Clinton, a Danish military working dog.Clinton broke one of his upper canines May 22 while chewing on his cage.“I guess he was

  • Rumsfeld says Iraqi problems real but workable

    Iraq, with the help of the Coalition Provisional Authority, will work past its current problems, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said to the Council on Foreign Relations in New York May 27.Rumsfeld said Iraq's problems are real, but shouldn't be blown out of proportion. Every country making a

  • Retired CMSAF travels world for bluesuiters

    Logging more temporary duty hours per year than many deployed airman, retired Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Robert Gaylor travels to the far corners of the world.Some people might call him crazy, but the fifth chief master sergeant of the Air Force said he has been to the ends of the world and

  • Air Force opens hospital in Iraq

    The "medical torch" passed from the Army to the Air Force at Tallil Air Base in southern Iraq with the grand opening of the Expeditionary Medical Support hospital. After nearly six years of development, EMEDS is the latest in expeditionary medical care. The Army's 86th Combat Support Hospital is

  • Space is ultimate high ground

    Space is the ultimate high ground and gives American forces a tremendous advantage on the battlefield, according to the Air Force’s director of space operations and integration at the Pentagon.“We must dominate space,” said Maj. Gen. Judd Blaisdell, “because it would be very difficult to conduct a

  • SECAF, CSAF approve Air University test

    The secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force have approved the testing of an initiative designed to improve interaction between officers and enlisted members in the professional military education environment at Air University. The plan calls for students attending the Air and Space Basic

  • Split disbursement now mandatory for all military travelers

    All military travelers must now select the split disbursement option on their travel voucher claims to directly pay their government travel card expenses, according to finance officials.Split disbursement requires travelers to tally up their GTC expenses and authorize enough funds to be sent

  • Country music star shows appreciation for military

    One of country music’s biggest stars visited Colorado Springs to thank the troops with a free concert May 21.Tim McGraw and the Dance Hall Doctors played to more than 20,000 area military members at Pershing Field on Fort Carson.“The band and crew were completely enthused at the chance to come

  • Now Showing: May 26 edition of Air Force Television News

    The end of an era in Turkey and Air Force ground support in the wake of the war against Iraq spotlight the latest edition of Air Force Television News. Senior Airman Israel Aviles reports on the end of Operation Northern Watch, a decade-old operation that enforced the northern no-fly zone over

  • Former CMSAFs offer advice

    Two key members of Air Force enlisted history and former chief master sergeants of the Air Force are visiting with U.S. Air Forces in Europe airmen. Retired Chief Master Sgts. of the Air Force Paul Airey, the first person to hold the title, and Sam Parish, the 8th CMSAF, are here as guest speakers

  • University assists Air Force programmers

    Airmen are improving their programming skills with help from experts called in from Auburn University at Montgomery by Standard Systems Group officials here.Standard Systems Group manages information technology contracts and standard information system programs commonly used at all active and

  • Deployed airman grows desert crop

    One look around this forward-deployed location shows most people there is nothing green to be had in the country.It is said that when airmen here return home, everything with color will be infinitely more brilliant. Grass will be much greener, and flowers will be far more colorful and

  • Team performs sacred act at mortuary

    Sixteen airmen with the 459th Services Flight here returned home after deploying to the Dover Air Force Base, Del., mortuary in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.For these airmen, returning home had a special meaning. While deployed, they made sure those who paid the ultimate price during the war

  • Blue, silver AEFs get rotations back on track

    The Air Force is establishing two transitional air and space expeditionary forces, blue and silver, to put the deployment schedule back on track by March 2004 and to bring home deployed airmen as quickly as possible.“We envision these two 120-day rotations filling the requirements of combatant

  • Center fights for safer Afghan airspace

    Representatives from the Regional Air Movement Control Center arrived here May 16 to discuss airspace safety with aviation officials and civilian aircraft operators who fly over and within Afghanistan.The center has its headquarters at a forward-deployed air base in Southwest Asia. It is an Air

  • CMSAF sends Memorial Day message

    The following is a Memorial Day message from Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray:“America remembers. We remember the names and faces of fallen heroes of past and current wars, and we honor them by setting aside a day to memorialize their sacrifice. This sacred tradition binds us

  • Leaders send Memorial Day message

    The following is a joint Memorial Day message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“As the flag soars gracefully to the top of the flagpole and then lowers solemnly to half-staff, the loss of great Americans who have fallen in our

  • Bandwidth increasing for some bases

    The Department of Defense is planning to beef up Internet access at 92 military installations by the end of fiscal 2004 as part of the global information grid bandwidth expansion project.A little over a third of those installations will be Air Force bases, said John Gilligan, the service's chief

  • President presents trophy to academy team

    President Bush presented the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy to senior cadets of the Air Force Academy football team during a May 16 ceremony in the White House.The trophy is presented annually to the service academy football team that bests its academy rivals in collegiate football. The Air Force

  • Airman sentenced in first OIF court-martial

    An airman first class from the 405th Expeditionary Munitions Squadron at a forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia pleaded and was found guilty May 18 of larceny and violation of a general lawful order. This was the first Air Force court-martial held at an Operation Iraqi Freedom deployed

  • Tanker lease vital to global operations

    To quickly begin the recapitalization of its tanker fleet, the Air Force is pursuing a deal to lease 100 Boeing 767s converted into tankers.The proposal awaiting Department of Defense approval is vital to sustaining the Air Force’s tanker fleet, said Dr. Marvin R. Sambur, assistant secretary of the

  • Love of flight unites Cochran, Yeager

    On the face of it, the long friendship between Jackie Cochran (Odlum) and Chuck Yeager seems a little improbable. Mixing two strong-willed overachievers, both of them whom were known public figures, is more like a formula for conflict.Yet the fighter pilot and the wealthy businesswoman had genuine

  • Airman killed, 2nd injured in ambush

    Staff Sgt. Patrick Lee Griffin Jr., 31, of Elgin, S.C., was killed in action May 13 near Diwaniyah, Iraq. Griffin was killed when his convoy was ambushed en route to Baghdad. Master Sgt. Jeffery Gore suffered a leg wound in the ambush and is in stable condition. He is the weapons and tactics

  • Air Force negotiates extra Raptor

    Air Force officials have negotiated the procurement of one additional F/A-22 Raptor as part of a recent purchase, raising the total to 21 aircraft, according to service acquisition officials.The F/A-22 acquisition has a “buy-to-budget” philosophy, said Dr. Marvin R. Sambur, assistant secretary of

  • Zettler: People first in reconstituting force

    As the dust of Operation Iraqi Freedom settles, the Air Force installations and logistics community is turning its attention to the challenge that lies ahead: readying the service for the next big contingency.Replenishing the materiel and equipment reserved for wartime use, rebuilding the munitions

  • Myers praises 64th AEW during visit

    America’s top general stopped briefly at a forward-deployed location May 11 to thank the people of the 64th Air Expeditionary Wing for their contributions to Operation Iraqi Freedom.Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed a crowd of active-duty, Guard and Reserve

  • Air Force name added to ‘The Wall’

    The name of an Air Force staff sergeant was among six added to Vietnam Veteran's Memorial here May 13. Staff Sgt. Donald S. Carson, a San Francisco native, was injured in a military aircraft accident in Thailand on April 12, 1963, and died a few days later. His name was omitted from “The Wall”

  • Air Staff move recognizes CAP security role

    One of the newest names in homeland defense is actually more than 60 years old.The Air Force Auxiliary, also known as the Civil Air Patrol, has been in the defense business since Dec. 1, 1941, when it was chartered to support national defense by providing submarine reconnaissance.In recognition of

  • Air Force eases Stop-Loss restrictions

    Air Force personnel officials announced May 14 the release of more than half of the Air Force specialty codes restricted from retirement or separation May 2 under the Stop-Loss program.Following a review of operational requirements, 31 officer and 20 enlisted career fields were released from

  • Dog team assists with drug bust

    A 21st Space Wing military working dog team was key in a recent bust on the Mexican border that netted $375,000 worth of cocaine.Staff Sgt. Joseph Saputo and his dog, Nero, both from the 21st Security Forces Squadron, were on temporary duty supporting the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border

  • Now showing: May 12 edition of AFTVNews

    A list of symptoms and simple precautions to protect airmen against Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome are spotlighted in the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Staff Sgt. Joe Wallace’s story on SARS emphasizes the Air Force has not been affected by the virus, thus far, but as a member of

  • Sergeant earns Vanguard Award for heroism

    Staff Sgt. Gabriel Brown is the Air Force's 2003 recipient of the Vanguard Award for heroic action, Air Force Personnel Center officials here announced May 12.Brown is assigned to the 720th Special Tactics Group at Hurlburt Field, Fla. The award, sponsored by the Non-Commissioned Officers

  • Plan will get AEF back on track, fix ‘disparity’

    While many deployed airmen are returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom to hero's welcomes, others deployed for as much as three times longer are still waiting to hear when they will go home.What appears to some as an obvious disparity is actually a case of differing mission objectives, said the

  • Arlington chaplains provide spiritual support

    More than 280,000 people are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Another 25 are added to those ranks each day.For the organization charged with providing spiritual support to those left behind when a veteran passes away, those numbers can add up to a hectic schedule. But according to the head

  • Official: Ranges important to success

    Training ranges are vital to the Air Force’s success on the battlefield, Air Combat Command’s chief of ranges, airfields and airspace operations told a congressional committee May 6.Col. Frank DiGiovanni's testimony was part of a fact gathering effort by the House Resources Committee as it considers

  • Air Force journalists win DOD awards

    Air Force print and broadcast journalists won 12 categories in the 2002 Thomas Jefferson Awards for excellence in military media. The results were announced May 6 by Defense Information School officials at Fort Meade, Md.Air Force winners in the print-media category are:-- Print Journalist of the

  • SECAF talks to students

    The Air Force’s top civilian spoke to an eighth-grade history class here May 7 about leadership, his career, the service and the war in Iraq.During the event, Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche answered questions from the Northern Bethesda Middle School students on topics ranging from his

  • Airmen blend science of healing with art of caring

    Air Force medical troops are playing an instrumental role in restoring the quality of life of individuals experiencing problems from physical trauma or general “wear and tear.”The seven-person physical therapy team from the 374th Medical Group here provides services that help restore function,

  • CSAF adds books to reading list

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper announced May 5 the addition of three books to his recommended reading list.In a Chief’s Sight Picture, Jumper said the new books will help provide a broad understanding of where the service is as an air force, the challenges and demands it faces, and a

  • The faces behind the faces on the 'most wanted' deck

    The faces of Saddam Hussein's defeated regime on the now-famous "most wanted" card deck have become ever familiar with more than 1 million decks printed and sold.The faces of the cards' creators, however, were a mystery, until now, that is.Enter Army Staff Sgt. Shawn Mahoney, 31, and Sgt. Scott

  • Robins spouse wins Joan Orr Award

    When her phone rang on an otherwise routine afternoon last week, Tammie Bocook was surprised at what she heard: "Please hold for General Wetekam."In seconds, Maj. Gen. Donald Wetekam, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center commander, was congratulating Bocook on being named winner of the 2003 Joan Orr

  • Pin honors parents, bolsters support

    A new program will help airmen honor those who are often their biggest supporters -- their parents.All uniformed airmen can now sign their parents up to receive a new lapel pin. The pins are about three-fourths inch square and feature a silver letter "P" cradled within the Air Force symbol. A

  • Air Force nursing corps meeting challenges

    The Air Force assistant surgeon general for nursing services met with the Senate Appropriations Committee subcommittee on defense April 30 to discuss the current state of the nursing corps."As we vigorously execute our mission at home and abroad, Air Force nurses and enlisted nursing personnel are

  • Iraq's future in hands of its own people, U.S. officials say

    Three senior U.S. government officials agreed that humanitarian efforts to renew and restore Iraq have gone well so far, and movement will continue to return Iraq to the Iraqi people.Undersecretary of Defense Dov Zakheim, DoD comptroller and chief financial officer, Undersecretary of State Alan

  • Air Force preparing for next contingency

    Even as deployed airmen return home from Operation Iraqi Freedom, Air Force officials are focusing on what they need to do to reload the service for the next contingency.According to Lt. Gen. Ronald E. Keys, deputy chief of staff for air and space operations, the three priorities in reconstituting

  • Cheney declares Iraqi Freedom 'most extraordinary military campaign'

    Vice President Richard Cheney knows what it takes to launch a war in the Persian Gulf. He did just that in 1991 as the nation's 17th defense secretary. Who better then to compare operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom 12 years later? In a speech to the Heritage Foundation today, Cheney called

  • Success in Iraq result of lessons learned

    The reason the Air Force performed so well during Operation Iraqi Freedom can be traced back to lessons learned from earlier conflicts, according to the deputy chief of staff for air and space operations at the Pentagon.“We were better trained, better organized and better equipped than we have ever

  • Air Force starts assessment survey

    After a short delay because of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 2003 Air Force Community Assessment survey is under way.According to the director of family advocacy research, the agency responsible for conducting the assessment, the survey is now being sent out to more than 180,000 randomly chosen

  • 2002 mission support awards announced

    Officials recently announced the winners of the 2002 Air Force Mission Support Awards.The awards recognize airmen and their units for outstanding performance in the areas of personnel, military equal opportunity, professional military education and training.The winner of the Gen. Robert J. Dixon

  • CSAF: Instructor duty vital to future

    The Air Force’s top uniformed leader is stressing the importance and value of instructor duty to all officers.In a Chief’s Sight Picture released in April, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper encouraged officers to invest in the future force by considering instructor opportunities an

  • Space program pioneers meet AF leaders

    The father of the Air Force space program and a key leader in the development of weapons systems such as the Minuteman missile assembled former colleagues here April 23 to 27 for the annual meeting of the "Old Timers."Retired Gen. Bernard A. Schriever led the intercontinental ballistic missile

  • CSAF presents Purple Heart to pararescueman

    After being hit by enemy fire April 18 during a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Staff Sgt. Robert L. Disney Jr. was on the receiving end of the lifesaving steps he knows well as an Air Force pararescueman.At a Pentagon ceremony April 30, he received a Purple Heart presented by Air

  • Force development prepares airmen for success

    Force-development efforts are under way to ensure the Air Force’s enlisted corps remains the best in the world, said the service’s top enlisted leader.According to Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray, force development is simply a methodical approach to giving airmen the tools,

  • Dover airmen bring their parents to work

    More than 100 parents beamed with pride and admiration as they walked arm-in-arm with their sons or daughters here. For many of these parents, this was their first exposure to the Air Force’s inner-workings and lifestyle.Bring Your Parents to Work Day, held at the Air Mobility Command Museum on

  • Ammo flight puts ‘force’ in Air Force

    Without munitions, the Air Force would be just the world’s largest, fastest airline.The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing put more than 3.2 million pounds of ordnance on target in Iraq, more than 90 percent of it precision-guided weapons. Those bombs came from the airmen in the 379th Expeditionary

  • Now showing: April 28 edition of AFTVNews

    The gradual Air Force shift from war to support in Iraq is highlighted in the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Staff Sgt. Chris Vadnais reports from Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq on how airmen are helping get supplies to troops on the ground. In the United Kingdom, Staff Sgt. Michelle

  • People are the key to air power, CSAF says

    The men and women of the Air Force are the basis of America’s air and space power, according to the Air Force chief of staff.“It’s all about smart people and the tools they’ve used in new and different ways,” Gen. John P. Jumper told an audience April 24 at the National Air and Space Museum

  • Rotary-wing asset saves lives

    Saving lives in a combat environment means taking risks. It means going where no one else can to get the person to medical help. The 41st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron airmen from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., do just that. Their mission, it takes 12 airmen -- six each in two HH-60 Pave Hawk

  • Officials announce AF comm, info awards

    Officials announced the Air Force’s communication and information awards for 2002 here recently.Individual winners:-- Outstanding Field Grade Officer: Maj. Eric J. Bjurstrom from Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia.-- Outstanding Company Grade Officer: Capt. Robert K. Lyman from the 50th Space

  • Homeward-bound crew thankful for support

    Among the many missions B-52s flew during Operation Iraqi Freedom, crewmembers aboard one Stratofortress said their most eagerly awaited sortie was the one they were on April 24.The crew spoke to reporters at the Pentagon via a radio-to-telephone connection as they flew home to Minot Air Force Base,

  • Mobile aeromedical staging facility cares for war's wounded

    Providing medical care to injured soldiers and airmen is the main job for 26 active duty and Reserve airmen of the 387th Air Expeditionary Group, deployed to a location in Southwest Asia.Comprising the Expeditionary Mobile Aeromedical Staging Facility staff, the team members are a model of the

  • Bomber group heads home

    After dropping 3.2 million pounds of explosives and 9 million leaflets during 120 combat sorties, more than 1,000 airmen are packing up and going home from this forward-operating location. The redeployment of the 457th Air Expeditionary Group began April 24 with approximately a dozen B-52

  • Possible SARS cases at Hill; patients recovered

    Test results April 21 identified two probable cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome here, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two retired Air Force officers, who recently returned to Utah from a trip to Asia, have now recovered from the symptoms. However, officials from

  • Roche, Jumper to speak at academy graduation

    Air Force officials announced April 23 that Dr. James Roche, secretary of the Air Force, and Gen. John Jumper, Air Force chief of staff, will speak at this year's Air Force Academy grauation. "Both personally are very much involved in the Air Force Academy and Air Force military education, and

  • Possible SARS cases at Hill; patients recovered

    Test results April 21 identified two probable cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome here, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two retired Air Force officers, who recently returned to Utah from a trip to Asia, have now recovered from the symptoms.However, officials from

  • Air Force, Army coordinate fire

    Whether they are jumping out of aircraft or rolling in a convoy, one essential entity in any of the 82nd Airborne Division's operations carried out at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, is an Air Force Tactical Air Control Party.Without the TACP, soldiers would not have a team to arrange air cover

  • Delivery for Baghdad

    Well aware of the threats on the ground around Baghdad, Iraq, a crew of six from the West Virginia Air National Guard loaded up their C-130 Hercules and headed for Iraq.The crew, who are deployed to a desert air base in Southwest Asia, said the mission was similar to the ones in the past but this

  • Feedback from survey to improve civilian leadership development

    A sampling of Air Force civilians in the grades of GS-12 through GS-15 have received and completed the civilian long-term training survey via e-mail in recent days.The 12-question survey, which is being distributed through April 25, is an opportunity for people to express their thoughts or concerns

  • Readiness center orchestrates contingency support

    David Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty disappear, walked through the Great Wall of China and made audience members vanish, only to reappear somewhere else. But, those were just magic tricks -- grandiose illusions.Try making 3,000 soldiers, more than 200 aircraft and nearly 5,000 tons of

  • Security forces keep base secure

    At this forward-deployed Operation Iraqi Freedom location, two security forces airmen in an observation post keep a close watch on local shipping traffic with high-powered binoculars.At the search pit, military working dogs sniff through a vehicle before it is released to approach the entry control

  • Total force team excels at bare base

    A total force team of active-duty, reserve and Guard airmen deployed to this austere deployed location have worked together to provide "amazing" support for Operation Iraqi Freedom, their commander said.The 485th Air Expeditionary Wing here is composed of active-duty F-15 Eagle fighters from Langley

  • Team cleans up unexploded ordnance

    While troops help Iraqis gain independence in the streets of Baghdad, Basra and Kirkuk, people from the 386th Explosive Ordnance Disposal team at one forward-deployed location are cleaning up remnants of the 1991 Gulf War."Unexploded ordnance poses a threat to both military members and the civilian

  • U.S., Poland finalize deal on F-16s

    This month's signing of a military hardware deal with Poland is expected to kick off a long-term relationship between the United States and the former Warsaw Pact nation, according to Air Force officials.On April 18, Polish officials signed a deal to purchase 48 new F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft

  • Officials announce Air Force fuels, supply awards

    Air Force officials recently announced the outstanding supply and fuels individual and unit awards for 2002.The individual supply winners are:-- Col. F. Badger Johnson III Senior Supply Manager of the Year: Lt. Col. Kenneth Hession from the 363rd Expeditionary Supply Squadron at Prince Sultan Air

  • New ID cards are secure, ready

    The high-tech identification common access card currently replacing the familiar green ID card worldwide is secure and proven in combat, despite some rumors to the contrary."Worries are unfounded" that the new ID cards are easily accessible to identity thieves or even hostile forces, said Chief

  • Deployed chaplains: Faith on front lines

    Since the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Air Mobility Command chaplains have deployed alongside thousands of Air Force people.They offer spiritual and religious services and help increase the morale of these deployed warfighters, according to Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Gerald McManus, AMC's chaplain

  • Falcon phase crews push envelope

    For every 300 hours an F-16 Fighting Falcon spends in the air, it is required to go through an inspection.The F-16s at a forward-deployed location have been flying almost continuously since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, making these inspections, called phases, necessary more

  • Some 'doctors' still make house calls

    Have mat, will travel.That is the newly adopted creed of the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group's three-person physical therapy team at a forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia. The 332nd EMDG is from the 10th Medical Group at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.Realizing that many of the pilots

  • Air Force, Central Command set war trophy policy

    Servicemembers deployed supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom may be tempted to bring home souvenirs of their war experience, but Air Force legal officials are urging them to think twice. Depending on the item, bringing home a "war trophy" could lead to court-martial, said Lt. Col. Karen L. Manos,

  • Hunters becomes gatherers for hungry families

    A sergeant here has found a way for base hunters to feed the hungry.Staff Sgt. Damion McElroy, the 30th Security Forces Squadron game warden, has begun Hunters Against Hunger, a program that gives hunters the opportunity to donate their excess game to feed homeless adults and children in Lompoc,

  • Predator is headache for enemy

    One of the most formidable aircraft in the Operation Iraqi Freedom arsenal does not even carry a pilot. Appearing almost toy-like at a mere 27 feet long, the RQ-1/MQ-1 Predator is an unmanned aerial vehicle that remains a huge headache for enemy forces.Operated remotely by a pilot and sensor

  • DOD's leaders thank military for heroism, courage, talent

    Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld thanked the men and women of the department for their service in the campaign in Iraq, but said much still remains to be done.Rumsfeld and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard Myers spoke to Pentagon employees during a Town Hall meeting

  • Surgeon's skills stay sharp helping base

    The doctor and nurses, shrouded in gowns, gloves and facemasks, lay stainless-steel scalpels and clamps neatly on the plastic-covered tray next to the patient.One of the nurses squeezes around the operating stretcher to adjust the overhead lamps while the doctor picks up his tools and prepares to

  • Boy Scout shows appreciation for deployed troops

    Patriotism and support for service members can even come from some of the country's youngest citizens.Corey Shoop, a member of the Boy Scouts of America Troop 43 in Carpentersville, Ill., recently made some members of the 40th Air Expeditionary Wing here, people whom he has never met before, part of