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  • Hometown of AF first woman 4-star dedicates new high school in her honor

    Beavercreek City Schools dedicated its high school campus to Air Force Materiel Command Commander Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger, a 1976 Beavercreek graduate, in a ceremony held March 15.The campus was renamed the "General Janet C. (Libby) Wolfenbarger Campus at Beavercreek High School." The school is

  • Academy holds memorial service for first African-American graduate

    Charles V. Bush, a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy's Class of 1963 and a Vietnam veteran, was laid to rest during a memorial service at the Academy March 16.Bush, also known as "BG-1" for being the Academy's first black graduate, died Nov. 5, 2012, at his home in Lolo, Mont.Friends and family

  • AF's top lawyer: Special Victims' Counsel supports sexual assault victims

    The Air Force's top lawyer testified Mar. 13 before the Senate Armed Services Committee's personnel subcommittee on sexual assault in the military and ongoing efforts to combat the problem.The Judge Advocate General, Lt. Gen. Richard C. Harding, was joined by his fellow service counterparts and the

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Risky cliff dive saves friend, earns Airman's Medal

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Capt. Matt Adams looked up, encouraging his friend and co-worker, Capt. John Barbour, as he clung precariously to a waterfall's cliff, some 25 feet above

  • One success inspires the next for today's women leaders

    "Things done are won; joy's soul is in the doing." This quote from one of Shakespeare's most ambiguous plays, Troilus and Cressida, appears to be the constant theme behind the careers of many of the Air Force's most accomplished women. Whether it was The Honorable Sheila E. Widnall, the 18th

  • AF personnel chief talks family programs, tuition assistance

    A senior Air Force leader testified in front of Congress Mar. 13 on the impact sequestration has had on Airmen and family programs, to include military tuition assistance. Lt. Gen. Darrell D. Jones, deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, informed members of the House Armed

  • Airmen bike, run 465 miles in 48 hours

    A team of students, faculty and staff members from Air Command and Staff College hit the ground running and riding March 7 to raise money for the children of fallen special operations members. The team of 63 left Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., on a 465-mile, 48-hour run and bike relay to the finish

  • U.S, Japan refine integrated air and missile defense during exercise

    Members of the U.S. military and Japan Self Defense Forces teamed up here recently to conduct a week-long exercise focused on operational issues relating to missile defense in the Pacific theater.Japan Air Self Defense Force Maj. Gen. Masashi Yamada, the director of the Defense Plans and Operations

  • Air Force suspends military tuition assistance

    In the wake of sequestration, the Air Force officially suspended military tuition assistance March 11.Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley announced the Air Force has officially suspended military TA for the remainder of fiscal 2013. The program will continue to be evaluated to determine the

  • Air Force Honor Guard female pallbearer honored to serve

    When Staff Sgt. Jennifer Powell joined the Body Bearers team, she was one of two women to do so since 1972.As a U.S. Air Force Honor Guard pallbearer, Powell is part of an eight-person team responsible for carrying the remains of deceased service members, their dependents, senior and national

  • SecDef directs review of Distinguished Warfare Medal

    In light of recent discussions concerning the new Distinguished Warfare Medal and its order of precedence relative to other military decorations, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered a review of the award, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said here today.Little said Hagel directed Army

  • US, Philippine service members work together during PACANGEL

    A joint team of U.S. service members traveled to the Philippines to participate in Operation Pacific Angel March 4 through 11.Operation Pacific Angel is a U.S. Pacific Command humanitarian mission that sends primary care, dental, optometry and civil engineer experts to different countries each year

  • Airmen improve Global Strike Command one click at a time

    Airmen across Air Force Global Strike Command can now submit their innovative ideas to a recently upgraded 'Strike Now' website."The revised website gives Airmen the ability to participate from any electronic device," said Pete Ellis, the director of AFGSC Smart Operations Division. "Airmen can

  • Women's roles evolve quickly following World War II

    Within the time span it took for women in television to transform from the female stereotypes portrayed on "I Love Lucy" to the more modern, late-century version found on "Murphy Brown," women in the U.S. Air Force were making strides that far outpaced their Hollywood counterparts.By the end of

  • Airmen mentor cadets 8,000 miles a second

    The image was small, but the smiles were big as four deployed service members connected to a classroom full of Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets in North Carolina, more than 8,000 miles away.The cadets of Piedmont High School AFJROTC NC-955 in Monroe, N.C., video conferenced

  • Dempsey: Education provides foundation of democracy

    Describing himself as both a student and a teacher, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stressed the importance of education in remarks March 7, at the World Affairs Council of Washington, D.C.-hosted annual education gala.There's nothing more important in democracy than education," Army Gen.

  • Sequestration impacts ripple across Air Force

    Air Force senior leaders issued updated guidance to leaders of Air Force major commands and addressed the service's Airmen last week on how the service will operate under sequestration and a continuing resolution for the remainder of the fiscal year.Acting Under Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Jamie

  • Seasoned Airman, young 'AF cop' early female casualties of war on terror

    A seasoned loadmaster assigned to special operations and a young security forces Airman, barely 21-years-of-age, have the distinction as the first female Airmen to die during the Global War on Terror in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom respectively.Staff Sgt. Anissa Shero was deployed

  • Air Commandos remember STRAY 59

    No matter how painful it is to remember or how easy it is to forget, one special operations squadron makes it a priority each year to remember its heritage and to honor those before its members now who paid the ultimate sacrifice. As an annual salute to their fallen comrades, a crew from the 1st

  • AF announces OTS selection results

    A total of 247 men and women from across America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for an officer's commission, officials here announced today. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 417 applications as part of the Officer Training School

  • AF officer named tops in her field

    A Lajes Field officer was recently awarded the 2012 Armed Forces Optometric Society Junior Officer of the Year.Maj. Tara Jayne, 65th Medical Operations Squadron optometrist, was surprised with the news when Col. Lorn Heyne, 65th Medical Group commander, and his wife visited her home Feb. 17 with a

  • Women conquer heights and fights

    With women now allowed to pursue combat related career fields, the first notion is that women have not participated in combat related duties whatsoever. But in reality this isn't the first time women have been put in the line of fire. During an airborne training exercise at Fort Bragg, N.C., female

  • Service chiefs ask congress for fiscal help

    The senior officers from the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps asked Congress March 5 for more spending flexibility so they can maintain military readiness as the sequester's across-the-board budget cuts take effect.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, Army Chief of Staff Gen.

  • Strategic Command: Cuts could erode capabilities

    The U.S. Strategic Command can execute its full mission responsibilities today, but the impacts of fiscal uncertainty and declining resources in the next six months or a year could change that, Air Force Gen. C. Robert Kehler said today.Testifying here before the House Armed Services Committee,

  • Time now to get smart on sequestration, furlough

    Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta notified Congress recently that should sequestration occur, the Department of Defense will initiate furlough for its 800,000-plus civilian employees. Congressional notification is required at least 45 days from a planned furlough, with implementation anticipated

  • USO brings Peyton Manning to Airmen

    Super Bowl champion and current Denver Broncos' quarterback, Peyton Manning, along with other professional athletes and performers visited 380th Expeditionary Airmen here Feb. 28 as part of United Service Organizations-hosted tour. Navy Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr., the vice chairman of the Joint

  • Arlington museum showcases military women's contributions

    A living legacy to women who served in all branches of the U.S. military honors their service and sacrifice inside the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.The museum in the memorial depicts the "duty, honor and pride" of the 2 million women who served to defend the United States, from

  • Esther Blake: First enlisted woman in the Air Force

    Staff Sgt. Esther McGowin Blake has the distinction of being the "first woman in the Air Force." She enlisted in the first minute of the first hour of the first day regular Air Force duty was authorized for women on July 8, 1948. Blake originally enlisted in March 1944, in Miami in the Army Air

  • President nominates 1st female Air Force Academy superintendent

    The president of the United States nominated Maj. Gen. Michelle Johnson for the appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and for assignment to serve as Air Force Academy's 19th superintendent. If confirmed by the Senate, Johnson would become the first woman to hold the position.Currently

  • Two women, different backgrounds, one goal

    Two women, from opposite economic, social and cultural backgrounds, earned common ground during the early days of World War II and set a path in aviation that would steamroll into women's boundless roles today. Jacqueline Cochran was born in 1906 in a cotton-fields-and-sawmill small town in western

  • Air Force cuts aviation support at public events

    As the Air Force braces for potential sequester, leadership has cancelled all aviation support to public events for at least the remainder of the fiscal year and is standing down the Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team to save flying hours to support readiness needs. Effective today, active-duty,

  • Task force established to close gaps between active, Guard, Reserve

    Air Force senior leaders recently constructed a task force to develop the best ways to bring the active, Reserve, and Guard closer together to achieve the most capable force possible. To meet the challenges of the future, the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force directed the stand-up of the

  • AF personnel chief: 'sequestration sends wrong signal to workforce'

    The Air Force's top personnel chief testified to Congress on the impact to military end strength in a budget constrained environment on Capitol Hill Feb. 27 during a House Armed Services Subcommittee military personnel hearing.Lt. Gen. Darrell D. Jones, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for

  • AF leaders warn of sequester impacts on replacing an aging fleet

    Two senior Air Force leaders here this week warned of the impacts sequestration and a continuing resolution will have on the service's acquisitions and programs. Lt. Gens. Michael Moeller, the deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs, and Charles Davis, the military deputy, office of

  • USecAF nominee testifies before Senate committee

    Eric Fanning testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee Feb. 28 during his confirmation hearing to be the next under secretary of the Air Force. "I come from a family with a long history of service in uniform -- two uncles graduated from West Point and made careers in the Army, another

  • Like Airman, like son: the Harper family legacy

    It's often said families fight, laugh and cry together, but it's not too often they deploy together.Father and son, Chief Master Sgt. Michael E. Harper and Capt. Michael J. Harper, are serving their third deployment together, or fourth depending on a person's definition of deploying together.In

  • Vasilievskoe villagers take pride in newly renovated school

    Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, the Vasilievskoe Kindergarten School sat empty for more than a decade. Since it reopened in 2003, the school house has been in need of extensive repairs. The Transit Center at Manas and the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek partnered with the Kyrgyz Republic

  • Nominations open for spirit of service award

    Air Force officials are accepting nominations for the 2013 American Legion Spirit of Service Award.The award is sponsored by the American Legion national headquarters and is presented annually to one enlisted member from each of the military branches for outstanding volunteer service performed

  • CSAF discusses impact of sequester

    America's military superiority is founded on training and readiness, and the fiscal crisis facing the country threatens to strip away that edge, members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Congress Feb. 26.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, along with Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray

  • Hagel takes office as 24th SecDef

    Just before his private swearing-in ceremony as the 24th secretary of defense, Chuck Hagel and his wife, Lilibet, arrived at the Pentagon this morning and were greeted by Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, military assistant to the secretary of defense.Hagel said hello to waiting members of

  • Maintainers turn packing into profession

    Regardless of where you go throughout your military career, your equipment will follow.An elite group of Airmen are charged with ensuring that same equipment reaches its destination safely."Packing aircraft and vehicles safely and sensibly is extremely important and sometimes a bit time consuming,"

  • DOD Implements Secure Program for Mobile Devices

    The Defense Department is rolling out a program that will allow users of a range of mobile devices -- working anywhere from remote battlefields to the Pentagon to rapidly share classified and protected data across all components.More than 600,000 DOD employees, from soldiers on the front lines to

  • SecAF visits 45th Space Wing

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley visited with 45th Space Wing Airmen here Feb. 21 as part of a weeklong visit to Florida. The secretary visited Patrick to not only thank Airmen, civilian and military alike, for their outstanding service, but also to discuss the potential impacts the service

  • PTSD and TBI: One Airman's road to recovery

    Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder have been two topics of great discussion recently, thanks to the debate going on in the National Football League and the recovery of veterans as they return home from the war in Afghanistan.One person who has experienced both and is on the

  • AF releases pay and allowances continuation program

    Air Force senior leaders recently released Air Force policy on the Pay and Allowance Continuation program for Airmen who become wounded or ill while supporting a combat contingency. With the release of the Air Force PAC program policy, AFGM 34-02, Airmen will now officially have their own policy,

  • SecAF discusses sequestration impacts at AFA

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley addressed more than 500 men and women on the final day of the Air Force Association's 29th Air Warfare Symposium & Technology Exposition Feb. 22 here.During his address, Donley spoke about several issues that are on the Air Force's radar, including budget

  • AF releases criteria for new combat medal

    Air Force officials released nomination criteria for the new Distinguished Warfare Medal Feb. 15, following defense officials' announcement of the new decoration days prior. The DWM will be awarded to honor individuals for single acts of extraordinary achievement, not involving acts of valor, that

  • CSAF, CMSAF kickoff AFA Orlando, leave few dry eyes

    Two senior Air Force leaders addressed more than 500 people at the Air Force Association's 29th Air Warfare Symposium & Technology Exposition here Feb. 21, 2013.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark. A. Welsh III and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody took to the stage with several points to

  • Sergeant continues family tradition with 'Sounds of Harmony'

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.) At the age of 10, his father asked him to be a part of something that would forever change his life.Blessed with a gift that had been genetically passed

  • Simulator prepares medical staff for obstetric emergencies

    Child birth, although a natural process, can sometimes pose certain emergency risks.Advances in technology however, have been able to significantly decrease these maternal and prenatal risks associated with child birth. Most notably, the 366th Medical Group Obstetric service boasts such technology

  • Air Force unit to improve airfield security in Slovenia

    Airmen from the 435th Contingency Response Group here traveled to Cerklje Air Base, Slovenia, to conduct a security familiarization event Jan. 21 - 25.The 435th CRG is a uniquely suited organization for the mission of building partnership. With 42 different career fields, the unit members can engage

  • Panetta issues message to DOD workforce on sequestration

    With major, across-the-board defense spending cuts scheduled to take effect March 1, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today issued a message to the Defense Department workforce.Here is the secretary's message:For more than a year and a half, the president, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and I have

  • Medical wing, San Antonio hospital collaborate to hone AF nursing skills

    The Air Force partnered with a community hospital to develop highly-skilled nurses who are trained for humanitarian and peacetime missions. These medical Airmen's skills are proven to increase patient survival rates in theater hospitals.Building the partnership was instrumental in meeting an

  • First Afghan Air Force C-208 CASEVAC a success

    In another historic step for the Afghan Air Force, an AAF Cessna 208 configured for battlefield casualty evacuation successfully transported a seriously injured soldier and three minor casualties from Kandahar, Afghanistan to Kabul International Airport Feb. 11. The Afghan-tasked, planned and led

  • ACC continues planning for sequestration impacts

    Air Combat Command officials continue to take actions to slow, and within the near-term dramatically restrict, fiscal 2013 spending in light of pending sequestration and a projected $1.8 billion shortfall in overseas contingency funding."We are prioritizing our efforts to sustain force structure and

  • SecDef announces Distinguished Warfare Medal

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has approved a new medal designed to recognize service members directly affecting combat operations who may not even be on the same continent as the action.The Distinguished Warfare Medal recognizes the changing face of warfare. In the past, few, if any, service

  • Lazyman inspires participants to overcome obstacles

    Adapt and adjust.Tech. Sgt. Tawanna Sellars has heard those words countless times during her Air Force career. When Lt. Col. Robb Owens stepped into the 50th Space Wing Safety office a couple of weeks ago and announced he had signed every active-duty member of the office up for the base's Lazyman

  • AF airlift support to Mali hits 2 million-pound mark

    The Air Force reached a major milestone Feb. 12 when the service hit the 2 million pounds of cargo transported mark during airlift operations from Istres, France to Bamako, Mali and other partner nations in support of French military operations in Northern Africa. At the request of the French

  • Former MTI sentenced during sexual misconduct trial

    In what has become the eighth courts martial in a series of allegations against military training instructors accused of various forms of sexual misconduct or assault, a former MTI was sentenced during a trial at Joint Base San Antonio -- Lackland, Texas.A sentence was returned Feb. 14 in the

  • CSAF and CMSAF visit the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody visited the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Feb. 7 and 8 to meet Airmen and talk about service issues with them.Welsh and Cody toured work centers, giving service member's the opportunity to interact with

  • Air Force libraries bridge the digital divide

    Need assistance setting up a budget, learning a new language or doing your homework? Look no further than your online Air Force library, where Air Force library staff work to meet customers' needs in an evolving digital world.Worldwide, Air Force libraries offer online learning resources, digital

  • East Coast joint training goes international

    "Under Air-Sea Battle, we will take 'jointness' to a new level, working together to establish more integrated exercises against more realistic threats." Following those words from former Chief of Staff of the Air Force, retired Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan

  • 'Mi Rey:' A deployed Valentine story

    It was a cold January evening in a little town called Muzquiz, in Coahuila, Mexico. Despite the chill in the air, she and a friend decided to go to the local dance hall. It was the kind of close-knit town where everyone knew each other, and dancing was a way to let loose on a Friday night.Her long,

  • Welsh: Sequestration will 'undermine' readiness

    Unprecedented budget factors have placed the nation's defense strategy in jeopardy, senior Department of Defense leaders told the Senate Armed Services Committee Feb. 12.During his opening remarks, the chief of staff of the Air Force stressed the severity of the current fiscal

  • DISA highlights increase in use of collaboration tool

    Use of a Web-based application designed to offer an information exchange environment for Defense Department users has grown markedly as defense spending cuts loom, Defense Information Systems Agency officials said.Since 2007, Defense Connect Online has been the "go-to" mechanism among several new

  • Airmen march 450 miles to honor fallen

    Sixteen Airmen from Hurlburt Field, Fla., took part in a 450-mile, six day ruck-march, in honor of five fallen Air Commandos.Of the sixteen, were four teams which included members from the 319th Special Operations Squadron, the 34th SOS, the 18th Flight Test Squadron and the 25th Intelligence

  • Photo essay: Tuskegee Airmen

    The Tuskegee Airmen were an elite group of African-American pilots in the 1940s. They were pioneers in equality and integration of the armed forces. The term "Tuskegee Airmen" refers to all who were involved in the Army Air Corps program to train African-Americans to fly and maintain combat

  • Band builds partnerships through music

    The U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band joined bands from seven other nations here at the Musikschau Der Nationen (Music Show of the Nations) Jan. 23 - 27 to remember veterans of all nations that fought in World War I and World War II. The five-day festival, which was attended by 22,000 people, displayed

  • CSAF and CMSAF visit Bagram Airmen

    On their first visit to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody had many words for the Airmen here.The two they said most often were "thank you."Throughout their visit, which included the 455th Expeditionary

  • AF EOD techs train Afghan border police

    Afghan Border Police explosive ordinance disposal technicians are one step closer to being qualified after a joint training validation event with U.S. Air Force EOD technicians, Feb. 5.Being validated will allow the ABP to receive more equipment to train more technicians, and respond safely to

  • African Americans in leadership

    The 1950s were a tumultuous time for the United States as the winds of changes blew across the country and the social landscape was transformed as the Civil Rights movement went into full swing. In 1954, the Supreme Court case ruling in Brown v. Board of Education overturned laws that permitted

  • AF leaders: Sequestration, more budget cuts will be devastating

    Sequestration would leave the Air Force with untrained people, a lack of equipment and be "devastating" to the service, officials said Feb. 7.The warning echoes what Department of Defense officials have stated for months about across-the-board defense cuts, in addition to an ongoing continuing

  • Fueling the high flyers - U-2 tube food calms cravings in the cockpit

    Pureed peach cobbler, chicken-a-la-king, key lime pie, or even the classic sloppy joe in a metallic tube don't compare to a home cooked meal, but U-2 pilots say the food they eat while flying long missions is delicious.While wearing a fully pressurized suit, pilots aren't able to open the visors on

  • Medic awarded Purple Heart for deployed actions

    An Air Force medic assigned to dangerous duty with an Army logistics convoy unit when deployed to Afghanistan two years ago was awarded the Purple Heart during a ceremony at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.Staff Sgt. Jasmine Russell, 2nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron, Personnel Reliability Program

  • Former CSAF inducted into AFSOC Order of the Sword

    More than 30 years after first arriving at Hurlburt Field as a young MC-130E Combat Talon pilot, the former chief of staff of the Air Force returned to receive the highest honor the enlisted force can bestow upon an individual. Nearly 700 enlisted Air Force Special Operations Command Airmen from

  • CSAF, CMSAF visit Grand Slam Wing

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody visited with the Airmen of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Feb. 2 and 3.Welsh and Cody held an Airman's Call as part of a multi-base tour to meet with Airmen throughout the U.S. Central Command area of

  • AF chief of staff releases 2013 reading list

    The Air Force chief of staff published his professional reading list Feb. 1.In a message on the website, Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said, "We are the world's greatest air force because of our Airmen...and we must continue to strengthen that team." He asks Airmen to take a look at the list that

  • Top AF leaders visit Kandahar Airfield

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody visited Airmen here Feb. 4 to thank them for their service and to discuss their priorities for the Air Force.Welsh and Cody, along with other Air Force senior leaders from the Pentagon and Air Forces

  • Top 10 facility energy accomplishments of 2012

    The fiscal year 2012 Annual Energy Management Report is making its way to Congress and lawmakers will likely be impressed by Air Force facility energy accomplishments. The Air Force Civil Engineer Center submitted the report to the Office of the Civil Engineer in November. It has since been sent to

  • JB Charleston reservists deliver humanitarian aid to Guatemala

    Reservists from the 300th Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., traveled more than 2,700 miles to deliver about 77,000 pounds of cargo to a children's hospice facility in Guatemala Feb. 3.The Airmen loaded a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft with a donated school bus and supplies acquired

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: F-22 pilot physician takes safety to new heights

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.) Powerful thrust, paired with unparalleled agility, propels the grey fighter jet through the sky, in ways unfathomable to earlier generations of

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: The Stoks standard

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)In six months Staff Sgt. Ryan Stoks expedited more than 413 missions and moved more than 18 million pounds of cargo to set new aerial port expeditor

  • Waterproof: Missile Retrievers not afraid to dive in

    When the weather forecast calls for tall waves, mean currents and high winds in the Gulf, the last thing most people want to do is jump into it. For Ray Gallien and Steve Shafer, two of the commercial divers aboard the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron's three Missile Retriever boats, it sometimes

  • It takes a team: Airmen contribute to Kingpin success

    The Air Force's mission in Southwest Asia has many components, one of which is little known, yet vital to mission success. Airmen with the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron, also known as "Kingpin," provide the information that allows successful completion of the Air Tasking Order, a 24-hour

  • VA issues new report on suicide data

    The Veterans Affairs Department today released a comprehensive report on veterans who die by suicide.In the past, data on veterans who died by suicide was only available for those who had sought VA health care services. Today's report also includes state data for veterans who had not received health

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Air Force sniper recalls brutal battle in Iraq

     (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)With rockets exploding around him and the entry control point in complete chaos, a security forces Airman took decisive action to help quell the enemy

  • Photo essay: Military Working Dog Jessey/L063

    Sometimes saying goodbye to a dear friend is the hardest thing to do.Click here to watch Jessey's story as she retires after six years of service and says farewell to her handler and best friend, Staff Sgt. Eric Rod.

  • Air National Guard director retires

    Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, Air National Guard director, retired after more than 40 years of military service during a ceremony Tuesday hosted by Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin at Joint Base Andrews, Md.The Air Force Chief of Staff Air Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau Army

  • Special Operations honors latest heroes

    One of the most combat-decorated Air Force units since the end of the Vietnam War named more heroes Jan. 23-24 during medal presentation ceremonies here and at Portland Air National Guard Base, Portland, Ore.The 24th Special Operations Wing gained one Silver Star and six Bronze Star medals with

  • Getting Airmen back in the 'Games'

    Many Airmen have served honorably in the Air Force, but due to wounds, illnesses or injuries are no longer able to serve in the capacities they did before. The Warrior Games gives those Airmen a chance to serve again.The games, scheduled for May 11-17 in Colorado Springs, are designed to introduce

  • Former 'dirt boy' retires as Air Force's top enlisted Airman

    "Dirt Boy Did Good" would be a great working title for a movie about former Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy's 30-year career. His first Air Force job, after he joined in 1982, was in civil engineering as a heavy equipment operator, a "dirt boy." His last, the one he retired from Jan.

  • From tragedy comes triumph: Wounded warrior shares his story

    The first bullet struck him in the hip. But it was the second shot, the one that hit Staff Sgt. Kristoffer Schneider in the forehead, which forever changed his life nearly two years ago.Schneider and his wife, Amanda, shared his story of surviving the 2011 terror attack at Frankfurt International

  • Families make unit stronger

    The harsh reality of leaving family behind is common for service members, what is not so common is being deployed with them.The 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron understands the significance of family bonds and they should -- they have five pairs of related Airmen."We have great camaraderie

  • US planes deliver French troops to Mali

    The U.S. Air Force began transporting French soldiers and military equipment Jan. 21 from Istres, France to Bamako, Mali, in support of French military operations. C-17 Globemaster III, operating under the control of U.S. Africa Command, are moving a French mechanized infantry battalion. The ongoing

  • CMSAF transition: Airmen say goodbye to Roy, welcome Cody

    The Air Force appointed its 17th chief master sergeant of the Air Force during a transition and retirement ceremony here Jan. 24.In his last official act before retiring, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy relinquished the duties and responsibilities of the Air Force's highest enlisted

  • Training eases stress, strain of deployed duties for EOD Airmen

    On a bitter cold winter morning explosive ordnance disposal technicians conducted training exercises Jan. 10 at Fort Carson, Colo. designed to simulate the mental and physical fatigues experienced while deployed. The exercises included unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices, called

  • Pentagon to lift rule excluding women from combat

    Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are expected to announce the lifting of the direct combat exclusion rule for women in the military, a senior defense official said today.The policy change will begin a process in which the

  • Air Force Officials Aim to Eliminate Sexual Assault

    Following a nine-month investigation into sexual misconduct at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, the Air Force has implemented a comprehensive program aimed at eliminating sexual assault, senior Air Force leaders told Congress today.Air Force Chief Of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and

  • Academy cadets march in 57th Inaugural Parade

    Cadets with the Air Force Academy's outstanding cadet squadron of 2012 marched down the streets of Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington Jan. 22 as part of the 57th Inauguration Parade, honoring the swearing-in of President Barack Obama.Hundred of thousands of spectators greeted the Raptors of Cadet