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U.S. Air Force News

  • Four Airmen receive Sijan award

    The Air Force's 2009 Capt. Lance P. Sijan Award recipients were honored in a ceremony April 21 in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes.The Sijan Award annually recognizes four Airmen who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities. Officer and enlisted honorees are chosen in senior and junior

  • Better prosthetics coming for wounded warriors

    From developing a new microprocessor-controlled prosthetic leg to a non-chafing socket device, the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center here is making big strides in advancing prosthetic science to improve wounded warriors' quality of life.The center reaches out to a broad spectrum

  • Mobility officials adapt to volcanic ash plume

    Air Mobility Command members continue to provide airlift capabilities despite the cloud of ash from an Icelandic volcano that has troubled air travel, a senior officer responsible for moving military personnel and equipment around the world said April 21 here."As soon as we saw the potential impact

  • Band rocks Bagram servicemembers

    The sound of music filled the air as members of the U.S. Air Forces Central Command Band Reserve Generation performed here as part of a two-month tour of the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility April 15 through 20. Bagram Airfield was one of the last stops for the band, deployed from Robins

  • Joint training mission enables reservists to train as they fight

    Reservists from the 815th Airlift Squadron here completed a joint airborne and air transportability training mission with Army special forces Soldiers April 16 in Key West, Fla. The JA/ATT program provides the 815th AS members with unique training opportunities, said Lt. Col. Mark Carter, the 403rd

  • Combat arms team supports all operations

    Airmen at the 451st Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms Training and Maintenance team here are directly responsible for ensuring each Air Force member is issued ammunition upon arrival here. In addition, the two-person team of Staff Sgt. Chanson Johnson, and Senior Airman Jacob

  • Troops take advantage of GI Bill transferability

    More than 100,000 requests from troops desiring to transfer their unused education benefits to family members have been approved under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, a defense official said April 22 here. Signed into law in June 2008, the new GI Bill is a Department of Veteran Affairs-sponsored program that

  • Northern Lights entertains native Alaskans during Operation Arctic Care

    The Pacific Air Forces five-piece mixed wind ensemble from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, arrived April 20 to begin a three-day tour performing here and in several nearby villages during Operation Arctic Care.Northern Lights kicked off their tour with a live performance at Kotzebue's main radio

  • Earth Day: Taking action for a greener tomorrow

    Members of the Air Force family, in uniform and out, will join millions of people across the nation and around the world in observing the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, said the service's assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics."We are dedicated to the

  • Airman gets NASCAR 'Royal' treatment

    It's not every day the morning starts with a phone call from a NASCAR driver, but that's exactly how a 56th Maintenance Group Quality Assurance inspector began work April 8 here.Staff Sgt. Damon Thurman's supervisor handed him the phone and Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Crown Royal Black car,

  • Inaugural warrior and survivor care conference held

    "Care beyond duty" was the theme for the Warrior and Survivor Care Conference hosted by Air Force Personnel Center officials here April 6 through 9."The goal for this conference was to bring three major groups together: the recovery care coordinators, base level community readiness consultants and

  • Altus Airman, Soldier help set world record

    A Soldier with the Army's Golden Knights parachute demonstration team attempted to set a new world wing-suit distance record April 14, over Altus Air Force Base. According to Army Staff Sgt. Ben Borger and a C-17 Globemaster III crew, he broke the record by a mile and a half. The total distance

  • Joint training at 12,500 feet

    In less than 10 seconds, they were gone.Traveling toward earth at speeds of approximately 150 mph, the operators open their parachutes and slowly drift to the ground.Once safely on land, they repack, board a C-17 Globemaster III and do it again. This scenario happened four more times over a drop

  • Chief of staff kicks off Caring for People Forum

    As Airmen from throughout the Air Force gathered here April 20 through 22 for the 2010 Caring for People Forum, the chief of staff of the Air Force underscored the importance of their participation.Approximately 250 active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen and civilians gathered for the second annual

  • Officials visit Operation Arctic Care

    Military and Department of Defense senior leaders traveled here to visit Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors participating in Operation Arctic Care 2010.This operation is the largest recurring joint military medical readiness and logistics training exercise, providing real-world humanitarian assistance and

  • Airmen continue distributing medical supplies to Bishkek

    Airmen delivered medical supplies and food to two Bishkek hospitals, and visited with patients April 15 who were injured in Kyrgyzstan. This is a continuation of efforts started when 16,000 lbs, approximately $82,000 worth, of supplies including bandages, sutures, antibiotics and antiseptics were

  • Airmen moving the mission in Afghanistan

    A team of 28 aerial port and vehicle maintenance Airmen from the 451st Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Det. 1 here are moving the mission in Afghanistan.The unit's air traffic operations center and ramp operations have uploaded and downloaded more than 40,000 short tons of cargo from

  • Mullen reaches out to local communities on behalf of veterans

    Investing in America's military veterans through education and employment opportunities will benefit local communities greatly, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said during the World Leader's Forum at Columbia University here April 18. Columbia University is the first of

  • Airmen contribute humanitarian aid to Afghan people

    Members of the 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron here recently adjusted office space to accommodate more than 1,100 pounds of humanitarian aid sent to Bagram Airfield. The donation, 38 boxes of shoes, was facilitated by Tech. Sgt. Ronald Knight, an air transportation operations center data

  • Balad becomes divert base for wounded troops

    Senior U.S. Air Forces Central Command medical officers have temporarily named Joint Base Balad as the new hub for all aeromedical evacuations following worldwide air travel disruptions caused by ash from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruptions. The Air Force Theater Hospital received its first

  • General Schwartz delivers first Super Herc to Dyess

    The Air Force's top military leader flew and delivered a new C-130J Super Hercules here April 16 from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. Opening a new era in tactical airlift for Dyess AFB, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz spoke to a crowded hangar of distinguished visitors and

  • Sheppard members start new combat fit program

    The staff of the Health and Wellness Center here recently started a new exercise program, titled Combat Fit, to help Sheppard people get physically prepared for the combat environment.Combat Fit is a circuit-training program designed by HAWC fitness professionals to strengthen core muscles and build

  • Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center transition complete

    The Air Force and Navy chaplain schools have relocated to the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center at Fort Jackson, S.C. Between June 2009 and February 2010 both staffs occupied a former elementary school annex on Fort Jackson. The transition to the new facility is now complete.  A dedication ceremony is

  • New unmanned spacecraft set to launch

    Air Force officials are scheduled to launch the U.S.'s newest and most advanced unmanned re-entry spacecraft April 22 at Cape Canaveral Air Station, Fla.The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle will provide a flexible space test platform to conduct various experiments and allow satellite sensors, subsystems,

  • Joint exercise at Osan wraps up

    Airmen of Osan Air Base's 25th Fighter Squadron and South Korea's 237th Tactical Fighter Squadron trained together this week during the spring Buddy Wing exercise that concluded April 15 here.The exercise is designed to introduce and review tactics, exchange ideas, and improve interoperability

  • Guard, active-duty Airmen provide dental care to remote Alaskan village

    Three Airmen providing care to remote villages here is proving to be a productive way to conduct much-needed training.The Airmen, deployed from bases across the country in support of Operation Arctic Care, a joint innovative readiness training exercise aimed at providing medical care to remote

  • Charleston officials support Operation Enduring Freedom build-up

    Members of the 4th Marine Logistics Group, 4th Atlanta Support Battalion, Charlie Company here are moving shipments of mine-resistant, ambush-protected, all-terrain vehicles overseas to a number of remote locations supporting the build-up for Operation Enduring Freedom.M-ATVs are armored vehicles

  • Child becomes pilot for a day

    With his dad squarely in his sights, a 9-year-old boy pulls the trigger in the cockpit of an F-15 Eagle simulator. "Don't worry dad, I'm just going to do a practice landing," Isaac Ezell said jokingly as he searched the simulated sky for his father's jet. Isaac participated in the Tyndall Air Force

  • Airmen provide humanitarian assistance in Kyrgyz village

    Airmen from the Transit Center at Manas here participated in a humanitarian mission in Iskra Village April 14. Airmen brought food, clothing and entertainment items to patients at the TokMok Psychoneurologic Boarding House.This boarding house, which falls under the Kyrgyz Republic State Agency for

  • Airmen lend a hand to world leaders

    Fifty aerial porters from Air Mobility Command bases throughout the United States were tasked to augment porters supporting the Nuclear Security Summit April 12 through 13 in Washington, D.C.Aerial porters executed a normal operations load of 98 missions throughout the summit in addition to 58

  • Air Force nurse earns confidences of native Alaskan patients

    A joint medical team recently deployed to a remote village in northern Alaska where earning trust is often the first step to getting patients through the door.According to Maj. Emily Cerreta, a traditional reservist assigned to the 433rd Airlift Wing at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, the fact that

  • Air Force aid helps family provide 'Hope for Max'

    During the Air Force Assistance Fund campaign, Airmen have the opportunity to give to four charities that help Airmen and their families.  For one Joint Base Charleston Airman, the donations given by the Air Force family helped him care for his own family, specifically his son max, who was diagnosed

  • McGuire Airmen continue to support Haiti relief

    Air Force reservists from the 514th Air Mobility Wing here continue to provide aerial port and translator skills in Haiti for earthquake relief efforts. Members of the 35th and 88th Aerial Port squadrons arrived in Haiti in mid-February. Living on Meals, Ready to Eat and residing in tents, the nine

  • Misawa maintainers keep F-16s flying

    Six engineers from the Air Force Engineering and Technical Services team here provide technical support to maintainers and aircrew for F-16 Fighting Falcon troubleshooting. With the F-16 aircraft airframe being about 30 years old keeping the jets in top form increases challenges, such as electrical

  • Barksdale Airmen restore B-17G for 8th Air Force museum

    Airmen, volunteers and contractors here are busy preserving, restoring and painting a B-17G Flying Fortress for the 8th Air Force Museum in honor of Maj. Gen. Lewis E. Lyle, a World War II B-17 pilot.The aircraft being restored will be preserved to the best extent possible and replicated as the

  • Offutt community honors fallen Airman with road dedication

    Offutt community officials hosted a ceremony April 6 to dedicate and name a new road on base in honor of a fallen Airman. Lt. Col. Harrison "Harry" Tull served in the Air Force for 27 years, his career encompassing his time in World War II as a member of the famous Tuskegee Airmen, the Korean War

  • Misawa servicemembers, Japanese clean beach, port

    Combat boots were swapped for rubber galoshes when Misawa Airmen, Sailors and their family members cleaned up Misawa's port and beach area April 11 here in advance of Earth Day.Volunteers from the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron and Misawa Fishing Association organized the 13th annual ecological event

  • Elmendorf Airmen validate air-to-air gunnery capability

    Airmen from the 3rd Operations Group validated their air-to-air gunnery capability April 7 by performing their first live fire gunnery mission over a range in Alaska. The radar reflective target is launched by dragging it behind the plane until it lifts off the runway. Once the mission is over, the

  • Air Force officials announce annual comm-info awards

    The chief of Air Force Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer has announced the 2009 Air Force Gen. John P. Jumper Awards for Excellence in Warfighting Integration and the 2009 Air Force Communications and Information Awards. "The superb quality of the nominations we received confirm

  • Air Forces Africa officials take part in cultural training

    Air Forces Africa's personnel directorate staff has been working with Air Force Culture and Language Center members at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in recent months to tailor a training program for people charged with building and maintaining relationships in Africa. AFCLC officials had the

  • 2 Hurlburt Field Airmen die in CV-22 crash

    Department of Defense officials announced April 11 the deaths of two Airmen who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom when they died in a crash of a CV-22 Osprey April 8 near Kandahar, Afghanistan. Killed were: -- Maj. Randell D. Voas, 43, of Lakeville, Minn. -- Senior Master Sgt. James B.

  • Academy, VA team up for ambulatory surgery services

    A $14-million cooperative venture between officials from the U.S. Air Force Academy and the Department of Veterans Affairs, funded by the Department of Defense and VA's Joint Incentive Fund, will bring much-needed ambulatory surgical care to veterans in southern Colorado.Medical procedures for

  • Airmen get first-hand insight to favorite meal

    The fragrant smells of shrimp curry, Biriyani rice, chicken Tikka and Aloo Gobi, drifted from the Falcon Café kitchen here April 6 as staff members taught some of their patrons how to make their favorite Indian dishes. The class, a first for the staff, gave members of the 387th Air Expeditionary

  • VA official emphasizes addressing mental health issues early

    Close collaboration between Defense and Veterans Affairs department officials, plus proactive military screening policies are helping to identify and treat mental-health issues in returning combat veterans before they escalate into more serious, long-term problems, said the Veteran Affairs

  • Automation to improve Post-9/11 GI Bill processing

    With 153,000 veterans enrolled in the Post-9/11 GI Bill this semester, and new automation tools to arrive this month to improve processing procedures, the Veterans Affairs secretary declared the program "on track" and headed toward greater efficiency. Secretary Eric K. Shinseki acknowledged that the

  • Wright-Patterson unit earns Dr. James G. Roche Sustainment Excellence Award

    Air Force and contract organizations teamed up to garner an Air Staff-level award recognizing the Air Force Materiel Command program office with the most improved aircraft maintenance and logistics readiness performance.Members of the 702nd Aeronautical Systems Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force

  • Balad medical team turns tragedy into triumph

    Sajad Hany Shaker Mahmud was involved in an improvised explosive device attack Jan. 24 in Iraq. He had just climbed into a vehicle for a short trip when an IED detonated. Sajad has no known enemies, disputes, business conflicts or political aspirations. He is only 6-years-old. Sajad is still

  • Newly renovated USO opens in downtown San Antonio

    USO officials unveiled a newly renovated, state-of-the-art facility for military members and their families April 7 at the USO San Antonio Riverwalk Center.The renovated facility features a children's play area, a computer area with six new stations, free Wi-Fi, refurbished pools tables, an

  • Air Force officials honor top Public Affairs communicators

    Air Force Public Affairs Agency officials here announced the results of the 2009 Air Force Media Contest in writing, photography and broadcasting April 7.Winners in writing and broadcast categories advance to represent the Air Force in the annual Department of Defense Thomas Jefferson Awards

  • Chaplain provides ministry to Airmen in combat area

    As the final rotation of the 732nd Air Expeditionary Group chaplain office draws to a close, the two-person team went on a final mission to neighboring forward operating bases around Baghdad International Airport.Although the purpose of this last trip was to provide pastoral care and help facilitate

  • Vice chairman expresses comfort with nuke production freeze

    The nation's second-ranking military officer said April 6 he's comfortable with a new U.S. policy that halts future production of nuclear weapons. The freeze on developing new nuclear platforms, save for extraordinary cases requiring presidential approval, is an element of the Nuclear Posture

  • Cadet of the year receives honor from Air Force chief of staff

    An Air Force ROTC cadet at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology received the 2009 Air Force Cadet of the Year Award from the Air Force chief of staff during a ceremony at the Pentagon April 5.Sponsored by the Air Squadron of the United Kingdom, the cadet-of-the-year award goes to the

  • Airmen keep servicemembers healthy through preventative measures

    Every day thousands of Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers and contractors walk through the doors of Dining Facility Two here to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. They can do this without worrying if the food they are consuming is safe to eat, because of the efforts of the 332nd Expeditionary Aerospace Medical

  • U.S. military officials contribute to Kyrgyz deworming conference

    Three U.S. military medical experts including two colonels from the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, attended a conference here on mass deworming April 2 to contribute American health care concepts to the health program this country's medical representatives have successfully started and plan to

  • Airmen complete month-long training in Pacific region

    Airmen from the 19th Fighter Squadron from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, recently completed two back-to-back training exercises in Thailand and Hawaii. The squadron interacted with Thai and Singaporean air forces at Cope Tiger in Korat, Thailand, while also training here with the 199th Fighter

  • Exercise key to Hawaiian air support center upgrade

    The Hawaii Air Support Operations Center staff here achieved initial operational capability after proving its ability to deploy and perform its mission during Exercise Balikatan 2010 in March.The unit, under the under the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam,

  • Manas Airmen move troops into Afghanistan

    Airmen from the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron here moved approximately 50,000 multinational, U.S. and coalition troops, and the petroleum, oil and lubricants flight Airmen issued 12,500,102 gallons of jet fuel in March. The previous record number of passengers processed in a month

  • Air Force, Army officials partner to improve interoperability

    Officials from the Army's I-Corps Air and Missile Defense Detachment moved into 5th Air Support Operations Squadron facilities here in late March and now Soldiers and Airmen will work side-by-side strengthening the joint teamwork that will be critical in combat.This is the first time a Corps-level

  • Shooter, sirens prep Minot Airmen

    Minot Air Force Base Airmen responded to a mock attack during a massive accident response exercise at the McAdoo Sports and Fitness Center March 26 here.More than 50 evaluators and exercise planners, including officials from local and state emergency management staffs, the FBI, Minot Police

  • Brothers in arms reunited for the first time

    Retired Staff Sgt. Brian Isenhour and retired Airman 1st Class Brandon Gauvreau had never met each other before, but the two had more in common than they knew.Both incurred traumatic brain injuries while on active duty and both attended the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in

  • Barksdale Airmen build homes for needy families

    More than a dozen Barksdale Air Force Base Airmen came together to help give a deserving family the gift of a lifetime March 20 in downtown Shreveport, La. The volunteers met up at the building site with Habitat for Humanity volunteers, family members and workers from the Military Entrance

  • Luke Airmen honor Bataan march

    Five Luke Air Force Base Airmen participated in the 21st edition of the Bataan Memorial Death March March 21 at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. More than 5,700 people from 50 states and five countries hiked the 26.2 mile course in honor of the World War II prisoners of war in 1942. "It's definitely

  • Airman comes to aid of heart attack victim

    Tech. Sgt. James Harrell Jr. was on his way home from here after a shift with the 81st Security Forces Squadron about 5:15 a.m. March 26. As he traveled west on Pass Road, he turned south onto Rodenberg Avenue -- not his normal route home to Gulfport, Miss."I can't explain it ... I just decided to

  • Chief of staff: Minot Airmen key to Air Force mission

    The Air Force chief of staff addressed more than 1,500 Airmen gathered here April 1 to discuss teamwork and excellence, key elements in mission accomplishment as well as in maintaining standards in the nuclear business.Gen. Norton Schwartz talked to Airmen from the 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile

  • Hmong-American patriot recognized by Air Force chief of staff

    Presumed dead for decades, a Royal Laotian Air Force fighter pilot received recognition from the Air Force's top uniformed officer here March 31 for his contributions during the Vietnam War.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz presented Yia Kha with a certificate of appreciation for his

  • Bagram medics remove unexploded ordnance from patient

    Airmen from the Craig Joint Theater Hospital trauma team here removed an unexploded ordnance from a patient's scalp March 18 here.The patient, an Afghan National Army soldier, was involved in an improvised explosive device attack and had a 14.5 mm high explosive incendiary round with approximately 5

  • Leave en route policy change benefits Airmen

    Some Airmen will now have the opportunity to take leave en route within the continental United States when they return home, or redeploy, from the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. This change can save Airmen significant time and travel-associated costs, as well as provide them an

  • Original song competition at MyAirForceLife.com

    More than 70 years ago, Capt. Robert MacArthur Crawford, an Airman with the Army Air Corps, won an original song competition with an entry that eventually became the official song for the U.S. Air Force. Captain Crawford wrote the lyrics and music to "Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder."Starting

  • Yokota officials host bilateral safety conference

    Forty-two Japanese civilian general aviation pilots landed here March 20 for the Kanto Plain Mid-Air Collision and Avoidance Conference conducted by the staff of the 374th Airlift Wing Safety Office. The MACA conference brought military members together with civilian pilots from all over Japan, to

  • Guardsmen assist in Northeast states battling floods

    More than 1,500 National Guard members in three Northeast states are waging a war against rising flood waters after several days of rain combined with melting snow.Massachusetts officials have called up more than 900 Soldiers, including 116 Air Guardsmen, while Rhode Island and Connecticut officials

  • Airmen sustain increased airlift flow to Afghanistan

    Airmen at Camp Bastion in southern Afghanistan increased airfield operations recently in direct support of Marines during the U.S. troop increase called for by President Barack Obama to target the insurgency and secure key population centers.U.S. Transportation Command officials here requested 615th

  • Eight coaches selected for Warrior Games

    Air Force officials recently announced the names of eight Air Force members selected to coach the 2010 Air Force team for Department of Defense's inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 10 to 14."We received an overwhelming response from hundreds of people interested in coaching

  • Beale family selected as Air Force FitFamily of the month

    The family of a 9th Support Division Squadron member here was selected as the Air Force's FitFamily of the Month for March after logging more points than any other Air Force family on the program's Web site.The FitFamily Web site provides a venue for families to participate in family activities and

  • Top enlisted leader addresses top issues facing Airmen

    The top enlisted Airman addressed some of the top issues facing Airmen during a visit here March 17 and 18.The role battlefield Airmen play in deployed operations is an area of focus because it ties into one of the Air Force's priorities, said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy. "I am

  • VA secretary releases draft Gulf War task force report

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced March 31 that the department's Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force has completed the final draft of a comprehensive report that will redefine how VA officials address the concerns of veterans who deployed during the Gulf War in 1990 and

  • Global Hawk wet runway testing yields positive results

    Airmen, civilians and contractors of the 452nd Flight Test Squadron here conducted RQ-4 Global Hawk wet runway testing with positive results throughout March here.The wet runway test required the Global Hawk to demonstrate taxiing and stopping from 6, 12, 30, 50 and 70 knots.The Block 20 Global Hawk

  • Assistant VA secretary, U.S. Olympians join veterans on ski slopes

    The assistant secretary for Veterans Affairs and two U.S. Olympic athletes joined each other on the slopes during the 24th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic March 31 here.VA Assistant Secretary Tammy Duckworth, Bode Miller and Casey Puckett skied with the veterans as part of the

  • General Schwartz releases 2010 CSAF Reading List

    The Air Force chief of staff announced his latest CSAF reading list April 1. "I am pleased to announce my 2010 reading list, which provides valuable ways for all Airmen to further their professional education and augment their leadership skills,"  Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz

  • Team heads to Chile for air show, but not empty-handed

    Approximately 30 Airmen and two F-22 Raptors from Holloman Air Force Base headed to Chile to participate in an air show, but took more equipment then initially planned.The plan had been in effect for months for the Airmen and aircraft to support the 2010 FIDAE Air and Trade Show that would mark the

  • Photo essay: Dogs run final course

    Three military working dogs here are due to be medically retired April 6, and took a final run at the kennel obstacle course March 25.  The dogs and their partners are assigned to the 56th Security Forces.View the slideshow.

  • Operation Purple reconnects children, parents after deployments

    It wasn't a typical cross country skiing race where skill and speed are factors. In this race, it was all about cooperation. Three children and two parents, lined up like a caterpillar with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them, inching along in unison and trying not to trip

  • An Air Force veteran's story: From combat controller to Paralympian

    In the blink of an eye your life can change forever.That's exactly what happened to Sean Halsted when he fell 40 feet to the ground while fast roping from a helicopter during a training mission at Hurlburt Field, Fla. He went from an active-duty combat controller to a U.S. Paralympian in the 2010

  • American servicemembers, helicopters deploy to Haiti

    Joint Task Force-Bravo officials deployed 40 servicemembers, four UH-60 Blackhawks and equipment March 21 and 22 in support of Joint Task Force-Haiti's airlift operations in Haiti.Four C-17 Globemaster IIIs landed and were loaded during a three-day period to airlift more than 180,000 pounds of

  • Clinic provides disabled vets pathway to paralympics

    Air Force veteran Sean Halsted was a decent skier before he fell 40 feet out of a helicopter while on a fast rope during a search-and-rescue training exercise in 1998. Paralyzed from the waist down, he feared his active days were behind him. Three years after his accident, Mr. Halsted reluctantly

  • Rescue crews fly into hostile zones to save lives

    Men and women of the 41st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron here provide around-the-clock personnel recovery, commonly known as combat search and rescue, for American and coalition warfighters supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.But unlike past wars where aircraft were lost every week, the mission in

  • New Reserve group stands up at Seymour Johnson

    To keep up with the increasing demand for F-15E Strike Eagle pilots and weapon systems officers, a new group is standing up here.The Air Force Reserve Command's 414th Fighter Group may have only a handful of assigned personnel now, but about 340 people will fall under the group, the 307th Fighter

  • Elmendorf Airmen complete million push-up challenge

    In about 3.5 months, 425 Elmendorf Air Force Base Airmen accumulated more than 1 million push-ups to reach a unit goal.In an effort to improve physical training scores and build camaraderie, 3rd Medical Group leaders posed the 100-day million push-up challenge and unit medics began logging their

  • General Holm remembered in ceremony at Arlington

    The first female two-star general in both the Air Force and Department of Defense was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery March 29. Retired Maj. Gen. Jeanne M. Holm is credited as the single driving force in achieving equality for military women and making them a viable part of the

  • Luke Airmen volunteer to assist disabled veterans at winter sports clinic

    Seven Airmen volunteers from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., are here primarily to help transport disabled veterans during the 24th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic March 28 through April 2.  But they also are assisting in other areas as the need arises.The winter sports clinic promotes

  • Airmen train Afghan C-27 loadmaster

    Airmen from the 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron and Afghan soldiers with the Afghanistan National Army Air Corps completed a successful check ride for the nation's first qualified C-27 Spartan loadmaster March 28 here.During an almost two-hour International Security Assistance Force

  • U.S. officials donate hospital to Chilean community

    U.S. government officials donated an expeditionary hospital to local Chilean officials in a ceremony here March 24.Paul Simons, the U.S. ambassador to Chile, presented Enrique Neira, the mayor of Angol, with a certificate representing the transfer of the hospital to the local community of Angol. The

  • Airmen complete humanitarian mission in Chile

    Members of the Air Force Expeditionary Medical Support team completed a humanitarian mission to build an expeditionary hospital and augment medical care for members of the Angol community here March 26. A team of Airmen built, staffed and equipped a field hospital to serve more than 110,000 people

  • Bagram Airmen keep F-16s in the fight

    As their F-16 Fighting Falcon pulled into its parking spot on the airfield March 23, the maintainers from the 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit had something to be proud of: tail number 2119 had returned from its 30th code 1 sortie over Afghanistan.Lt. Col. Brad Lyons, 34th Expeditionary

  • 20 athletes selected for Warrior Games

    Air Force officials here recently announced the names of 20 athletes selected for Department of Defense's Warrior Games May 10 through 14 in Colorado Springs, Colo.Wounded, ill and injured active duty, Guard and Reserve members, as well as retired members and veterans from the Army, Marine Corps,

  • Manas Airmen deliver care packages to Kyrgyz villagers

    A Transit Center at Manas Airmen wrote to his family and friends, "Please don't send me any care packages." Instead, Lt. Col. Rex Vanderwood told his family and friends, "If you want to send something, send things that will help the local villagers."Deployed to the Transit Center at Manas since