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  • CSAF speaks candidly at Yokota Airmen

    "In the end what it's all about is performance," said the senior Air Force officer responsible for organizing, training and equipping nearly 700,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces. "If the United States Air Force performs, we don't need to advertise ourselves and proclaim how good

  • Ramstein Airmen support NASA shuttle launch

    Ramstein Air Base Airmen teamed up with New York Air National Guard members to support NASA's launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis in May here. Members of the 37th Airlift Squadron, 1st Combat Communications Squadron and the Guard's 101st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron loaded rescue cargo into two C-130

  • Airman spots aircraft fuel leak at 35,000 feet

    Most of us hear stories of Airmen saving lives in combat, but an Airman who saves the lives of more than 300 passengers is definitely a story worth hearing. A fuel leak on a civilian aircraft caught the attention of Staff Sgt. Bartek Bachleda, 909th Air Refueling Squadron boom operator, during a

  • Airmen take heed for those in need

    Ten Airmen from Manas Air Base visited the Umut-Nadjeshda Children's Rehabilitation Center in Bishkek May 9 to help fix the center for more than 60 local children. The off-duty Airmen painted playground equipment, installed a new stove and to make other improvements to the center for the youths aged

  • Academy football team ranks second in academic excellence

    In a recent NCAA ranking, the Air Force Academy football team finished second in the nation in Academic Progress Rates following only Stanford University. According to Troy Garnhart, Academy's director of Athletic Media Relations, the NCAA rack and stack considered the overall performance of all 27

  • U.S. pilots train Finns in aerial refueling operations

    A group of Airmen with the 100th Air Refueling Wing traveled to Tampere, Finland, May 2 to participate in a week-long exercise with Navy  and Finnish Air Force F-18 Hornet pilots.The Airmen helped teach the Finnish pilots how to refuel in-air from a KC-135 Stratotanker.The exercise marks the first

  • New uniforms: Comfortable, functional are goals

    Officials from the Uniform Program Office here continue to work for Airmen, researching and purchasing uniforms that provide more function, protection and comfort. The Air Force chief of staff met with office personnel April 21 for an update on clothing issues Airmen face as they support global

  • Providing reconstructive assistance, hope to Afghan homeland

    The Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team is providing assistance to rebuild Afghanistan, as well as give the local Afghans a chance to overcome incredible odds to achieve a foothold back into the economic forefront. Housed within the walls of a traditional Afghan qalat, a mud and straw compound, on

  • AFCENT officials begin to look at Iraq reposture

    More than 80 Air Force, Army and Navy functional experts gathered here May 5 to 8 to lay the groundwork for U.S. Air Forces Central's reposture from Iraq over the next two years. "The conference ensured AFCENT's reposturing and responsible drawdown is synchronized with (Central Command's) guidance

  • Enlisted Heritage Hall receives Airey's CMSAF ring

    Paul Wesley Airey, the first chief master sgt. of the Air Force, had a close and very special association with Gunter, which he proved by leaving his CMSAF ring to the Enlisted Heritage Hall museum, his son said. "Dad always wanted his ring to come to Gunter because of his association with the

  • Air Force continues partnership with Professional Bull Riders

    Air Force Recruiting Service officials here announced May 11, the continuation of the Air Force partnership with the Professional Bull Riders, Inc., making it the official armed services branch of PBR. "The Air Force is extremely excited about partnering with the Professional Bull Riders again this

  • 2009 Senior Enlisted Leader Summit held at Gunter

    The Air Force vice chief of staff of the Air Force addressed the third annual Senior Enlisted Leader Summit May 6 at Gunter's Senior NCO Academy. Gen. William M. Fraser III said all Airmen should know and support the Air Force priorities and live by the Air Force core values of integrity first,

  • Idea earns maintainer big money

    A simple suggestion earned one Misawa maintainer $10,000 and saved the Air Force thousands more. Staff Sgt. Jerome Latham, an engine craftsman with the 35th Maintenance Squadron, suggested a technical order change to the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness, or IDEA, program. His idea

  • University students learn about cyber mission

    A group of students from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, La., got a first-hand look at how Air Force men and women conduct cyberspace operations during a tour of Air Force Cyber Command, (Provisional) here May 5. According to Louisiana Tech professor Dr. Brian Etheridge, director of the honors

  • Working dog, EOD team partner to secure Alaska's interior

    The Department of Homeland Security teamed up with Eielson AFB Airmen here in an effort to keep the Fairbanks North Star Borough safer May 5. A military working dog team assigned to the 354th Security Forces Squadron, and an explosive ordnance disposal team from 354th Civil Engineer Squadron swept

  • Air Force unmanned aircraft featured on '60 Minutes'

    CBS correspondent Lara Logan hosted a 60 Minutes segment May 10 on the Air Force's unmanned aircraft systems and featured the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper. During the piece she interviewed Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Col. Chris Chambliss, commander of the 432d Wing and 432d

  • Air Force leaders send budget message

    The top two Air Force leaders released a joint message May 8 regarding the fiscal 2010 defense budget and shifting Air Force priorities. Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz said that the defense budget focuses on three themes:

  • Airmen help Florida youth see inner potential

    For 10 troubled young men from the Liberty Juvenile Unit for Special Treatment in Bristol, Fla., May 5 was a chance to receive some respite from the confines of juvenile delinquency. Members of the 325th Security Forces Squadron here hosted the teenagers, who ranged from ages 15 to 18, on a tour of

  • New facility gives junior officers space to learn self-defense

    Arms and legs flailed and thrashed in grappling and arm bars as instructors and students demonstrated self-defense tactics for a grand opening ceremony May 1 at the new Expeditionary Training Center here. Combatives are now part of the new warrior-ethos curriculum being developed and integrated into

  • Air Force officials unveil acquisition improvement plan

    Air Force leaders have announced their plan for improving acquisition, which will have far-reaching impacts on the way the service develops and buys defense capabilities for the nation. The Air Force's acquisition improvement plan "will serve as our strategic framework for the critical work of

  • DOD officials promote 'World No Tobacco Day'

    The last Monday in May is Memorial Day, a day set aside to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to their country. Living freedom to the fullest by reducing unnecessary health risks is one way to honor the memories of those who've died, DOD officials say. Just around the corner

  • Manas hosts symposium for medical partners

    A gathering of medical minds met here recently for a coalition medical symposium sponsored by the 376th Expeditionary Medical Group. Guests attending the symposium included personnel from the Spanish coalition medical staff, U.S. Embassy medical unit, Peace Corps medical staff and the Bishkek

  • Air Force leaders name next top enlisted leader

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley have announced the Airman selected to be the service's next enlisted leader. Chief Master Sgt. James A. Roy will become the 16th chief master sergeant of the Air Force during an appointment

  • Klotz confirmed to lead Air Force Global Strike Command

    Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz received Senate confirmation to become commander of the Air Force's newest major command, Air Force Global Strike Command. "I am honored to have been nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate to lead our Air Force global strike forces," General Klotz said. "I

  • Airmen, Soldiers make first jump from Ramstein C-130J

    As the ramp let down at 3,000 feet and the sunlight slipped into the cargo bay of a new C-130J Super Hercules, Air Force and Army paratroopers stood ready to execute the first jump from Ramstein Air Base's newest aircraft. As Ramstein transitions from the older C-130E Hercules, some 35 Airmen and

  • Officials test commercial fuel to replace JP-8 fuel

    In an ongoing analysis of alternatives to reduce aviation fuel costs, the Air Force Petroleum Agency here has launched an initiative to use commercial jet fuel in place of military standard JP-8 fuel. The Air Force annually uses about 2.5 billion gallons of fuel, resulting in the service's second

  • Wounded warrior receives surprise promotion

    Staff Sgt. Daniel Acosta woke May 7 thinking he was a senior airman. He was surprised to discover that he was promoted to staff sergeant without his knowledge. Lt. Col. Michael Glass, 59th Medical Support Squadron commander, advised Sergeant Acosta that Lt. Gen. Richard Newton, deputy chief of staff

  • Airmen go 'Beyond the Horizon' to help Jamaicans

    More than 3,700 Jamaicans were given free medical, eye and dental care April 11 through 26 when 35 Airmen participated in a U.S. Southern Command humanitarian assistance exercise called Beyond the Horizon. The Air National Guard Airmen from Arizona's 162nd Fighter Wing treated Jamaicans as they

  • Bagram officials stand up 4 new squadrons

    Bagram Airfield officials have added four new squadrons to their growing list of units during an assumption of command ceremony here May 5. More than 1,200 joint expeditionary tasking and provincial reconstruction team Airmen deployed to more than 40 forward operating bases and camps throughout

  • Air Force fiscal 2010 budget reflects rebalanced priorities

    Air Force officials here May 7 announced that its portion of the president's fiscal 2010 budget reflects a balanced strategy to prevail in today's joint fight and sustain air, space and cyberspace dominance. The two overarching principles guiding next year's budget are rebalancing the Air Force's

  • Better-equipped National Guard still faces critical shortages

    Equipment critical to both domestic and warfighting missions and aircraft essential to guarding the nation's air sovereignty remain areas of concern for the National Guard. That was the message Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, director of the Air National Guard, and Army Maj. Gen. Raymond W. Carpenter,

  • Military continues to monitor H1N1 flu virus' path

    The U.S. military has prepared for years to confront a public health challenge like the H1N1 influenza virus, a senior Defense Department official said May 6 here. "We have been preparing for a situation like this for more than five years and have plans, processes and procedures to respond to a

  • Levitow's pilot lands at Peterson for leadership visit

    "I don't need to tell you about character, if you didn't have it, you wouldn't be here," retired Maj. Kenneth Carpenter said to approximately 200 Airmen who gathered in the base auditorium April 28 to support his Year of Leadership program visit here. During his hour-long chat with the audience,

  • Gates lauds U.S. efforts to boost Saudi military capacity

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates here May 6 called the mentorship that U.S. forces are providing the Saudi Arabian military a key factor in maintaining stability in the region and an example of the capacity-building efforts he'd like to see more of elsewhere in the world. Secretary Gates held a

  • Nellis Airmen locate missing aircraft

    An HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue crew from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., found the wreckage an overdue aircraft in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range May 1.The missing aircraft was the subject of the large-scale search by state officials and Civil Air Patrol members, but there were no survivors from the

  • 'Continuum of Service' video promotes total force options

    In an effort to retain highly skilled Airmen for a lifetime of service, Air Force leaders recently unveiled a Continuum of Service video that helps to promote seamless changes in duty status in the total force structure. The video, produced by a team from the Secretary of the Air Force Office of

  • Officials reject allegations of proselytizing in Afghanistan

    A report broadcast by the Arab news network Al Jazeera about U.S. servicemembers proselytizing in Afghanistan is just plain wrong, Pentagon officials said May 4. The Al Jazeera story showed an evangelical religious service on Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan and a discussion about distributing Bibles

  • Transition assistance experts hone job-assistance skills

    About 120 transition assistance experts from across the Air Force came to downtown San Antonio April 28 through 30 to learn the latest in career and employment initiatives and how they relate to today's economic environment. The three-day conference kicked off with a one-day, Air Force specific

  • Airmen distribute Humvees to Iraqi forces

    Joint expeditionary tasking Airmen and Soldiers here are currently working to arm Iraqi forces with more protective means of transportation. As U.S. forces change over to the M1151 Humvee, they turn in the older M1114 vehicles to the Taji Redistribution Property Assistance Team here as a means of

  • Facts, testimony bust IDEA myths

    In less time than it takes to fill out a credit card application, Darlene Daspit-Pohl was on her way to earning $10,000 just for having an idea. Ms. Daspit-Pohl used the Air Force Innovative Development through Employee Awareness Program, or IDEA program, to submit an idea that reduces how much the

  • Airmen, Sailors provide maritime support for Iraqi military

    Air Force and Navy servicemembers teamed up in April to support and train the newly formed Iraqi navy with maritime mission along the northern area of the Arabian Gulf where a large percentage of Iraq's oil is exported. The first intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance flight took place April

  • Public health maintains high standards, healthy force

    Airmen in the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group constantly monitor the health of all individuals and check to see if illnesses of base personnel are isolated incidents or part of a trend at this air base in Southwest Asia. "Our main role is the prevention and control of communicable diseases," said

  • Officials set operating location for San Antonio joint base

    Air Education and Training Command officials here signed an order March 16 that established an operating location to support the creation of a joint base in San Antonio. Establishment of the operating location provides a framework against which to assign some of the earliest members of what will

  • Keesler personnel to participate in LIFESAVER 2009

    Keesler AFB Airmen join local, state and federal agencies in "LIFESAVER 2009," a major federal coordinating center and national disaster medical system exercise being conducted May 5-7. With an estimated 2,000 participants, this is the largest "LIFESAVER" event since May 2005. "LIFESAVER 2009" will

  • Unit marks 50 years of NASA support

    Three NASA astronauts visited Patrick Air Force Base members April 24 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of support from the Air Force to the American space program. Current Astronaut Col. Greg Johnson and former astronauts retired Navy Capt. Jon McBride and retired Marine Col. Bob Springer shared

  • Red Flag-Alaska pilots train to fly, fight, win

    The flight plans have been filed; the mission briefs have been completed. Now it's time for the key players in a multinational force to come together to fly, fight and win. During Red Flag-Alaska, United States military pilots and coalition forces are provided the opportunity to train jointly more

  • NCO sentenced for larceny, bomb threat

    A noncommissioned officer stationed here pleaded guilty to several violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice April 28 and was sentenced the next day to 24 months confinement, a bad conduct discharge and a reduction in rank to airman. Staff Sgt. Arthur Miller, assigned to the 65th Logistics

  • Sexual assault prevention videos available from DOD

    Defense Department agencies at all levels have valuable resources at their fingertips for training servicemembers, civilian employees and contractors on prevention of sexual harassment and assault. More than two dozen prevention training DVDs are available through the DefenseImagery.mil Web site,

  • Vehicle maintainers travel rough road

    Vehicle maintenance conducted in the most equipped garages can still present its fair share of challenges. For vehicle maintainers assigned to the Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team here, garages, a well-stocked supply warehouse and proper tools are a remote luxury not often afforded here.

  • Airmen mobilize to confront Afghan insurgency

    More than a dozen F-15E Strike Eagles, two DC-10s and a C-17 Globemaster III met the rising sun over the Atlantic Ocean en route to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, April 29.Approximately 350 deploying Airmen from the 336th Fighter Squadron and 4th Maintenance Group will spend the next four months

  • Force Support Squadron takes on Red Flag-Alaska

    Approximately 1,400 U.S. and foreign military members are participating in Red Flag-Alaska 09-2. The amplified workforce calls for additional support to provide basic needs, and Airmen in the 354th Force Support Squadron have willingly answered the call. "Red Flag-Alaska brings an increased number

  • Officials discourage aspirin use by troops in combat zones

    Defense Department officials are directing servicemembers and government civilians deployed in overseas war zones to refrain from taking aspirin unless under a doctor's orders, a senior military physician said here April 30. "Aspirin use for reasons other than medical indications is discouraged,"

  • Airmen provide island residents with drinkable water

    Six Airmen from Pacific Air Forces units arrived here Feb. 4 to cure the island's contaminated water supply ruined due to unusually high tides and have treated more than 1,840,000 gallons of water for residents here. Unusual weather around the Pacific region caused six irregular high tides to flow

  • Air Force chief of staff returns to roots

    Some thirty-five years ago, 2nd Lt. Norton Schwartz graduated Undergraduate Pilot Training, walking away from here with a set of silver wings and a promising career with unlimited potential. On April 24th, now Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz came full circle, returning to Laughlin as

  • Air Force Marathon seeks volunteers

    The 2009 U.S. Air Force Marathon may not be until Sept. 19 here, but seeking volunteers to help plan and execute the race's many aspects begins May 1. Individuals interested in volunteering can go online to www.usafmarathon.com to see jobs, schedules, dates, times, etc. All registered volunteers

  • Airmen keep F-16s airborne during Balikatan 2009

    Air Force maintainers are keeping fighter pilots ready to go during Exercise Balikatan 2009 here. Balikatan, which in English means "shoulder to shoulder," is an annual joint bilateral exercise designed to improve U.S. and the Republic of the Philippines combined planning, combat readiness and

  • Quadrennial Defense Review fact sheet available

    People who are interested in learning more about the Defense Department's Quadrennial Defense Review process can do so by just accessing the QDR fact sheet that was posted April 29 on Defenselink, the Pentagon's public Web page. "The QDR takes a long-term, strategic view of the Department of Defense

  • Airmen spread goodwill during Balikatan 2009

    More than 20 Airmen participating in Exercise Balikatan 2009 visited Filipino children at schools and an orphanage April 24 and 25 here. The Airmen from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., participating in the exercise took time to spread goodwill to nearly 150 children from the Duyan Ni Maria orphanage and

  • Deployment volunteers needed

    The operations tempo for Air Force employees, both civilian and military, is still high, but volunteers for extended deployments have dropped by more than 20 percent in the past two years. According to an internal Air Force Materiel Command memo released April 21 by Gen. Donald Hoffman, AFMC

  • Airmen build Iraqi air operations center capability

    Ten Iraqi airmen at the Iraqi air operations center recently completed a seven-day air operations planning course taught by American Airmen air advisers in April here. This training enables the Iraqi air force to build their operational planning capability, which is a critical component to

  • '6S' leads to AMC success

    Air Mobility Command Airmen recently spent a day focused on using the "6S" method to reduce clutter, inefficient processes, waste and more in their work spaces. 6S is a six-step process that stands for safety, sort, straighten, shine, standardize and sustain. "Through the 6S method, Airmen learn to

  • First group of UPT pilots graduate from Predator training

    The first group of Undergraduate Pilot Training students completed the MQ-1 Predator Formal Training Unit's Initial Qualification Training Course here April 24. Along with the UPT students, the class graduated 20 students, which translates to 10 crews. A crew comprises a pilot and sensor operator.

  • Top officer addresses Air Force's role in irregular warfare

    As combat requirements evolve, so must the Air Force's unique capabilities to engage the enemy, the service's top officer said. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz discussed the role of Airmen in counterinsurgency operations and irregular warfare April 24 at the Brookings Institution

  • 2008 JAG Award winners announced

    The Judge Advocate General Lt. Gen. Jack L. Rives has announced the 2008 Judge Advocate General Award winners. The award recipients will be formally recognized at an awards banquet during Keystone 2009, the Air Force JAG Corps' Leadership Summit held the last week of October in Dallas, Texas. Albert

  • Screening program prompts fast swine flu identification

    The Defense Department's worldwide influenza monitoring program and decisive action by the medical staff at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, are being credited with helping to identify two cases of swine flu early to help prevent a potential spread. Two 16-year-old boys, both military family members

  • Air Force flight surgeons train Iraqi counterparts

    American Air Force flight surgeons continued their mission to teach and train Iraqi air force and army flight surgeons here recently to better prepare the Iraqi officers to eventually take over the aerospace medicine mission. The Coalition Air Force Training Team is conducting a flight surgeon

  • Tuskegee Airmen ... the legacy continues

    Four Tuskegee Airmen visited the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing here April 23 to 25 and met the Airmen who are continuing their legacy in the 21st century. Retired Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson; retired Lt. Col. James Warren; retired Maj. George Boyd; and former Staff Sgt. Phillip Broome met Airmen

  • Airmen keep Hercules strong

    When a transient C-130 Hercules delivers cargo and personnel here, there is a chance the aircraft may require maintenance before flying again. This is where Airmen of the 746th Aircraft Maintenance Unit step up to troubleshoot and fix the plane to make the C-130 ready for its return flight home. "We

  • Senator Glenn receives White national defense award

    Marine, test pilot, astronaut and four-term U.S. Senator John H. Glenn, Jr. was honored April 22 as the recipient of the 2008 Thomas D. White National Defense Award. Named in honor of Gen. Thomas Dresser White, former Air Force chief of staff, it is presented annually to a U.S. citizen who has

  • New York Guardsmen stay on alert to save lives

    While all Airmen assigned to rescue squadrons throughout the Air Force know and follow the motto "So that others may live," there is one rescue squadron deployed to Afghanistan that takes this personal. "There is something that sets our unit apart from all the others," said Senior Master Sgt.

  • Blue Flag enhances ability to protect U.S. from attacks

    More than 500 Air Force personnel along with Army, Navy and Marine representatives completed a two-week training exercise April 24 here to improve how to monitor and intercept hostile military aircraft and to respond to potential terrorist attacks. Part of a series of military defense training

  • Air Guard chief selected as NORTHCOM advisor

    An Air National Guard command chief master sergeant has been selected as a command senior enlisted advisor for a combatant command.  It is the first time an Air Guardsman has been selected for that position.  Chief Master Sgt. W. Allen Usry, the current Continental U.S. NORAD Region-1st Air Force

  • Postal workers deliver pieces of home through mail

    One of the nice things about deploying is the outpouring of support given by family, friends and even strangers from back home through care packages and letters. However, without the people who run the post offices on base, none of those well-wishes would get through to boost morale. "We provide all

  • Engaging the Afghan media

    Lt. Gen. Gary L. North, the Combined Forces Air Component commander for forces in Southwest Asia, met with Afghan media recently to discuss airpower missions and contributions to the safety and security of the Afghan people. Reporters from more than 20 television, radio and news print organizations

  • Practice keeps investigative skills sharp

    Practicing skills and maintaining job proficiency are key factors in accomplishing the mission on a day-to-day basis. Recently a member of the 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here was able to practice and demonstrate fingerprinting skills in a mock crime scene scenario. According to

  • Air Force chief offers perspective to acquisition community

    Some 700 Air Force senior leaders, acquisition professionals and defense industry partners met at the campus of Sinclair Community College April 20 to 22 to address challenges faced by the military acquisition, technology and logistics community.The two-and-a-half day event, organized by the

  • Langley showcases airpower to conclude Air Force Week

    Airpower took center stage during the first day of Airpower over Hampton Roads, a three-day airshow culmination of Air Force Week April 24 here. Thousands of people from the surrounding Hampton Roads area came to the first day of airshows to witness static displays and aerial demonstrations by

  • AETC ensures nuclear precision, compliance, accountability

    Command officials have aligned the Air Education and Training Command staff with headquarters Air Force, creating a new directorate that began operations in February to strengthen the focus on training for the Air Force's nuclear enterprise. The new office, AETC Nuclear Operations, Plans and

  • Barrel nut team gets C-130s back in the air

    A team of 30 Airmen across five units helped keep the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing's mission effectiveness rates above 98 percent during a nine-day period when the wing had only three flyable C-130 Hercules aircraft. After an immediate action time compliance technical order, or TCTO, was issued by

  • Air Force secretary discusses service's goals, priorities

    The secretary of the Air Force spoke about the service's nuclear enterprise mission, Airmen at war and taking care of Airmen and their families April 23 while visiting the campus of the College of William & Mary during Hampton Roads Air Force Week. Secretary Michael B. Donley began by explaining the

  • Officials select 37 Airmen for physician assistant training

    Air Force officials recently selected 37 Airmen to attend the Tri-Service (Phase I) Physician Assistant training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The March 2009 Physician Assistant Board met at the Air Force Personnel Center here to consider 83 applicants. In addition to those selected to attend

  • Armament unit improves operations with AFSO 21

    Six Airmen from the 20th Maintenance Group recently conducted a Rapid Improvement Event here as part of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century initiatives happening across the Air Force. Senior Airman Ronnie Eveland, 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, explained that while the RIE focused

  • Medics provide care to people in Dominican Republic

    Medics treated 760 patients at a primary school here April 20 on the inaugural day of the largest Maxwell Air Force Base-planned Air Force medical readiness exercise, or MEDRETE,  to date. A group of 45 medics, translators, security and support personnel from the U.S. Air Force, Army and Marines

  • Quadrennial defense, nuclear posture review begin

    Pentagon officials kicked off the Defense Department's 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review and Nuclear Posture Review processes April 23 to determine what types of capabilities will be required to maintain U.S. national security now and in the coming years, senior officials said. "The QDR takes a

  • AF officials primed for officer qualifying test revamp

    Force Management officials will further refine the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test by conducting surveys that ensure the test content measures the most critical abilities and aptitudes tomorrow's officers need. Officials in the Air Staff Force Management Policy Division said the results of two Air

  • ISR leader shares future of intelligence field

    "We're changing the way we view intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance from the past," said Lt. Gen. David Deptula, Air Force deputy chief of staff for ISR, during his visit here April 16. "In the past, we had stratified pockets of industry. Now we're heading toward an integrated,

  • Balad squadron serves as Iraq's 'guardian angels'

    Coalition military members in Iraq have plenty of equipment, tactics and techniques at their disposal in the event of a worst-case scenario in the field. However, if those safeguards fail, a team of operators from the 64th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron is standing by, ready to help. "Our primary

  • Wilford Hall's emergency department much more than that

    At first glance, Wilford Hall Medical Center's emergency department appears to be just another level-1 trauma center, treating patients from not only Lackland Air Force Base but from San Antonio and the surrounding areas. Yet, much more is going on there than people realize. "The emergency

  • The services align, sign new working group charter

    The first big step towards achieving commonality and interoperability of expeditionary basing equipment in the joint force was taken April 13 as the service logistics chiefs came together here to sign the Joint Expeditionary Basing Working Group charter. The lead JEBWG organizations are the Air

  • AFSO 21 helps unit reduce steps, increase proficiency

    The 726th Air Mobility Squadron recently conducted an Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century value stream analysis looking for ways to streamline C-17 Globemaster III refueling and increase proficiency levels. The unit pooled Airmen from a variety of backgrounds to participate in the AFSO

  • Maintainers make it happen during Red Flag-Alaska

    During Red Flag-Alaska, thousands of feet above the rugged Alaskan terrain, pilots push their aircraft to the limits, performing dog fights and defensive maneuvers against aggressors, honing their skills for combat missions. However, pilots aren't the only ones who are contributing to mission

  • JAG Airman provides unique service while deployed

    Many Air Force attorneys spend their days providing legal counsel and preparing legal documents, but for one Air Force captain being deployed means serving in a one of a kind legal position. Capt. Sophia Crawford, detention, judicial and legal policy attorney in the Office of the Staff Judge

  • Personnel accountability system live AF-wide; May exercise planned

    Air Force officials implemented the Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System April 1.  The new program improves global disaster personnel accountability management, reporting and case management across the force.  They plan to test the system in a force-wide exercise May 19 to 21.

  • Joint airpower show proves military might at Air Force Week

    Hundreds of Virginia residents saw a joint airpower demonstration firsthand during Hampton Roads Air Force Week April 22 along the coastline of Virginia Beach. The event included a simulated rescue where a special forces team called in airstrikes then ran into the Atlantic Ocean to be rescued by

  • Airmen, Marines work together to test-load helicopters

    Playing a game of inches, a team of Airmen and Marines worked together April 20 to test-load two Marine helicopters into a C-5C Galaxy.With inches to spare, Airmen from the 60th Aerial Port Squadron here and Marines from the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron-303 and HMLA-367 at Camp

  • JCS chairman says Holocaust Remembrance Day important

    The top U.S. military officer called on servicemembers to use Holocaust Remembrance Day observances this week as an opportunity to reflect on the responsibilities of life, reminding them that the decisions they make matter. "The story of the Holocaust, however ghastly, offers us an opportunity to

  • Air Force civilians garner 22 Presidential Rank Awards

    Twenty-two civilian Airmen earned special recognition in a ceremony held at the Women's Memorial at Arlington Cemetery April 17. The selected Air Force senior executives and senior professionals received the 2008 Presidential Rank Award for sustained achievement in government service. Air Force

  • Task force seeks sexual assault response feedback

    Members of the Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services visited Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst recently to speak with base leaders, sexual assault response coordinators and other base personnel. The task force, which was chartered by Congress to look at sexual assault response

  • Security team provides safety net for Airmen

    Airmen riding the bus outside the wire for the first time may not realize it, but they're not alone out there. The 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron's security escort team, armed and ready, are out there making sure each of those Airmen get to where they need to be safely. Selected by

  • Senior enlisted leader summit set for May

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader is set to convene the 2009 Senior Enlisted Leader Summit May 3 to 8 at Maxwell Air Force Base's Gunter Annex, Ala. Command chief master sergeants, career field managers, professional military education commandants and other key senior enlisted leaders from Air