NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • VA secretary expects big impact from post-9/11 GI Bill

    All systems are on track for this summer's rollout of the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, which Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said he expects to have as monumental an impact as the original World War II-era GI Bill of Rights. Secretary Shinseki, who served as Army chief of staff from 1999 to

  • Maxwell legal services wins government-wide award

    The director of the Air Force Legal Operations Agency's Directorate of Legal Information Services, or AFLOA/JAS here, said he was notified March 27 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Graduate School that his organization had won the government-wide 2009 W. Edwards Deming Award. Col. Peter

  • Kirtland provides Airmen, location for 'Terminator Salvation'

    Airmen here recently supported a different kind of war, one against futuristic machines out for world domination. The Airmen performed as extras on the set of "Terminator Salvation," which filmed several scenes in a hangar on the base's flightline. The movie is the latest in the popular

  • Memorial service honors fallen team leader

    Servicemembers and civilians deployed to International Security Assistance Force Regional Command-South gathered to pay final respects to a fallen Airman April 6 in the base chapel of Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Phillip A. Myers, 30, was killed April 3 by an improvised explosive

  • Air Force officials separate E-7, E-6 promotion release dates

    Air Force officials here are initiating a new process to separate the release dates for the master sergeant and technical sergeant promotion lists. The new master sergeant promotion list will now be released on May 14 and the technical sergeant list will be released on June 18 after 12 years of

  • Airman killed in Afghanistan identified

    Department of Defense officials announced April 5 the identity of an Airman killed while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Staff Sgt. Phillip A. Myers, 30, of Hopewell, Va., died April 4 near Helmand province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device. He was assigned

  • Airmen cover the fallen with American flags for families

    For some, it means red, white and blue. It means 13 stripes for the original colonies and 50 stars for the states. For the families of the fallen, the American flag means so much more. Because of this, two Airmen assigned to the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center here take their mission

  • Air Force instructors empower Iraqi warrant officers to lead

    Twenty-nine Iraqi air force members graduated from the warrant officer professional development course at the Iraqi air force schoolhouse with help from their U.S. Air Force instructors here March 28. The largest class to date demonstrates the commitment of the Iraqi air force throughout the ranks

  • Contingency response element deploys to Basra

    Nearly 50 members of the 615th Contingency Response Wing headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., are deployed here in support of coalition and joint operations. The mission of the 615th CRW-Contingency Response Element is to support the transition from British to U.S. responsibility of

  • Air Force Assistance Fund campaign ends May 1

    This year's Air Force Assistance Fund "Commitment to Caring" campaign, from Feb. 9 to May 1, provides Airmen the opportunity to contribute to any of the four official Air Force charitable organizations. Now in its 36th year, 100 percent of designated AFAF contributions benefit active-duty, Reserve,

  • Force support officers represent flexibility

    Responding to evolving needs from the field has prompted several transformations in the manpower, personnel and services community over the past few years, including the recent stand up of an initial skills training course for force support officers. "Our Air Force officers are showing great

  • Air Force officials hold Caring for People Forum

    More than 200 Air Force behavioral specialists, chaplains, family advocacy personnel and other family support members gathered to discuss how to care for the Air Force family April 1 in Arlington, Va. The Year of the Air Force Family: Caring for People Forum started in a hotel in the shadow of the

  • Winter rehabilitation clinic shows veterans potential

    More than 400 disabled veterans this year are pushing themselves to the limits by taking part in the Department of Veterans Affairs' 23rd National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic at Snowmass Village, Colo. The clinic, a six-day event that began March 28, teaches veterans with disabilities

  • Gates signs policy for dignified transfer operations

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has approved a policy change that, under strictly delineated conditions, allows media filming of dignified transfer operations of fallen servicemembers' remains at Dover Air Force Base, Del. The new policy is slated to be implemented April 6, Pentagon spokesman

  • Language emerges as element of national security

    Language and culture are "almost inextricably intertwined," and military personnel must be knowledgeable in both to be fully effective when operating overseas, the director of a military language school said. Army Col. Sue Ann Sandusky, commandant of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language

  • ALO commands new combat unit at Bagram

    A former air liaison officer to the Army's 101st Airborne Division in Iraq took command of the newly activated 504th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group during an assumption of command ceremony here March 30. Col. James Thomas took hold of the 504th EASOG guidon from Lt. Gen. Gary North,

  • VA secretary opens Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic

    Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki opened the 23rd annual National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic here March 29, encouraging more than 400 participants he said had found their way "to the top of the mountain in search of miracles." "Thank you for your service. Thank you for your

  • Spangdahlem comm facility earns top award

    Striving for excellence is standard for the people at the Global Information Grid facility here.  They have placed no lower than runner-up in the Europe Defense Information Systems Agency annual awards since 2001. They garnered a first place finish once again, capturing the DISA Outstanding GIG

  • Airmen create control center to support N.D. flood operation

    As the Federal Emergency Management Agency teams with the military to fight the Red River flood in North Dakota, Grand Forks Air Force Base officials continue to support the effort as the National Logistics Staging Area. Twenty-three aircraft, from the Army, Coast Guard, Army National Guard and

  • Airmen deliver clean water to island community

    Airmen are on a mission to provide clean drinking water to the residents of Roi-Namur, an island approximately 3,900 kilometers southwest of Hawaii. Three Airmen from the 18th Civil Engineer Squadron from Kadena Air Base along with three Airmen from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, are at the second

  • 'Space as a contested environment' debuts

    A new special area of emphasis, or SAE, titled "Space as a Contested Environment," was introduced by U.S. military officials here March 30 at the 25th National Space Symposium. SAEs are established by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff  to address topics of great importance to the joint

  • Top Air Force leaders discuss top Air Force issues

    Air Force senior leaders discussed key issues facing the service during Corona South March 27-28 at Bolling Air Force Base here. Corona meetings, hosted by the secretary of the Air Force and Air Force chief of staff, are held several times a year to bring together major command commanders, Air Staff

  • Scholarships available for chaplaincy students

    In an effort to better provide spiritual care to Airmen, Air Force officials are offering scholarships for individuals who want to become service chaplains. The religious professional scholarship program is designed to help fill manning shortfalls within the chaplaincy for underrepresented faiths

  • AMC goes green with aircraft engine washes

    Air Mobility Command bases are using a new aircraft engine wash system that's not only better for the plane, but also it is better for the environment. The EcoPower Engine Wash System is a system that uses atomized water, collects the effluent water and purifies it for recycled use. EcoPower

  • AF officials announce new discrimination hotline number

    The Air Force Discrimination Hotline has a new toll free number that will serve all active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian Airmen. The hotline number will ensure all unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment concerns are quickly identified and addressed. "The Air Force is committed to ensuring

  • Airmen get fallen warriors home

    Two Services Airmen at this air base in Southwest Asia would probably be happier if they never had to complete their primary duties, but are honored to do them when they have to. As members of the 379th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron Mortuary Affairs Office and Readiness Office, Master Sgt.

  • Revised 'Little Brown Book' now available

    Air Force officials here recently revised Air Force instruction 36-2618, The Enlisted Force Structure, also known as "The Little Brown Book," and the electronic version is available now with hardcopies expected to be available in May. The guide has long been a staple of establishing expectations and

  • Servicemembers honored at annual USO-Metro gala

    The United Services Organization honored military heroes with a black-tie gala at the Ritz-Carlton March 25 here. The Metropolitan Washington Annual Awards Dinner recognized 36 of the nation's 98 living Medal of Honor recipients and other battlefield heroes from each branch of service, including

  • Advanced field hospital put to test in Puerto Rico

    The earthquake and tsunami that struck here left a streaming mass of civilians requiring medical attention, and Arizona Air National Guard members flew here to render assistance. Or, at least, that's the scenario. In Exercise Vigilant Guard, Airmen from the 161st Medical Group of the Arizona

  • Airmen provide show of force

    The use of show of force is intended to warn or intimidate an opponent and to demonstrate capability or the will to act if provoked. For two female Airmen here the showing of force is more than just a term, it's a way of life. For Senior Airman Elizabeth Gonzalez and Staff Sgt. Vida Reveles, 447th

  • Airmen poised to support humanitarian operations in N.D.

    Air Mobility Command officials here are poised to support humanitarian relief operations in response to record-setting floods that have forced hundreds of North Dakota residents to evacuate their homes. The 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center staff -- AMC's hub for global airlift, air refueling and

  • Updated Professional Development Guide available online

    The latest version of the Air Force Professional Development Guide is now available online for all Airmen. The 500 page, 30.8 MB document is of particular interest to enlisted Airmen in the ranks of staff sergeant through senior master sergeant who want to begin studying for their next promotion

  • Fire muster challenges Airmen

    Airmen and Soldiers were put to the test in the air and space expeditionary force rotation 7/8 fire muster March 21 here. A fire muster is a fire department competition consisting of several different events from a dummy drag, putting out a "fire" using a bucket brigade, rolling up a hose, and

  • Course trains intelligence analysts in ground operations

    Air Force intelligence analysts have been trained to focus on air threats since they first entered the service. There's now a need for them to be trained to provide support for world-wide ground combat and force protection operations. The Air Force Force Protection Intelligence Formal Training Unit

  • Yokota lab earns prestigious accreditation

    You're in good hands when it comes to the service provided by the 374th Medical Group clinical laboratory, and they have the paper to prove it. The College of American Pathologists awarded an accreditation, based on a recent on-site inspection, to the medical group laboratory. The lab, noted for

  • Space operations units assume control of new GPS satellite

    The 2nd and 19th Space Operations Squadrons here assumed control of the Air Force's newest GPS satellite shortly after its launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., March 24. The satellite, named GPS IIR-20(M), is the 34th satellite in the GPS constellation, which provides precise

  • Airmen demonstrate unmanned aircraft not merely 'drones'

    The door to the 62nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron features a drawing of an MQ-1 Predator armed with Hellfire missiles underscored with the words "We're not drones - we fire back." Often referred to by reporters as "drones," unmanned aircraft like the MQ-1 Predator and RQ-4 Global Hawk are

  • Airmen destroy Iraqi weapons for base security

    Approximately 30 Iraqi weapons were destroyed here March 18 to enhance base security, including many AK-47s; a Browning 9 mm pistol; a World War II-era .50 caliber anti-aircraft gun; an RPG 5 and 7; 61 mm and 81 mm mortars; and a 122 mm howitzer artillery piece. "We destroy these weapons, so the

  • NCOs selected for Enlisted-to-AFIT program

    Air Force officials selected nine enlisted Airmen to continue their education through the Enlisted-to-Air Force Institute of Technology Graduate Degree Program. "The Air Force has a strong tradition of valuing education," said Lt. Col. Douglas Wall, Air Force Personnel Center's chief of

  • Push-Pull to test real-world Air Force capabilities

    Push-Pull 2009 may sound like a new type of fitness regimen to some, but to about 150 regular Air Force retirees it will be a mobilization exercise of a different kind April 6 through 10 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The Push-Pull 2009 exercise is designed to exercise and evaluate mobilization

  • Equal opportunity crosses service lines

    Equal opportunity advisers from the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command and surrounding Army units here are currently hosting their quarterly Equal Opportunity Leader's Course here. The classroom is filled by more than 40 Soldiers from across Iraq with one exception: Master Sgt. Joe Newton, the

  • Airmen train Iraqi maintainers

    Two maintenance Airmen took three Iraqi air force members from here to Camp Taji, Iraq, March 24 to help fix one of Iraq's C-130s In an attempt to help members of the Iraqi air force better cross utilize their resources and assets. Technical Sergeants Jim Grifasi and Bobby McKenzie, advisers with

  • American servicemembers provide battlefield forensics

    When an improvised explosive device is detected, most people run and take cover but the weapons intelligence team here heads to the site to start the crime scene investigation. The Airmen, Soldiers and Sailor of the weapons intelligence team provide counter IED intelligence through collection,

  • Total force keeps air mobility in the fight

    Airmen of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve have sustained the hub for directing global airlift, air refueling and aeromedical evacuation operations since the onset of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom here.The 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center manages a daily average of 900

  • Senior leaders speak out on diversity, equal opportunity

    Officials in the Air Force Equal Opportunity Office and the Strategic Diversity Integration Office joined forces to produce a video that demonstrates the commitment of senior Air Force leaders to diversity and equal opportunity programs. In the video titled "Diversity and Equal Opportunity in Our

  • Senior leaders meet for high-level 'Warfighter Talks'

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Air Force leadership hosted Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead and senior naval leaders for the Navy-Air Force Warfighter Talks March 18 at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C. About 35 flag and general officers from both services gathered for a

  • SOS 'blends' training model incorporating new technology

    Academic and military researchers are introducing and proposing new approaches on leadership and teamwork training at the Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. Officials with Air Education and Training Command, the sponsor organization, partnered with researchers at the University

  • 'One Voice' coordinates Air Force positions on joint and interagency issues

    Air Force officials recently announced the establishment of a new Headquarters Air Force capability devoted to providing Air Force leaders with coordinated Air Force positions for use in communicating with non-Air Force entities. This new capability is called "One Voice." "Each day, members of the

  • Airmen provide medical, dental care in Thailand

    Members from medical groups all over the Pacific Air Forces teamed up with Thai and Singaporean dental and optometry teams to dedicate their time and skills setting up a make-shift clinic at the Barr Lum Nong Kaew, a village grade school here.  "We're treating those who are in need and might not

  • Airmen help aircrews return if all goes awry

    When Staff Sgt. Eric Zwoll presents his briefing, aircrew members preparing for a mission listen carefully because they know if a mission goes awry then their lives will depend on his every word. Sergeant Zwoll is one of a handful of survival, evasion, resistance and escape specialists here who

  • National Guard Airmen augment Misawa maintenance

    Thirty-one Air National Guard Airmen volunteered to leave the United States in late February to help members of the 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here recover and maintain F-16 Fighting Falcons returning from Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Members of the 14th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, who returned

  • Pay incentives help military avoid nursing shortage

    Army, Navy and Air Force nurse corps members are highly trained, capable and critical to the wartime mission of each service, the corps' leaders told a congressional committee this week here. The Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee heard testimony March 18 from the services'

  • Navy-led Arctic Care team returns to Western Alaska

    Personnel here were part of a team that participated in a joint Air Force, Army and Navy medical and dental exercise in 11 of Western Alaska's most remote villages March 6 through 15.The purpose of  the exercise, the 15th annual Operation Arctic Care, was to enable medical personnel to operate in a

  • Patriot 7 course combines ISR with mission

    Troops on the frontlines are armed with pistols, rifles and grenades, but their most potent weapons might actually be flying overhead. A course called Patriot 7 trains people to use intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tools at the tactical level to be successful at their mission.

  • Osan exercise optimizes communication between forces

    More than 2,000 Airmen, Soldiers, Marines and Sailors participating jointly with South Korean air force members in Exercise Key Resolve/Foal Eagle in mid-March here have learned the key to success is communication.Despite some language barriers, the key players smoothly conduct the air and space

  • Sniper pod improves capabilities, lethality of B-1

    The B-1 Lancer, one of the most versatile aircraft in the Air Force arsenal, is now even more lethal. This lethality is not due to bigger bombs in its bomb bay, but to a small torpedo-shaped pod stuck to the plane's underbelly. Called the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod, this device enables the B-1's

  • Explosive ordnance disposal chosen Air Force Team of Year

    Officials from the Air Force and the Air Force Association named explosive ordnance disposal as the 2009 Team of the Year March 20 here. Each year, the AFA, working with major command-level command chief master sergeants and the Office of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, selects a

  • Top doctor: Medical infrastructure affects readiness

    The more than 1,000 major facilities that make up the Defense Department's medical infrastructure are key strategic national assets, the department's top medical official told Congress March 18 here. Dr. S. Ward Casscells, the assistant Defense secretary for health affairs, told the House Armed

  • Gates recommends new terms, positions for senior officers

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates March 18 announced his recommendations that President Barack Obama re-nominate Navy Adm. Mike Mullen and Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright as the chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for a second two-year term. Secretary Gates also

  • AF Raven B operators maintain 'eyes-on' for ground forces

    "There it is," said Staff Sgt. Jeff Tomkiewicz, 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, as he pointed at a little, buzzing white dot in the sky. As the Raven B operator approached the small strip of sand of Camp Bucca's Burge Field, the tiny Raven B unmanned aircraft system hovered above the

  • Japan, U.S. forces come together to Guard, Protect

    U.S. and Japanese forces practiced defending the Misawa Air Base during Exercise Guard and Protect Exercise March 11 through 13 here. The annual exercise was expanded to last for 24 hours and included a fully integrated Base Defense Operations Center. A company-sized group of soldiers from the Japan

  • Airmen reflect on 6th anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom

    Airmen in the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing here took a moment to reflect on previous deployments here and the progress that's been made since 2003 to mark the six-year anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom March 19. Some take note of the physical changes in the base, the hardened facilities and the

  • AF personnel leaders focus on Airmen, modernization

    As mission requirements continue to grow, Air Force personnel leaders said before the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee in Washington March 17 that the service will refine priorities to win today's fight and prepare for tomorrow's challenges. The Honorable Craig Duehring, assistant Secretary

  • Airmen represent U.S. military at airshow 'down under'

    About 100 Airmen from across the Air Force recently flew "down under" to represent the U.S. military and demonstrate aircraft capabilities at the 2009 Australian International Airshow March 13 through 15 at Avalon Airport. Airmen from Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Reserve

  • DOD officials release sexual assault statistics

    Defense Department officials here released March 17 a congressional report that examines sexual assault allegations in the military services and sets policies for reducing incidents. Key components of the annual analysis include a finding that indicates a rise in the number of incidents reported in

  • New Kandahar unit prepares for troop increase

    Kandahar Airfield officials activated the 772nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron March 15 here as the NATO base prepares for the build-up of forces to support Operation Enduring Freedom.The newest airlift squadron in the Air Force will be flying the C-130J Hercules, and serve under the 451st Air

  • Chief Airey memorial service celebrates life of AF hero

    During his life, he was a dedicated member of the profession of arms and fervent military supporter who became one of the most iconic figures of Air Force enlisted heritage and culture -- he was Paul Wesley Airey, the first Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force. His death was announced March 11 to a

  • Officials create Air Force Information Protection Directorate

    As security forces Airmen continue to transform into a combat-focused, globally deployable force, they will transfer responsibility for information protection to a newly established organization, the Information Protection Directorate at Headquarters Air Force. The directorate emerged from Air Force

  • AFSO 21 helps ease finance program headache

    A team of experts came together this week to use the Vandenberg Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, or AFSO 21, program to overcome obstacles in the Management Internal Control Program. The MICP came into effect during the President Reagan era and is intended to be a control on how the

  • Science, engineering jobs available to transitioning Airmen

    Air Force science and technology civil service career fields are in need of trained and educated applicants, which is ideal for veterans interested in post-military careers.Science, technology, engineering and math, called STEM, initiatives are availabe to train and educate transitioning Airmen, or

  • Elmendorf officials mourn loss of Airman

    Elmendorf Air Force Base officials will hold a memorial service this week to honor an NCO killed at 12:30 a.m. March 15 supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Eastern Afghanistan.Staff Sgt. Timothy Bowles, 24, was killed when his vehicle was destroyed by an improvised explosive device while on a

  • Prototype PT uniforms undergo wear tests

    A prototype physical training uniform for the Air Force is undergoing wear testing here, the Pentagon and MacDill AFB, Fla. The new design was introduced last month at the three sites for 185 males and females of various sizes, ethnic backgrounds, officers--including 42 general officers, and

  • Captain mentors teens in Senate Youth Program

    Students participating in the U.S. Senate Youth Program recently toured government buildings including the Pentagon, met their elected representatives and learned about the foundations of democracy here. They also became personally acquainted with a defender of this democratic process: Capt. Ladonna

  • Special operations officials seek best, brightest pilots

    Wanted: Individuals able to think on their feet, adapt quickly when needed, have a love for flying, and want to get in the fight now. That was the message to members of the 80th Flying Training Wing's Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program March 6 here from Maj. Gen. Kurt A. Cichowski, the Air

  • Former Thunderbirds pilot 'an inspiration' for young girls

    Perched on a balcony overseeing an assortment of aircraft static displays, a young girl asked Maj. Nicole Malachowski, "Is it hard to be a pilot?"The major smiled at the question; it's one she'd answered many times. After all, she was the first female Thunderbirds and before that, an accomplished

  • Gen. Schwartz to Airmen: 'We are a family'

    The chief of staff of the Air Force had a message for Airmen during an Airmen's Call here March 11: "We are a family and everyone in this room counts. "This is a big-tent Air Force," Gen. Norton Schwartz said. "In our business, you don't measure your worth by your proximity to the fight," he said.

  • Mildenhall Airmen assist RAF members redeploy

    When servicemembers return home after a six-month deployment, the fewer things standing between them and their loved ones, the better. Knowing that, Royal Air Force Mildenhall members wasted no time helping about 150 Royal Air Force members returning from Afghanistan get through the necessary return

  • Vance member saves life

    A quick trip to a local McDonald's March 6 turned into an act of heroism for a Vance Air Force Base employee when she saved the life of an elderly woman. "I was in a rush because I was on my lunch break and wanted to get some errands done," said Patty Tyson, the director of community services at

  • Gen. Petraeus praises medics, corpsmen

    The commander of U.S. Central Command praised the Army medics and Navy corpsmen whose courage on the battlefield protects the lives of fellow servicemembers March 11 here. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus told the 400-person audience at the 3rd Annual Armed Services YMCA Gala here that he was an

  • Battlespace command, control center protects region

    The Air Force's newest Battlespace, Command and Control Center officially opened during a ceremony here Feb. 26 adding new systems and upgraded capabilities for the 71st Expeditionary Air Control Squadron as well as becoming their permanent new home. The center allows persistent command and control

  • Wilford Hall doctors perform lifesaving procedure on newborn

    A medical team at Wilford Hall Medical Center here recently performed a lifesaving procedure on a newborn infant that is unique to Air Force medicine. Alexander Gardner, son of Natascha Gardner and Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Gardner of the 23rd Armored Calvary Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas, was born

  • Center uses innovative methods to improve patient safety

    Health care providers at the largest Air Force medical center on the West Coast are using state-of-the-art, interactive human patient simulators as just one of many safety initiatives to improve medical care, the medical center's commander said March 11. The use of human patient simulators is just

  • No margin for error at Tinker bomber egress shop

    Members of the 565th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's bomber egress shop here have just one chance to maintain B-52 Stratofortress and B-1B Lancer egress systems because there are no second chances when it comes to their line of work.Unit members maintain, replace and repair egress systems for the

  • AF mourns the loss of first chief master sergeant of the Air Force

    Former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Paul Wesley Airey died March 11 in Panama City, Fla. "Chief Airey was an Airman's Airman and one of the true pioneers for our service," said Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff. "He was a warrior, an innovator, and a leader with vision well

  • Thule members aid in lifesaving ice rescue

    A National Science Foundation employee fell off a snow ramp at the foundation's research camp at Summit Station March 6 in Greenland, and the only place for him to get treatment was the medical clinic at Thule Air Base nearly 700 miles away. The employee suffered two broken vertebrae in his spine,

  • CSAF signs official charter for Expeditionary Center

    The official charter for the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center was signed by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz on March 3 giving the center its "mandate to operate." The charter outlines how the Air Force must provide expeditionary combat support, or ECS, capabilities to combatant

  • Airmen process more than $1 billion worth of equipment

    Joint expeditionary tasking Airmen from 732nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron here fill roles in the Army's 586th Task Force and recently processed more than $1 billion worth of vehicles during their tenure here. The redistribution property assistance team members process vehicles ranging

  • Combat controller receives Air Force Cross, Purple Heart

    Tears stood in Sue Rhyner's eyes as she talked about her son, who, in a ceremony March 10 here received the Air Force Cross, the highest military decoration awarded by the service, and a Purple Heart. Staff Sgt. Zachary Rhyner of the 21st Special Tactics Squadron from Pope Air Force Base, N.C.,

  • Iraqi Vice Chief of Staff: Air component top priority

    The Iraqi joint forces vice chief of staff discussed his country's top military priorities during a visit to Air Education and Training Command March 4. Chief among those priorities are the establishment of credible, effective air and naval components, General Nasier Arkan Al-Abadi said. "The Iraqi

  • F-15E pilots protect ground forces in massive firefight

    Ten Soldiers who earned Silver Stars and an Airman who will receive an Air Force Cross March 10 might not be alive today if it were not for Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Airmen providing crucial close-air support during an assault on an insurgent stronghold in Afghanistan's Shok Valley last year. A

  • AFMC focuses on nuclear sustainment, command priorities

    The commander of Air Force Materiel Command called for maximum focus on the command priorities during AFMC's semi-annual senior leaders conference March 5 and 6 at Robins Air Force Base.From a top priority of robust nuclear sustainment to increased warfighter support and resource conservation, Gen.

  • 11 Airmen selected for Air Force wrestling team

    Eleven Airmen have been selected for the All Air Force Wrestling Team after three weeks of training March 6 at Mountain Home Air Force Base. More than 75 Airmen responded to join the team, of which 30 were selected to attend the Air Force wrestling camp here that started in late February

  • Pentagon plans sexual assault prevention campaign

    Just as the armed forces paved the way for integration more than 60 years ago, Defense Department officials are working to prevent sexual assault not only in the military, but also throughout the nation, the department's top prevention expert said here March 6. "It is our goal to develop a sexual

  • Bystanders key to preventing sexual assault

    When it comes to preventing sexual assault, Airmen have a responsibility to look out for their own, the Secretary of the Air Force's policy expert on preventing sexual assault told members of Congress here March 6. Charlene Bradley and other sister service representatives testified before the House

  • 'Today's Air Force' features interview with chief of staff

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the visit to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, by the Air Force chief of staff during which he discussed what the future holds for the Air Force in Afghanistan. Also featured are ways to reduce personal debt and become financially stable through free

  • LeMay Center realigns doctrine development

    The commander of the Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education said Feb. 19 that the center is taking a vision "first imagined in 1997," when the Air Force Doctrine Center moved from Langley Air Force Base, Va., to Maxwell, and is moving forward to ensure a direct relationship

  • U.S., Afghan forces unite to open fuel depot

    The Afghan assistant defense minister and other senior Afghanistan national army officials inaugurated Afghanistan's most modern Class III fuels depot Feb. 28 at Khuja Rawash in Kabul. Afghan Lt. Gen. Jawhari, chief of acquisition, technology and logistics, led the ceremony that brought the ANA and

  • Guard essential at home and abroad, says chief

    The National Guard is playing an essential role domestically and overseas, Gen. Craig McKinley said here March 6, challenging leaders to do more with the same amount of money. The chief of the National Guard Bureau spoke to about 700 leaders attending the National Guard's 2009 Domestic Operations

  • Korean VIP goes for a ride

    The 8th Fighter Wing commander literally took Gunsan City's Korean National Police chief for a ride here March 4. Colonel J.D. Harris invited Kim Myung Jung to the base to familiarize him with the wing mission and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Kunsan's Pilot for a Day program brings local civilians who

  • Airman tracks down parts for Iraqi maintenance depot

    A joint expeditionary tasking Airman with the 732nd Air Expeditionary Group here is a scavenger. Capt. Jeff Allen, a contract officer representative for the depot, is charged with locating the parts the Iraqi army needs to restore their vehicles, whether it be buying it or finding it at a salvage