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  • Civilian job announcements changed to help managers, applicants

    Air Force Personnel Center officials recently changed how civilian job announcements are listed to improve the civilian hiring process. "AFPC is improving our civilian hiring process and reducing the time it takes to fill civilian position vacancies. Changing the way we list our civilian job

  • Wing program helps Airmen get fit to fight

    Officials in the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing have developed a unique program called the Body Mass Reduction Program which is designed to aid Airmen in achieving a healthy lifestyle while improving their mission capability and contributions to the wing. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney

  • B-52 accident report released

    An improper stabilizer trim setting caused the July 21 crash of a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft northwest of Guam, according to an Air Combat Command accident investigation board report released Feb. 13. Analysis of aircraft parts found during salvage operations revealed the aircraft's stabilizer

  • Deploying physicians to use acupuncture

    At the acupuncture clinic here, Col. (Dr.) Richard Niemtzow and Col. (Dr.) Stephen Burns run the service's first full time acupuncture clinic. For them, acupuncture treatments are a full-time job. The Air Force surgeon general announced recently that a pilot program to train a cadre of active duty

  • Army, Air Force overhaul joint ISR training

    A key group of Army and Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance professionals met at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., recently for a working group to discuss what is needed to ensure America has the best ISR forces on the ground and in the air. The two-day conference was one of two

  • Maxwell virtual ops center becomes AF 'Best Practice'

    The Maxwell-Gunter Virtual Operations Center was named an Air Force Best Practice for 2009, and its creator was honored as a "Top 10 Performer" at the Air Education and Training Command Symposium in January here. Using existing Sharepoint software, Maj. Scott Loller, 42nd Air Base Wing Plans and

  • Medical Group focuses on efficiency and reorganization

    It seems common for an employee to utter the phrase, "Things would run so much more efficiently if ..." at least once in his or her career, yet it seems rare for a business to dedicate time and money into making such improvements. Officials in the 75th Medical Group here have broken that trend and

  • Wounded special ops weatherman keeps eyes forward for new battle

    In an instant, Senior Airman Alex Eudy went from battling the enemies of Afghanistan to battling for his life. It was just after 1 a.m. Jan. 24. He was only two months into his first deployment after graduating from advanced-skills training here in September 2008. The special operations weather team

  • Ops officials conduct new warfighter training

    Positive progress continues for the Air Forces Northern Distributed Mission Operations program as the first individualized warfighter training event was held at the 601st Air and Space Operations Center here Jan. 28. DMO is a complex and comprehensive series of interconnected, manned command,

  • ARPC 'pushes' retirees for upcoming exercise

    For the first time, retired active-duty majors and master sergeants are being asked by Air Reserve Personnel Center officials to participate in the biennial "Push-Pull" exercise, an end-to-end test of key mobilization systems and processes. As part of what is called the "pretrained individual

  • Suicide prevention hotline saves veterans' lives

    Help is only a phone call away for military veterans considering suicide. Nearly 100,000 veterans, family members or friends of veterans have reached out for help by calling the Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK. The hotline was launched July 2007. The VA

  • Cannon Airmen prepare for gunship arrival

    The 27th Special Operations Equipment Maintenance Squadron Munitions Flight completed new training on the combat aircraft parking area here Feb. 6 to ensure they are ready when additional aircraft arrive. Twenty-six Airmen make up the flight that is responsible for supplying live and training

  • Airmen help Iraqi aircrew perform night-vision missions

    An initiative that has been in the works since August 2008 is now a realization as members of the Iraqi air force continued their quest toward night-vision operations with the help of U.S. Air Force aircrews. Airmen from the 721st Air Expeditionary Advisor Squadron, who train Iraqi aircrew members,

  • When pigs fly... with ospreys

    What do you get when you cross an osprey with a warthog? For a zoologist, the question may seem preposterous. In Air Force terms, instead of an odd looking winged-swine hybrid, the result is immense firepower and unparalleled close-air support capability for the rapid infiltration and exfiltration

  • Program keeps heavy-lift aircraft in the air for decades

    When the first C-5M Super Galaxy, named the "Spirit of Global Reach," touched down at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Feb. 9, it signaled the first success of a $7.7 billion acquisition program designed to keep the heavy-lift transport in the air until 2040. Perhaps still young compared to other

  • AF officials standardize training for nuke inspectors

    Inspectors throughout the Air Force attended the first Nuclear Surety Inspector's Course from Feb. 2 to 6 at the Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. As the Air Force reinvigorates its nuclear program, the implementation of this class was a top priority. The objective of the

  • 380th AEW mission expands with Navy Global Hawk program

    The joint mission of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing expanded with the recent addition of the first operational Navy Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system, part of the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance program. "It's a good feeling to finally get the aircraft here," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. John McLellan,

  • Air Force chief of staff praises special operators

    Though the United States has the most technologically advanced armed forces in the world, the individual knowledge and skills U.S. special operators bring to the table are the keys to success against persistent conflicts enduring around the globe, the Air Force chief of staff said here Feb. 11. Gen.

  • Special ops 'fight' persistent conflicts around the world

    A panel of experts provided insights on persistent conflicts throughout the world to more than 300 participants in the 20th Annual Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict symposium here Feb. 10. Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Lawrence P. Farrell Jr., president and chief executive officer of the

  • Cope North 09-1 comes to end

    U.S. and Japanese forces completed an annual two-week bilateral exercise Feb. 14, that was designed to increase interoperability between the two nations. Cope North 09-1 is a Pacific-Command sponsored exercise that was designed and developed by 13th Air Force, Detachment 1, to increase combat

  • Heithold assumes command of Air Force ISR Agency

    Maj. Gen. Bradley A. Heithold assumed command of the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency from Maj. Gen. John C. Koziol in a ceremony here Feb. 11. Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance at the Pentagon, presided

  • Exercise demonstrates special ops capabilities

    Air Force Special Operations Command officials are hosting a field exercise at Hurlburt Field Feb. 2 through 13 designed to train forces in combat scenarios. Called Emerald Warrior, the exercise is taking place at training grounds on Hurlburt Field and nearby Eglin Air Force Base, and focuses on

  • Officials host first Nuclear Surety Inspector's Course

    Inspectors throughout the Air Force attended the first Nuclear Surety Inspector's Course from Feb. 2 to 6 at the Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. As Air Force leaders reinvigorate the nuclear program, the implementation of this class was a top priority. The objective of the

  • Air Forces Africa officials engage on Nigerian air safety, security

    Statistically, traveling by air is often cited at the safest way to travel. While taking to the sky has some inherent risk, advances in technology, coupled with stringent maintenance requirements and rigorous training procedures for aircrews have contributed to a safe aerial environment in most

  • NASCAR crew learns what drives basic training success

    NASCAR driver Reed Sorenson, who drives the No. 43 Air Force-sponsored car, and his crew got a taste of a basic military trainee's life during a recent two-day visit to Lackland Air Force Base. The tour was part of an effort by Air Force Recruiting Service officials to prepare Mr. Sorenson and the

  • JASDF redeployment group bids final farewell

    The last of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force redeployment group members lowered their colors for the last time before departing for Japan Feb. 10, bringing an end to the final chapter of the JASDF's Iraq Reconstruction Support Airlift Wing mission after almost five years. More than a hundred

  • 31 Airmen selected for Tops in Blue team

    Thirty-one Airmen were recently chosen for the Tops in Blue team for 2009. For 10 days, 80 Air Force singers, dancers, musicians and comedians competed for the Tops in Blue slots during January's Air Force Worldwide Talent Contest at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. After completing a training

  • Air Force Space Command puts AFSO 21 to work

    Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century is an Air Force initiative that challenges Airmen to look at all ways to accomplish the Air Force mission more effectively and efficiently without sacrificing quality.In order to alleviate challenges from new and evolving mission requirements,

  • Airmen demonstrate JTAC training, equipment for Congress

    Airmen from the Warrior Preparation Center were on Capitol Hill last week to demonstrate to Congress how Airmen work with joint partners to provide close-air support for troops on the ground. Specifically, the Airmen displayed their simulation training gear used to train joint terminal attack

  • Medical team hikes into mountains to care for children

    During a two-week exercise in early February, a team of 16 medical doctors, nurse practitioners, dietitians and medical students conducted pediatric nutrition evaluations for families without the means or access to regular medical care in the remote mountains near Marcala, Honduras. The team

  • Military partnerships important in preventing future calamities

    The development of international, military-to-military relationships built through the National Guard's State Partnership Program will become vitally important in preventing future world calamities, a senior National Guard official said Feb. 5. Gen. Craig R. McKinley, chief of the National Guard

  • 'Today's Air Force' features Iraqi election support

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the security help Airmen provided during the Iraqi elections. Jan. 31 marked the first elections for the people of Iraq since 2005. And February is a time when we, as a nation, celebrate the accomplishments that African Americans have made throughout

  • Operational weather squadron picks up new responsibilities

    The 15th Operational Weather Squadron here will assume short-term back-up responsibilities for the National Weather Service's Aviation Weather Center and Storm Prediction Center on April 1. AWC provides aviation warnings and forecasts of hazardous flight conditions at all levels within domestic and

  • Airmen train firefighter managers, Iraqis graduate

    The Iraqi air force took another step toward becoming more independent Feb. 4, this time in the form of firefighting capability, thanks to the joint training effort from the U.S. Air Force, the Iraqi air force and the Army National Guard. Seventeen civilian defense and Iraqi air force members

  • Iraqi and American pilots learn from one another

    Maj. Terry Bloom returned from his deployment at Forward Operating Base Warrior, Kirkuk, Iraq, in October 2008 with a stronger appreciation for not only the security and freedom America provides its citizens, but also for Iraqis' determination to restore their country to its former grand status in

  • Constructing an air corps from the ground up

    Airmen from the U.S. Air Force and the Afghan National Army Air Corps are working side-by-side to provide an airpower capability to the nation of Afghanistan. The Afghan Army was created six years ago with the air corps element subsequently created four years later. The training mission to grow

  • Record of Decision signed on beddown of Joint Strike Fighter

    Air Force officials have decided to bed down 59 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft and to allow associated construction at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., to begin, implementing a BRAC 2005 decision. The decision also imposes temporary operational limitations on JSF flight training activities both to

  • Captain explains SARC program to House subcommittee

    Capt. Daniel Katka was on Capitol Hill Jan. 28 to discuss how the Air Force helps victims of sexual assault. Captain Katka, a sexual assault response coordinator at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, joined a panel of sister service representatives to answer questions from the Military Personnel

  • AFSO 21 project yields award payload

    An AFSO 21 project prompted by Col. Jeffrey Glass, 507th Air Refueling Wing commander, has resulted in a payload of Air Force awards for wing members. "I have known for a long time how some Airman may go 15 to 20 years without receiving an Air Force award," Colonel Glass said. "It's appalling how

  • Weather-center forecasts now just a click away

    The latest, up-to-date weather forecasts from around the globe are now just a few mouse clicks away thanks to the staff at the American Forces Network Weather Center here. AFNWC personnel recently updated their Web site to include daily weather forecasts for Europe, Southwest Asia and the Tropics.

  • 'Military Saves' campaign battles debt

    Servicemembers have been lulled into a false sense of financial security by marketing campaigns that encourage them to overspend. It's a real David vs. Goliath battle that Chaplain (Maj.) Sarah Shirley is all too familiar with. "We're this little guy with a slingshot up against this big giant and

  • Idaho Guard supports Special Olympics

    About 200 Airmen and Soldiers from the Idaho National Guard are on duty Feb. 4  to prepare for the 2009 Special Olympics Winter World Games being held here from Feb. 7-13. More than 2,500 athletes and delegates from more than 100 countries will converge on the state to participate in athletic events

  • Ramstein Airmen show C-130 capabilities to Polish military

    As the U.S. and Polish celebrate 90 years of diplomatic relations this year, members of the two countries' air forces strengthened their bonds by way of the C-130 Hercules in late January here. Members of the 86th Airlift Wing from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, visited Powdiz Air Base by way of Warsaw

  • Blue Coach improves security forces Airmen tactics, training

    Airmen from the 5th Security Forces Squadron are participating in a series of training classes, which began Jan. 5, in an Air Force-wide initiative to improve the tactics, awareness, vigilance and survivability of security forces here. "This training better prepares us for any situation we may come

  • Airmen train Afghan officers on command, control

    American Airmen graduated 16 senior Afghan air corps officers following a four-week-long course on command and control operations Jan. 24 at the Kabul International Airport. Air Force advisers from the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing and the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group taught the Afghan

  • Bagram Airmen recover crippled aircraft

    More than 120 Airmen, Defense Department civilians and contractors removed a crippled C-17 Globemaster III from the runway Feb. 2 at Bagram Airfield after receiving damage while landing Jan. 30.Emergency response crews sprang into action shortly after the aircraft screeched to a stop and base

  • Air Guardsmen, Coast Guardsmen train then save together

    After wrapping up a day of training with Coast Guardsmen Jan. 29, the aircrew of Jolly 91, an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter, were ready to head to Moffett Airfield, home to the 129th Rescue Wing. The Jolly 91 Airmen were dropping off their rescue brethren, members of the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime

  • Airmen aid in Iraqi election ballot transport

    Members from the 321st Air Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here did their part in assisting Iraq in the election process Feb. 2. Maj. Scott Volk and Capt. Chris Dickens, both C-130 Hercules evaluation pilots and aviation advisers for the Iraqi air force, and Master Sgt. Louis Carter, a 321st AEAS

  • NASCAR driver gets flight of life

    NASCAR driver Reed Sorenson got the ride of his life in an F-15 Eagle as part of the Air Force's new partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports Jan. 23 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. The incentive flight piloted by Capt. Dustin Ripley of the 95th Fighter Squadron was part of an effort by Air Force

  • Thunderbirds perform Super Bowl flyover

    The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds thrilled more than 70,000 spectators at Super Bowl XLIII by performing a flyover at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., Feb. 1. The contest which pitted the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers versus the Arizona Cardinals was

  • Academy superintendent to retire

    Air Force officials announced Feb. 2 that Lt. Gen. John F. Regni, the Academy's 17th superintendent, will retire from active duty later this year. The general entered the Air Force in June 1969 as a cadet at the Academy. No retirement date has been announced, however, General Regni will preside over

  • Alaska-based aircraft fly south as precaution to volcano

    Airmen at McChord Air Force Base are receiving a precautionary redeployment of Air Force aircraft from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. The aircraft and approximately 200 Airmen who operate and maintain them are being temporarily relocated due to increased activity associated with Mount Redoubt, a volcano

  • 'Today's Air Force' features training

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights how Airmen continue train their counterparts in both Iraq and Afghanistan. And another type of training, one that is credited with making the Air Force the premier air and space force in the world is human performance training. See how science is

  • Upgraded airborne firefighting system approved

    A long anticipated upgrade to the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) that's used to battle the nation's wildfires was recently approved for operational use, months before the next fire season.MAFFS II was approved for use on the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing C-130J

  • Osan Airmen train to fight

    Osan Air Base Airmen train throughout the year to survive and operate in war, and members of the 51st Security Forces Squadron here ensure the base is properly defended. Upon arrival to Osan AB, officer and enlisted security forces members go through a six-day combat readiness course to get Airmen

  • Airmen support Iraqi elections, see history in making

    Joint Base Balad Airmen are engaged in the Iraqi sky as Iraqis get ready to participate in their country's electoral process Jan. 31, the first time since 2005. "U.S. and coalition airpower is uniquely qualified to provide non-intrusive security support to the government of Iraq as it conducts this

  • Chief of staff keynoter at Vance pilot graduation

    Student pilot Class 09-04 here had a special visitor at their graduation ceremony Jan. 23.  Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz attended the ceremony and presented the keynote address."The American people place a very special trust in those of us who wear the uniform," the general told the

  • Airman's Roll Call: Military training instructors

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on the Air Force's need for more military training instructors to meet the demands of increasing end strength. Air Force officials will recruit about 4,000 additional enlisted Airmen per year during the next two years to boost manning to 332,700. Currently, the

  • Air Force allergist receives national award

    Maj. (Dr.) Christopher Calabria, officer in charge of the Wilford Hall Medical Center Immunizations Clinic, was selected to receive an American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Award. The award recognizes outstanding research published in the "Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology," or

  • Airman sheds 115 pounds to work on F-22s in Alaska

    Eleven months ago, Derrick Bell took the first step in a journey that would change his life in more ways than one. The 38-year-old husband and father of two shed more than 115 pounds to meet the Air Force Reserve physical standards of enlistment, astounding his recruiter, family and friends as he

  • President to meet with defense secretary, joint chiefs

    Iraq and Afghanistan likely will be among the discussion topics when President Barack Obama makes his first visit to the Pentagon this afternoon to meet with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a senior Defense Department official said here Jan. 28. "This meeting is part

  • Dover aircrew delivers humanitarian supplies to Nicaragua

    A Dover Air Force Base C-17 Globemaster III aircrew airlifted 18,000 pounds of humanitarian cargo from here to Nicaragua Jan. 17 through 19. The Air Force Reserve Airmen from the 326th Airlift Squadron delivered desks, chairs, file cabinets and books for the new library at Ave Maria University,

  • American, British forces hone warfighting skills together

    American Airmen and British joint terminal attack controllers and U.S. Army joint fires observers improved their warfighting skills here in preparation for an upcoming deployment. The U.S. Army's 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division from Fort Carson, Colo., currently is conducting their

  • 'Perspective' highlights military training instructors

    In the latest "Enlisted Perspective, the Air Force's top enlisted Airman focuses on the importance of military training instructors, how they mold future Airmen for their entire career and the shortage the career field is anticipating during the next few months.    "I still remember the military

  • Nurse commissioning program seeks enlisted applicants

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here will conduct the annual Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program board May 4 through 8 to select candidates for fall 2009 and spring 2010 semester start dates. The program offers active-duty Airmen the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in a high-need

  • American servicemembers aid Iraqi communications

    Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq directorate of communications officials in Baghdad currently are using Air Tasking Order concepts to shape the cyber battlefield for the Iraqi government. "We are trying to help people build a nation and create national self-sufficiency," said Col.

  • Air Force officials to use prop planes as ISR platforms

    To better fill combatant commanders' needs for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Air Force officials will begin using C-12 Huron turboprop planes as ISR platforms. The program, called Project Liberty, involves Airmen operating a fleet of 37 C-12 aircraft providing ISR full-motion video

  • Program improves patient safety through enhanced teamwork, communication

    A Defense Department program is transforming military health care during deployment by enhancing communication and teamwork skills among health care professionals, a master trainer in the program said. Developed by specialists with the Defense Department's Patient Safety Program, Team Strategies and

  • Physician assistant makes difference in Afghan lives

    Servicemembers of the Provincial Reconstruction Team Paktya in Gardez, Afghanistan, are helping to develop the infrastructure necessary for the Afghan people to succeed in a post-conflict environment.One member of the Paktya PRT is Capt. James Parris.The physician assistant from the 96th Medical

  • Servicemembers search for Americans in capsized boat

    Servicemembers from Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa participated in a three-day rescue operation in an effort to save three Americans from a capsized sailboat 260 miles off coast of Madagascar in late January. One of the three Americans was found alive after being spotted by servicemembers

  • 'Today's Air Force' highlights peacekeeping operations in Africa

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" focuses on how Airmen are supporting humanitarian and peacekeeping operations in Africa. One segment highlights the first major operation engineered by members of U.S. Africa Command's air component, 17th Air Force. Operation Nimble Star was a weeklong expedition

  • Transformation team scores F100 engine savings

    In July 2008, Mr. Brian deFonteny, Black Belt Center Transformation Office project facilitation, enlisted Michelle Waggoner, 547th Propulsion Maintenance Squadron industrial engineering technician, and her team -- Joseph Auzenne, Holly Vernon, Mitch Salvo, Shawna Price, Tracy Kudrna and John Manning

  • Largest deployment of F-22s under way

    Twenty-four F-22 Raptors and hundreds of Airmen deployed to the Pacific region for a three-month deployment in support of the Pacific global deterrence mission.Twelve F-22s deployed from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, arrived Jan. 18 to Andersen AFB, Guam, and the week prior 12 F-22s from Langley

  • New culture course now available online to enlisted

    Through the efforts of the Air Force Culture and Language Center and Community College of the Air Force, enlisted members now have a distance learning course that will aid them in understanding world cultures. Introduction to Culture, the first course of its kind in the military and is currently

  • Major's medal, artifacts on display at Air Force museum

    One of the first Airmen to earn an Air Force Combat Action Medal donated his award, alongside others, to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Maj. Steve Raspet, the 12th Operations Group T-6A Texan II standards and evaluation branch chief and an

  • Personnel Center officials Spread the Word

    A team from the Air Force Personnel Center here successfully wrapped up phase one of the educational Spread the Word briefings Jan. 14 as officials educated Airmen at major commands and combatant commands. AFPC officials paved the way for the next round of experts to begin phase two of Spread the

  • Administration sets agenda for veteran care

    President Barack Obama has promised to deliver the care and benefits the nation's military veterans deserve while transforming the Department of Veterans Affairs into a 21st century organization, according to an administration agenda posted on the White House Web site. "Keeping faith with those who

  • Vance pilots use self-aid, buddy care to save the day

    Two Vance Air Force Base pilots used the skills learned in self-aid and buddy care training to aid three civilians who were in a small plane that crashed Dec. 19 near Kalaeloa Airport in Oahu, Hawaii. Capts. John and Katie McGregor were on vacation in Hawaii from Dec. 16 to Dec. 25 with family when

  • Hawthorn House earns license to expand nursing services

    Officials at Hawthorn House, the Air Force Enlisted Village's assisted living facility, have announced that the state of Florida has granted Limited Nursing Services licensure through the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. The AHCA is one of the agencies that regulate the quality of

  • Deployed F-22 Raptors arrive at Andersen

    Twelve F-22 Raptors deployed from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, arrived here Jan. 18, for a three month deployment in support of Pacific Global Deterrence mission. As part of the continuing force posture adjustments to address worldwide requirements, additional forces like the 90th Expeditionary

  • Andrews officials launch tactical fitness center

    Base leaders here took a groundbreaking new stride in combat fitness training capability Jan. 15 with the ribbon-cutting of the Andrews Tactical Fitness Center. The center supports the 316th Wing's goal of "Airmen fit and ready to fight and win across the whole spectrum" with a new policy and

  • Disability board accepting applications for records review

    Department of Defense officials here are now accepting applications from certain medically-separated veterans to have their records reviewed, potentially increasing their disability rating. "To be eligible for a review, veterans must have been medically separated between Sept. 11, 2001, and Dec. 31,

  • Hero of Hudson River crash landing got start in Air Force

    The pilot who crash-landed a crippled airliner in New York's Hudson River Jan. 15, saving 155 lives on board, is an Air Force Academy graduate who received his pilot training in the Air Force. Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger steered US Airways Flight 1549 toward the river when both engines failed

  • WASP served for love of flight

    When Betty Jo Reed was introduced to flying, it was love at first sight. She was 6 years old and her father paid $1 for her to take a ride in a Ford tri-motor airplane at a local fair in 1929. Once airborne, Ms. Reed was hooked. "I remember feeling free and happy, and loving the whole experience,"

  • F-22s begin training in Japan

    F-22 Raptors took to the sky over Japan Jan. 14 as members of the 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron began flight operations with Kadena Air Base officials. More than 200 Airmen and 12 F-22s from Langley Air Force Base, Va., are operating out of Kadena AB to demonstrate the continued U.S.

  • Captain named top air liaison officer in Air Force

    An Air Force Special Operations Command captain was named the service's top air liaison officer for 2008 recently. This year's annual winner is Capt. Christopher Wilson who is assigned to the 17th Air Support Operations Squadron and is the tactical air control party flight commander for Operating

  • Airmen dedicate memorial to 1988 C-130 crew

    A lone C-130 Hercules propeller blade stands erect, chipped, worn and scratched, telling a silent story of an end to six lives on June 8, 1988. The blade -- obtained from the C-130 Hercules that crashed -- is a poignant symbol of the tragic loss of life that occurred that summer day. The memory of

  • Airmen begin Darfur airlift operations

    Airmen have begun airlifting Rwandan peacekeeping equipment and supplies Jan. 13 from Kigali to the Darfur Region of Sudan as part of the United Nations-Africa Union peacekeeping mission. The first mission was completed by a C-17 Globemaster III and aircrew deployed to Africa from Travis Air Force

  • Air Force remains committed to unmanned aircraft systems

    Air Force officials are "all in" with regard to unmanned aircraft systems, and understand the Defense secretary's direction to field the systems in the combat theater as fully and quickly as possible, a senior leader said Jan. 12 here. Lt. Gen. Norman R. Seip, the commander of 12th Air Force and Air

  • Chief of staff visits Hurlburt Field Airmen

    The Air Force's top officer met Airmen of Hurlburt Field and discussed the importance of command and control to the joint team Jan. 9 here.General Schwartz spent time with the Airmen of the 505th Command and Control Wing, a unit charged with improving and standardizing tactics, training, testing,

  • Airman dies following training exercise

    A 30-year old male Airman assigned to the 342nd Training Squadron as a combat control apprentice died Jan. 12 at Wilford Hall Medical Center here. Staff Sergeant Kenneth J. Wilburn lost consciousness while participating in an above-water treading exercise at the Lackland training pool Jan. 9.

  • DOD suicide prevention conference under way

    An Army staff sergeant who had lost Soldiers in the war zone was called a coward, a wimp and a wuss from a leader when he mentioned he might need psychological help. It is this type of stigma from toxic leadership that can kill, and that is being examined by scientists, clinicians and specialists in

  • Air Force officials look at robots for aircraft ground refueling

    Air Force Research Laboratory's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate officials here are developing an automated aircraft refueling system for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Successful development and testing of the system will provide a feasible alternative to manual refueling of aircraft. The

  • Raptors return to the Pacific

    Six F-22 Raptors arrived at Kadena Air Base, Jan. 10, as part of a three-month deployment in support of U.S. Pacific Command's security obligations in the Western Pacific. The planes arrived after a 10-hour flight from Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. The F-22s, part of the 27th Fighter Squadron, are

  • American Airman teaches Iraqi air force cadets

    Teaching leadership in a foreign land was never part of his career plan, but that's exactly what Capt. Tom Fiordelisi has been doing for the last 12 months at a forward operating base near Baghdad. Captain Fiordelisi served as commandant of cadets for ROTC Det. 630 at Kent State University in Ohio

  • Air Force inauguration participation represents another historic event

    On Jan. 20, when President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath of office, U.S. servicemembers once again will participate in a time-honored tradition which began with President George Washington for his first inauguration in 1789. Among those servicemembers participating with the new president will be

  • Travis Airmen contribute to Darfur airlift operation

    Members of the 615th Contingency Response Wing here recently deployed to Africa in support of humanitarian airlift missions into the Darfur region of Sudan. Nearly two dozen Travis Air Force Base members departed Jan. 1 for Kigali, Rwanda, to support the operation, which will airlift equipment from

  • 17th Air Force members plan support for Darfur operation

    Airmen will soon begin airlifting special equipment for Rwandan peacekeepers in the Darfur region of Sudan to mark the kickoff of the first major operation engineered by officials of U.S. Africa Command's air component, 17th Air Force.Members of 17th Air Force, also known as U.S. Air Forces

  • Airman leads team in managing enemy's weapons cache

    An Airman with the Taji National Depot sees the war on terrorism succeeding every day as coalition forces collect and destroy enemy weapons here. Capt. Ted Yang is the liaison officer for Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq's J4 collective weapons section, and his joint team of Airmen,