HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • 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

  • Public affairs chief takes stock of tumultuous year

    Information is a critical element of national power, and public affairs personnel have a role in how the government and military employ that element, the outgoing principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs said March 12 here. "Information is absolutely part of diplomacy and

  • Maxwell expands reach into 'Twitterverse'

    Maxwell Air Force Base officials joined Twitter March 7, becoming the first base in Air Education and Training Command to do so. Twitter is a popular social-networking tool where users send short messages, or "tweets," to other users. "We're always looking for new avenues to tell people the Maxwell

  • 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

  • Exercise in Thailand shows multilateral partnership

    Approximately 20 military members from Thailand, Singapore and the United States are working together to coordinate the aerial missions throughout the region for Exercise Cope Tiger 2009 March 9 through 20 here.Cope Tiger is a two-week exercise including both flying and humanitarian missions

  • 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

  • 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

  • Guard members assist car accident victim

    Air National Guard members from the 129th Rescue Wing here displayed their lifesaving skills as they aided a car crash victim March 9 near Suisun, Calif. Two combat rescue officers and four 131st Rescue Squadron pararescuemen were traveling north on Highway 80 to survey a potential new parachute

  • Air Force, Navy pilots train together over Okinawa

    Air Force and Navy pilots are sharpening their aerial combat skills in simulated dogfights and strike missions from March 1 through 21 over Okinawa. Using the base as a power projection platform, F-15 Eagle pilots from the 67th Fighter Squadron and F-22 Raptor pilots from the deployed 27th

  • New records viewing system improves access to unit records

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here will release the new Personnel Records Display Application in early April. PRDA is an electronic viewer for the Automated Records Management System, facilitating search, retrieval and management of personnel records in ARMS through a role-based-access

  • Accountability system helps leaders, families during crises

    Air Force officials here want to ensure the safety of all Airmen and their family members when a natural disaster or large-scale crisis strikes, and a new program being implemented April 1 will help account for personnel. Air Force Personnel Center officials will use the Air Force Personnel

  • 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

  • Multinational exercise Cope Tiger 2009 kicks off

    The first flights of Cope Tiger 2009 launched March 9, filling the sky above Thailand with fighter aircraft and signaling the 15th year of partnership between the United States, Thailand and Singapore militaries. Cope Tiger is an annual, multilateral aerial exercise which divides Thai, Singaporean

  • 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.

  • Training gives medics confidence prior to deployments

    It's utter chaos. A child injured by a roadside bomb is wheeled into surgery. A woman with facial burns is rushed in on a stretcher. A small boy with a severe leg injury hobbles into the room. Who do you treat first? Who can help? What medical supplies are on hand? These are the questions deployed

  • 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

  • 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

  • Joint team surveys 7 OEF, OIF bases in less than 30 days

    Airmen assigned to the 615th Contingency Response Wing here recently completed a nearly 30-day assessment mission in Afghanistan and Iraq. The 10 Airmen were part of a 13-member joint Air Force-Army team, which received their mission tasking from U.S. Transportation Command. The group, known as a

  • 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

  • DTS expands, earns greater customer approval

    The Defense Travel System has expanded its reach and gained ground in customer satisfaction, the director of the Defense Travel Management Office told a congressional panel March 5. "In terms of improvements, the department has focused its efforts on expanding DTS usage, making DTS more user

  • 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

  • Job opportunities available for Airmen in recruiting

    The decision to increase the Air Force end strength from 316,000 to 330,000 at the end of 2008 forced Air Force Recruiting Service officials here to ramp up the number of recruiters across the nation, offering more Airmen a chance to enter a uniquely challenging career. "Recruiting offers a direct

  • Kadena Airmen deploy to Thailand for Exercise Cope Tiger

    About 170 Kadena Air Base Airmen are deploying with 12 F-15 Eagles to Thailand to participate in Exercise Cope Tiger 2009 from March 9 through 20. The F-15s from the 44th Fighter Squadron here will fly alongside their Thai air force counterparts as well as the Singaporean air force and other U.S.

  • 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

  • Air Force on target with recruiting, retention

    Air Force leaders' efforts to have the "right number of people in the right jobs" remains a challenge and so far, the Air Force is headed in the right direction, according to Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III, the deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel. The general was one of several senior

  • Top agents praise OSI efforts within Afghanistan

    The Air Force's top Office of Special Investigations leaders recently spoke with agents and support personnel serving in Afghanistan during a Feb. 23 through 26 visit to Bagram Airfield. Brig. Gen. Dana Simmons, the Air Force OSI commander, Col. Humberto Morales, the 24th Expeditionary Force

  • Players, spectator save life of fallen Airman

    Five minutes into an intramural basketball game, two base teams were locked in a battle for victory but then had to shift focus to battle to save a fallen player's life at 8:30 p.m. Feb. 18 here. A player fell head first to the floor at the Pope Fitness Center's basketball court, but two players

  • Overweight youth pose recruitment challenges

    Fat is bad for one's health. And as defense officials attest, it's also bad for recruiting, and for national defense. Curtis Gilroy, the Pentagon's accessions chief, lamented during a congressional hearing that many recruitment-age youth are too overweight to qualify for military service. And as a

  • Post commemorates 99th anniversary of first military flight

    A vintage Stearman PT-17 and a Fairchild PTY-26 flew at approximately 11 a.m. March 2 under a clear blue sky over the grounds of Fort Sam Houston commemorating the 99th anniversary of the first military flight made by then 1st Lt. Benjamin Foulois. Sponsored by the Stinsons Flight No. 2, Order of

  • Guard aviators gear up for Afghanistan deployment

    Four New York Army National Guard aviators got a taste of high-altitude flying in Afghanistan on Feb. 25 without leaving the United States. The Afghan-bound members of Detachment 20, Operational Support Airlift, went through high-altitude training at an Air Force oxygen chamber here. The Soldiers

  • Chapel team goes outside wire for duty

    The chaplain and his assistant for the 732nd Air Expeditionary Group here serve Airmen who perform their duties in combat zones outside the wire, so they do to.Chaplain (Capt.) David Haltom and Staff Sgt. Porscha Howard, the chapel team for the 732nd AEG, provide chapel support to joint

  • Army, Air Force partner to improve facilities for Iraqi military

    Air Force and Army Corps of Engineers members joined forces to improve the training facilities for Iraq's air force cadets here. The $1.96 million rehabilitation project at the Iraq Military Academy Rustamiyah included five major components that will greatly enhance the learning and living

  • National Guard chief visits troops in war zone

    The National Guard's first four-star general visited citizen-Soldiers and -Airmen serving throughout Southwest Asia in dozens of formal briefings, town hall meetings and tours at the end of February and early March.General Craig R. McKinley, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, visited the Guard

  • Servicemembers provide medical care to 120 Afghans

    American servicemembers of the Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction team conducted a medical assistance mission and cared for more than 120 Afghans at the Hope of Mother School and Clinic in Surkh Rod District Feb. 24 in Afghanistan. In approximately three hours, the team's medics and an Afghan

  • Challenging Air Force weather mission at Academy

    With an area of 18,000 acres, an elevation gain of 2,800 feet and Pikes Peak only 15 miles to the southwest, staying ahead of the weather here can be difficult. Add to that an airfield that relies heavily on weather conditions that allow pilots to land by looking outside the cockpit and you have

  • Army, Air Guard at full strength, directors tell Congress

    The Army National Guard is over strength and the Air National Guard has met its end strength for the first time since 2002, the directors told Congress March 3 here. "This is a new era for us," said Army Lt. Gen. Clyde Vaughn, the director of the Army National Guard. "We've never been in this

  • Airmen advise Afghans on Russian-made helicopters

    Kadena Air Base Airmen are contributing to the readiness of the Afghan national army air corps by serving as advisers to Afghan airmen at Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan, who maintain the Russian-made MI-17 transport helicopter. Tech. Sgt. Dennis Flanagan, a helicopter crew chief, and Tech. Sgt.

  • Airman's Roll Call: Cyber threat training

    This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on things Airmen can do to prevent cyber threats from harming Air Force computer networks. Just like safety down days, Airmen are taking a moment to better understand how cyber threats can hamper the mission. This week, Airmen in units across the Air Force are

  • Leaders address issues at AFA symposium

    The top Air Force leaders outlined today and tomorrow's challenges for the service Feb. 26 at the 25th Annual Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition in Orlando, Fla. Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and Gen. Norton Schwartz, chief of staff of the Air Force,

  • Kadena Airmen volunteer time to Japanese children

    Fifteen Airmen from the 18th Wing here used their native English skills to connect with 60 children at a Japanese preschool Feb. 26 while temporarily deployed to the Japan Air Self Defense Force's Nyutabaru Air Base in Miyazaki Prefecture. The children, ages 3 to 6 years old, at Isshin preschool

  • Airmen vigilant for threats

    Airmen with the 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron's Escort Flight keep a vigilant eye throughout the base interior 24 hours a day, seven days a week to protect the base's operational security and everyone's safety. The flight of more than 180 Airmen preserve security by escorting

  • Multinational exercise to test interoperability in Caribbean

    An initiative aimed at boosting capacity among Central and South American security forces will get put to the test in early March when 18 countries come together for a national security exercise in the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. The United States and England will join 16 Caribbean countries

  • Secretary Donley to remain as SECAF

    White House officials announced Feb. 26 that Secretary Michael B. Donley will remain the secretary of the Air Force."I am very honored that the president and the secretary of Defense have asked me to continue in this capacity," Secretary Donley said. "It remains a privilege to serve the men and

  • Air Force looking for military training instructors

    Few other figures in the Air Force exemplify leadership more than the military training instructor and more are needed to help meet short- and long-term manning goals. Because of the demands of increasing end strength, Air Force officials need to bring in about 220 additional MTIs. About 4,000

  • Honoring a brother's sacrifice

    An Airman here is honoring his brother's service two years after he paid the ultimate sacrifice when an improvised explosive device detonated and struck his vehicle while on patrol in Baghdad, Iraq.Senior Airman Jason Nathan was killed June 23, 2007, and today Staff Sgt. Joe Nathan Jr. is deployed

  • Aggressors prowl for Air Force information

    A little known unit here, working in a bank of trailers hidden from the public, performs a unique mission for the Air Force: hacking into the vast Air Force computer networks to help protect those networks from an enemy's attack. The Air Force hackers from the 57th Information Aggressor Squadron

  • General lists Air Force safety priorities

    Although Maj. Gen. Frederick Roggero, Air Force Safety Center commander, has several priorities concerning safety in the Air Force, it is no surprise that ground safety has now quickly made it to the forefront of his priority list. During the last 10 years, on average, the Air Force has lost about

  • Marines arrive in Kunsan for exercise

    Kunsan Air Base Airmen accepted and processed Marines as they landed on board a KC-130J Super Hercules Feb. 23 here.The Marines from the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing out of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from Japan participated in an Exercise Key Resolve, a routine training exercise designed to train

  • Red Flag 09-3 exercise begins

    Southern Nevada residents may have notice increased military aircraft activity as the latest Red Flag exercise began Feb. 23. Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies. The exercise is conducted on the 15,000-square-mile Nevada Test

  • Chief of staff pays tribute to heritage

    When the Air Force chief of staff visited here recently, it wasn't just about looking forward and to the future of aviation with unmanned aircraft systems; it was also about looking back and recognizing where the service has been. Before Gen. Norton Schwartz stepped into the 99th Flying Training

  • Special Operations Command Airman dies in Afghanistan

    An Air Force Special Operations Command combat control journeyman died Feb. 20 while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Timothy P. Davis, 28, of Aberdeen, Wash., died near Bagram, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive

  • Air Force, Army leaders lay out joint UAS future

    The Air Force and Army chiefs of staff signed a plan recently in Washington, D.C., taking the two services one step closer to supporting the full spectrum of conflict with their larger, multirole unmanned aircraft. Military officials presented the Army/Air Force Multirole Unmanned Aircraft System

  • Exercise offers A-10 crews chance to hone warfighting skills

    Airmen are improving their warfighting skills as they train to conduct close-air-support missions for ground forces in preparation for deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan during Exercise Green Flag East here. The exercise is in partnership with the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La.,

  • Turkish officers get lessons in Air Force enlisted training

    Four members of the Turkish air force visited Gunter Annex's Barnes Center for Enlisted Education complex Feb. 12 to gain insight into how to improve their air force's enlisted education. The group from Turkey headed by Col. Metin Ozdemir, included Lt. Col. Cem Acar, Maj. Huesyin Uysal and Lt. Eyup

  • Kadena Airman attends Singaporean leadership school

    A Kadena Air Base senior NCO is attending the advanced leadership program at Singapore's armed forces warrant officer school in February. Senior Master Sgt. David Duncan, director of operations at the Kadena AB Erwin Professional Military Education Center, is the only international student in the

  • Airmen escort presidential papers into history

    Air Force District of Washington Airmen took their place in history Feb. 23 as they were honored for moving presidential documents safely and in "record" time. Standing before the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights, Airmen from AFDW, the 316th

  • Rapid acquisition, training team helps secure Iraqi elections

    An Electronic Systems Center rapid acquisition project helped ensure recent Iraqi elections were conducted peaceably. ESC officials provided 600 all-weather, fully stabilized metal detectors that were used at polling venues across Iraq, and center officials also provided three members of a

  • Military opens rehabilitation center for troops in Afghanistan

    Servicemembers in Afghanistan now have a place to turn to cope with the toughest aspects of deployment when they need it most. The Bagram Freedom Restoration Center here is the first rehabilitation center for troops in Afghanistan. The center's main goal is to give servicemembers skills to cope with

  • Chief of staff sees UAS role expanding

    The Air Force chief of staff called the buildup of the unmanned aircraft system program "profoundly important" Feb. 19 during a visit with instructor and student aviators here.In remarks during a question and answer session with 12th Operations Group instructors, students and staff, Gen. Norton

  • Kadena NCO Academy trains joint partners

    NCO Academy officials here bridged culture gaps of more than one kind recently as they graduated two Japan Air Self Defense Force NCOs as well as noncoms from each of the three sister U.S. military services. The PME center, which routinely educates JASDF and sister service NCOs, operates the

  • First time for AFMC at Red Flag exercise

    The 416th Flight Test Squadron conquered the vast bombing and gunnery ranges of Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., as they participated in Red Flag 09-2, marking the first time an Air Force Materiel Command unit has ever deployed and participated in the exercise. "Red Flag allowed us to provide the most

  • Chairman cites need for more 'dwell time' between deployments

     The nation's top military officer expressed concern here about servicemembers and their families "toughing it out" with frequent deployments and little time together between those deployments. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, talked about the stresses of war and a

  • Safety center employee receives public service award

    The Air Force's traffic safety manager is one of four current federal workers and a retiree to receive a 2008 Government Employees Insurance Company Public Service Award.Frank Kelley received the honor, in the "Traffic Safety and Accident Prevention" category, for significant contributions to

  • Speckled Trout reeled in to new home

    A Boeing KC-135, "Speckled Trout ," which served as the personal aircraft of every Air Force Chief of Staff since 1975, was moved from Kelly Field Annex, Texas, to its new home at the Lackland Training Annex here Feb. 15. The move culminated a process that began after the historic aircraft arrived

  • Air Guardsmen fly critical equipment to wildlife refuge

    California Air National Guardsmen from the 129th Rescue Wing assisted U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials Feb. 17 and 18 by transporting critically needed facility batteries to the Farallon National Wildlife Refuge, located approximately 30 miles off the shore of San Francisco in the Pacific

  • Manas Air Base 'not irreplaceable,' official says

    Kyrgyzstan's parliament voted Feb. 19 to close Manas Air Base, a key logistics hub for the U.S. military, but a senior Pentagon official said the base closure would not affect operations in Afghanistan. "[Manas Air Base] is an important base for operations in Afghanistan, but it's not

  • Iraqi Minister of Defense discusses military, political issues

    The Iraqi Minister of Defense said Feb. 18 that Iraq's military requires an air component capable of supporting its soldiers on the ground, and that it would begin focusing more efforts on enlarging and equipping its air force. Minister Abdul Qader made the comments during a visit here at the Air

  • 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