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  • Raptor crews practice drive-through refueling

    Now that the F-22 Raptor arrival ceremonies are over and the anticipation of the arrival has subsided, Airmen here are on an aggressive training schedule to prepare them for combat operations. As part of that training, members of the 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 49th Logistics Readiness

  • Pilots provide emergency close air support

    For F-15E Strike Eagle and A-10 Thunderbolt pilots deployed here, joint terminal attack controllers, or JTACs,  play a vital role in the close air support mission. However, there's not always a JTAC on the ground when close air support, or CAS,  is needed. In these rare situations, pilots step

  • Runners get fit to fight during Air Force Week in the Heartland

    Approximately 250 runners spiraled through Offutt Air Force Base and the surrounding community in the first Bellevue/Offutt Runway Run as part of Air Force Week in the Heartland Aug. 10 here. Military members and civilian running enthusiasts did their part to be fit to fight as they ran through the

  • Air Force Week in the Heartland kicks off with a bang

    Fly-bys, music, military precision and fireworks broadcast the beginning of Air Force Week in the Heartland as more than 10,000 witnessed Airmen at their best Aug. 9 at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha. Airmen from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., hosted the free event to let the public experience what the

  • Air Force officials release report on Columbus T-38 accident

    Air Force officials here recently completed its investigation of the April 23 T-38C Talon accident at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., which resulted in the deaths of two pilots and destroyed the airplane. Maj. Blair Faulkner, a 43rd Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot, and 2nd Lt. Matthew

  • Air Force officials release report on Sheppard T-38 accident

    Air Force officials here completed their investigation of the May 1 T-38C Talon accident at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, which resulted in the deaths of two pilots and destroyed the airplane. Maj. Brad T. Funk, a 90th Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot, and 2nd Lt. Alec F. Littler, a

  • New training structure benefits Iraqi firefighters

    Iraqi firefighters can now sharpen their abilities to operate effectively inside burning structures with the aid of a new training facility here. Seven Iraqi firefighters learned search and rescue tactics at the new facility July 30 alongside firefighters from the 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer

  • French airmen train at Luke

    Approximately 20 French air force aircrews, 60 maintainers and support personnel and four Rafale aircraft visited the base here to participate in an exercise July 28 to Aug. 8. The major coalition exercise here provided a unique opportunity for the French Rafale pilots and Luke's F-16 Fighting

  • Servicemembers treat 8,100 patients, livestock in Mali

    American servicemembers completed the largest annual humanitarian medical exercise in Africa July 26 after two-weeks of intense training and humanitarian assistance in villages throughout Mali. Airmen from Aviano Air Base, Italy, were among more than 90 servicemembers who deployed for the

  • Airmen to compete in Olympics

    Four Airmen will discover how they measure up with the world as they compete at the 2008 Olympics beginning Aug. 8 in Beijing. Lt. Col. Dominic Grazioli, from Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, Capt. Kevin Eastler, from Buckley AFB, Colo. and Capts. Seth Kelsey, and Eli Bremer, from Colorado Springs,

  • Airmen transport helo crash survivors to hospital

    California Air National Guardsmen from the 129th Rescue Wing here rescued two survivors of a civilian helicopter crash Aug. 5 near Junction City, Calif.  The Sikorsky S-61 firefighting helicopter that went down was assigned to the Buckhorn Fire in the Iron Complex.A Moffett-based HH-60G Pave Hawk

  • JSTARS meets AWACS

    The 16th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron from Robins Air Force Base, Ga., has deployed to Kadena Air Base for 30 days to train with the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron and participate in an operational readiness exercise on the Korean Peninsula. The unit is flying its E-8C

  • Reserve Airmen gain avenue to joint credit

    Reserve Airmen can now nominate themselves for joint experience credit Air Reserve Personnel Center officials here said recently. ARPC officials received the necessary Reserve component implementation guidance March 28 from the undersecretary of Defense for personnel and readiness, which outlines

  • Leadership summit reaches out to USAFE teens

    More than 100 teens from 11 U.S. Air Forces in Europe bases traveled here to take part in the first Air Force-hosted European Keystone Club Leadership Summit. The Keystone program, aimed at developing leadership skills and encouraging civic responsibility in youths aged 14 to 18 years old, has been

  • Air Force veterans participate in national wheelchair games

    The eyes of the man in the wheelchair narrow as he focuses on the opponent holding the ball. Delvin McMillan wants the ball and he is determined to get it at any cost. He reaches down and spins the battered metal wheels of his modified chair that looks like it came straight from the set of the

  • Pope command posts combine to increase efficiency

    Members of the 440th Airlift Wing Command Post here recently merged with the 43rd Airlift Wing Command Post as part of the Air Force's continuing initiative to operate more efficiently. Since April 1, both Reserve and active-duty controllers have been operating from the same schedule and sharing the

  • Chief receives newspaper's Airman of the Year award

    When Staff Sgt. Christopher Slaydon awoke from his combat injuries three weeks after arriving at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, the command chief for the 12th Flying Training Wing at nearby Randolph Air Force Base was at his bedside."As soon as I awoke, Chief Master Sgt. Stephen Page

  • Air Guardsmen train Air Force's airfield operators

    Air National Guard officials here said recently that by using their knowledge and resources in airfield operations, they are successfully training the Air Force's next air base managers. In the Air Guard Airfield Operations Officer Training Program, Guardsmen train active-duty officers in airfield

  • Ali Airmen mourn loss of K-9 team member

    Airmen with the 407th Provost Marshal Office here Aug. 1 held a memorial service for a K-9 member after his unexpected death from natural causes July 28. Goro, an 8-year-old German shepherd, was one month into his sixth deployment. Staff Sgt. Sean Neisen, deployed from the 435th Security Forces

  • 'Today's Air Force' features deployment training

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights deployment training and how it has become second nature for Airmen. Also featured is man's best friend, and not just dogs, but hard-working dogs. See how handlers train these canines to perform a variety of duties in order to keep military bases safe.

  • General McNabb confirmed by Senate

    Gen. Duncan McNabb soon will assume command of the United States Transportation Command. With the Senate confirmation vote Aug. 1, the 34-year Air Force veteran will become the ninth USTRANSCOM commander. General McNabb provided testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee on July 22 prior

  • Nellis pilot killed in F-15D crash identified

    The pilot who died in an aircraft accident July 30 was Lt. Col. Thomas Bouley. The name was released in a July 31 press conference by Col. Russell Handy, 57th Wing commander. Colonel Bouley was the 65th Aggressor Squadron commander. Colonel Bouley was killed when the two-seater F-15D Eagle he was

  • 20th EBS honors fallen by taking flight, continuing mission

    A memorial service was held here July 25 to honor the men of "Raider 21" who lost their lives when the B-52H Stratofortress they were flying crashed off the coast of Guam July 21. Nearly 2,000 Airmen, friends and family gathered to honor the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron crew and Col. George

  • Study to focus on Airmen's time

    A team, chartered by Lt. Gen. Richard Newton III, deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel, will visit 10 Air Force bases to study the numerous strains on Airmen's time in today's resource-constrained environment. "We are at war and (operations) tempo is very high," General Newton said.

  • Fire task force mission becomes 'wait and see'

    With the latest California wildfires mostly under control, Army and Air National Guard aircrews supporting the firefighting effort can finally begin to breathe, as many aircraft are pulled from active support to a stand-by role. Since the California fires began June 21, Army and Air National Guard

  • Forecasters afloat support multinational training exercise

    Air Force weather teams are used to jointness, providing weather support operations for both the Army and Air Force on land or in the air. However, Joint Task Force Exercise 08-4, a multinational exercise hosted by U.S. Joint Forces Command, would require them to truly go above and beyond -- and out

  • Pilot killed in F-15 Eagle crash on Nellis range

    A pilot from Nellis Air Force Base was killed after an Air Force F-15D Eagle crashed on the Nevada Test and Training Range approximately 50 miles east of Goldfield, Nev., at approximately 11:30 a.m. July 30. The F-15D, a two-seater, assigned to the 65th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base,

  • Medics Conclude MEDRETE Panama

    Air Force medics here are preparing to return home July 26 after ending two-weeks of operations for Medical Readiness Training Exercise (MEDRETE) Panama. The 16-person medical team from seven different military installations saw more than 8,300 patients here and diagnosed numerous cases of glaucoma,

  • Pope medics train Travis Airmen for deployment

    As the C-130 Hercules makes its final approach on the torn-up runway, the 15 Airmen kneeling on the grass 100 feet away rise as one, making sure the litter they are carrying is stable, and walk toward the flightline. At the back of the aircraft, the litter team is directed where to load their

  • Latest weather toolkit enhances data exchange

    The mid-July fielding of the 651st Electronic Systems Squadron's Joint Environmental Toolkit Increment 2 is helping U.S. forces deal with an ever-changing variable: the weather. The Air Force Weather Agency at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., is the first unit to receive the second increment of JET's

  • Air Force, New Mexico U. begin hi-tech partnership

    A collaborative effort here is paving the way for a new center of excellence in New Mexico for the application of Field Programmable Gate Arrays, or FPGAs, in space and defense systems. Called the FPGA Mission Assurance Center, or FMAC, the project was recently allotted $1.6 million by Congress.

  • Airmen provide free services, products to Hondurans

    More than 740 people from the village of San Antonio De Canada, Honduras, came to a medical readiness training exercise condcted by the Joint Task Force-Bravo Medical Element here July 25. The exercise was designed to provide U.S. servicemembers with real-world training in austere locations, as well

  • CSTC-A team contributes to development of police force

    More than 200 students were processed into the Regional Training Center here by Afghan National Police and Afghan civilians, with the help of Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan mentors. The police students arrived July 19 for Focused District Development training, a program to create a

  • Health specialists teach techniques to Laotian team

    A team of international health specialists from Pacific Air Forces taught a first responder medical course during a subject matter expert exchange in Vientiane, Laos, July 7 - 23. Students, doctors and nurses from Hospital 103 in Vientiane, Laos, attended the first ever training exchange to learn

  • Airmen maintain force protection through vigilance

    They all have different backgrounds and home stations, but the Airmen who work in the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Force Protection Section are conditioned and tasked with a critical duty: maintaining the installation's internal safety and security. Though Airmen assigned to 407th

  • Many Airmen, one mission: 'Defend the Base'

    The 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group activated here July 24, and while made up of many Airmen, the group's purpose is singular: "Defend the Base." The 332nd ESFG will assume every aspect of base defense, including the Joint Defense Operations Center, the Quick Reaction Force, base perimeter

  • 386th ELRS tests new Humvee modification

    The 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's vehicle maintenance section is testing two new modifications for the M1116 up-armored high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles' (Humvee) condenser, hoping the improvement will eventually become standard in all M1116 Humvees throughout the

  • Elmendorf commander dies of gunshot wound

    Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Tinsley, commander of the 3rd Wing here, died of a gunshot wound July 27 at his on-base residence. Elmendorf medical authorities responded and General Tinsley was declared dead at approximately 10:30 pm July 27. The general had served as the wing commander here since May

  • Air Force observes integration's 60th anniversary

    In ceremonies and speeches throughout the week, the Air Force and its sister services observed the 60th anniversary since racial integration was mandated in the military. On July 26, 1948, President Harry S Truman signed Executive Order 9981, which states, "It is hereby declared to be the policy of

  • AF, Army firefighters contain real-world blaze in Iraq

    Air Force and Army firefighters worked in the searing sun July 22 to contain a fire that engulfed six closely situated structures here. A call to the Joint Base Balad Fire Department at 12:30 p.m. set into motion an emergency-management response of firefighters and civilian volunteers. No one was

  • Academy commandant to take on new challenge

    A leader during one of the most dynamic times in U.S. Air Force Academy history is moving on. Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Susan Y. Desjardins will depart the Academy in October to become the Headquarters Air Mobility Command Strategic Plans, Requirements and Programs deputy director at Scott Air

  • Training sustains peace through empowerment

    The surest path to a sustainable peace in Iraq is through the empowerment of the Iraqi Army, and Airmen here are anxious to continue to do their part, Air Force officials said. Working from Joint Base Balad, Iraq, and tasked through the 5th Engineer Battalion, 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineering

  • SECDEF visits Airmen, tours training facilities

    Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates visited Basic Military Training here July 24 and spoke to the Air Force's newest crop of Airmen before they received their Airman's coin in a ceremony. Before speaking at the ceremony, Secretary Gates toured the Basic Military Training facility and observed the

  • U.S. Strategic Command chief closes cyber symposium

    "Cyberspace has become integral to the joint fight," said Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, the U.S. Strategic Command commander, after an address to more than 250 attendees July 17, as he closed the week-long conference held here to discuss the Air Force's role in cyberspace. "We expect all of the services,

  • F-22s deploy to Guam

    Approximately 130 Airmen and five F-22 Raptors from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, are deployed to Guam for two weeks to fulfill security requirements in the Asia Pacific region.During the deployment, the Airmen will participate in exercises Jungle Shield and Cope Thaw. Exercise Jungle Shield

  • Servicemembers mourn loss of one of their own

    The Joint Base Balad Town Hall filled with brothers and sisters mourning the loss of a military family member July 20. Tech. Sgt. Jackie Larsen, a paralegal working with the Law and Order Task Force of the 732nd Expeditionary Support Squadron, died from non-combat related causes July 17. Sergeant

  • Airmen ready for Dolly's aftermath

    As Hurricane Dolly continues to pound the Texas-Mexico border with heavy rains and strong winds, Airmen remain on standby to help when needed. The hurricane made landfall July 23 as a Category 2 storm, with 85-mile-an-hour winds. Weather forecasters expect the storm to deposit 15 inches of rain

  • Female pioneers of military aviation gather at McChord

    One woman flew military aircraft in the waning days of World War II while another woman is the first operational and combat-ready female F-22 Raptor pilot. Dorothy Olsen, a former member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, met July 20 at the McChord Air Expo 2008 with Capt. Jammie Jamieson, who

  • Officials release facts about new GI Bill

    Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs officials are working out the details of a new education benefit recently approved by Congress that goes into effect August 1, 2009. "The absolute most important part of the new G.I Bill is that none of it takes effect until next year," said Rita Hughson,

  • Texas military forces ready for Hurricane Dolly landfall

    An approximately 500-member-strong joint task force is ready and waiting to help civil authorities save lives and support any evacuations for the Category 2 Hurricane Dolly hitting southern Texas July 23.Texas military forces -- a team made up of Texas Army and Air National Guard units  -- have set

  • U.S., African forces participate in medical exercise

    Malian medics, doctors and nurses put their skills to the test during a mass casualty exercise July 18, which kicked off in the village of Kati, Mali. Medics received a call July 18 of a bus crash -- with an actual bus and a vehicle on its side, blocking a roundabout. Patients were moulaged and

  • Search effort shifts from rescue to recovery

    Air Force officials here determined July 23 that none of the six crewmembers survived the B-52 Stratofortress crash July 21 off Guam's northwest coast. Search and rescue teams have now shifted their focus from rescue operations to recovery of the aircrew. The joint civilian and military rescue teams

  • National Guard prepares for Hurricane Dolly

    National Guardsmen from Texas are being pre-positioned here, ready to respond to the Texas coast, to help citizens affected by Hurricane Dolly which is scheduled to make landfall July 23. Texas Gov. Rick Perry recently activated 1,200 National Guardsmen and other emergency crews to prepare for the

  • 18 nations gather for Conference of the American Air Chiefs

    Air chiefs and representatives from 18 Western Hemisphere nations arrived July 19 for the 48th annual Conference of the American Air Chiefs in San Antonio. Lt. Gen. Norman R. Seip, the 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) commander led the AFSOUTH delegation during the week-long event. Attendees at

  • Multitude of new ideas emerge from Randolph's Lean Week

    A final summation regarding "Lean Week" at Randolph, a period set aside for a brainstorming of ideas on how to create a more efficient base, was delivered last week. An outbrief following the May 19-23 Lean Week spotlighted a multitude of ideas brought forth by Randolph members concerning not only

  • Lean Week comes to Randolph

    Gone is the Air Force before super computers and modern technology. Gone are the, "We used to do it this way," and "When I was an Airman..." mindsets. Even gone, is the Air Force of fifteen years ago. Today's Air Force is a highly streamlined, technology-driven entity that is tasked more and more

  • Service delivery assessment vital to patient care

    Patient feedback through a centralized telephone survey program known as the service delivery assessment, or SDA, provides Air Force clinic staffs with direct, rapid and relevant feedback from their patients vital to national security, Air Force Medical Service officials said. "Improving the health

  • Officials seek enlisted medical community's input for Web

    The Defense Department is looking for input from the enlisted medical community as it sets up a new Web portal that will enable medics and corpsmen to share lessons learned and suggest ways to improve patient care. The portal will provide a forum for the estimated 80,000 enlisted medical

  • Search effort continues following B-52 crash

    A joint-agency search continues for missing crew members following the crash July 21 of a B-52H Stratofortress bomber 25 miles off the northwest coast of Guam. The bodies of two of the six Airmen on board the aircraft have been recovered. Identities of the crew members are being withheld pending

  • Duke Field Airmen drop last 15,000-pound bomb

    Duke Field Airmen from the 711th Special Operations Squadron dropped the last operational Bomb Live Unit-82 from an MC-130E Combat Talon I July 15 at the Utah Test and Training Range. Nicknamed "Commando Vault" in Vietnam and "Daisy Cutter" in Afghanistan, the BLU-82 is a 15,000-pound bomb, and

  • Artists reflect on visiting, documenting expeditionary center

    In late June, five artists from across the United States visited the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center to create future pieces of art for the Air Force Art Program. Included in the visit were Mr. William Frake of Carmel, N.Y., Mr. John Finger of Walnut Creek, Calif., Ms. Tatiana El-Khouri of Los

  • Medics in Panama see side effects of pesticide use

    Air Force medics treated approximately 3,100 patients suffering from the effects of pesticide during a medical readiness training exercise July 14 through 18 in Panama.Panamanian and U.S. Air Force doctors worked together to give free medical care to patients in remote locations during the

  • 'Today's Air Force' features combat search and rescue

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights a combat search and rescue unit where pararescue Airmen endure one of the toughest training in the Air Force and an explosive ordnance disposal team at Balad Air Base, Iraq, that uses robots capable of disarming bombs. Also featured are off-base

  • 302nd AEG conducts 23rd day of California wild fire support

    Aircraft of the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group began their 23rd day of aerial firefighting support missions July 18 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. On July 17, aerial assets of the 302nd AEG did not perform aerial firefighting missions. Eight Marine and Navy Reserve

  • Air National Guard members save lives by land, sea

    Air National Guardsmen from the 129th Rescue Wing launched a search and rescue mission from here July 16 to save a fisherman experiencing a medical emergency aboard a Canadian fishing boat off the coast of California. Responding to a pararescuemen headed to the 85-foot Ocean Marauder fishing boat

  • Kadena's K-9 warriors go airborne

    The ability to cope with anxiety and stress is an important skill for today's expeditionary Airmen as they face more frequent deployments in combat conditions. Recently, Airmen from the 18th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, the 33rd Rescue Squadron and 18th Security Forces Squadron teamed up to help

  • Combat-identification technologies tested

    War fighters from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom are testing new battlefield systems that can discern friend from foe during the "Bold Quest Plus" joint military demonstration being conducted at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The demonstration's purpose is to provide warfighters with

  • Air Force doctors take advantage of unique training benefit

    Air Force doctors are taking advantage of a unique training benefit, which allows them to travel to foreign countries and assist people with frequently encounter medical conditions that are not as prominent in the United States The doctors are deployed to Panama for a Medical Readiness Training

  • 302nd AEG conducts 22nd day of California wild fire support

    Aircraft and firefighters of the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group began their 22nd day of aerial firefighting support missions July 17 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. On July 16, the 302nd AEG military aviation assets performed a total of four air drops, delivering 5,600

  • Pharmacist dispenses much-needed medicine for Malians

    Boxes filled the small supply room-turned pharmacy as servicemembers painstakingly sorted through more than 30,000 pills destined for thousands of Malians July 15. More than 90 doctors, nurses and medical technicians deployed to Mali for MEDFLAG 08, a multinational medical training exercise designed

  • Human performance training optimizes Airmen

    As the Air Force continues to scale down its numbers, it's more important than ever to have Airmen performing their missions at the highest levels. This means working smarter, not harder, and doing it safely. Helping to optimize the performance of members here is the goal for the 18th Aerospace

  • Airmen donate clothes, sports items to Malian

    Months of hard work came to fruition for Airmen from Aviano Air Base, Italy, when they delivered boxes of clothing to a local orphanage July 16 in Mali. When Airmen from Aviano found out they were going to Mali for a medical mission, they joined efforts with the local community to gather more than

  • Air National Guardsmen called to assist ground firefighting

    The 129th Rescue Wing is mobilizing approximately 30 Airmen to provide direct ground support to help the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection with the current wildfire threat in northern California. The department will train the Airmen on firefighting techniques beginning later next

  • 302nd AEG conducts its 21st day of California wild fire support

    Aircraft and firefighters from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group began their 21st day of aerial firefighting support missions July 16 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. On July 15, aerial assets of the 302nd AEG did not perform aerial firefighting missions due limited

  • AETC first to receive new acquisitions authority

    Air Education and Training Command became the first major command authorized to pursue services acquisitions valued at up to $500 million, following the signing of an agreement between the command and Air Force Acquisitions officials. The new agreement is expected to help streamline the acquisition

  • Airman under fire; Pararescueman saves two girls

    The day started out as normal as they do in a combat area of Afghanistan, said Tech. Sgt. Clinton Beck, a pararescueman with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron.He awoke with his team of elite special operators and began planning the day's mission, he said. As the team approached their target, they

  • Airmen sail into Coast Guard Academy

    Two senior NCOs recently had the opportunity to attend the U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy in Petaluma, Calif. Master Sgts Christopher King and Chance Glascock took advantage of the advanced training offered to just 40 Air Force senior NCOs a year. The five-week course stresses

  • Raptors set to deploy to Guam

    Six F-22 Raptors from the 90th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, are set to deploy to Andersen AFB, Guam, July 18 to Aug. 2. The F-22s, along with associated maintenance and support personnel, will deploy to Guam to participate in the Jungle Shield exercise and conduct Cope Thaw

  • Conference highlights future of learning

    More than 80 representatives from military, government and academia gathered here July 15-16 to share how they are working to modernize training and education. The Future Learning Conference, organized by Lt. Col. Jason Werchan, chief of future learning systems at the Air Education and Training

  • Malians learn life-saving techniques during exercise

    In a dimly lit, dusty classroom, 32 Malian medics and nurses received their first-ever mass casualty training July 15 in Kati, Mali, 15 kilometers outside the capital city of Bamako. More than 90 servicemembers deployed to Mali for MEDFLAG 08, a multi-national medical training exercise designed to

  • Gates recommends McKinley to be Guard's first four-star general

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has recommended the Air National Guard's director for a promotion that would make him the first four-star general in National Guard history. Pending nomination by President Bush and confirmation by the Senate, Lt. Gen. Craig R. McKinley would become the chief of the

  • Airframes transform to save lives

    Fixed wing aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules, KC-135 Stratotanker and C-17 Globemaster III, can transform into aeromedical evacuation, or "aerovac," airframes, allowing medical personnel to care for larger patient loads, over longer distances, at higher altitudes, with a greater ability to care

  • Air Force doctors begin medical exercise in Panama

    Air Force and Panamanian doctors began seeing patients here at a local school as part of Medical Readiness Training Exercise-Panama July 14. On the first day patients began lining up, hundreds upon hundreds waited in orderly fashion; looks of curiousness and anticipation on their faces. Some looked

  • Air Force medics provide medical care in Panama

    A two-week U.S. Southern Command sponsored exercise designed to hone the skills of medical personnel while providing free health care in remote locations began here July 12 with the arrival of medics from seven military installations. The Medical Readiness Training Exercise, or MEDRETE, in Panama is

  • Airmen return from humanitarian, training deployment

    A 10-person team of Airmen from the 21st Medical Group at Peterson AFB returned from a two-week medical readiness exercise in San Miguel, El Salvador, July 3. The El Salvador deployment was part of an ongoing U.S. Southern Command MEDRETEs initiative in Central, South America and the Caribbean. This

  • New language program Web site aids deploying troops

    Officials who oversee a Defense Department program that provides cultural and linguistic training to soon-to-deploy military personnel have activated a new Web site. Launched this month, the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center's new online resource offers deploying servicemembers

  • 302nd AEG conducts its nineteenth day of California wild fire support

    Aircraft and firefighters from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group stand ready to begin their 19th day of aerial firefighting support missions July 14 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. July 13, aerial assets of the 302nd AEG did not perform aerial firefighting missions due

  • Air Force Reserve rescuers change role, still save lives

    Air Force reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing are taking on a different kind of role and saving lives in Afghanistan. Since arriving in February, they have saved 132 people flying U.S. Army medical evacuations, said Maj. Kevin Merrill, director of operations for the 305th Expeditionary Rescue

  • 302nd AEG conducts its twentieth day of California wild fire support

    Aircraft and firefighters from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group stand ready to begin their 20th day of aerial firefighting support missions July 15 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. On July 14, aerial assets from the 302nd AEG did not perform aerial firefighting missions

  • Enlisted medical training to consolidate at Fort Sam Houston

    A ceremonial groundbreaking for the Medical Education and Training Campus here July 10 marked another step toward what leaders are calling the largest consolidation of training in the history of the Department of Defense. Upon completion in 2011, the joint campus, led by tri-service leadership, will

  • Iraqi air force reaches 2,000-flying hour milestone

    The Iraqi air force reached 2,000 flying training hours here July 13, with the help of Airmen from the 52nd Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron. The milestone comes 11 months after Lt. Col. Mark Bennett, the 52nd EFTS commander, arrived at Kirkuk. "This is very significant across the entire

  • Military aircrews continue California wildfire suppression support

    Airmen from the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group began their 18th day of aerial firefighting support missions July 12 in a coordinated effort to control wildfires in California. The Airmen and their military airborne assets performed 26 air drops delivering more than 67,200 gallons of fire retardant

  • Medical team deploys to Mali for MEDFLAG 08

    More than 90 servicemembers deployed to Bamako, Mali, July 11 for MEDFLAG 08, a multinational medical training exercise designed to enhance medical capabilities and readiness for U.S. and African forces. "MEDFLAG 08 gives us the opportunity to conduct medical training in a simulated mass casualty

  • Airman's packaging idea cuts hazmat response time

    One Airman's initiative has cut the response times for hazardous material teams from hours to minutes, and his supervisors want civil engineer units throughout the Air Force to adopt the idea. Senior Airman Michael Blair, an emergency management equipment technician with the 332nd Expeditionary

  • Enlisted education gets new namesake

    The official designation ceremony of the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education July 11 was the last in a series of events transforming Air University into streamlined centers for professional education, research and doctrinal development. The Barnes Center will serve as the umbrella

  • Military aircraft provide surge capability for wildfire response

    A continuing heat wave and an ongoing need for aircraft to support ground firefighters will likely keep Department of Defense aircraft very busy for the foreseeable future in support of the national wildland firefighting effort, the Army colonel in charge of coordinating that support said July 9.

  • Fire retardant reload operations moved to Channel Islands

    The 302nd Air Expeditionary Group moved some critical fire retardant reloading equipment to the Channel Islands Air National Guard Station July 8 to increase the efficiency of modular airborne firefighting systems-equipped C-130 Hercules in battling wildfires in California. The purpose for setting

  • Iraqi air force acquires new aircraft from U.S. forces

    U.S. forces transferred ownership of 11 aircraft to the Iraqi air force July 9 during a ceremony at New Al Muthana Air Base. Army Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, commander of Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq, signed over eight Cessna 172s and three Cessna Caravan 208s worth more than $9

  • System helps determine 'health' of Air Force aircraft

    Military aircraft must be safe, reliable, and ready at a moment's notice to complete their mission. Unexpected maintenance, and even scheduled maintenance checks, can keep an aircraft out of service when needed most. That's where Integrated Systems Health Management, or ISHM, comes in. ISHM is a