American servicemembers mentor Afghan maintainers

American servicemembers are mentoring the Afghan national army's 205th Maintenance Corps to keeping its fleet of more than 1,300 vehicles operational at Forward Operating Base Hero in Afghanistan. Capt. Eric McGreevy and Army Staff Sgt. Mark Reynolds of the U.S. maintenance mentoring team here train

Air Force trainers involved in mid-air collision

Two Columbus Air Force Base T-6 Texan II primary trainers collided about 12:47 p.m. Nov. 28 near the Columbus AFB Auxiliary airfield in Shuqualak, Miss. At the time of the accident, the aircraft were conducting initial flight training operations. On-scene emergency response has located and confirmed

Air Force firefighters teach Iraqis blaze fighting basics

Seven local Iraqi firefighters shared a momentous occasion as they graduated from the Ali Base basic firefighter skills course. The 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron fire and emergency services flight firefighters put on a six-day training course to train Iraqi firemen of varying

AFSOC welcomes new commander

Air Force Special Operations Command ushered in a new commander Nov. 27 in Freedom Hangar at Hurlburt Field, Fla. Lt. Gen. Donnie Wurster assumed command of AFSOC from Lt. Gen. Mike Wooley, during a ceremony presided over by Gen. Duncan McNabb, Air Force vice chief of staff. "It's with the deepest

Air Force accepting physician assistant applications

Air Force officials are taking applications from active-duty enlisted Airmen for Physician Assistant Phase I training classes beginning January, April and August 2009. Completed applications must arrive at HQ AFPC/DPAMW, 550 C Street West, Suite 27, Randolph AFB TX 78150-4729 no later than Jan. 25.

Airman's Roll Call highlights ABU updates

This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on the airman battle uniform and meeting the needs of today's readily deployable Airmen. While the ABU becomes mandatory in November 2011, Airmen who deploy, as well as those in basic military training are being issued the new uniform now. As ABU supplies

AF leader discusses acquisition focus areas

People in the Air Force acquisitions office are focusing on the workforce, product improvement and acquisitions processes, said Sue C. Payton, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition. The acquisitions office is comprised of 24,183 people responsible for 127 major programs. They are

Brothers reunite on first deployment

The night before Thanksgiving, Staff Sgt. Malik Calhoun, 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, K-9 handler finished playing his last flag football game and hurried over to the phantom center just before midnight. There, a new team of Airmen who had just arrived were in-processing, and there

Aviation resource Airmen train for future success

Known amongst each other as "one-charlies," Airmen in the Air Force's aviation resource management career field can get advanced training through a pair of courses in the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Mobility Operations School at Fort Dix, N.J. The Host Aviation Resource Management course,

Airmen help establish Iraqi air force

Camp Taji Airmen are helping rebuild the Iraqi air force.The camp, located approximately 20 miles northwest of Baghdad, is home to the 370th Expeditionary Training Squadron made up of officer and enlisted Airmen from various career fields who are training Iraqis in several technical training

General honored for decades of service

The current longest-serving person in the Air Force was inducted into the Air Force Enlisted Heritage Hall's Wall of Achievers during an enlisted academy graduation ceremony in downtown Montgomery recently. Maj. Gen. Thomas F. Deppe joins more than 140 individuals on the Wall of Achievers. Names

'Dashboard' puts Guard, Reserve Airmen in driver's seat

An enhancement to the virtual Personnel Center-Guard and Reserve, or vPC-GR, is scheduled to launch in December and will put Air National Guard and Reserve Airmen in the driver's seat of their personnel transactions. The new vPC-GR "dashboard" will streamline the way Airmen manage their vPC-GR

Audit agency keeps war machine well tuned

Even the greatest machines need a tune up from time to time and the warfighting efforts of the Air Force are no exception. The task of improving the Air Force's overall operations efficiency and proper use of assets in deployed areas is performed by the Air Force Audit Agency. The agency deploys

Bright Star brings together coalition forces

Sixty Charleston Airmen recently participated in the oldest training exercise in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility aboard three C-17 Globemaster IIIs. Bright Star 07, hosted by Egypt in cooperation with USCENTCOM and U.S. Army Central Command, was held in Cairo from Nov. 3 to 19

AMC aircrews reach million sorties milestone

Air Mobility Command passed a major milestone Nov. 19, when an AMC aircraft flew the command's one millionth sortie since September 11, 2001. The landmark flight was a C-17 mission flown to Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan. The crew was from the 62nd Airlift Wing's 10th Airlift Squadron, McChord AFB,

Chaplain assistant chiefs evaluate pre-deployment training

Enlisted leaders in the Air Force's chaplain assistant career field made a special visit to the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center in early November to talk with chaplains and chaplain assistant students in the Advanced Contingency Skills Training Course and to observe the course. The visit brought

Fairford Airmen prepare for shuttle launch

When the Space Shuttle Atlantis, mission number STS-122, launches on Dec. 6, a world will stand watching. While it takes a massive crew to get the shuttle off the ground, there will be hundreds more waiting after the blast off. They are ground crew members of the Space Shuttle Transatlantic abort

Wilford Hall Medical Center: 50 years of medical excellence

Hospital officials and guests commemorated Wilford Hall Medical Center for 50 years as the Air Force's medical flagship in a ceremony here Nov. 16 that marked medical excellence from 1957-2007.Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Thomas W. Travis, commander of the 59th Medical Wing, led the ceremony to celebrate the

Airmen practice runway repair, RAAF airmen observe

Approximately 110 personnel, most from the 36th Civil Engineer Squadron, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, attended the Det. 1, 554th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer Silver Flag exercise here last week. After a week of mostly classroom training in their respective

Air Force presents top civic award to Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts earned the National Football League's Lombardi Trophy as the Super Bowl XLI champions last February in Miami. Now the team can add a prestigious Air Force award to its ever-expanding trophy case. Gen. William R. Looney III, commander of Air Education and Training Command,

NCO earns Spirit of Hope Award

The late Bob Hope recognized devotion to duty, loyalty and courage for decades by visiting service members on the front lines -- typically arriving with an entourage of popular pin-ups, actors, musicians and comedians. The USO inspired and Wiegand Foundation sponsored Spirit of Hope Award is

AF building bridges on energy, environment

The Air Force's top energy and environmental steward wrapped up a week-long mission to Europe, building an energy awareness consortium among key air force and commercial aviation leaders Nov. 16. "Our goal was to connect with our counterparts in the French and British air forces, to build a

Military legal minds gather for multi-national conference

Military legal advisors from Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada and the United States participated in the Military Legal Committee of the Americas (Comite Juridico Miltar De Las Americas) conference here Nov. 12 to 16. The Air Forces Southern-hosted conference, comprising 21 legal advisors from 14

New 400-hour phase inspection equates to lives saved

F-15E Strike Eagle maintainers here recently became the first in the Air Force to implement a new inspection process that promises greater airpower capability throughout Afghanistan. Shortly after becoming the first deployed F-15E unit in the Air Force to return to full operational capability

Vance helps celebrate Oklahoma's centennial

Four T-38C Talon planes from Vance kicked off the Oklahoma Centennial parade in Guthrie, Okla., marking 100 years of statehood. The planes from the 25th Flying Training Squadron symbolized the land rush that settled the Oklahoma territory in 1889. It was part of a full day of festivities in Guthrie

New IO course expands technology knowledge

Recent studies indicate more than one billion people worldwide digest information through the Internet alone. The Air Force Doctrine Development and Education Center brought together 12 flag officers from across the defense department and governmental agencies Nov. 6 through 9 to learn how to

Gen. Hobbins honored with Order of the Sword

With all the pomp and circumstance the U.S. Air Forces in Europe enlisted corps could muster, some 800 guests witnessed the induction of Gen. William T. Hobbins, USAFE commander, into the Order of the Sword here tonight. The Order of the Sword is the highest honor enlisted Airmen can bestow on an

Air Force sharpshooters help commanders see the future

When servicemembers go outside the wire here, they occasionally have an extra set of eyes watching over them. Concealed, the members of the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron's Close Precision Engagement Team observe, provide intelligence and, if necessary, neutralize threats. The CPET

8th FW commander, ROKAF fly in training mission

Airmen of the 8th Fighter Wing and the Republic of Korea Air Force's 38th Fighter Group flew in a combined training mission Nov. 14. The mission led by Col. CQ Brown 8th Fighter Wing commander, was designed to enable the different units to work together and share their experiences. This was also the

EagleCash lands at Ali Base

An Air Force EagleCash Card program team has been flying throughout the area of responsibility for the past six months implementing a time- and money-saving technology in southern Iraq. The three-person team, which included a member of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and two members from U.S.

Luke maintenance group takes home DOD award

Airmen from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., took home their trophy Nov. 15 after being named one of the Defense Department's top maintenance units at a ceremony in Orlando, Fla. "This is an amazing achievement for the men and women of Luke (AFB)," said Col. Algene Fryer, the 56th Maintainance Group

SECAF honors international affairs office with award

The secretary of the Air Force presented members of the deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for international affairs office with the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award November 15. "Air Force International Affairs has been recognized over the years as one of the premiere organizations

Close-air-support exercise tests Atlantic Strike participants

The cool evening was still as three camouflaged insurgents watched an Army patrol approach their village. Unbeknownst to the saboteurs, an Air Force targeting pod was closely watching their position and relaying information to the ground commander. Suddenly, a deafening explosion drowned out all

AFOSI commander: 'Can do' attitude makes agents stand out

Constantly on the hunt, Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents listen carefully and watch for clues, gathering information that will help them zero in on the insurgents they seek. They're after the improvised explosive device directors, makers and planters, and cell leaders who are

Sniper training

Pilots focus on air superiority, operations during Keen Sword

Honing their skills against enemy air threats over the skies of Japan, Misawa fighter pilots participate in a two-week long training exercise here. Exercise Keen Sword, which began Nov. 6, is a  joint and bilateral exercise simulating the defense of Japan using more than 60 military units from 24

AFRICOM helps partners confront stability challenges

The U.S. military's unified command responsible for operations across Africa will help nations there confront poverty, disease, terrorism and other challenges that affect regional security and stability, U.S. officials said here Nov. 14.However, U.S. Africa Command-sponsored initiatives will

Personnel center to deployers: Don't leave without guide

Most Air Force members being deployed to a foreign country have little knowledge of the culture they'll work in for the next four to 12 months. They don't know a Hijab from an Abaya or a Dishdasha from a Gutra. How many times a day can you say hello to someone in Kyrgystan? Why can't you eat with

Fairchild helicopter crew rescues fallen hiker

Members of the 36th Rescue Flight here rescued a stranded 20-year-old hiker Nov. 11 about 20 miles south of Missoula, Mont. Local emergency responders were unable to rescue the man due to the hazardous terrain; therefore the 36th RQF UH-1N Huey flew to the site and lowered an independent-duty

UAV detachment stands up at Creech

A new detachment has been established at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., to manage MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle operational test and evaluation and force development evaluation for Air Combat Command. The Airmen assigned to Det. 4, a unit of the 53rd Test Management Group based

AF top JAG: 'Rule of law' critical for success in Iraq

A fair justice system, which holds people accountable for their actions, is vital in stopping the violence in Iraq, said the Air Force's top judge advocate general recently during a tour of Southwest Asia. Maj. Gen. Jack L. Rives visited the men and women of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing during a

Wing's emblem symbolizes the 'first'

The shield of the 509th Bombardment Wing is rich in tradition as each symbol on the shield represents some part of the past.  The wing's emblem was approved July 10, 1952 and has remained unchanged for 55 years. The yellow shield has a representation of an atomic cloud between a pair of blue

Applicants sought for attache duty

Air Force officials are accepting applications until Dec. 7 from senior captains, majors and lieutenant colonels to fill 18 air attache positions reporting June 2009 through August 2011. Officers selected for attache duty will attend training during the period of April 2008 to January 2009. An

New initiative offers education, training funds for military spouses

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates joined Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao Nov. 14 in supporting a new initiative to help military spouses get the education and other credentials needed to pursue careers in high-demand, high-growth occupations.Secretary Gates praised the new Military Spouse Career

Servicemembers deliver medical relief following storm

A medical team from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, set up a makeshift clinic to provide medical relief to the local population Nov. 13 from a school here following the destruction caused by Tropical Storm Noel to the region. As of Nov. 12, American and British aircrews had delivered more than 241,000

Combat search and rescue training in Utah

Book offers lessons on fighting terrorism with airpower

Airpower is a valuable weapon in the fight against terrorism but only if it is applied with discrimination and care, according to a new study of the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War published by Air University officials. Widespread criticism of Israel for relying on its air force to attack Hezbollah

Air Force wins four motorcycle safety awards

Each year, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation acknowledges outstanding achievement and excellence in rider education and training, honoring agencies, organizations, programs, dealers, media and individuals who enhance motorcyclist safety. For 2006, the Air Force won four of the five MSF awards in

Airmen show their edge during Keen Sword

Over the next two weeks, 300-plus Airmen will be participating in the largest bilateral field training exercise in Japan, designed to practice defending Japan against foreign aggression. The goal of Exercise Keen Sword is to improve interoperability between the Japanese Air Self Defense Force and

Medical mission becomes primary focus following Noel

Military members deployed to the Dominican Republic to assist the island nation recover from Tropical Storm Noel are gearing up for a new, more focused mission. A team of 13 servicemembers from Joint Task Force-Bravo's Medical Element, based at Soto Cano Air base, Honduras, arrived Nov. 8 to provide

Aviation pioneers attend Heritage to Horizons ceremony

Five members of the Women Airforce Service Pilots who served during World War II attended the Heritage to Horizons proclamation ceremony for Air Force Week Nevada during a city council meeting Nov. 7 at the Las Vegas City Hall. The ceremony was part of a weeklong Air Force's 60th Anniversary

Travis firefighters become four-time world champions

Under the lights of the original Las Vegas strip, firefighters from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., won a fourth consecutive Scott World Firefighter Combat Challenge here. In a time of 4 minutes, 37.89 seconds, the Travis team earned the right to keep their trophy another year. "It was amazing to win

Cyber Airmen fight in America's newest battlefront

A key component in the world's most lethal air and space force is the ability to protect sensitive communication and computer systems from the bad guys. A group of highly trained Airmen here take that fight head on every day in the far-reaching realm of cyberspace. Senior Airman Jonathan Odum,

Six servicemembers die after helicopter crash

Six U.S. servicemembers have died of injuries sustained when a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter attached to 1st Battalion, 214th Aviation Regiment crashed at approximately noon Nov. 8, 22 miles southwest of Aviano. Five died in the crash and one died later that evening.Eleven U.S. Airmen and

Formal training scheduling to centralize

Scheduling of all Air Force-directed formal training historically accomplished by major command personnel and manpower directorates is being centralized at the Air Force Personnel Center here to streamline services and make maximum use of Air Force resources. Formal training includes all Air

Chief McKinley updates Airmen on Air Force priorities

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley recently reaffirmed the Air Force's three top priorities as winning the war on terrorism, developing and caring for Airmen and their families, and recapitalization and modernization. The Air Force's top enlisted Airman then spelled out where the

Crew chief meets childhood hero at Hill

"Okay buddy, how do you read me?" That simple phrase may not mean a lot to the average person, but for Airman 1st Class Jeremy Meyers, hearing it from his hero was unforgettable. "It's such a small world. Not in my wildest dreams did I think I would be stationed with one of my heroes," Airman Meyers

Dover hosts AFSO 21 leadership course

Dover Air Force Base officials hosted an Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century senior leader's course Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. The two-day course, designed to give senior Air Force leadership the tools to meet AFSO 21 objectives, trained 32 officers and four civilians. The attendees learned

Warfighters gather to train for close-air-support operations

More than 200 warfighters from around the world gathered to combat a simulated enemy force comprised of insurgent groups, roadside bombs and hidden snipers Nov. 6 through 9 at the Avon Park Military Training Complex in central Florida. Atlantic Strike VI, a semi-annual training event sponsored by

Mobile readiness team supports Army in Iraq

Members of the 732nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Mobile Readiness Team are deployed here "in-lieu-of" Army forces and support the American Soldiers by recovering government assets that have been damaged, misplaced or unaccounted for in Iraq. The team recently deployed to Camp

AFRL wins workforce development award

The Air Force Research Laboratory's director of personnel is excited about winning a highly coveted award, not just for her own organization, but because of what it says about the entire lab. "This is an AFRL award, an enterprise-wide effort, that says AFRL cares about its people," said Personnel

Live-fly exercise trains Airmen for combat mission

More than 100 12th Air Force and Air Forces Southern Airmen will train the way they fight as they participate in Mesa Fury 2007, a large force exercise Nov. 5 to Nov. 9. Mesa Fury 2007, a joint forces exercise, is designed to allow Airmen and participating Department of Defense combat units an

Reserve refuelers train with Egyptian fliers

March reservists are conducting two weeks of air-refueling missions here with fighter pilots from the Egyptian air force. "I think this is a great opportunity for the entire U.S. Air Force," said Lt. Col. Al Oliver, the mission director and a tanker refueling scheduler with 4th Air Force at

Training to make a herculean effort

B-2 arrives at Whiteman AFB

When 15-year John H. Belanger took his first flying lesson in Menominee, Mich., little did he realize he'd be making aviation history 27 years later by co-piloting the B-2 bomber during arrival ceremonies at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. Nor did this lieutenant colonel realize exactly what he was

JTF-Bravo deploys to support Tropical Storm Noel relief

A team of 19 Airmen and Soldiers and two helicopters from Joint Task Force Bravo departed here Nov. 5 heading for the Dominican Republic to assist with recovery efforts in the wake of Tropical Storm Noel. The 19 servicemembers and two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters were loaded on a C-5 Galaxy from the

AETC wins inaugural marathon major command trophy

Air Education and Training Command, headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, is the Air Force's first recipient of the USAF Marathon MAJCOM Challenge Commander's Trophy. The announcement was made Nov. 2 at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., by Gen. Bruce Carlson,

Combat rescue officers ready for field

Nineteen men began their Sunday morning Oct. 21 with a three-mile run and 1,500-meter swim here. The intensive physical training test set the stage for six days of grueling workouts and evaluations -- so demanding, in fact, that by Friday only eight men were left. Those eight men are now combat

Nov. 4 airpower summary: Airdrop is key to resupply

Coalition ground forces are able to keep the enemy on the run in Afghanistan's mountainous terrain where roads are extremely limited or simply don't exist because aircrews are able to to get much needed supplies right where they need to be. For six days, from Oct. 25 to Nov. 1, Airmen achieved more

Firefighters bring 'burning' passion to training mission

Fighting fires is a dangerous job, especially when working with insufficient equipment and inadequate training. But a pair of Air Force firefighters deployed to Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan, are hoping to change that. Master Sgts. Timothy Rickard, deployed from Anderson Air Force Base,

Pachyderm PCS: Elephant finds new home courtesy of Air Force

As the sun crested over the foothills of San Andreas, Calif., and the compound's gate opened, she knew she was home. Maggie, the Alaska Zoo's only elephant, arrived at the Performing Animal Welfare Society's ARK 2000 Wildlife Sanctuary Nov. 2, exiting her crate some 15 hours after leaving

AF leaders meet at CORONA Fall

Air Force senior leaders have just concluded the two-day CORONA Fall conference at the United States Air Force Academy. The goal of this CORONA summit was to ensure planning for tomorrow is not compromised by concentrating on today's fight. "Our current mission focus is waging and winning the long

Airmen, Soldiers help establish military academy

Nearly, 2,000 young hopefuls descended upon the Afghan National Military Academy recently, all vying for the chance to be accepted into the academy and possibly study in the United States and Great Britain. A group of U.S. Airmen and Soldiers are currently working at the academy helping process the

Air Force's top financial manager visits Keesler for schoolhouse opening

John G. Vonglis, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for financial management and comptroller, visited Keesler Oct. 29 for the unveiling of the new financial management officer schoolhouse here. The event marked the official opening of the newly-renovated schoolhouse facility and

Global cyberspace center delivers 'Warfighter's Edge'

A two-year effort for the Air Force Global Cyberspace Integration Center and the U.S. Air Force Academy's Institute for Information Technology Applications culminated Oct. 31 when the Warfighter's Edge, or WEdge, was initially released to the field. WEdge, a base-level command and control tool

Warriors for a day

More than 200 children received their official tasking and prepared for a mock deployment at Hangar 1here Oct. 24. The day-long deployment began with the young warriors in-processing and picking up their air and space expeditionary force cards, helmets and web belts. Immediately after suiting up,

Flight attendants provide world-class service

Presidents, generals and prime ministers count on the support from Airmen of the 89th Airlift Wing here who provide safe, comfortable and reliable transportation while keeping world leaders connected and protected on special air missions around the globe. Tech. Sgt. Pete Kana of the 1st Airlift

3rd Wing activates second F-22 squadron

The 3rd Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base activated the 525th Fighter Squadron during a ceremony at the base Oct. 29. The second active-duty F-22 Raptor squadron took its place in wing history nearly three months after the aircraft officially landed on base. Lt. Col. Chuck Corcoran assumed command of

USAFE security forces train at Creek Defender course

TF33 jet engine shop up and running at Tinker

The Air Force's lone TF33 Jet Engine Intermediate Maintenance shop here achieved full operational capability status in October. "This marks a shift of engine workload from field units to the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, enabling the warfighter to focus more on expeditionary capabilities and

B-2s train with JTACs, drop bombs on target

The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber deployed here practiced weapons drops in the Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii Oct. 23 without using built in state of the art targeting system. This time, the fliers were conducting operations with joint terminal attack controllers on the ground to allow the specially

Battlefield Airmen train for JTAC role at Pohakuloa Training Area

Tactical air control party members from the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron practiced and honed their skills calling in air strikes for B-2 Spirit stealth bombers during a week long training session as part of Exercise Koa Lightning. These battlefield Airmen serve as joint terminal attack

Air Force women's symposium kicks off

The Air Force Women's Heritage to Horizons Training Symposium kicked off here Oct. 31with about 600 Airmen from around the globe in attendance. For the next three days, attendees will sit in on various forums and discussions, ranging in topics from professional development to women in combat. Guest

Ramstein Airmen join team in Iraq

Six takeoffs. Six landings. Twelve hours. All in a day's work for aircrew members of the 737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron taking on the mission known as the "pain train." "It's called the pain train because there's just 30 minutes between each stop," said Capt. Robin Cadow, 737th EAS pilot. "At

Tactical airlift initiatives further Air Force's total force integration

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley announced four proposed initiatives Oct. 31 concerning C-130 Hercules tactical airlift, each of which furthers the service's vision for a seamless total force. The initiatives, which would impact communities in Tennessee, New York, Georgia and

Children of fallen troops honored at remembrance ceremonies

Ten children of servicemembers killed during the war on terrorism were honored for their sacrifices on behalf of the nation at ceremonies here and in Iraq Oct. 29. At the Russell Senate Office Building last evening, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen and Army Chief of

CSI Honduras: JSF teaches crime scene processing to Honduran police

The joint security forces unit here hosted 70 local police officers and police academy students Oct. 24 and 26 for a course on crime scene processing. The course is one in a series of classes taught this year, with other lessons involving handcuff procedures, high-risk traffic stops and riot

Father pins Distinguished Flying Cross on son

A pilot from the 510th Fighter Squadron was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross here Oct. 29 for his aerial combat support of friendly forces in the vicinity of An Najaf, Iraq, while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. After returning from a local training mission over the Dolomite Mountains,

Industry, academic leaders pool brainpower to address IED threat

The head of the Defense Department's counter-improvised explosive device effort challenged some of the best minds in industry, academia, the national laboratories and the military to come up with better ways to thwart these deadly weapons. Retired Army Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs, director of the Joint

Officials offer programs for domestic violence awareness

While stress is not the sole cause, it can be a major contributor to domestic violence among Air Force members and their families, according to Air Force family advocacy experts. In 2006, there were 3,914 reports of domestic abuse involving Airmen as either the victim or offender. Of those, 50

Firefighting aircrews face unique challenges

The military crews in the planes dropping fire retardant on wildfire flames in southern California face hazards and challenges unique to their humanitarian mission. First is the low altitude at which they fly and the sudden, violent updrafts and downdrafts caused by the heat of the fire. Factor in

Randolph Airmen pay respects to fallen Soldier

Hundreds of Airmen, Air Force civilians, and their family members lined both sides of the main street here Oct. 26 to pay their respects to a Soldier killed in Iraq. U.S. Army Spc. Vincent A. Madero, 22, died Oct .17 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated

Anti-terrorism office helps Balad Airmen stay safe

With terrorists and extremists trying their hardest to shake the drive and fortitude of deployed Airmen, this two-man shop, by thinking like an adversary, turns a possible terrorist success story, into another notch in the belt of prevention. Such is the duty and responsibility of the 332nd Air

Vandenberg firefighters extend helping hand

Vandenberg Air Force Base firefighters answered the call for help in the Southern California area as more than 26 fires that have burned more than 1,800 homes and 550,000 acres in late October.  In a whirlwind of smoke, flame and ash, more than 1,800 homes and 550,000 acres have burned, but

Lifesaving training

Airmen practice water rescue

Part of participating in a local operational readiness exercise is practicing skills and tactics that many hope they never have to use. Such was the case when a water survival and rescue exercise was conducted Oct. 24 by members of Kadena Air Base, Japan, off the coast of Okinawa as part of  local

Air Force moving hybrid battalion into Darfur

Air Force members are providing airlift support to the Rwandan military, moving United Nations armored personnel carriers, Rwandan soldiers, food, medicine and equipment in and out of the Darfur region Oct. 24.The Rwandan battalion is one of two working as the United Nations-African Union Hybrid

Manas medics participate in professional exchange

The Manas Air Base surgical team visited the Kyrgyz Republic national surgical center to donate training supplies and other usable items and see local doctors perform surgical cases Oct. 24. "We have excess supplies we gave them to use in training and some for their practices," said Maj. Karla

Airmen, Marines team up for Djibouti humanitarian mission

Smiles and laughter filled the air as Airmen and Marines provided live entertainment, toys and water to the residents of Nagad village Oct. 23 in Djibouti. Nagad was the site of a Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa civil affairs engagement, teaming Airmen of the U.S. Central Air Forces'

Buddy Wing Program teams up U.S., Korean Airmen

Pilots and maintainers from the 80th Fighter Squadron participated in a Buddy Wing Program exercise Oct. 23 to 25 at Jungwon Air Base, South Korea. The Buddy Wing program is a way for U.S. Air Force and South Korea air force members to develop teamwork, exchange ideas and improve tactics. "It's very