Professional, personal education key to Air Force future

The Air Force is the most technologically advanced and capable air force in the world, in part due to the professional and personal education Airmen obtain, the secretary of the Air Force said recently. “We need our people to be highly qualified and we set that standard from the first line of

Munitions distribution involves detailed accuracy

Not all of the Airmen assigned to the 23rd Maintenance Squadron’s munitions flight build bombs. “Having munitions issued to any customer, whether it is for the A-10 (Thunderbolt II) or C-130 (Hercules) aircraft, a special tactics troop or a cop, involves a significantly detailed process,” said

C-130 Hercules support coalition operations

The 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here has been supporting Operation Mountain Lion since it began April 12. The squadron’s C-130 Hercules aircraft have delivered supplies such as food, water and ammunition for coalition combat operations. “Our crews helped position personnel and equipment to

Warfare flight works behind the scenes

The hum of computer fans, the tapping of fingers on keyboards and the occasional ring of a telephone are all that are normally heard in this office. But don't let the quiet fool you -- the office staff is working to ensure that technological advances aren’t being used against the Air Force. The 8th

Missions begin with air tasking order

Though Red Flag-Alaska 06-2 is an enhanced training opportunity for the U.S. military, the game is still the same: war. Air Force active duty, National Guard and Reserve units from across the United States are participating in the two-week joint training exercise that started April 24.Since

DUIs carry all sorts of consequences

A conviction for driving under the influence can be deadly to an Air Force career.Four Moody Airmen have been arrested in the last six weeks for DUIs; these convictions will likely follow the Airmen for the rest of their careers. Both civilian and military DUI convictions can bring sobering effects

NCO mentors through martial arts

Once a gang member himself, an information manager with Detachment 2 of the 17th Test Squadron now uses kicks and punches to keep teenagers out of trouble. To his co-workers at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colo., he is Staff Sgt. Dave Armstrong. To his students at the Hillside Community

DOD committed to environmental conservation

In celebration of Earth Day on April 22, the Defense Department showed its commitment to conserving and improving the environment, while still maintaining the nation's military readiness, a DOD official said.The war on terrorism presents the U.S. with an agile, unpredictable enemy, so DOD's focus

Center provides life-like situations for real-time training

A civilian aircraft exploded over the skies of western Virginia, shot down by two F-16 Fighting Falcons flying nearby, while an unmanned aerial vehicle was blasted away as it buzzed up the Potomac River toward the nation’s capitol April 19.But no one was ever in any danger. That’s because the

NCO awarded $10,000 for IDEA

A good idea led to a good reward for an Airman from the 5th Maintenance Squadron here. Tech. Sgt. James Mazurek was awarded $10,000 from the Air Force Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program April 13. He submitted an idea to insert a warning paragraph to the technical orders for

9th Air Force commander visits Moody

The 9th Air Force commander visited here April 18 and 19 to welcome the 347th Rescue Wing back to Air Combat Command, and visit other units. During his visit, Lt. Gen. Gary L. North toured the Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham Airman Leadership School, various wing squadrons and the 820th Security

Source of mumps outbreak unknown

Between January and April, there were more than 600 possible mumps cases reported in the Midwestern United States.The source of the outbreak and why it has spread in such large numbers is unknown. “The Air Force has not seen an increase in cases of mumps within our active duty or beneficiary

Weather squadrons complete merger

Moving with the Air Force’s Smart Ops 21 initiative, the 20th Operational Weather Squadron from Yokota Air Base, Japan, merged into the 17th Operational Weather Squadron at Hickam. To cover its vast, new 95-million square mile area of responsibility, the 17th OWS assembled into one center, improved

Air Force wrestlers compete in Las Vegas tournament

The Air Force wrestling team competed April 12 through 15 in the USA National Senior Men’s and Women’s Wrestling Championships at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Of the approximately 30 Air Force members who competed, one was able to advance to the USA Wrestling World Team Trials. Capt. Anthony

Red Flag-Alaska readies Airmen for deployment

Red Flag-Alaska 06-2 participants have arrived and set up shop at this interior Alaska base to prepare for the annual exercise previously called Cope Thunder. More than 1,500 active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard Airmen, 84 aircraft and an Army and Navy unit will train for two weeks in the Air

Doolittle Raiders commemorate 64th anniversary

Living history came to Dayton, Ohio, this week as the Doolittle Raiders commemorated the 64th anniversary of their “30 seconds over Tokyo.” Air Force Link has gathered the images and stories of the Raiders, from their days of training for that historic mission of April 18, 1942, along with today’s

Reserve engineers build station for Saint Lucia police force

This tiny, 238-square-mile Caribbean island getaway has lush rain forests, sandy beaches bordering crystal clear water and pleasant weather. For six months this year, teams of Air Force Reserve civil engineers are spending their two-week tours on the isle in the Lesser Antilles Archipelago. They're

All together now: Civil engineers team up for project

Almost nothing changed on the outside of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing headquarters here until the final week of the renovation. There was always something indicating work -- trenches, heavy machinery, dusty workers taking a quick break at the gazebo. But the metal exterior itself didn’t give any

Pods help warfighters improve air combat maneuvers

Knowledge is power and power is influence. In the case of fighter pilots, this knowledge enables them to control adversaries in the air and on the ground. At the Ogden Air Logistics Center, the collection of information leading to air superiority begins with maintaining Air Combat Training System

OPSEC expands focus, remains critical

"Do you think you'll deploy this year? How long will you be gone? What do you think you'll be doing? Where? Will you be going with a lot of people?"At this point in the conversation you should be wondering who is asking, why are they asking and who else might get their hands on the answers. Although

Exercise prepares academy students for cyber warfare

In an obscure office park midway between Baltimore and Washington, about 50 men and women use laptop computers to break into networks at the nation's military service academies. When one of them is successful at penetrating a networked computer, they get up and ring a bell."We hit a remote desktop

Americans in Horn of Africa using new weapon in terror war

American forces are using an unconventional approach to fight terrorism in the Horn of Africa, said the senior enlisted adviser at U.S. Central Command. "The weapon systems down there are well-drilling equipment and shovels, and building schools and hospitals, and training border patrols and

CBS news anchor proud of Air Force past

If it wasn’t for a wild baseball pitch, he might have had a successful career as an Air Force pilot. Instead, Bob Schieffer had to settle for a distinguished career in television journalism. Mr. Schieffer, the familiar face of the Sunday TV show, "Face the Nation," and the current anchor of the "CBS

Reserve aircrew airlifts CE teams supporting war on drugs

A C-17 Globemaster III aircrew flew civil engineers to this tropical isle as part of ongoing support for the war on drugs. The mission also provided an opportunity for the aircrew to maintain their proficiency.The transport started its circuitous mission April 7 at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.,

Hill begins modifications on F-22A Raptor

A new era is under way for members of the 309th Maintenance Group here as they modify their first F-22A Raptor. This was the first of 12 to 14 aircraft scheduled to visit Hill this year for minor modifications. A total of 18 are contracted to undergo work here. "We're excited," said Guy Phillips,

Air Force honors cadet of the year

The Air Force honored its 2005 Cadet of the Year at a ceremony in the Pentagon April 17. The honoree, 2nd Lt. Janelle Jenniges, is a graduate of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 465. “She’s the top graduate out of all our commissioning

Service demographics offer snapshot of force

The Air Force Personnel Center here recently published its quarterly demographics report offering a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force, as of March 31. More information can be found at the center's analysis branch website: www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/demographics/. Statistics

Base defense mission goes beyond perimeter

Most security forces Airmen patrol the base looking for anything out of the ordinary and pull 12-hour shifts in towers along the fenceline.But, for Airmen assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, their mission is different. They take the base defense mission beyond the wire and

Officials announce 2006 Hennessy Trophy winners

Air Force Services Agency officials have announced the winners of the 2006 Hennessy Trophy awards. The Hennessy Trophy is an annual award presented to Air Force installations with the best food-service programs. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the single- and multiple-facility category

Logistics agency stands ready for domestic disasters

Following an unprecedented disaster relief effort in 2005, Defense Logistics Agency officials here say DLA is ready to provide support for domestic disasters, including the 2006 hurricane season, which begins June 1. A recently completed agency-wide review of DLA's response to domestic disasters in

New radio technology keeps troops in touch

Riding as part of a convoy escort team outside the wire, the Airman feels alone. Feeling nervous, he keys his radio mic to check in with his base -- and hears nothing but dead air. To ensure scenarios like this don’t occur, the Air Force is leading a joint implementation of a new “Radio over

Boston Marathon comes to Iraq

Not everyone can run in the Boston Marathon -- especially if he or she is deployed. But, for U.S. and coalition forces here, the marathon came to them.For the second year, the Boston Athletic Association has brought this sanctioned event to Iraq. More than 250 men and women ran either individually

25th Air Support Operations Squadron prepares to deploy

Tactical air controllers from the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron are practicing basic close-combat skills to prepare themselves for an upcoming deployment in support of the war on terrorism. “Not only is the training fun and keeps you physically active, but it is very practical for (Tactical

Eielson units initiate total force integration

Eielson units are combining efforts in the spirit of the total force vision by streamlining cooperative continuity and training. The total force concept eliminates redundancy and simplifies resources, allowing active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen to meet challenges with smaller and more

Dover Airmen stabilize C-5 crash site

When the 436th Civil Engineer Squadron fire chief responded to an emergency notification here April 3, he wasn’t sure what to expect. “Anytime you see an aircraft not sitting on its wheels, it is worse than you expected,” said Senior Master Sgt. Dwight Davis.More than 20 firefighters arrived to find

Services functions realign with manpower and personnel

Two Air Force functions are coming back together, an Air Force official here said recently, but initially the effects won’t be felt outside the Pentagon. When the services and manpower and personnel functional organizations combine, the change will be invisible to those in the field at base-level,

Hickam C-17 crews learn Lean concepts

Airmen from the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Maintenance Squadron here are learning how to streamline the processes they’ll use to maintain Hickam’s new fleet of C-17 Globemaster IIIs. Officials from the Boeing Company, which manufactures the C-17, headed the week-long Lean Concepts Workshop.

Physical therapy program confers first doctoral degrees

Two Air Force officers received diplomas and were conferred doctoral degrees in physical therapy during a graduation ceremony here April 7.Capt. Linda Currier and 1st Lt. Elissa Ballas graduated along with 10 Army officers after 27 months of study in the highly ranked U.S. Army-Baylor University

Not on our watch

Sirens scream as emergency vehicles approach the scene of a car crash. A distraught teen runs around the scene frantically. Several people are injured in the crash, and a lifeless body lies sprawled on the hood of the car.Fortunately for the driver, this is only a reenactment. The real thing could

Luke F-16 crashes

An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing crashed at about 9:51 a.m. today during a routine training mission approximately two miles southwest of the base. The pilot ejected safely and is being treated at a local medical center. A board of officers will investigate the

Letters to Airmen focus on education

In the two most recent "Letters to Airmen," the Air Force's top leaders focused on the importance of education for both enlisted Airmen and officers. “We must take the Air Force’s basic educational foundation to the next level and be relentless in our continued pursuit to become knowledge-enabled

Pilot in F-16 crash treated and released

The F-16 Fighting Falcon student pilot whose plane crashed April 11 was treated and released from a local medical center after safely ejecting from the aircraft. Capt. Jason Attaway, assigned to the 62nd Fighter Squadron, was on a two-ship student training mission heading toward an air-to-air

Missile defense site named after President Reagan

The missile defense site here took on a new name April 10. The Ronald W. Reagan Missile Defense Site honors the 40th president of the United States who was a champion of the need for missile defense.Attendees at the ceremony included former First Lady Nancy Reagan; Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon

Air Force wins two modeling, simulation awards

The Air Force has won two of the five awards presented by the Department of Defense in modeling and simulation.Air Force winners are: Analysis: Weapon Effects Analysis and Probability System Team, Air Force Materiel Command. The team was awarded for developing and maintaining a world-class software

Air war strategies preserve Iraqi infrastructure, lives

Aerial strategy practiced by coalition pilots during Operation Iraqi Freedom hinged on knocking out pertinent enemy targets while preserving vital Iraqi infrastructure and citizens' lives, said an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot who flew combat missions over Iraq early in the war. "A lot of care was put

Dental specialists train to deploy

Dental specialists here trained in expeditionary field dentistry April 3 to 7. The training demonstrated how dentistry fits into the concept of deployable medical and dental assets and the expeditionary medical support, or EMEDS, facility. “This training supports the heart of the Air Force medical

U.S., Australian forces team up in realistic training

Three Air Force B-1 Lancers recently flew more than 7,000 miles and 16 hours to participate in the Royal Australian Air Force’s Aces South exercise, providing realistic training for the coalition partners. “It was a tremendous success for all parties,” said Lt. Col. Thomas Curran, commander of the

Globemaster III fleet increases at Hickam

The fourth C-17 Globemaster III to arrive here marks the transition from training to execution for the 15th Airlift Wing and the Hawaii Air National Guard's 154th Wing.Beginning this month, the C-17 will pick up regular scheduled taskings from Pacific Air Force’s Air Mobility Division. The composite

PJ indoc training

Palmdale detachment takes testing to new heights

Edwards Air Force Base has a history of testing cutting-edge weapons systems for the Air Force. A little-known detachment at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif., also has a testing history, but the aircraft tested there are not as well-known as the newest Air Force assets. Warner Robins Air

Phoenix Stripe brings together total force

Forty-six junior noncommissioned officers and civilians from around the Air Force participated in Air Mobility Command's Phoenix Stripe program here April 4 to 7. Phoenix Stripe is a professional development program geared toward providing up and coming staff and technical sergeants with an overview

Vital Guardian tests Guard's critical capabilities

National Guard Counterdrug Program Airmen and Soldiers came to the nation’s capital to support Vital Guardian, the Guard’s first critical-capabilities exercise. The major training exercise, held last week, tested the Guard’s ability to respond to a devastating event, such as a terrorist attack with

Acquisition general testifies before subcommittee

The military deputy for Air Force acquisition testified about service contracts procedures and defended the price tags of some of those contracts before the House Armed Services subcommittee on readiness here April 5. “The Air Force recognizes that services acquisition is an area of high interest to

Brady: Air Force retention, recruitment remain strong

The Air Force is pleased overall with its recruitment and retention statistics, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel said during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee April 6. “We have been very successful, but we can never take the recruitment of great people

Be prepared for tornado season

Driving to work Sept. 7, 2004, Senior Airman Joshua Hjemvick saw cloud cover and well-defined rain showers south of the base. Suddenly, the forecaster from the 28th Operational Weather Squadron saw flying debris from the buildings to his right. He stopped the car and threw it into reverse, but

Air Force improves Web site

To meet the needs of an ever-changing environment, starting April 10, Airmen can expect Air Force Link to have a slightly different look. Maintained at Headquarters Air Force News Agency here, the site will give visitors more control over the content they wish to view. New category links, found on

Phoenix Raven training highlights needs of today's SF

Students in the Air Mobility Warfare Center’s Phoenix Raven program here face many challenges in their quest to attain a coveted security forces Raven patch. The course, taught by the 421st Combat Training Squadron, originated in the late 1990s after a need was seen to better protect military

Airmen train for air evac

Digging defensive fighting positions, driving with night-vision goggles and during chemical warfare training and hiking in to camp sound like Army training -- right? They are actually part of the annual training required for Pope’s 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. “We are considered first

Top Air Force print and broadcast journalists announced

A panel of civilian journalists, teachers and public relations professionals have selected the best in Air Force print and broadcast journalism for the 50th annual Air Force Media Contest. Senior Airman Joe Lacdan, from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., is the Air Force Print

Continuing health care priority for DOD

During testimony in front of both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees recently, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John D.W. Corley said that sustaining health care for servicemembers, their families and retirees is a priority for the Department of Defense. General Corley, along with the

Letter to Airmen focuses on Sexual Assault Awareness

In the latest Letter to Airmen, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff of the Air Force T. Michael Moseley discuss Sexual Assault Awareness Month and the Air Force’s strides in sexual assault prevention and response efforts over the past year. “Your Air Force leadership has

Sexual assault prevention director is a myth buster

The biggest myth about sexual abuse is that the victim lies about it, according to the director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Outreach Office at nearby Lackland Air Force Base. Dr. Charlotte Moerbe, a psychologist who once worked in a San Antonio rape crisis center, has made it her life goal

Awareness can prevent sexual assault

Sexual assault awareness and prevention has been a hot-ticket item among Air Force leaders for many months, but people will have even more exposure to the topic this month. April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Air Force bases will observe the month with many activities ranging from

Ground combat skills prepare Airmen for base survival

As the desert sun beat down on the deployed Airmen, Staff Sgt. Stacy Miller crawled along the ground, digging her helmet and face into the sand as she pushed her body along the barren ground. At one point during the low-crawl, she actually tasted sand, grittiness and all. An information management

Shaw pilot located after crash

The pilot of the F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned here that crashed April 5 at around 5:40 p.m. was found by the U.S. Coast Guard about two hours later and taken to a nearby U.S. Navy ship for stabilization. Capt. Ted Shultz, assigned to the 55th Fighter Squadron here, was then transported via Coast

Academy cadets help Spangdahlem drill team hone sabers

Eleven U.S. Air Force Academy Saber Drill Team cadets were here this week to work with the 52nd Fighter Wing Honor Guard's Eifel Sabres drill team they helped train last year. The team is the only one in U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Since the team’s inception last April, they have performed for the

America pays tribute to 'Cap' Weinberger

Caspar W. Weinberger's definition of happiness was "service to a noble cause," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said at the former defense secretary's funeral April 4. Secretary Weinberger died in Maine on March 28 at age 88. He was buried April 4 at Arlington National Cemetery. He served as

Keeping fit, healthy the safe way

A common focus for men and women this time of year is getting ready for swimsuit season. Several magazines offer quick fixes, magic diets, miracle pills and more for people wanting to get slim. But, beware. “The safest way to lose weight is to eat a healthy diet and increase the amount of exercise

Provincial Reconstruction Team training

C-5 crash doesn’t diminish historian’s view of aircraft

The C-5 Galaxy crash at Dover Air Force Base, Del., April 3 placed the aging aircraft in the spotlight once again. With no deaths reported, military officials are cleaning the crash site and are convening a board of officers to investigate the cause of the accident. But the crash does not tarnish

Award winners save Air Force big bucks

Seven teams and two individuals recently received top honors for their resource-saving productivity improvements to the Air Force. The winners’ efforts resulted in more than $28.6 million in total tangible savings. The Air Force Productivity Excellence Award recognizes individual Airmen and small

Winter sports clinic opens for disabled vets

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson and former Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz opened the 20th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic at Snowmass Village, Colo., April 3, praising participants for their sacrifices and their focus on their abilities, not their

Air Force Reserve goes Hollywood

Hundreds of cast, crew and extras from a proposed WB Network series converged here for a marathon day of filming March 27. They came here to work on the pilot episode of “Mercy Reef,” a science-fiction themed program that could appear on the network as early as this fall, according to Lisa Lewis,

ACC takes combat search, rescue assets under wing

Air Combat Command took administrative control of select Air Force combat search and rescue assets from Air Force Special Operations Command April 3 as part of a realignment announced in February. The transfer ensures the Air Force core competency of combat search and rescue, or CSAR, is directly

Family liaison officers help shoulder burdens

For some Airmen, going above and beyond is their call of duty. The Family Liaison Officer Program, or FLO, was designed to help the families of Airmen who have died or been injured. FLO Airmen, all of them senior NCOs or commissioned officers, assist families with everything from the small stuff --

Provincial reconstruction teams training for Afghanistan

Department of Defense teams created and designed to help with the reconstruction, security and governing of Afghanistan are training here before deploying for 365 days. Twelve provincial reconstruction teams, or PRTs, have been training here since January. The PRTs are from the Air Force, Army and

DOD program keeps employers, reservists on track

A Department of Defense program is easing the transition from business suit to battle dress uniform and back again for Reserve and Guard members serving throughout the world. The national committee for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, or ESGR, is a nationwide network of nearly 4,200

Training scenarios abound during Atlantic Strike III

Slowly walking through a quiet, deserted city, hearing nothing but your thoughts, you take a long, deep breath. Then, chaos suddenly breaks loose. An explosion throws you to the ground. The smell of smoke rushes through your nose and dust and sand cut through your skin. You immediately look for your

Airmen volunteers help improve medical facilities in Kyrgyzstan

Airmen are working to improve the lives of patients at two Bishkek medical facilities. Last week, volunteers from the Manas Air Base Outreach Society, or MABOS, visited patients in a children’s heart ward and a burn unit in medical centers in Bishkek. They delivered donated medical supplies, linen,

Air Force innovators unite at "Knowledge Area" website

Innovation communities within the Air Force now have an online forum to learn, collaborate and collect ideas relative to their daily needs. The new "Innovation and Technology Knowledge Management" site will be available April 15 via the Air Force Portal and is part of the "Air Force Knowledge Now"

Child development organization aids military children, families

Recognizing that children of servicemembers often face challenges that other children do not, the nonprofit child development organization "Zero To Three" launched a special project geared specifically toward military families. "Supporting military children is an essential element of supporting

AFMC civilian course gains other commands' interest

Representatives from three commands plan to meet with Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command professional development staff here in May to discuss adapting the AFMC Orientation Course for their commands. Leadership from the three commands, Air Mobility Command, Air Education and Training Command

Lackland NCO Academy renamed to honor CMSAF Gaylor

The NCO academy here recently took on a new moniker. From now on, the Air Force will recognize the tenant unit in Bldg. 10634 as the Robert D. Gaylor NCO Academy to honor the former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. "Since his retirement in 1979, Chief Gaylor has dedicated his personal time to

Response teams prepare for chemical, nuclear threats

In an abandoned building on the outskirts of town, a lab sits fully stocked and prepared to produce chemical weapons of mass destruction. A tip leads the Air Force Office of Special Investigations to the location. Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear defense teams suit up and prepare to raid the

Atlantic Strike III provides realistic deployment training

Hundreds of troops from all branches of the military gathered March 27 to 31 at Avon Park, Fla., to train and prepare joint air and ground troops for future deployments. Atlantic Strike II provided realistic deployment preparation to more than 250 servicemembers. The training allowed servicemembers

Exchanging with pilots from 'down under'

The mission of U.S. Air Force’s refueling aircraft is to carry out global air refueling, airlift and humanitarian assignments. That mission is not only accomplished by U.S. pilots. Foreign exchange pilots from Australia assigned to Fairchild help their U.S. counterparts achieve that mission. The

Spring break all about 'service before self'

“Service Before Self,” one of the Air Force’s core values, is on the minds of 135 U.S. Air Force Academy cadets who are working during their alternative spring break in areas damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The project is part of the Cadet Service Learning program which centers on community

Program helps strike balance between work, play

Whether stationed in remote Minot Air Force Base, N.D., or at bustling Keesler AFB, Miss., more Airman around the world are learning the advantages of the Air Force arts and crafts program. From photography to fixing a car, Airmen can turn to arts and crafts to help build a better quality of life

New civilian personnel system to mean slight pay hike for most

Most of the first 11,000 Defense Department civilian employees to convert to the new civilian personnel system in April will receive a pay increase, an official said today. About 85 percent of people will see an initial bump in pay when they are enrolled in the new National Security Personnel

Silver Flag prepares Airmen to deploy

Airmen throughout U.S. Air Forces in Europe recently learned skills and received training across the spectrum of predeployment, deployment and post-deployment in a bare-base environment during Exercise Silver Flag. Silver Flag prepares USAFE’s combat support troops for real-world deployments through

Alaskan team thaws in Honduras

Imagine you’re a penguin, living happily in minus 40-degree temperatures. Suddenly you’re thrust into the tropical climate of a parrot, where anything below 80 degrees is considered cool. That shock to the system is essentially what happened to 17 Airmen from the 354th Civil Engineer Squadron at

Combat arms training

USAFE reaching out to establish security ties

Airmen and their counterparts from other countries meeting to discuss ways to fix runways may not impact the war on terror like an airstrike against al Qaeda forces. But these face-to-face meetings could one day lead to a security accord that could help combat terrorism, said Mike McMullan, chief of

Airmen work smarter, not harder with Smart Ops 21

For some Airmen, Air Force Smart Ops 21 is a term just being introduced into the field, but for the 52nd Maintenance Group, it is quickly becoming the standard way of doing business. Smart Ops 21 focuses on grouping things together, like tools and engine parts, to eliminate wasted motion and effort,

Air chiefs discuss Middle East challenges

Air chiefs from 13 nations gathered here March 25 to 27 for the fifth Middle East Air Symposium to discuss issues and challenges facing the region. The focus of the talks was the unconventional roles of air forces in the changing security environment. King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of

Secretary Wynne considers Airmen as diplomats

Warfighting is about relationship building as the Air Force moves forward in the 21st century, especially in the Pacific where bilateral exercises are taking on increasing importance. That was one of the messages from the secretary of the Air Force as he addressed a crowd of about a thousand Airmen

Seminar brings hope, help to abused, neglected children

More than 16,000 cases of suspected child maltreatment are reported annually in the military, according to the Armed Forces Center for Child Protection Web site. The AFCCP is helping to protect children throughout the DOD through education and awareness training such as that held here at Wilford

Retired general reflects on life of service

During her three-day visit here last week in observance of National Women’s History Month, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Karen S. Rankin, who served as the executive assistant to the secretary of the Air Force, commanded two training wings and directed the Plans and Programs Division at Headquarters,

Contingency skills training

Cope Thunder exercise now Red Flag - Alaska

The Air Force chief of staff has announced the Cope Thunder exercise held in Alaska will be renamed and enhanced so it provides complementary training on the same level as the current Red Flag exercise held at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Red Flag - Alaska coupled with Red Flag - Nellis will provide