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  • Schwartz takes reins of U.S. Transportation Command

    Transportation of war materials has been vital to military services throughout U.S. history, a fact proved every day as the United States fights the war on terrorism and recovers from a natural disaster, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here Sept. 7 during a change-of-command ceremony for

  • Baby arrives during hurricane via C-section by flashlight

    Hurricane Katrina’s awesome power could not keep a baby from making her debut at the medical center here during a cesarean section illuminated by a ring of flashlights.“Our team delivered a healthy, robust baby girl -- definitely not a shrinking violet,” said Maj. Betsy Majma, a nurse anesthetist.

  • Little Rock welcomes China hurricane aid

    A China Southern Cargo 747 aircraft laden with 100 tons of humanitarian aid from China landed here Sept. 7 as part of Hurricane Katrina relief operations.Little Rock is the hub for receiving international humanitarian aid for hurricane relief.The flight, which originated in Beijing with a stopover

  • AF continues hurricane relief effort in Jackson

    After more than a week of 24-hour search and rescue operations from here, HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters switched to flying day missions Sept. 8.But the 347th Expeditionary Rescue Group -- with elements from six active-duty, Guard and Reserve units -- has not finished its vital mission, said Capt.

  • AFOATS organizations hit hard by Katrina

    Air Force Officer Accession and Training School officials here are assessing the damage to Air Force ROTC detachments and Junior ROTC units affected by Hurricane Katrina.Twenty-five Air Force Junior ROTC units located in high schools in Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida and Alabama are potentially

  • Keesler chaplains receive welcome additions

    For nine Air Force chaplains, providing ministry to Airmen recovering from Hurricane Katrina at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., is challenging.The chaplains and chaplain assistants there are working overtime, yet with the prospect of post-traumatic stress-related issues affecting troops and families,

  • Displaced Airmen return to Keesler after hurricane

    Twenty Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., people who evacuated here because of Hurricane Katrina made a bittersweet day trip back to their homes and belongings Sept. 5, just one week after the storm devastated much of the Gulf Coast.The Airmen rode in a convoy of eight security-escorted vehicles for the

  • Air Force paralegals aid survivors through claims process

    The legalities of disaster recovery can seem murkier than floodwater, but for some Air Force families, making claims for belongings destroyed by Hurricane Katrina will be easier, thanks to Air Force paralegals.Two teams of Airmen from various Air Education and Training Command bases arrived at

  • Keesler medical aid reaches community neighbors

    As a team of medics here walked to the doors of a local high school converted into a shelter, a man approached with wide eyes and a huge smile.Stopping a few steps from the Airmen, he raised a hand to his brow and said, “I salute you. I’m proud of you all and thank you for your support.”Jack

  • Some Airmen can carry over 'use or lose' leave

    Airmen who were recalled from or unable to take annual leave this past year for reasons such as support for contingency operations will be allowed to accumulate more than the normal 60 days after the fiscal year ends.Special leave accrual carry-over also applies to Air Force reservists and Air

  • Helicopter mission changes as rescue tempo slows

    As the forced evacuation of New Orleans continues, Air Force helicopter crews here are flying fewer rescues and conducting more ferry missions from evacuee collection points.Though aircrews still have a high operations tempo and their helicopters are flying much more than usual, it is different from

  • Air War College revises nonresident program

    The Air War College here announced the revision of its nonresident studies course to ensure currency and relevancy.The college will launch the new curriculum in January.The accelerated content meets joint professional military education Phase II requirements and reflects recent changes in the Air

  • Little Rock AFB hub for international Katrina aid

    The first international aid for Hurricane Katrina victims touched down in Arkansas on Sept. 5, and more international flights are on the way.The base was tapped as the hub and clearinghouse for all international aid air shipments for Hurricane Katrina victims."Little Rock Air Force Base is proud to

  • Exercise Bright Star begins Sept. 10

    U.S. Central Command's Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and special operations forces components, along with military forces from Egypt and 12 other nations, will participate in Bright Star 05/06, a joint/combined training exercise in Egypt.Bright Star 05/06, the 12th in a series, is scheduled

  • Couple weds outside Keesler shelter

    Five days after Hurricane Katrina dramatically changed many lives in the Gulf Coast region, a couple here began a new chapter in their own lives.Tech. Sgt. Daniel McMullen of the 335th Training Squadron and his girlfriend of three years, LaVerne, exchanged wedding vows Sept. 3 outside one of the

  • Keesler recovery efforts already showing results

    People here are well into recovery operations just a week after the base and much of the Gulf Coast sustained massive damage from Hurricane Katrina."We're in the recovery and reconstitution stages where we're assessing the damage and repairing the facilities we're going to need in order to be able

  • Lackland supports Hurricane Katrina evacuation

    Airmen here played a critical role in San Antonio’s hurricane evacuation operation.Over a 55-hour period, Lackland received 9,788 evacuees aboard 89 aircraft. Working in partnership with San Antonio first responders, Airmen helped unload passengers, provide medical assistance and prepare evacuees

  • Defense leaders praise Keesler resolve, spirit

    The military’s highest-ranking officials leading post-Hurricane Katrina relief efforts toured here Sept. 4 and personally delivered reassuring words to the storm-battered base’s troops and family members.The visiting delegation, led by Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, included Gen. Richard

  • Katrina floodwaters a biohazard-laden ‘soup’

    Airmen who continue to fly search and rescue missions must protect themselves from a host of biohazards in the floodwaters from where they pluck survivors.Contact with the polluted water, now called “the soup,” can cause rashes, illness and disease, said Col. (Dr.) Lewis Neace, a reserve flight

  • Recruiting service seeking hurricane-affected future Airmen

    Air Force Recruiting Service officials here are seeking contact from members of the delayed entry program who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina.Those affected may contact the recruiting service at (210) 671-2951 Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. CDT. After normal business hours,

  • Keesler Airmen, Sailors, Marines rally to aid local community

    Military and civilian volunteers here are reaching out to help the local community after surviving and beginning recovery operations after Hurricane Katrina struck Aug. 29. More than 12 Airmen from the 81st Training Wing here provided medical aid, food, water and ice Sept. 3 to about 450 Biloxi

  • Offutt services crew provides comfort to hurricane victims

    Some Airmen may wear the uniform for quite a while before they truly learn what it means to be in the Air Force.But for Airman 1st Class Keith Torgersen, it only took 10 months.Airman Torgersen is a services specialist with the 55th Services Squadron. He, and about 20 of his peers from Offutt Air

  • Edwards tests production Global Hawk for possible deployment

    Global Hawk flight test efforts were completed Aug. 28, bringing the latest version of the aircraft one step closer to warfighter employment.The tests on the unmanned aerial vehicle, conducted here by the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center's Detachment 5, the 31st Test and Evaluation

  • Pararescuemen hoist survivors to safety

    Though it is a city without electricity, rescue crews see plenty of lights as they fly over New Orleans each night searching for survivors in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.Sporadic fires burn wildly, but through their night-vision devices, combat search and rescue crews from the Air Force

  • A city underwater gets help from above

    With their homes and city underwater, many citizens of New Orleans have been looking to the skies for help from helicopter rescue crews of the Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard and active duty.Hoisted aloft from rooftops and carried aboard from broken bridge spans and other locations isolated by

  • Air Force MASF last stop for some hurricane victims

    Usually, this airport is pretty sterile. With waxed floors and fresh air, everybody moves through quickly and nobody plans staying long. That was before Hurricane Katrina. Now, instead of businessmen and vacationers, a different kind of traveler packs the airport -- evacuees trying to catch a plane

  • Volunteers help keep Airmen safe by searching vehicles

    Several Airmen here recently received a small taste of what it is like to part of security forces for a day when they volunteered to help at the visitor control center search pit here.“Providing security for the base is our first duty as Airmen,” said Senior Airman Ben Abbott, a 407th Expeditionary

  • After recovery, Keesler’s future uncertain

    Hurricane Katrina tried to give Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., a knockout blow. But though it left a huge path of destruction in its wake -- it did not succeed. The massive storm devastated the base. No doubt about that, base officials said. And it claimed the base’s once vibrant training mission.

  • Air Force announces OTS selections

    More than 60 men and women from throughout America have earned an opportunity to become Air Force leaders following their selection for a commission, officials here announced Sept. 2. Air Force Recruiting Service officials considered 467 applications as part of Officer Training School Selection

  • Airmen provide communications capabilities

    Several Airman from the 5th Combat Communications Group left their families here Sept. 1 to provide communications capabilities for servicemembers in the devastated Gulf Coast region. Airmen from all four squadrons of the 5th CCG loaded about 25 pallets of communications equipment and headed to

  • Air Combat Command Airmen provide hurricane relief

    More than 500 combat engineers, communication specialists, medics and helicopter crews from Air Combat Command are providing relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.The 823rd Red Horse Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., deployed to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., along with an 88-person ACC team

  • Raptor releases JDAM during first 'follow-on' evaluation mission

    Members of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron here flew the first F/A-22 Raptor Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation mission Aug. 29, releasing Joint Direct Attack Munitions on the Utah Test and Training Range.In one of the largest Raptor test phases to date, Air Force organizations are

  • Lackland Airmen turn office areas into living spaces

    Airmen from nearby Lackland Air Force Base turned a building of office cubicles into living spaces Sept. 2 for as many as 2,500 people displaced from Hurricane Katrina.About 200 Airmen were part of a citywide effort to prepare a 350,000 square foot office building, located at Kelly USA here, for

  • Civil engineers provide hurricane relief at Keesler

    The Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency here is assisting in hurricane recovery efforts at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.The agency’s civil engineer maintenance, inspection and repair team sent three trailer-sized generators to help provide emergency power to the base. Each generator is capable

  • AF support missions intensify after wake of Hurricane Katrina

    As thousands flee in a mass exodus from Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, hundreds of Airmen nationwide are flocking to the region to help recover from Hurricane Katrina's devastation.Dozens of Air Force aircraft have flown missions supporting Federal Emergency Management Agency humanitarian

  • AMC response groups establish airfield operations for hurricane relief

    In support of massive relief operations to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, several elements of the Air Mobility Command Contingency Response Group deployed to Louisiana and Mississippi Aug. 30 and 31 to establish air mobility operations.On Aug. 30, a four-person assessment team from the 615th

  • Hurricane Hunters rebound, gear up for next storm

    For a week and a half, Air Force Reserve Command's Hurricane Hunters from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew in and out of Hurricane Katrina around the clock gathering data.The Airmen provided the National Hurricane Center in Miami with critical information on the monster storm as it

  • Maxwell serves as staging facility for hurricane operations

    As evacuees continue to surge here fleeing the devastating affects of Hurricane Katrina, officials are bracing for the 1,300 Keesler Air Force Base training students expected here Sept. 3. So far, 750 hurricane refugees from flooded coastal regions have made their way here to escape what President

  • EMS team deploys to New Orleans

    Airmen with the 375th Medical Group here deployed to hurricane-ravaged New Orleans on Sept. 1 to provide additional medical support to relief agencies already present in the area.The Expeditionary Medical Support Team, comprising about 80 doctors, nurses, medical technicians and support personnel,

  • Minot helicopter flight supports hurricane relief efforts

    Four 54th Helicopter Flight Airmen and one UH-1N Huey helicopter departed here early Sept. 2 en route to Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., to assist in the Hurricane Katrina disaster response.The crew, comprising two pilots, a flight engineer and a civilian maintenance crew chief, along with two

  • Hurricane Katrina relief effort total force response

    Airmen from across the Air Force are continuing to search for, rescue, evacuate, treat, feed and comfort Hurricane Katrina’s millions of victims.Most of the Airmen helping with relief operations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are deploying with units as part of a total force response. And

  • Jumper reflects on challenges facing Air Force

    During his final media availability session here Aug. 29, the departing chief of staff of the Air Force discussed his vision of the future force, Base Realignment and Closure and the challenges he faced as the service's senior military leader.Gen. John P. Jumper said he believes the F/A-22 Raptor is

  • Mail service to Keesler AFB suspended

    U.S. Postal Service officials announced a suspension of express mail service, and standard and periodicals mail acceptance -- from any source -- to several ZIP codes in the gulf coast region struck by Hurricane Katrina, including Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.The emergency actions have been taken as

  • Airman receives medal for water rescue

    Rescuing an elderly woman from a Florida canal earned an Air Force sergeant an Airman’s Medal, presented by the Air Force chief of staff in a ceremony here Aug. 31.Tech. Sgt. Michael Downey II, assigned to the office of the Air Force chief of staff, received the highest award for heroism in

  • People venture outside Keesler shelters

    For the first time since Hurricane Katrina forced them into shelters, 6,000 people at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., ventured outside for a breath of fresh air.That was late in the day on Aug. 30, just after eating their first hot meal since the devastating hurricane nearly blew the base and that

  • Columbus cleanup now under way

    People at this flight training base in northern Mississippi are breathing a collective sigh of relief as damage assessments and cleanup efforts continue.The base did not sustain any storm-related fatalities or injuries, base officials said.While Hurricane Katrina did not pass directly over the base,

  • Regni nominated as academy superintendent

    Lt. Gen. John F. Regni has been nominated by the president to be the next U.S. Air Force Academy superintendent, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced Aug. 29.If confirmed by the senate, General Regni would be the academy’s 17th superintendent.Currently, he is Air University commander at

  • Katrina takes heavy toll at Keesler

    Hurricane Katrina smashed “a good 95 percent” of Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., turning it into a pile of debris and mud, said a base spokesperson.Lt. Col. Claudia Foss, 81st Training Wing public affairs officer, said water surges from the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of Biloxi reached depths of five

  • Commission wraps up BRAC decisions

    The Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission wrapped up four days of deliberations in final actions Aug. 26 and 27 by voting to turn Pope Air Force Base, N.C., into an Army airfield and recommending sweeping recommendations to revamp the Air National Guard and consolidate its operations.The

  • Stop Movement lifted for Tyndall; Keesler remains in effect

    Base officials have reinstated all permanent change of station and temporary duty travel to Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. Stop Movement is still in effect for the following areas: Keesler AFB, Miss.; 361st Training Squadron, Detachment 2, Pensacola, Fla.; and 366th Det. 6, Gulfport Naval Air

  • K-9 teams keep Kirkuk safe

    Being on the frontlines in a combat zone is never an easy task, which is why the military relies heavily on teamwork. The Airmen of the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron military working dog flight work long days, face continual training and execute a crucial mission that never ends.

  • Keesler, Columbus survive Hurricane Katrina

    Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., survived a direct hit by Hurricane Katrina, but initial estimates show it suffered extensive damage to industrial and housing areas.At Columbus AFB, Miss., about 290 miles north of Keesler, base officials said the pilot training base suffered only moderate damage to

  • Bases hunker down to ride out Katrina

    As Hurricane Katrina devastates the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast, Air Force units in the area have hunkered down to ride out the storm.The powerful hurricane made landfall near Buras, La. -- close to the border between the two states -- at about 10 a.m. Aug. 29. Top winds reached about 145

  • F/A-22 to begin follow-on operational test, evaluation

    The F/A-22 Raptor began follow-on operational test and evaluation Aug. 29.Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center officials here will evaluate the Raptor in several areas, including air-to-ground capabilities and its suitability for deployment by C-17 Globemaster IIIs.The center will test

  • Kirtland Pave Hawk accident investigation complete

    The Air Force has completed its investigation of the HH-60G Pave Hawk accident May 11 near Angel Fire, N.M., which resulted in the death of an Air Force flight engineer.The accident investigation determined the primary cause of the mishap to be pilot error. Other factors included unfavorable

  • Airmen train for convoy duty in Southwest Asia

    Twelve 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle operators here are preparing to leave in early September to support convoy operations in Southwest Asia.These predominantly first-term Airmen will undergo rigorous training at Camp Bullis, Texas, before immediately deploying for six to eight months

  • Vandenberg launches Minuteman III

    An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launched from here Aug. 26 as part of a developmental test demonstrating the ability to integrate a safety enhanced re-entry vehicle into the existing Minuteman III weapons system.The missile launched under the guidance of the 576th Flight

  • Kirkuk firefighters train Iraqis

    In order to stabilize Iraq, coalition forces must teach Iraqis the skills they need to stand on their own. The firefighters of the 506th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron here are doing their part in this important mission by teaching Iraqis first aid and basic firefighting skills.“Seeing them

  • Air Force issues stop movement to Keesler, Tyndall

    The Air Force has issued a "Stop Movement" order for people permanently moving to or transiting on temporary duty to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., based on the probability that Hurricane Katrina will affect the area.Officials also ordered a Stop Movement for people permanently moving to or

  • Sexual assault prevention film must-see for Airmen

    A new training video recently distributed to the Air Force through vice wing commanders is required viewing for all Airmen.All Airmen must view the new video, entitled "Targeting Sexual Assault," by Nov. 1. It is part of a larger Air Force campaign to educate Airmen about the realities of sexual

  • Cooperative Key 05 kicks off

    More than 140 Airmen have joined servicemembers from 14 NATO and seven partner nations to participate in Cooperative Key 05, a NATO Air Force exercise.The exercise began Aug. 24 and runs through Sept. 5, with live flying taking place Aug. 27 through Sept. 4.The multinational exercise is designed to

  • Guardsmen make combat airdrop in Afghanistan

    Six Airmen from the North Carolina Air National Guard’s 156th Airlift Squadron traveled more than 7,000 miles recently to perform an airdrop mission over Afghanistan.The guardsmen, who are currently assigned to the 738th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at a forward-deployed location, airdropped more

  • 1st Air Force transitions to warfighting headquarters

    First Air Force and Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region are making structural changes to transition into one of 10 warfighting headquarters to better support geographic and functional combatant commanders worldwide.The transition is part of the Air Force’s move to

  • Convoy escorts continue proud heritage of Tuskegee Airmen

    The 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing is steeped in the rich history of its predecessors, the Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd Fighter Group. While today’s Airmen do not share the hardships of breaking racial barriers, Airmen with Detachment 2 here and Det. 1 at Camp Speicher, Iraq, face their own

  • Tricare unveils new extended health-care option

    Tricare’s Extended Care Health Option will be available for beneficiaries of active-duty family members with defined qualifying conditions Sept. 1. Beneficiaries currently receiving care through the Program for Persons with Disabilities and not qualified for ECHO will continue care through Tricare

  • Exchange program connects U.S., Dutch Airmen

    Training young pilots to push the F-16 Fighting Falcon to its operational limits is a job Lt. Col. David Stine loves as much as flying.Even better is doing both those things with the Royal Netherlands Air Force, he said. That is just what he has done for three years as an exchange pilot at this

  • AGE Airmen pick up skills useful in civilian sector

    When Staff Sgt. Michele Calton spotted a stranded elderly woman whose car had broken down with smoke streaming from under the hood, her first instinct was not to call someone else for help. She calmly got out of her car in her 4-inch heels and skirt she wore for a girls’ night out, lifted up the

  • Homeland defense exercise wraps up in Alaska

    A massive homeland defense exercise in Alaska wrapped up Aug. 19 after five days of simulated natural disasters and terrorist events, including earthquakes, aircraft crashes and anthrax attacks in 21 communities statewide.Alaska Shield/Northern Edge 05 allowed local, state and federal agencies to

  • Lieutenant selected for World Class Athlete Program

    Former Air Force pole vault standout 2nd Lt. Paul Gensic was recently accepted to the U.S. Air Force World Class Athlete Program.The program gives high-caliber athletes, both officers and enlisted, the opportunity to continue training in their sport, while preparing for a berth in the Olympic

  • Kadena medics provide lifeline in air

    Capt. Donna Hornberger held a satellite phone as her aircraft headed for an unknown airport in the middle of the night during a medical evacuation mission from Saipan. Their mission, she said, was to help a severely injured young child who was run over by a truck. The child was in critical

  • Kirtland Airman hits jackpot

    A master sergeant here got a whole lot more than milk during a recent trip to the supermarket.In fact, Master Sgt. John San Cartier, a special operations loadmaster instructor with the 58th Training Squadron, “got” a lottery ticket that ended up winning the $93.4 million jackpot.The 15-year Air

  • Academy ranks top in professor availability

    Academy professors here are the most accessible to their students in the nation, according to “The Best 361 Colleges” released Aug. 22 by The Princeton Review.The New York-based education services company features the academy in “The Best 361 Colleges,” the new 2006 edition of its annual "best

  • International academy program gives worldly perspective

    Today’s officers must be prepared to function in an international environment. While the academy’s international program provides cadets with a variety of opportunities to hone their leadership skills overseas, foreign cadets travel here to study similar skills.There are 48 four-year international

  • Ground incident report released

    The Failure of two hinge blades connecting sections of a portable tower caused it and a 470-pound camera mounted on top of the tower to collapse into a building at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C., on Dec. 23, Air Force officials said Aug. 19.The camera fell through the metal roof of the Joint Air

  • NATO, USAFE vie during Excalibur bombing competition

    ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England (AFPN) -- Aircraft from the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Air Force joined forces for a training exercise here Aug. 17 to 19.Excalibur, a multination bombing competition, is an opportunity for aircrew members to test their skills and pit their wits against each

  • Airmen contain fire on joint installation

    Firefighters with the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron contained a fire on the Army side of the base Aug. 15, only hours after they assumed fire protection coverage here and for Base Camp Adder. Six hours and 45 minutes after they officially took over, flames were shooting from a trailer

  • AFIA’s health services inspections demystified

    When a team from the Air Force Inspection Agency arrives at the front door of a medical treatment facility, they have one goal: Turning excellent health care into outstanding health care. The inspection agency is the only Air Force unit that conducts health services inspections on all Air Force

  • Minneapolis youth ‘boldly goes’ to space camp

    Going to camp this summer has proven to be a memorable experience for one youth here.Carissa Ott, 15, is the daughter of Tech. Sgt. Greg Ott of the 27th Aerial Port Squadron at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Air Reserve Station, and his wife, Becky. “It was a great opportunity,” she

  • Child development center offers parents car seat guidance

    Child development center employees who are trained and certified by the National Safe Kids Campaign are offering car seat checks here.“It’s a proven fact that child safety seats and seat belts save lives and prevent injuries,” said Bernice Padilla, of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing’s safety office.

  • Guardsmen contribute to total force

    Maintaining and flying F-16 Fighting Falcons in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom is what Air National Guard units from Minnesota, Texas and Arkansas do to provide ground support to Soldiers and Marines. Demonstrating the power of a total force, these units, along with the active-duty 510th

  • Couple gets surprise home delivery

    While most pregnancies end with a trip to the hospital and delivery with the assistance of medical professionals, one Airman here and his wife got to experience their child’s birth from the “comfort” of their own home.Staff Sgt. David Hayes, of the 347th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, quickly turned

  • Shuttle lands, departs under Edwards watchful eye

    From its Aug. 9 landing to its Aug. 19 departure here on the back of a modified Boeing 747, civilians and Airmen here remained heavily engaged in supporting Space Shuttle Discovery.While the shuttle and its mission were primarily NASA's responsibility, Edwards played a major role in bringing the

  • Trainees test backpack water pouches

    About 50 trainees in each of the base’s seven basic military training squadrons are being issued backpack water pouches in a yearlong study to compare their health with fellow trainees hydrating from canteens.“I think everybody intuitively thinks CamelBaks, or a similar backpack hydration system, is

  • Civil Engineers help bring light in the night

    In this small village located 287 miles west of Anchorage, air travel is the sole means to enter and leave the town.The 4,750-foot gravel airstrip lined with orange cones is essentially the town’s lifeline to the rest of the state. This lifeline has been significantly strengthened through the

  • Unmanned aircraft capabilities expanding in war on terrorism

    Once used only for remote reconnaissance, unmanned aircraft technology has rapidly evolved in recent years. Such systems now feature strike capabilities and are being used for force-protection and signals-collection missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.Unmanned aerial systems "have helped reduce the

  • Airmen support PACAF operations while deployed

    About 300 Airmen from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, are perfecting their F-15E Strike Eagle skills during an air and space expeditionary force deployment here. “Our deployment here has been excellent,” said Capt. Joe Ryther, an F-15E pilot with the 391st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron.

  • Firefighters: more than fighting blazes

    While many children may have dreamed about being firefighters when they grew up, only a small handful of people actually chased down those dreams.For the more than 80 people with the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron’s fire protection flight here, being the ones who rush into a burning building is more

  • Training keeping Spangdahlem ‘Warthogs’ ready to deploy

    A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots at this hilltop base are busy flying and training for their next deployment, which could be to Afghanistan -- again.That is not a certainty, but deploying to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, is almost routine for the 81st Fighter Squadron. As the only A-10 unit stationed in

  • Negative effects of smoking not deterring servicemembers

    The death of broadcasting icon Peter Jennings from lung cancer has again brought smoking and its dangers to the forefront of public consciousness.Before his death, Mr. Jennings admitted he was a longtime smoker.While an estimated 25 percent of Americans smoke, the military's numbers hover at 34

  • Logistics program broadens careers

    As the premier logistics training program in the Air Force, the logistics career broadening program provides logistics officers the chance to attain specialized knowledge in their career field.The two-year program not only provides unique instruction in logistics but also lends opportunities for

  • 36th Rescue Flight makes another save

    Crewmembers of the 36th Rescue Flight successfully completed their 602nd save Aug. 13.Just before 9 p.m., the crew, using night-vision goggles, began their hour-long flight to the Wenatchee, Wash., area.Once reaching the response area, the crew was given their mission's details: Rescue a man

  • Mechanics keep war effort rolling

    High-mobility multipurpose-wheeled vehicles began serving America’s Soldiers, Airmen and Marines worldwide in 1983. For 22 years the vehicle has been an icon for troops supporting the full spectrum of operations from humanitarian and disaster relief to major theater war.The Humvee has proven its

  • Only sky proves limit for ‘mountain men’

    For some people, reaching the top is enough. For two 352nd Special Operations Group pilots here, reaching the top of the world was not enough.Capt. Rob Marshall of the 67th Special Operations Squadron, and 1st Lt. Mark Uberuaga of the 21st Special Operations Squadron, recently returned from

  • Kirkuk’s tower controls sky

    “Kirkuk tower; snake one one. Flight of two checking in eight miles out established on final.”“Snake one one; Kirkuk tower. Check wheels down wind, estimated zero one zero at five, cleared to land.”Like a scene from a movie, this real-world scenario features the official “talk” of air traffic

  • First Air Force Stryker unit deploys to Iraq

    The first Air Force Stryker unit marked its first deployment with the high-tech Army vehicle when it departed here Aug. 14 for Iraq.About 20 Airmen from the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron deployed with the Army’s 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, both stationed at nearby Fort Wainwright.“Our

  • Hundreds of NCOs face retraining into new specialties

    More than 3,000 staff, technical and master sergeants have been identified to receive retraining vulnerability notices under the initial phase of the Air Force's fiscal 2006 Noncommissioned Officer Retraining Program.The retraining program is designed to help balance the enlisted force by moving

  • Rabbi uses Iraq trip to help shape AF vision, values

    Iraq was one of the first places the new adviser on Air Force values and vision went to see how Airmen apply their guiding principles in a wartime environment.Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff, special assistant for values and visions to the secretary of the Air Force and the chief of staff, traveled to

  • New technologies, teaching boost language training

    New technologies and teaching approaches are improving the quality of instruction here as the Defense Language Institute supports the Defense Department's effort to boost foreign-language capability within the ranks.The school experienced "explosive growth" this year and expects the trend to

  • Kadena medics gain knowledge while deployed

    Aeromedical nurses and technicians here are helping save hundreds of servicemembers’ who are supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Aside from tending to the sick and wounded, these Airmen are gaining invaluable experience working in a multiservice operation, and treating injuries

  • Deployed firefighters modern day dragon slayers

    Throughout Iraq, sleeping dragons lie in slumber, ready to wreak havoc, death and destruction if disturbed.Air Force firefighters here remain vigilant serving as modern day dragon slayers who stand ready to bring down any dragon that threatens innocent civilians or coalition forces.Iraq’s dragons