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  • Report: Reduced visibility caused midair collision

    Air Force officials have completed their investigation of the midair collision between a T-37 Tweet and a civilian crop-duster Jan. 18 near Hollister, Okla., which resulted in a civilian pilot’s death.Accident investigators determined there were two causes to the accident. First, the Tweet aircrew,

  • 60th Fighter Squadron wins air-superiority trophy

    For the second time in less than 10 years, the 60th Fighter Squadron is the winner of the Raytheon Trophy.Started in 1953 by Hughes Aircraft Company, the trophy is given annually to the top air-superiority or air-defense squadron in the Air Force.“It’s quite an honor -- bottom line it’s the highest

  • B-1 commemorates its 20th at Dyess

    It has more than 20 years of service, has more than 100 world records for speed, payload, range and time to climb and has become the bomber of choice for warfighters in all theaters -- but the B-1B Lancer is just getting started. The multimission bomber commemorates its 20th anniversary since its

  • Pilot ejects safely after F-16 skids off runway

    An F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot ejected safely after an emergency landing June 28 at nearby Lamar Airfield.The accident occurred during a training flight in a southeast Colorado military training area. He was attempting an emergency landing after receiving a cockpit fire warning indication. The

  • Exercise trains U.S. forces for combat missions

    Airmen, Sailors and Marines got a taste of realistic combat during Pacific Air Force’s premier combat-air power exercise, Cooperative Cope Thunder, which ended here June 24.About 400 U.S. forces and their 30 aircraft conducted operations together during two weeks of large-force employment training.

  • Air Force teams compete in pit-stop challenge

    Millions of NASCAR fans each year watch as professional pit-stop crews speedily change out tires and refill gas, but eight Air Force teams got to experience this rush for themselves. The Air Force’s car, No. 21, visited here June 23 to conduct a pit-stop demonstration and competition. The Air Force

  • Airdrop, refueling events take flight at Rodeo 2005

    The airdrop and air refueling event at Rodeo 2005 included 33 international and U.S. aircraft on a mission to become the best of the best.“These crewmembers were sent by their wings and their nations to represent them, having gone through intense training to hone their skills to be the best

  • C-17s cross globe to assist international exercise

    Six C-17 Globemaster IIIs flew from Alaska to Australia June 18 to 21 to help launch the Talisman Saber 2005 international exercise. The exercise involved more than 6,000 Australian and 10,000 U.S. servicemembers from the Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy.The C-17s were from here and Charleston AFB,

  • Life support takes new meaning for deployed Airmen

    Two small shops with more than double the workload as at home station pray their efforts supporting Operation Enduring Freedom are all for naught.That is because lives depend upon flawless work on the life support equipment in their care. If the equipment is never used, life support Airmen say that

  • Taking fight to the enemy

    Once the plane is airborne and the fasten seatbelt light goes off, there is a flurry of activity as crewmembers hustle to get their various tasks done. As the aircraft continues on its heading, the crew of the E-3 Sentry, with its many buttons, switches and gadgets, gets set for their part in a

  • Competitors battle ants and obstacles on Rodeo course

    One hundred million ants, 800 possible points, 150 pounds to carry, 13 umpires, eight obstacles, five teams, two visiting generals, and one endurance course … priceless.Participants in the aeromedical evacuation endurance course event may be new to Rodeo, but they took the challenge head-on and made

  • Grounded, but governing the sky

    While F-15 Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons take off from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, for one of the many Cooperative Cope Thunder exercise scenarios, Japanese and Australian weapons control officers sit side by side viewing and controlling the sky.To do so, the controllers use a computer-based

  • Bangladeshi airmen observe Cooperative Cope Thunder

    Observers from the Bangladesh air force are attending this year’s Cooperative Cope Thunder to help prepare for their first participation in 2007. Their observation included a facilities tour such as the flightline, hangar bays and ramp space. “While here, we’ve had many questions about Cope Thunder

  • Air Warrior II tests aircrews and controllers

    A-10 Thunderbolt IIs are participating in Air Warrior II, a large-scale combat exercise here.The Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., aircrews are helping prepare 10th Mountain Division Soldiers for an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan, said Maj. Joel Hampton, 548th Combat Training Squadron

  • Report: Academy grapples with religion in the public forum

    A team looking at the religious climate of the Air Force Academy found an institution grappling with a challenge that is the subject of significant debate in the public arena.Part of the problem appears to be a lack of operational guidance as to what is and is not acceptable in the area of religious

  • Lowry redevelopment assists Denver's renaissance

    When Lowry Air Force Base, Colo., was selected to be shuttered as part of the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Act, many recession-battered Denver residents thought the end had come to the "Mile High" city.Lowry, a military training installation with a 50-year history, was providing 7,000

  • Maintainers keep 'Thunder' rolling

    With more than 47 aircraft from the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom converging on the flightline here for Cooperative Cope Thunder, the "Thunder Dome" is serving as the nerve center of maintenance activities vital to deployed units.The Thunder Dome is nothing like the gladiator-style

  • Officials release Albania accident report

    An accident investigation board found that a loss of situational awareness by the flight deck crew caused the March 31 crash of an Air Force MC-130H Combat Talon II in Albania.The nine Airmen on the 7th Special Operations Squadron aircraft, based at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, were killed.

  • Premier air mobility competition kicks off

    “Ladies and gentlemen, let the fight begin -- Rodeo’s on!”Brig. Gen. David S. “Scott” Gray kicked off the Rodeo 2005 competition with those words June 19 when Rodeo participants and observers gathered on the flightline here for the opening ceremony. He is the Rodeo commander and the commander of

  • General Looney takes command of AETC

    Gen. William R. Looney III became the commander of Air Education and Training Command here June 17 taking the helm of the Air Force’s “first command.”Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Force chief of staff, presided at the flightline ceremony, which more than 1,200 people attended.General Looney came to AETC

  • Indian Springs renamed Creech Air Force Base

    Nearby Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Air Field officially changed its name to Creech Air Force Base on June 20 in honor of Gen. Wilbur L. “Bill” Creech.As the commander of Tactical Air Command from 1978 to 1984, General Creech shaped the Air Force of today with a call for new weapons and

  • Airman saves children from drowning

    An Airman here was expecting to have some fun in the sun on a weekend trip to the beach during a recent trip. He was not expecting to save children from drowning.Staff Sgt. Jozsef Nagy, an Internet services technician with the Air Force Weather Agency, was attending a network management training

  • Granite Thunder 2005 rocks New Boston

    A van lies on its side at the edge of a road where two men sprint from the scene into the nearby woods. As a figure lies motionless in the grass beside the van, an ear-piercing explosion suddenly rocks the vehicle, shrouding it and the unknown figure in smoke. Debris arcs high into the air before

  • Reservists required to register civilian employment info

    Time is running out for about 15,000 Air Force reservists in the Selected Reserve to comply with a Department of Defense directive. Oct. 31 is the deadline for reservists who are paid for training to register information about their civilian place of employment. About 60,000 of these Airmen,

  • Cadets learn it’s a BEAR out there

    For some people going to college, the summer months mean returning home for a break from school or finding a summer job. But that is not what is in store for more than 1,200 U.S. Air Force Academy cadets.Cadets are receiving a crash course in setting up BEAR, or basic expeditionary airfield

  • 2006 Thunderbirds team includes first female pilot

    U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, “Thunderbirds,” officials announced their new pilots for the 2006 demonstration season which includes the first female demonstration pilot in the 52-year history of the Thunderbirds. Capt. Nicole Malachowski, of the 494th Fighter Squadron at Royal Air Force

  • Guardsmen familiarize Polish airmen with F-16

    Once adversaries, American F-16 Fighting Falcons and Soviet-era MiG-29s sit side by side on the flightline here during exercise Sentry White Falcon 2005.Warm emotions can be felt as the Polish and American pilots share each other’s planes; sometimes the fighter pilots cannot fight away the

  • Vietnam War disc jockey praises families of MIAs

    The man who became famous bellowing "Good morning, Vietnam!" to his military radio audience praised the families of servicemembers who are still listed as missing in action in Southeast Asia.In his opening remarks for the Defense Department's 2005 annual government briefing for Vietnam War-era

  • Air Force shooting team takes silver, bronze at trap match

    The Air Force International Trap Shooting Team recently competed in the 2005 Interservice Trap Championships and won two medals.The five-day competition here brought Air Force and Army marksmen together to compete in international trap and double-trap events.Capt. Mike Herman from Schriever Air

  • Airman saves life while TDY

    Air Command and Staff College student Maj. Michael Jansen cannot explain his actions while on temporary duty to Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., for specialized study of air and space power. “Something like that may happen once in your lifetime, but hopefully never,” he said. “You can’t plan how you

  • STRATCOM Airman on target for world title

    For three years, a space operations officer assigned at U.S. Strategic Command here has prepared for a chance to fulfill his dream of representing the red, white and blue at the world championship of practical shooting. His dream will become a reality Aug. 21 in Guayaquil, Ecuador.Maj. Roger

  • System increases B-52 target precision

    Along with successfully developing a new targeting capability for the B-52 Stratofortress, 53rd Wing test managers and aircrews also demonstrated a new $8.6 million avionics system capability for the aircraft June 14.A B-52 from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., was launched with Boeing’s prototype

  • Report: Misaligned rollers caused B-1B accident

    Misaligned rollers on the crew entry ladder assembly created an abort condition that was the primary cause of a B-1B Lancer mishap during a mission qualification and currency training mission Nov. 23 at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., according to Air Force investigators.They determined the aborted

  • Top runners to participate in Air Force Marathon

    Two of the top distance runners of all time will be part of the ninth annual U.S. Air Force Marathon in September.Bill Rodgers and Alberto Salazar became running legends in the 1970s and 1980s before the cable television explosion brought new exposure to athletes.Both will conduct separate free

  • Cooperative Cope Thunder kicks off

    The sky above Alaska is brimming with activity as Pacific Air Force’s premier composite force exercise kicked off here June 9.Cooperative Cope Thunder runs through June 24 with operations here and at nearby Elmendorf Air Force Base.The exercise highlights multinational operations combined with

  • Iraqi airmen tack on master sergeant’s stripes

    An Airman here chose to have two unusual attendees, or in his words, his adopted family, tack on his new stripes recently. Master Sgt. Bubba Beason, 777th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron pneudraulic systems technician instructor deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., asked two

  • Airmen join Soldiers taking Kenya military to new heights

    As the sun rose June 6, seven Airmen wearing desert flightsuits stood outside the guarded entrance to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport waiting for their passengers.The C-130 Hercules crew, deployed to Southwest Asia from the 440th Airlift Wing at General Mitchell Air Reserve Base, Wis., were

  • T-37 rolls off runway, pilot uninjured

    T-37 Tweet rolled off the runway here June 8 during a training flight.The student pilot, flying solo at the time of the incident, received no injuries.The aircraft’s left wing was damaged which resulted in a small fuel spill. The base’s fuel spill response team contained the spill which was

  • Gallant Fox III brings first responders to Pentagon

    A dozen bodies lay strewn on a patch of grass near the bus stop outside the Pentagon on June 8. Some of them cried out for help.Nearby, that help was quickly arriving. Firetrucks, ambulances and other first responders arrived on the scene from local municipalities, including Arlington, Fairfax and

  • Report lists multiple factors in fatal accident

    An Air Force report concluded multiple safety violations led to an August accident resulting in the death of one Airman and the serious injury of another. Senior Airman Jesse Williamson Jr. died, and Senior Airman Ryan Robinson sustained serious injuries when the boom lift from which they were

  • Air Force Research Lab gives new meaning to ‘battlebots’

    An unidentified man walks toward a security forces vehicle. A loud, firm voice warns the man to “halt and be identified.” The man does not comply and continues to advance. The vehicle backs up cautiously flashing its red and blue lights to make sure the man knows he is dealing with security

  • Grand Forks, Eielson key to Air Force Future Total Force

    If the Base Realignment and Closure recommendations released in May are approved, Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., and Eielson AFB, Alaska, will see some changes. Both bases will play a strategic role in the Air Force's Future Total Force plan.Grand Forks received the highest BRAC score for

  • There’s no quitting in the Air Force

    An Airman candidate stood up and said, “I quit.”Almost before he could finish speaking, three staff sergeants were in his face barking like trained attack dogs.“You can’t quit!” they yelled. “We decide who’s quitting, and you’re not quitting! Ain’t no such thing as quitting.”The confrontation took

  • New launch date projected for new civilian personnel system

    The first phase of the Defense Department's new National Security Personnel System has been adjusted slightly, to later in the fiscal year, NSPS officials said June 7.The Defense Department will work with the Office of Personnel Management to adjust the proposed NSPS regulation based on public

  • USAFE civilian personnel servicing moves to AFPC

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe family members looking for employment will soon have a centralized site for handling civilian personnel servicing when civilian personnel operations move July 10.The move is part of the Air Force’s long-term plan to streamline operations by having the Air Force Personnel

  • VA chief: Opportunity ensures care for all servicemembers

    The secretary of Veterans Affairs said June 3 that where some might see challenges for the department, he sees opportunities."One of the big opportunities we have, and it's a priority of ours, is to make sure that our servicemembers coming out of the combat theater are well taken care of," R. James

  • BRAC changes to medicine focus on care, training, research

    Airmen bound for a career in the Air Force Medical Service will start off by training in a joint environment if all Base Realignment and Closure recommendations are approved.The changes will not completely homogenize training for enlisted medical specialists, but they will allow all the services to

  • Former mayor, defense official offer BRAC advice

    Two officials who have experience with Base Realignment and Closure have written some insights they hope will be of value to communities that may lose facilities in this year's BRAC round.Paul Tauer is the former mayor of Aurora, Colo. -- an affected city. Patrick O’Brien, Defense Department’s

  • Deployed plumbers keep water flowing

    Water. It is one of life’s most basic necessities. Without it, battles have been lost and entire armies have fallen.It can mean the difference between success and failure -- and even life and death.The Airmen of the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron utilities team know that getting clean

  • B-52 aids ground troops under small arms fire

    A B-52 Stratofortress from the 40th Air Expeditionary Group dropped three joint-direct attack munitions recently on a cave of anti-coalition forces in Afghanistan, killing two and leading to the capture of 10 others by coalition ground forces.The mission was one of 22 close-air support and armed

  • Airmen guard camp, detainees in Iraq

    Airmen here are performing jobs normally reserved for deployed Soldiers. They are escorting patrols and convoys, helping provide force protection for an Army camp and guarding detainees. More than 6,000 detainees are housed in the temporary internment facility here while awaiting legal proceedings

  • Air Force improving force protection

    Protecting military people or equipment is not a new thing in the Air Force, but the way it is being done is. More and more emphasis is being placed on how the Air Force does force protection business and the effects are being seen at home bases servicewide and the U.S. Central Command’s area of

  • Robots, Airmen defuse unexploded ordnance

    With the help of new, faster and more agile robots, explosive ordnance disposal Airmen here have an opportunity to keep their distance from bombs set to harm servicemembers off the base.Teaming man and machine is giving Airmen of the EOD unit an upper hand in the seemingly never-ending battle

  • World War II women warriors pass on history, heritage

    After pooling her quarters with her cousin to pay the whopping, 1920s fee of $1.50, Caro Bayley climbed into a Tri-motor Ford airplane at Springfield Airfield, Ohio. She was about to make a historic flight -- the first in her life.Soaring over the clouds, the young girl looked down at the ground.

  • Motorcycle safety forum held at Andrews

    The muffled roar of motorcycles filled the air here May 28 as the base held the inaugural Air Force Motorcycle Safety Forum.The main goals of the forum were to save lives by promoting safe riding and to encourage the motorcycle mentoring concept called for by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P.

  • Crash victims identified

    Department of Defense officials identified the four Airmen who died May 30 in the crash of an Iraqi air force aircraft.The Airmen, deployed from Hurlburt Field, Fla., were on a training mission in eastern Diyala province when the Iraqi Comp Air 7SL aircraft they were in crashed. An Iraqi pilot was

  • PACAF officials establish warfighting headquarters

    Pacific Air Forces headquarters officials established the George C. Kenney Headquarters (Provisional) here June 1. The newly formed warfighting headquarters will focus exclusively on planning and executing military operations throughout the Pacific theater, excluding the Korean Peninsula. It is

  • Arlington National Cemetery gains 70 acres of land

    In 1998, burial space at the country's most prestigious resting place for servicemembers and their spouses was becoming scarce, and officials worried they would run out of room at Arlington National Cemetery in about 25 years.After years of searching for more space, Defense Department officials have

  • Sons of Iraq represent future, freedom

    Iraq just moved closer toward freedom and independence -- 54 steps closer to be exact.Each step is represented by one of 54 elite Iraqi soldiers who have begun explosives ordnance disposal school, the first group to enter the school since the free elections in January. The soldiers will learn how to

  • General Keys confirmed as ACC commander

    Ronald E. Keys was confirmed by the Senate on May 26 for promotion to the rank of general and assignment here as the commander of Air Combat Command.Gen. John P. Jumper, Air Force chief of staff and a former ACC commander, pinned on ACC’s newest commander’s four-star rank following the Senate’s

  • Promotion takes to airwaves

    Separation proved no obstacle for a couple here May 26 as they were promoted to first lieutenant together via computer-based video conference while geographically separated by more than 7,000 miles.First Lts. Eric Johnston, who is deployed to Balad Air Base, Iraq, and Sheila Johnston, of the 47th

  • Airmen work with Soldiers to help Iraqi communities

    The public works directorate here, comprising Air Force and Army civil engineers, work on everything from constructing new facilities to designing waste-water treatment facilities to installing electric power nodes. “In short, if you need a construction project done, we do it all,” said Maj. Thomas

  • Airmen provide close-air support for patrol in Afghanistan

    Air Force air and ground combat support elements accompanied infantrymen from the 508th Infantry Regiment during a presence patrol in the mountainous region here recently.Air Force joint terminal attack controllers, who are attached to an Army unit to coordinate close-air support for ground

  • Severely injured troops relearn living skills

    "It smells good in here already," a visitor to "Fort Independence" said as she walked into the kitchen where amputees sharpen their culinary skills at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.Fort Independence is a mock apartment set up in the hospital's occupational-therapy department to train newly

  • Convoy Airmen protect supply lines

    He wipes the sweat from his palms, getting a better grasp on the warm steel handles of the .50-caliber gun. Darkness stretches around him for miles, with the exception of the headlights from his convoy illuminating the road ahead. The Airman remains vigilant as he keeps a watchful eye. At this

  • Civil support teams provide WMD expertise to communities

    Guardsmen with the 61st Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team here like to think of themselves as firefighters."We're ready to go, but we don't go until the bell goes off," said Lt. Col. Keith Bauder, commander of the unit since it activated five years ago.The "bell" sounds in the event of

  • Moment of remembrance celebrated on Memorial Day

    The National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day is an act of national unity, remembrance and rededication to the ideals upon which the nation was founded, the executive director of the White House Commission on Remembrance said.At 3 p.m. local time May 30, Major League Baseball games will stop,

  • 100-percent accountability paramount in deployed operations

    Imagine showing up to work one day only to discover everyone is new. Well, that has been the case at this and many other forward-deployed locations worldwide. Most of the Airmen in the air and space expeditionary force’s current rotation arrived within the past month, and that means Airmen at the

  • Deploying does not mean classroom is closed

    Wearing desert battle dress uniforms and living in a tent city do not necessarily mean people need to put their educational goals on hold, said the chief of the learning resource center at a forward-deployed location.Tech. Sgt. James Norton Jr. recently arrived from the 480th Intelligence Wing at

  • Understanding one another crucial during war on terrorism

    During dangerous situations, people's understanding of each other is more crucial than ever, a senior Defense Department official said here May 24.Speaking to the nearly 400 attendees gathered for the four-day National Guard Bureau’s equal opportunity workshop, John Molino, acting deputy

  • Air Force secretary confirms commitment to religious respect

    The Air Force remains “deeply involved” in its commitment to ensure spiritual values of all people are respected at the U.S. Air Force Academy and throughout the Air Force, said Acting Secretary of the Air Force Michael L. Dominguez May 24.Air Force leaders are focused on religious-respect issues at

  • Air National Guard leaders focus on BRAC

    Air National Guard leaders are urging citizen Airmen nationwide to remain focused on their missions while they and others consider the organization's future during this year's Base Realignment and Closure process. Lt. Gen. Daniel James III, ANG director, and Chief Master Sgt. Richard Smith, ANG

  • Officials unveil new generation command and control system

    A new generation command and control system was unveiled recently when Air Mobility Command officials began fielding a new system that provides unit-level and force-level mission planning, scheduling and tracking of all mobility airlift and air refueling missions.The global decision support system

  • Pilots give new C-130J aircraft rave reviews

    Here at the "Home of the Herk" -- the affectionate nickname for the C-130 Hercules aircraft -- there is no ambivalence about the new "J" model.The C-130J is the latest addition to the C-130 fleet, bringing state-of-the-art technology to the tactical cargo- and troop-transport aircraft that has been

  • Vehicle operators named 'team of the year'

    The Army has traditionally provided protection for supply and munitions convoys in Iraq and Afghanistan, but when manning shortages made it tough for Soldiers to fulfill that role, the Air Force provided help. As many as 25 percent of Airmen in the vehicle operations career field were specially

  • Hurricane Hunters fly first operation WC-130J mission

    The first storm of the 2005 hurricane season came a little early this year appearing in the Pacific off the coast of Central America. Hurricane Adrian also marked the beginning of a new era in weather reconnaissance for the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron’s “Hurricane Hunters” here.When

  • Air Force men take armed forces volleyball crown

    The Air Force men’s volleyball team won the 2005 Men’s Armed Forces Volleyball Championship here May 16.The Airmen began their run to the title by defeating the Navy 25-23, 25-17, 22-25 and 25-22. After the Army defeated the Marines -- 12-25, 22-25, 25-21, 25-19 and 25-17 – they were in a position

  • Officials announce airfield operations awards

    Air Force officials recently announced the winners of the 2004 Air Force Airfield Operation Awards.Airfield operations, a flight within the operations support squadron, is responsible for airfield operations and control, specifically airfield management and air traffic control.The 2004 winners

  • Individual Ready Reserve 'key component' of total military

    The Individual Ready Reserve is "a key component" of America's total military force, a senior Defense Department official said May 17 at the 2005 Reserve Personnel Center Commanders'/IRR Conference in Denver.Consisting of about 300,000 people, the IRR "presents a valuable pool" of trained military

  • Civil engineers train for chemical attacks

    Civil engineers here replaced their shovels, hammers and power tools with gas masks, gloves and chemical warfare ensemble gear during ability to survive and operate training here May 18.“This training is very important,” said Capt. Jeremy Milliman, 374th Civil Engineer Squadron’s readiness flight

  • A father remembered

    Five numbers painted on the tail of a local parade’s float will pass by thousands of people, and they may not see what is between them.A string of numbers can represent anything from how much money someone has in his or her bank account, to phone numbers or even ZIP codes.71424 represents the life

  • DOD tests ‘revolutionary’ biological warfare detection device

    Department of Defense specialists are testing a cutting-edge technology so revolutionary military scientists said it will change the face of biological warfare.The joint biological agent identification and diagnostic system, a 40-pound device small enough to slip into a rucksack, is designed to

  • Officials announce aircrew life support award winners

    Air Force officials recently announced the 2004 Outstanding Air Force Aircrew Life Support of the Year award winners.These awards recognize the accomplishments of aircrew life support people and programs.The 2004 winners are:-- Outstanding Aircrew Life Support Headquarters Staff Member of the Year:

  • Airmen open heart, home to children in need

    More than 523,000 children nationwide are in foster care because their families are in crisis and unable to provide for their essential needs, according to child welfare agency officials. May is National Foster Care Month.One family here has opened its heart and home to some of those children the

  • Rumsfeld, Myers state their case to commission

    As the military confronts the "new demands of the war against extremism and other evolving challenges in the world," the Defense Department's recommendations for base realignments and closures are necessary, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told the commission considering DOD's proposals May

  • Cadets get jump on jobs

    Junior class cadets here learned what their future Air Force jobs will be a full year ahead of their graduation date.Normally, cadets learn this during the fall semester of their senior year.“The date has been moved forward for current and future classes to maintain a parallel classification process

  • Donation provides mobility, honors Jumper

    In honor of Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. John P. Jumper and his wife, Ellen, the Ford Motor company donated two wheelchair accessible vans to Walter Reed Army Medical Center during a ceremony May 12 at the Pentagon.Edsel B. Ford II, of the company’s board of directors, said they donated the

  • BRAC process revamps medical system

    Defense Department officials have used the Base Realignment and Closure process to transform the way military medicine operates.Officials said medical facilities will become more joint, will consolidate where patients reside and will become state-of-the-art."We want to rival Johns Hopkins or the

  • Closings, realignments to reshape infrastructure

    Defense Department officials have recommended closing 33 major bases and realigning 29 others as part of a comprehensive reshaping of the military infrastructure through the Base Realignment and Closure process.Michael Wynne, defense undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics,

  • Rumsfeld recommends 5 to 11 percent cut in infrastructure

    Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's recommendations to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission would cut excess military infrastructure between 5 and 11 percent, he said during a Pentagon news conference May 12."The department is recommending fewer major base closures than had earlier been

  • Census helps define future joint officer

    More than 7,000 Air Force officers in all ranks soon will be asked to complete a census that will be used to help decide what defines “joint.” The secretary of defense is working on a Congressionally mandated review of joint management and tasked each service to identify officer positions that

  • Officials focus on needs with BRAC recommendations

    Comprehensive and impartial is the assessment of Air Force officials on the process used in determining the secretary of defense’s recommendations of installations sent to the independent Defense Base Realignment and Closure commission. The recommendations, which are scheduled to be released May 13,

  • Air Force postpones Officer Training School board

    The rated portion of the Air Force Officer Training School board originally scheduled for August has been postponed until January, Air Force Recruiting Service officials announced May 12.Because of fiscal 2005 and 2006 Air Force force-shaping efforts, the rated portion of the Aug. 2 OTS selection

  • Military leaders applaud Congress for advancing health care

    Military surgeons general thanked members of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee for their role in advancing military medicine.The surgeons general testified May 10 before the subcommittee on the defense health program. At $18.9 billion, the program's fiscal 2006 budget is an

  • Helicopter crash kills one, injures two

    One Airman was killed and two others injured in an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crash May 11 about 100 miles northeast of Santa Fe.The helicopter was assigned to the 58th Special Operations Wing’s 512th Rescue Squadron. It was on a training mission when it crashed at about 1:30 p.m. The names of the

  • Latest ‘The Secretary’s Vector’ addresses BRAC process

    The Air Force was a “significant player” in the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process, according to the latest “The Secretary’s Vector.”Michael L. Dominguez, acting secretary of the Air Force, released the vector May 11. “We determined the military value of active duty, Air National Guard and

  • Airmen travel to Guatemala to train, treat patients

    Outside a primitive five-room elementary school, hundreds of villagers lined up to receive medical, dental and optometry care.Airmen from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., provided the care. The 33-person team had recently arrived to provide medical care for 10 days at three schools in villages in the

  • Air Force aviator strengthens U.S.-Japan friendship, ties

    An Air Force exchange pilot is strengthening bilateral ties and friendship between U.S. and Japanese military forces here. Capt. Justin Fletcher, an F-15 Eagle pilot, said that being assigned at the picturesque Japanese base located south of Tokyo is one of the most interesting and challenging jobs

  • AMC commander delivers C-130J

    The commander of Air Mobility Command delivered the Air Force’s third active-duty C-130J Hercules here May 5.Gen. John W. Handy and a crew from the 48th Airlift Squadron here flew the aircraft from the Lockheed Martin plant in Marietta, Ga., where it was built."I have had more fun today than anybody

  • Surge capability examined as part of BRAC process

    Defense planners have looked at surge capability across the services and industrial processes as they have gone through the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process.Defense Department officials said Congress specifically added the surge capability to the basic legislation authorizing the BRAC