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  • Report shows space programs improving

    Space programs are improving and cultural change is under way, according to a recent review of the May 2003 Task Force on Acquisition of National Security Space Programs report.In the 2003 findings, the task force had called for a one-year progress report. The results of that progress report were

  • Air Force ROTC detachment commanders' board meets Nov. 8

    The Air Force ROTC detachment commanders’ board, originally scheduled for Sept. 8, has been rescheduled to Nov. 8 at the Air Force Personnel Center here.The board will select Air Force ROTC detachment commanders for July 2005 reporting dates.Lieutenant colonels and colonels interested in applying

  • For two Airmen, being good Soldiers kept them alive

    More and more Airmen are finding themselves training for convoy duty, deploying to Iraq and making mad dashes from Point A to Point B while under the watchful eye of the enemy. It is dangerous duty. During a convoy, Staff Sgt. Amelia Grahn, a transportation dispatcher from Royal Air Force

  • Medical warriors deploy to Iraq

    About 100 Airmen from the 59th Medical Wing at Wilford Hall Medical Center here left Aug. 30 to staff a field hospital in Iraq.They are the largest contingent of about 160 people from the medical center deploying to Iraq."We’re proud to be sending highly trained and qualified (medics)," said Maj.

  • Officials release F-16 accident report

    A pilot's loss of situational awareness caused two F-16 Fighting Falcons to collide May 17, according to a report Air Force officials released Aug. 30.The lead pilot, of the Indiana Air National Guard’s 113th Fighter Squadron in Terre Haute, was killed in the crash. The pilot of the second

  • Airmen give 'Warthogs' bite

    In a war zone, two elements make the A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog, unsurpassed in its close-air support mission.The first is speed. Its slow speed allows it to loiter in an area for long periods of time. The second is weaponry -- A-10s pack a wide variety of munitions giving them

  • Airman’s contributions recognized at Enlisted Heritage Hall

    Officials at Air Force Space Command headquarters here and the Enlisted Heritage Hall at Gunter Annex, Ala., will recognize the contributions of an enlisted Airman on Aug. 31.Retired Chief Master Sgt. Michael Kenderes devoted his entire working life, both in uniform and as a civilian, to the

  • Now showing: Aug. 30 edition of AFTV News

    The far-flung supply train for troops in Iraq headlines the latest edition of Air Force Television News.Tech. Sgt. Angie Pianga goes to Moron, Spain, to show how active-duty, Air National Guard and Reserve Airmen are performing a vital role in getting people and equipment to and from Iraq. Tech.

  • Sexual assault prevention, response report released

    The Air Force has released a study that assessed the service’s sexual assault prevention and response capabilities. The 96-page document titled, Report Concerning the Assessment of USAF Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, was released Aug. 30. In February 2004, the secretary of the Air Force

  • Every second counts for EOD techs

    The 12-inch doors clunk shut as the explosive ordnance disposal team climbs into their armored Humvee. If it was not for the cool breeze from the air conditioner, the Airmen would be puddles of sweat dripping through the floorboard.Since the side windows are barely a foot tall, 2-feet wide and

  • Reserve medics rely on Nigerien help with translation

    A medical humanitarian mission can have all the doctors and medicines in the world, but the mission may not be successful without good translators.This was true for a group of Air Force Reserve medics who treated more than 6,000 patients in the African nation of Niger. The team deployed here with

  • Air Force firefighter receive honors

    Air Force firefighters recognized their top performers Aug. 16 to 20 at the annual Department of Defense and Federal Fire and Emergency Services Training Conference in New Orleans. A California man who displayed an extraordinary feat of heroism and an Air Combat Command fire department received top

  • Guard squadron makes mark in Operation Iraqi Freedom

    The most recent deployment for the 107th Fighter Squadron was one of firsts, the unit's commander said here Aug. 24.Lt. Col. Glenn Schmidt said the Air National Guard unit became the first F-16 Fighting Falcon squadron to be based in Iraq when it established its base in Kirkuk in February. It also

  • Air Force accepting physician assistant applications

    The Air Force is taking applications for Physician Assistant Phase I training classes beginning January, April and August 2006.Only active-duty enlisted Airmen are eligible for the program.The selection board is scheduled to convene here March 22. Completed applications must be sent by military

  • Airmen keep Litening pods striking

    As A-10 Thunderbolt IIs patrol over Afghanistan, one piece of avionics equipment is extremely important to them providing unparalleled close-air support to ground forces.The Laser Infrared Targeting and Navigation pod gives A-10 pilots a number of options to search out enemy forces and protect

  • Road Warrior III reinforces continuous training

    Road Warrior III trained nearly 90 Airmen from air force bases in Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota in the strategy and tactics of defending the nation’s ICBM resources for three weeks here.The exercise involved more than 120 people from the National Nuclear Security Agency’s office of secure

  • Civil engineer celebrates 63 years of service

    With admiration, he glides his hand across a huge trapezoid-shaped conference table made of solid oak. Bending down, he points out with a steady hand how he built the base precisely and securely to fit the top without nails or screws, just wooden dowels. His pride in his work and his steady hand

  • Aircrew training squadron shapes crews for AWACS mission

    A cooperative spirit is alive at the home of the aircrew training squadron for the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System mission here. The squadron is NATO’s only E-3 training squadron. Every alliance AWACS mission begins with training here.Squadron Airmen provide basic and upgrade

  • DIMO strengthening medical ties worldwide

    Defense Institute for Medical Operations officials recently sent out an eight-person team to head-up and teach an aeromedical evacuation and critical-care transport course in Ankara, Turkey.The five-day course provided the advanced training necessary to care for critically ill or injured patients in

  • Water rescue team saves two lives

    The fire department water rescue team here rescued two swimmers at a local beach Aug. 21. When the rescue team arrived on scene just after midnight, security forces were already there, said Master Sgt. Gregory Chesser, 36th Civil Engineer Squadron assistant fire chief for training. The victim had

  • RAPCON Airmen control sky over Iraq

    Since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, coalition forces have controlled the air space over Iraq. The 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron's radar approach control flight here is responsible for nearly 35,000 square miles of that air space. It makes up one of three area control

  • Military working dog aerovaced after operation, hospitalization

    Staff Sgt. Tim Cox and military working dog, Ronny, have been partners for more than two years, so when the canine cop fell ill on the job recently, Sergeant Cox instantly recognized a problem.“He just had a complete change of attitude,” Sergeant Cox said. “He got very lethargic and wasn’t himself

  • C-130 marks 50 years of service

    There is one hero that may not be the biggest or fastest, but for 50 years, has borne the U.S. standard as a welcome projection of both American will and American compassion throughout the world. In battle, this hero can pound the enemy from on high with munitions, electronic jamming or information

  • Cope Thunder trains warfighters

    With more than 62,000 square miles of integrated training ranges, Alaska provides the perfect backdrop for Cope Thunder 04-02, a total-force exercise which runs through Aug. 27 The two-and-a-half week exercise is held here and at nearby Elmendorf Air Force Base. “My main objective for this

  • Don't get caught in crook's 'phishing' net

    Fishing is an activity enjoyed by many people, but “phishing” is angling of another sort.“Phishing” is an Internet e-mail scam that tricks individuals into revealing personal information, including Social Security numbers, bank account numbers and passwords.Typically, the e-mails involve Web sites

  • Germans honor AF surgeon general

    The German Ministry of Defense has awarded the Gold Cross of Honor of the Bundeswehr to Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. (Dr.) George Peach Taylor Jr., for his ongoing contributions to the German aviation medicine community. Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Erich Roedig, the German air force’s surgeon general,

  • A-10s rescue ambushed ground forces

    When Army Staff Sgt. Jamie Osmon met Capt. Scott, whose last name is withheld for security reasons, for the second time Aug. 16, the reunion was much less hectic than the first.The first time, July 29, Sergeant Osmon and a group of ground forces were trapped in a canyon ambush, and Captain Scott was

  • New manual gives mobility crews ‘go-to-war’ guidance

    For years, Air Force fighter and bomber crews have been guided into combat by a manual on tactics, techniques and procedures. Now, mobility aircrews will have similar guidance on how to go to war.Because Air Mobility Command aircrews and weapons systems were pushing closer to the threat envelope,

  • OSI helps keep Bagram safe

    When responding to attacks against Bagram, one team’s philosophy is simple: The best defense is a proactive offense.That offense is supporting the base operations defense plan, said Special Agent Jeff Rutherford, Air Force Office of Special Investigations detachment commander here. The team

  • U.S. ambassador visits reservists in Niger

    The U.S. Ambassador to Niger, Gail Denise Mathieu, visited here Aug. 17 to see 12 Air Force reservists who are treating local residents at the clinic.Ambassador Mathieu toured the medical compound and visited each of the examining rooms.“We are here because we have the opportunity to visit with a

  • Kunsan provides strong foundation for F-16 pilots

    First Lt. Wyatt Morrise, an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot, jumped at the chance to come here after graduating from aviator school. Although it is a one-year unaccompanied tour, almost every veteran F-16 pilot he met recommended this place as one of the best flying assignments in the Air Force.Now,

  • Revised 'Tongue and Quill' now available online

    What started as a research paper here nearly 30 years ago has become the Air Force’s leading reference on writing and speaking.In 1975, then-Air Command and Staff College student Maj. Hank Staley submitted as his research paper the first version of what is now “The Tongue and Quill.”The latest

  • Princeton review gives academy high marks

    The Air Force Academy ranks 18th in the nation in overall academic experience, according to the Princeton Review's "The Best 357 Colleges -- 2005 edition."The annual rankings hit the streets Aug. 17 and are the result of input from more than 110,000 students at 357 colleges.Students and cadets

  • Forward-deployed civilians play vital role in terror war

    The death of a Department of the Air Force civilian in Iraq on Aug. 8 brings attention to some of the unsung heroes of the war effort: Thousands of Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy civilian employees who have voluntarily put themselves in harm's way to support the war on terrorism.Special

  • AFA announces annual aerospace awards

    The following Airmen and organizations are winners of the 2004 Air Force Association Aerospace Awards. The awards will be presented at the AFA’s annual convention here Sept. 13 to 15.The Theodore Von Karman Award for the most outstanding contribution to national defense in the field of science and

  • Crew chief follows, sets example

    "I want everyone I meet to know how proud I am to be part of the best air force in the world," said Tech. Sgt. Scott Stout, an F-15 Eagle maintenance trainer assigned to the 372nd Training Squadron’s Detachment 12 here."I like seeing the reflection of my ribbons and medals in people's eyes,”

  • Holloman maintainers training at Kunsan

    Wearing chemical warfare gear is nothing new for F-117 Nighthawk maintainers from the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. Wing Airmen have been to almost every “hot spot” in the world supporting Air Force global missions.About 300 Airmen and their stealth aircraft from Holloman are

  • Civil engineers benefit from F-117 deployment

    Civil engineers are reaping the benefits of an air and space expeditionary force deployment of F-117 Nighthawks here. Building and maintaining a home for about 300 Airmen from the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., has been a great training opportunity for the civil engineers, said

  • Air Force C-130s support Afghan army deployment

    U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules airlifted troops and supplies Aug. 15 and 16 supporting the deployment of several Afghan battalions to respond to factional fighting which started Aug. 14 in the Shindand area of the country.At the request of Afghan officials, forces from the coalition and international

  • New leadership course for chiefs in final development

    Although the transition to chief master sergeant may not be seamless, a new course will aim at eliminating some of the obstacles newly promoted chiefs may encounter.The Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, developed at the Air Force Senior NCO Academy at nearby Gunter Annex, becomes the fourth

  • Now showing: Aug. 16 edition of AFTV News

    The expanded role of North American Aerospace Defense Command headlines the latest edition of Air Force Television News. In a special “Eye on the Air Force,” Tech. Sgt. Bill Scherer goes to Rome, N.Y., to spotlight the Airmen who make up the Northeast sector of NORAD. He shows how their role has

  • AMC delivers hurricane relief

    Air Mobility Command began operations Aug. 13 to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency by providing emergency relief to areas in Florida devastated by Hurricane Charley.“AMC Tanker Airlift Control Center (began) moving 200 empty cargo pallets to Dobbins (Air Reserve Base), Ga., … so the

  • Life support keeps pilots prepared

    The cockpit of an aircraft is a self-contained environment, protecting the pilots from their surroundings.One group of Airmen here ensures the pilots have everything they need close at hand in there, especially those items they might need just “in case.”“We take care of the entire life-support

  • Air Force agent killed in Iraq

    A special agent assigned to the 33rd Field Investigation Squadron here and deployed to Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq, was killed in action Aug. 8.Special Agent Rick A. Ulbright, 49, died as a result of injuries sustained during a rocket attack at Kirkuk AB.Agent Ulbright served as a psychophysiological

  • Sergeant witnesses birth of son 10,000 miles away

    Tech. Sgt. Troy Goodman did not sit by his wife's hospital bed when she gave birth to their second son. Instead, he sat more than 10,000 miles away in tent city watching the delivery via Webcam.“I was woken up at 2 a.m., and got in touch with my wife at 3 a.m. By 4 a.m., I was logged into the IP

  • Two commands join forces during terror exercises

    It was a nightmare worst-case scenario, but that is what U.S. Northern Command officials had intended for "Determined Promise '04."The exercise, which ran Aug. 5 to 10, was designed to test NORTHCOM's ability to respond to multiple, simultaneous homeland-defense and federal-relief efforts.This

  • USAFE team supports nations contributing troops

    The most recent mission rotating Polish, Latvian, Lithuanian and Ukrainian combat forces to and from the Polish-led sector in Iraq landed at Strachowice Air Base here Aug. 12.A seven-person team from U.S. Air Forces in Europe converged in June to embark on a two-month mission supporting the rotation

  • Reserve medical team arrives in Niger

    A team of Air Force Reserve Command medical specialists arrived here Aug. 6 and quickly set up shop at the camp’s medical clinic. They began seeing patients early Aug. 9.The 12-person medical team deployed alongside a U.S. Marine counterterrorism team here which is outside Niamey, the African

  • Air Force seeks career enlisted aviators

    Opportunities for Airmen to become enlisted aviators are taking off as nine aircrew specialties are opening up for retraining.The Air Force’s senior enlisted aviator said more than 360 training slots are available for enlisted Airmen in ranks senior airman through master sergeant.Chief Master Sgt.

  • Engine workers keep A-10 flying in Afghanistan

    When A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots fly over Afghanistan, one system ensures they continue to provide top cover for coalition forces.The engines.“Without engines, the aircraft really couldn’t get off the ground,” said Airman 1st Class Quinn Eisenbraun, of the 354th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance

  • Deployed team helping Airmen communicate

    Deployed units rely on a steady flow of communication to accomplish the mission, so computers and phones provide a vital link between organizations around the Air Force.Equally important is making sure that those computers and phones work well, especially in an environment that is not very conducive

  • Airman’s actions come to light after a recent accident

    Staff Sgt. John Wright had just come off a night shift here when his quick-thinking and immediate response to an accident made him a hero in some people’s eyes.Sergeant Wright, an avionics specialist with the 116th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, was driving home when he came across a car accident

  • Veteran recalls historic World War II bombings

    The beginning of the end of fighting in the Pacific during World War II began 59 years ago with a thunderous roar.Some people thought there was another way to get Japan to the peace table. Others thought the drastic measures taken by the United States saved more lives despite the cost.Whatever the

  • Sergeant sees dollar signs with his idea

    Reading the fine print really paid off for one sergeant here. Staff Sgt. Neal Dion, a 364th Training Squadron aircraft systems instructor, received $10,000 for his submission to the Air Force IDEA program.Sergeant Dion was a liaison for The Boeing Company in the KC-10 Extender program at Travis Air

  • New system leading way for safer military flights

    Thanks to a new software-based program being implemented here, terminal instrument procedures specialists will soon be able to support flying missions within U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s area of operations more efficiently and with increased safety.The new system, called the Global Procedure

  • Medical officials clarify policy on cosmetic surgery

    Air Force doctors perform cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries as part of essential training, but elective cosmetic procedures such as breast augmentations are not routinely available as perks to servicemembers and their families, according to Air Force Medical Service officials.Recent published

  • 2005 NCO retraining program under way

    Air Force officials want more than 1,000 noncommissioned officers to pick a new job during the voluntary phase of the fiscal 2005 NCO retraining program that began Aug. 3.Eligible NCOs have until Sept. 30 to apply. If the Air Force does not meet its goal of placing 1,098 Airmen from overage career

  • Center professionals helping fight terrorism

    A well-trained terrorist looks for ways to exploit his target's vulnerabilities; however, through training and vigilance, the malicious deeds of America's enemies can be foiled.That is the message people from the U.S. Air Force Counterproliferation Center here want to spread.With the motto, "We

  • Reservists helping forest service fight fires

    As the sun sets, a C-130 Hercules rolls in, covered in a thin misty layer of reddish orange liquid fire retardant. The retardant coats everything it has touched, serving as a reminder to the Airmen from the 302nd Airlift Wing of the heroic adventure they have just completed.As of Aug. 5, the unit

  • Mission focus combats complacency

    Two narrow wire fences -- one of looped concertina wire, one of interlaced metal strands a quarter inch thick -- are all that appear to stand between coalition forces and potential enemies.Appearances, however, can be deceiving, as integrated layers of defense provide protection for forces here.

  • Longer school gives security forces more training

    The charter class of a longer, more intensive Security Forces Apprentice Course began here July 23.Training now lasts 65 days instead of 51, and teaches security forces students about missile security, convoy actions, capture and recovery of nuclear weapons, law enforcement, directing traffic and

  • Recruiting school marks 50 years at Lackland

    More than 4.3 million people have joined the Air Force in the past 50 years through the efforts of enthusiastic recruiters trained at the Air Force Recruiting School here.“Every recruiter has to come through this school first,” said Tech. Sgt. Lynn Bryan, one of 14 active-duty recruiting instructors

  • Guard unit provides medical assistance in Peru

    Thirty people from the Kansas Air National Guard's 184th Medical Group at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., returned home July 30 after providing humanitarian medical assistance to a needy portion of the civilian population here.In nine days, seven medical doctors, one physician assistant and an

  • Professional wrestler visits former base school, home

    Walking into the center of the high school gymnasium, the illuminated stage grabs the professional wrestler's attention. "This is the very spot (my friend) Kenny and I did that skit -- my first wrestling match!" he says, pointing to the stage.It was during this performance for the 1982 Randolph High

  • Execution team orchestrates experimentation

    The operators are running through the trenches of the war scenario on the floor of the Combined Air and Space Operations Center. Meanwhile, the chief of the execution phase and his team for Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004 are directing the play and stimulating the operations.They are

  • Assessment team answering JEFX questions

    What distinguishes the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004 here from an exercise is not just the addition of new innovations, but the work of more than 200 people on the experiment’s assessment team.These analysts are responsible for collecting and compiling the experiment findings for

  • Basic cadets finish field training with 36-mile relay

    The academy’s Class of 2008 was only 36 miles away from the end of the field portion of basic cadet training.The second annual Warrior Run began when the first group of cadets moved out at 7:10 a.m. Aug. 5. In all, 1,277 basic cadets and 625 upper-class cadre each ran about three miles of the

  • Project helps people ‘de-stress’ through training

    One unavoidable fact about military action is that servicemembers will have to deal with traumatic stress. Defense Department officials are working to find the best way to help troops deal with the harmful effects of the stress people face in combat. One part of that effort is a treatment trial

  • Organizations team up to protect range from lead pollution

    A steel-bullet trap will collect several hundred thousand rounds of lead annually at the 78th Security Forces Squadron’s small-arms range here, thanks to two agencies on base.A cooperative-funding venture between Warner Robins Air Logistics Center’s environmental management directorate and the 78th

  • Captain finds fitness, less stress with yoga

    Breathing instructions are repeated in minute-long counts while people hold an asana, or posture, that resembles a row boat. Piano music plays while the noon sun bounces around the room’s mirrors, making the atmosphere almost heavenly during the class.This is all part of Capt. William Uhl’s

  • Explosive disposal team aids warfighters one threat at a time

    Explosive ordnance disposal is a dangerous business under normal circumstances, but add the challenges of a deployed environment and a constant threat of attack and it truly becomes hazardous duty.The Airmen with 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s explosive ordnance disposal flight here

  • Going from Air Force to NASA blue for astronaut wings

    It is the all too famous image seen across the world -- the orange suits, the big smiles, the friendly waves -- as an astronaut crew prepares to launch out of Earth’s orbit. Since the first U.S. manned space flight in 1961, the Air Force has been a part of the nation’s space program.There are some

  • ACC officials release F-15E accident report

    A bird strike caused an F-15E Strike Eagle's engine to fail, forcing the crew to eject during a training mission May 6 near Callaway, Va., according to Air Force investigators.The pilot and weapons system officer ejected safely and were not injured.The $42 million aircraft, assigned to the 335th

  • Officials release Beechcraft aircraft crash report

    An accident investigation board report released July 30 indicates “sudden cardiac death” caused an Air Force Beechcraft KA 1900 pilot to crash at the Nevada Test and Training Range on March 16, killing all five people aboard.The crash happened in an unpopulated area as the aircraft was taking

  • Raptor continuing Air Force's air superiority record

    With air dominance training under way here, the Air Force's newest asset, the F/A-22 Raptor, is proving its worth every day as it nears initial operational capability.The Raptor will eventually replace the F-15 Eagle, an aircraft with an undefeated 104-0 combat record, according to Brig. Gen. Larry

  • August issue of Airman available

    Read about Airmen protecting convoys in Iraq, discover what it takes to become an astronaut, and learn how the rich ecosystem at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is being protected. These features and more highlight the August issue of Airman magazine, now available in print and online at

  • Airman makes good on promise

    To Airman Diana Herbert, her reason for serving in the Air Force was simple. She made a promise.She did not seek or want the attention she is getting, but that does not change the enormity of her promise to her brother, Army Pfc. Rayshawn Johnson.Airman Herbert, 18, fulfilled her pledge July 28

  • Liaison officers provide link to Naval airpower during JEFX

    For Sailors, it is not the typical tour of duty – witnessing rows of Airmen dimly outlined against the faint glow of computer screens requesting Naval airpower for a coordinated strike against enemy assets.The setting is the Combined Air and Space Operations Center and the tour of duty is the Naval

  • Security forces say farewell to four-legged partner

    Staff Sgt. Pablo Martinez's best friend retired from active duty July 27. Instead of bringing him a plaque or other token, Sergeant Martinez threw him a rubber ball attached to a nylon rope. It was the perfect gift.Dolfy, a military working dog for the 82nd Security Forces Squadron here, received

  • Motorcycle safety important part of critical days

    Since the start of the “101 Critical Days of Summer,” at least 16 Airmen have been injured or killed in motorcycle accidents, primarily because they lacked proper training or were not wearing all the required safety gear when they went down.Rod Krause, the 5th Bomb Wing safety office manager here

  • Weather officers provide key launch data

    A great deal of preparation goes into launching a missile or rocket here. Logistics, maintenance and operations are just a few essential aspects.One critical piece of a launch mission is determining and evaluating weather conditions up to the very second the vehicle lifts off from a pad or blasts

  • Airmen helping researchers by living in the clouds

    A handful of Air Force Academy Airmen are living in the clouds on the 14,110-foot Pikes Peak summit this summer as part of an Army/Air Force acclimatization research study.The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, based in Natick, Mass., and the academy’s Human Performance

  • Plans on table to sustain Minuteman III

    The officer in charge of America's intercontinental ballistic missile force said plans are well under way to sustain the life of the Minuteman III missile until the year 2020.Maj. Gen. Frank Klotz, 20th Air Force commander, visited here recently and spoke about the future of America's ICBM force.

  • Airmen help Army control fighting

    With operations in Afghanistan moving toward supporting increased voter registration and election security, coalition forces regularly travel throughout the countryside.Those forces count on aerial support from A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and other in-theater close-air support aircraft in theater for

  • Air Force ROTC closing detachments next summer

    Air Force ROTC officials are closing detachments at the University of Akron in Ohio, and Grambling State University in Louisiana next summer.In the summer 2007, officials will close AFROTC detachments at the University of Memphis in Tennessee; University of Cincinnati in Ohio; Wilkes University in

  • Pentagon launches 'Operation Blue to Green'

    Sailors and Airmen may soon be able to "Go Army" under a new Defense Department program intended to rebalance the size of the military. The program is generating new opportunities for continued service and career advancement for those willing to transfer into the Army from other services.Under

  • Board meets at academy to discuss issues

    The U.S. Air Force Academy's Board of Visitors met here July 24 and 25 to discuss a variety of issues affecting the institution. The board is required to meet at least annually to review morale, discipline, curriculum, instruction, physical education, fiscal affairs, academic methods and other

  • Weather forecasters helping coalition forces

    No matter what the season, weather changes quickly in the Afghanistan mountains. Within 30 minutes, sky can go from clear blue to dark and stormy, or the wind can pick up drastically, whipping up dust and reducing visibility to nearly zero.With air and ground forces conducting operations around the

  • Engineers by day, snipers by night

    Everyone has heard the old idiom, “like shooting fish in a barrel.” Two engineers here have revised it to, “like shooting a dime at 164 feet.”Capts. Mark Gould and Robin Orth, assigned to the Space and Missile Systems Center, are on the Air Force International Rifle Team. The team competes against

  • Guardsmen rescue pilot, dog after plane crash

    Pararescuemen from the Alaska Air National Guard’s 210th Rescue Squadron rescued a pilot and his dog following a crash July 21 in a steep canyon near Knik Glacier, 40 miles north of Anchorage.The Piper Cub pilot, in his late 60s, encountered a sudden downdraft and crashed his plane in the valley

  • Airmen serving at Army refueling point

    With rotors spinning at 1,600 revolutions per minute above his head, the Airman grips the fuel hose draped over his shoulder and pushes forward through the dust and sand. Time is everything in this environment and he knows it.The mission he has been tasked to do is not something he had ever dreamed

  • Edwards Airmen return from 'explosive' deployment

    During a recent deployment to Southwest Asia, two Airmen here put their lives on the line disposing of improvised explosive devices.For Staff Sgt. Neil Gertiser and Senior Airman Stephen Szczurek the danger never took over their thoughts, and they saw it as an opportunity to put their years of

  • Trainees march out for field portion of basic cadet training

    The Air Force Academy’s Class of 2008 marched 7.8 miles from the school’s Terrazzo to their Jacks Valley tent city July 23 to begin the field portion of basic cadet training.Nine squadrons consisting of almost 1,300 trainees, along with their cadre and academy leaders, formed up on the Terrazzo in

  • Local citizens receiving Air Force leadership training

    Airmen are not the only ones reaping the benefits of formal Air Force leadership training here. Two citizens from the local community completed five weeks of leadership classes July 23.The training they received on base coincided with the education Airmen receive at the Senior Master Sgt. David B.

  • JEFX 2004 execution phase is under way

    The Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004 execution phase is under way here. This is the fifth in a series of large-scale experiments that explore and assess new and emerging air power capabilities.The executing phase began July 19 and ends Aug. 5.Previous meetings, or spirals, focused on

  • Ramstein NCO captures first sergeant award

    A senior noncommissioned officer assigned to U.S. Air Forces in Europe headquarters at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, has earned the 2004 Air Force First Sergeant of the Year Award.Senior Master Sgt. Ricky Price, who works in construction and training, is being recognized for building then teaching the

  • Airmen shatter blood donation record

    Airmen here shattered their own record July 19 by donating 1,341 units of blood in a single day.Last year, base donors set the state's single-day, single-site blood donation record when they donated 1,151 units, earning the national "most first-time donors" award from the American Red

  • House hears space cadre testimony

    Air Force leaders provided key testimony July 22 to the House Armed Services Committee’s strategic force subcommittee about efforts to develop the professional space cadre.The undersecretary of the Air Force, Peter B. Teets, and the commander of Air Force Space Command, Gen. Lance W. Lord, explained

  • Keesler Airmen send aid to Afghanistan

    Thanks to Airmen here, cargo earmarked for needy families is on its way to Afghanistan aboard an Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules.The 403rd Wing here flew five pallets to Dover Air Force Base, Del., on July 21. Three more pallets are scheduled to leave July 29."I don't think we've done this type of

  • ROTC cadets pass field-training test at Lackland

    “Uncle Sam” requires all Air Force cadets to go through field training before they can think about receiving their commission and sporting the gold second lieutenant bar on their shoulders. Field training is a fierce mental and physical regimen that can make or break the spirits of aspiring Air