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  • A-10 pilots 'Hawg' the range

    The winner of the 2014 Hawgsmoke competition was the 47th Fighter Squadron, an Air Force Reserve Command unit based at Davis-Mothan Air Force Base, Arizona and under the operational control of the 924th Fighter Group.

  • GORUCK Light Challenge tests, inspires Airmen

    Painful muscles, cramps, dripping sweat, extremely hot temperatures and two heavy downpours courtesy of the base fire department weren't enough to dispel the motivation of more than more than 25 members of the base community here participating in the GORUCK Light, Team Cohesion Challenge July 12 at

  • F-35 returns to limited flight, officials rule out Farnborough

    While the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter has returned to limited flying, it will not be appearing at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said during a Pentagon news conference July 15.

  • Weapons Airman keeps F-22s in the fight

    Airman 1st Class Kyron Abraham worked the day shift during those winter months. He drove to work through the cold night of day to the 3rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and joined his three-man team in relieving the night shift. Then the order came to load

  • Branched out: From Marine, Soldier, Sailor to Airman

    Staff Sgt. Jesus Yanez, currently deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, from the Texas Air National Guard's 204th Security Forces Squadron in El Paso, Texas, has answered his nation's call not just once but four times: first as a Marine, then a Sailor, Soldier and currently as an Airman.

  • U.S., British wounded warriors compete in summer competition

    Approximately 100 U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and British Armed Forces wounded warriors trained and competed in the second annual Wounded Warrior Summer Invitational Adaptive Sports Tournament at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, July 7-10.

  • LEAP application window opens

    The Language Enabled Airman Program is accepting active-duty officer and enlisted applications July 15 - Aug. 22. Those intending to submit applications must register their intent to apply by Aug. 8. Officer candidate students in their senior years may also apply

  • Defense secretary visits Eglin AFB

    Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel visited Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., where he addressed safety concerns and toured the 33rd Fighter Wing's F-35 integrated training center, July 10.

  • 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year announced

    Air Force officials selected the service's top enlisted members, naming the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2014, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced July 10.

  • From cop to chaplain, one role helps with the other

    While every job plays an important role in the Air Force, two are known well by every Airman: security forces and chaplains. Airmen recognize security forces members as the guardians of the gates for military installations. On the other hand, many Airmen know chaplains to be confidential sources

  • AF introduces Total Force Commissioning Process

    Air Force officials announced the Total Force Commissioning Process July 10. This new process allows the Air Force to provide multiple career avenues for officers being commissioned through Air Force ROTC by offering cadets the chance to pursue opportunities in the Air Force Reserve or Air National

  • Four-legged Airmen acclimate to airpower

    The 6th Security Forces Squadron military working dog section teamed up with the U.S. Coast Guard to familiarize four MWD's with being in the presence of and flying in a helicopter, June 30, at Air Station Clearwater, Florida.

  • Airmen, aircraft continue Greenland mission

    Approximately 70 Air National Guard Airmen and two ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules completed the fourth rotation in the Arctic region to support the National Science Foundation, June 27-30 here.

  • First AF security forces readiness center opens

    As a young captain, Air Force Brig. Gen. Allen Jamerson once wondered why the Air Force did not have one place where security forces could go for training and evaluation."All security forces would come through (Fort Polk, Louisiana), and they had all been trained at different regional training

  • New positions bridge gap at missile wings

    In an effort to bridge the gap between young operators and leadership, Air Force Global Strike Command, through the 20th Air Force, established an assistant director of operations, or ADO, position at each missile wing.

  • Breedlove: Russian actions bring Europe to decisive point

    Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe and the commander of U.S. European Command, told reporters at the Pentagon that Russia's actions against Ukraine show just how important it is to maintain a forward presence in Europe to reassure the nation's partners and allies.

  • Fifth CMSAF visits Airmen, talks change, taking ownership

    The fifth Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force, Robert D. Gaylor, visited and spoke with Airmen June 26 at the base theater here.The former senior enlisted member of the Air Force shared his personal journey and views on leadership with more than 200 Airmen in attendance.

  • Offutt AFB supports tornado victims

    More than 40 individuals from Offutt Air Force Base recently assisted with clean-up and recovery efforts following a simultaneous strike of two tornadoes on June 16, in northeastern communities of Pilger and Wakefield, Nebraska.

  • ‘No Guts, No Glory’: Airmen honor legendary fighter pilot

    Current and former Airmen alike assembled to posthumously recognize the accomplishments of retired Maj. Gen. Frederick "Boots" Blesse, an Air Force ace pilot, during a memorial dedication ceremony June 27, at the 334th Fighter Squadron here.According to those who knew and served with Blesse, he

  • AF awards new combat rescue helicopter contract

    The Air Force awarded a $1.28 billion contract for the initial engineering and manufacturing development phase of the new combat rescue helicopter to Sikorsky Aircraft Company on June 26.

  • 45 units gather to support 30th Golden Coyote at Ellsworth AFB

    Ellsworth Air Force Base continued its history of providing vital assets and support during the South Dakota National Guard's, or SDNG, 30th Golden Coyote training exercise June 7 to 21.Forty-Five Air Force, Army and Navy military units, representing 15 states and personnel from four foreign

  • Force Improvement Program changing future of Global Strike

    Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, addressed members of the Air Force Association on how the Force Improvement Program, or FIP, is fostering a culture of empowerment among nuclear enterprise Airmen and helping restore nation’s trust in the Air Force’s

  • Shaw AFB firefighters awarded DOD level honor

    Tech. Sgt. Joseph Charleston, the 20th CES station captain, and Senior Airman Boyd Korb, a 20th CES firefighter, were directly responsible for the lifesaving rescue of a downed civilian firefighter in Sumter, S.C.The Airmen received awards at the Air Combat Command and Air Force levels before going

  • Hero honored by American Red Cross

    Staff Sgt. Craig Petersen, a 366th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron weapons load crew chief, was awarded the Military Hero Award by the American Red Cross June 19, in Boise, Idaho.

  • Kadena squadrons relocate to Guam for training

    Service members, aircraft and equipment from the 44th Fighter Squadron, 909th Air Refueling Squadron and 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron temporarily repositioned to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, June 18, as part of an aviation training relocation mission.

  • Fighting prejudice with a passion

    An equal opportunity specialist, a sexual assault response coordinator and a deputy inspector general walk into a base social event. What sounds like the beginning of a joke takes a sudden, very different turn. The fundraising event comes to a grinding halt as those in attendance recognize the

  • AF builds partnership with Baltic states

    Airmen from the 435th Contingency Response Group arrived at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia June 16, to participate in the Air Force-specific portion of Saber Strike 2014.

  • Airmen wrap up African partnership program

    U.S. and African partners concluded a weeklong collaboration event with eight regional air forces in Dakar, Senegal June 20, aimed at strengthening relationships between the air forces and encouraging an exchange of ideas.

  • Airman excels on two wheels, continues to pedal forward

    It was summer 2007 in Wausau, Wisconsin. David Flaten had completed his first mountain bike race through the nine-mile forest course with no prior racing experience and a simple knowledge of cycling. After regaining the feeling in his legs, the now Senior Airman said he had fallen in love.

  • Airmen repair runway in Afghanistan

    Airmen from the 455th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron and the 577th Expeditionary Prime Base Engineer Squadron completed flightline repairs to the main runway here June 9.

  • AFROTC instructor duty applications due June 30

    Eligible lieutenants, captains and majors interested in Summer 2015 and remaining 2014 Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor opportunities must submit their application, via the Airman Development Plan, to the Air Force Personnel Center by June 30, AFPC officials said June 20.

  • AFROTC detachment command opportunities available

    Eligible active duty line of the Air Force lieutenant colonels and lieutenant colonel-selects interested in Reserve Officer Training Corps detachment command opportunities have until June 27 to complete their statement of intent, via the Airman Development Plan, Air Force Personnel Center officials

  • RPAs meet mission goals safe and on time

    Airmen stationed in the continental U.S. and in deployed locations throughout the world drew on decades of Air Force aviation experience to achieve 65 simultaneous remotely piloted combat air patrols last month.

  • CCAF graduates 350,000th student

    Base leaders, families and service members gathered here June 13 to welcome the spring 2014 graduates of the Community College of the Air Force.Officials awarded selected students with the Pitsenbarger Award Scholarship, the John and Kathy Hood Military Scholarship and made a special presentation to

  • CMSAF attends international symposium

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody attended an international senior enlisted leader symposium June 9-13 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Turkish air force hosted the event which brought together the top senior enlisted Airmen from air forces around the world to exchange ideas and enhance

  • SecAF: Total force readiness has atrophied

    While elements of the Air Force are always prepared to meet the country's readiness needs, total force readiness has deteriorated, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told the Defense Writers Group here June 18.

  • Afghan air force learns self-sustaining casualty evacuation care

    The flightline is filled with aircrew and C-130 Hercules engines are starting up for another Afghan air force casualty evacuation mission.Within two years, the Afghan air force has made significant improvements to their casualty evacuation capabilities...

  • BMT quarters temporarily housing immigrant minors

    A former BMT facility was turned into a temporary shelter May 18 by the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families. The shelter is for unaccompanied Central American minors who have been caught illegally crossing into the U.S.

  • Westover airlifts 26 tons of aid to Nicaragua

    A training mission doubled as a humanitarian relief effort for Reserve Airmen from the 439th Airlift Wing, Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts, as 13 Airmen delivered 26 tons of cargo to Augusto Cesar Sandino International Airport, Nicaragua, June 10.

  • Air Force C-130s land at Lielvarde AB for the first time

    Three U.S. Air Force C-130J Hercules from the 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, landed on Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia, June 17, making them the first U.S. Air Force aircraft to land at the newly renovated installation.

  • Airmen rescue injured mountain climber

    Two Airmen from the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord risked their lives to rescue an injured climber from Mount Rainier May 28.

  • Enlisted pilots honored during ceremony

    The military's sergeant pilots, enlisted aviators who served from 1912-1957, were honored during a monument unveiling and dedication at Maxwell-Gunter's Enlisted Heritage Hall June 9.Nearly 14 years in the making, the monument depicts Corporal Vernon L. Burge, the Army Signal Corps' first enlisted

  • Wounded warrior battles life, career, competition

    He had known about the cancer, but until his trip to the emergency room that day in 2007, he hadn’t been told how far it had spread throughout his body. The doctor then shared with the master sergeant that his chances of survival over the next five years were at 55 percent and if he was willing to

  • Whiteman B-2s train in UK

    Two B-2 Spirits flew to the U.S. European Command area of operations June 8 to train and integrate with U.S. and allied military forces in the region.

  • AF test pilot school applications due in June

    The 2014 U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, or TSP, selection board will convene here Aug. 5-8 to consider candidates for July 2015 and January 2016 classes, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.

  • Airmen, Sailors build Navy mines for B-1 deployment

    Ellsworth Airmen partnered with several U.S. Navy minesmen June 2 through 7 during a joint training mission to exercise the B-1B Lancer's capabilities in deploying Navy mines.The 28th Munitions Squadron members teamed up with midshipmen from the Naval Munitions Command Seal Beach for the first time

  • Mountain Home Fire Department receives DOD award

    The Mountain Home Air Force Base Fire Department was recently recognized as the winner of the 2013 Department of Defense Fire and Emergency Services of the Year award in the small fire department category.

  • Key spouse program key to family readiness

    Air Force spouses are key to maintaining stability on the home front as Airmen maintain focus on the war front, according to the wife of the Air Force’s top officer.

  • Airman's grandfather part of post-Normandy air campaign

    D-Day. The mere mention of the epic invasion can evoke a barrage of images in people's minds spanning the spectrum between horror and glory. For Master Sgt. Matthew Carey, 28th Bomb Wing Treaty Compliance Office superintendent, it conjures thoughts of a man he barely knew and whose grandest

  • U.S., Polish Airmen support largest combined training

    U.S. and Polish airmen started training together at Lask Air Base, Poland, June 2, during the largest theater security cooperation event ever hosted by the U.S. Air Force Aviation Detachment in Poland, according to Av-Det officials.

  • President signs CAP medal into law

    President Barack Obama today signed into law S. 309, the bill awarding a Congressional Gold Medal to Civil Air Patrol for its service during World War II.

  • Secretary James visits 403rd Wing

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James met with civic leaders, toured facilities and spoke to the Airmen and senior leaders of the 403rd Wing alongside Mississippi's 4th district U.S. Representative Steven Palazzo and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker during a visit to Keesler Air Force Base in

  • Eglin welcomes final F-35A

    The 58th Fighter Squadron became the Air Force's first complete F-35A Lightning II squadron after they welcomed their 26th and final F-35A May 28 at the 33rd Fighter Wing, here.

  • Pacific Defender builds multi-national security ties

    Andersen Air Force Base hosted a Security Forces Pacific Defender international subject-matter expert exchange, or SMEE, May 19-23, to help build partnerships across the Pacific region and promote interoperability.

  • AF 'impossible' rescue mission recognized

    On the remote coastline of Eastern Iceland, inaccessible to ordinary travel, a plaque was dedicated May 30 to commemorate a U.S. Air Force rescue team operation accomplished 20 years earlier.On Jan. 10, 1994, members of the 56th Rescue Squadron, then located at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland,

  • AF pilot helps in airline emergency

    An in-flight medical emergency caused Capt. Mark Gongol, a B-1B Lancer pilot, to jump into action and help safely land a commercial 737 on Dec. 30, 2013.

  • Biden to Class of 2014: 'You carry America on your back'

    The Air Force Academy's Class of 2014 will face new missions as the United States draws down in Afghanistan, but the challenges they encounter will be no less formidable and complex, Vice President Joseph R. Biden said during the Academy's commencement May 28.

  • Wrenches to wings: munitions maintainer becomes F-15C pilot

    Second Lt. Kyle Wheeler once prepared weapons for the F-15C Eagle as an munitions maintenance operator. After earning his commission, Wheeler is in the initial stages to climb into the cockpit and drop the weapons he once delivered.

  • Force protection, fire department team up for uniform burn

    Staff Sgt. Joshua Hellmich has done more than his fair share of "dumpster diving." It's up to this young NCO, along with members of his team assigned to the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron's force protection flight, to ensure that no piece of critical information leaves the installation.

  • Combat Hammer 2014: Boosting RPA strike proficiency

    Airmen from the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing and the air-to-ground weapons system evaluation program, or WSEP, team participated in the 2014 Combat Hammer exercise May 12-15, to operationally assess and evaluate the reliability, maintainability, suitability, and accuracy of remotely

  • Travis AFB hosts historic MWD trial

    The Travis Air Force Base trial brought 66 competitors from 29 different agencies to the base, with more than 400 spectators in attendance. The competition tested the ability of military working dog handlers and canines to work in cohesion in the fields of explosives and narcotics detection,