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  • Doolittle Raiders greet, inspire Hurlburt Field Airmen during final reunion

    Three Air Force legends spoke to dozens of Airmen April 18 here, marking the 71st anniversary of when they and their fellow Airmen turned the tide of the U.S. war effort. The visit also marked the last public reunion of the Doolittle Raiders. Retired Lt. Cols. Richard Cole and  Edward Saylor and

  • Sequestration will affect force readiness

    The four branches of the military delivered another warning to Congress April 18 that a prolonged budget sequester will significantly affect military readiness, and could leave the services unable to carry out defense strategy.Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry Spencer told lawmakers

  • Airmen, EPA combine conservation efforts for Earth Day

     In commemoration of Earth Day, more than 150 volunteers participated in a coastal cleanup April 21 on Tarague Beach here.Earth Day is an international event that demonstrates the commitment and significant investment the United States and other countries have made toward environmental security.

  • Sequestration impact on combat aviation: decreased readiness

    The near and long term effects of sequestration and budget cuts for the military's combat aviation assets was the focus of a House Armed Services Committee subcommittee panel on Capitol Hill April 17.Two of the Air Force's top experts on combat aviation acquisition and operations, along with their

  • Air Force Week in Photos Special Edition: Angel Thunder 2013

    This week's photos feature Airmen participating in the joint service, multinational, interagency combat search and rescue exercise, Angel Thunder.  Angel Thunder 2013 is a personnel recovery exercise designed to provide training for participants using a variety of scenarios to simulate deployment

  • Warrior Games camp prepares Air Force team

    Athletes representing the Air Force during this year's Warrior Games participated in a week-long training camp here April 14-20.The Warrior Games, held May 11-16 at the U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Olympic Training Center, are a sport competition for sick and injured service members and veterans.

  • AF earns top DOD environmental awards

    Two Air Force units have been recognized as the best in the Department of Defense at being "green."The 673rd Air Base Wing, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and the 78th Civil Engineer Group, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., were among the winners of the 2013 Secretary of Defense Environmental

  • New AF pregnancy website offers state-of-the-art support

    The Air Force Medical Service's Center of Excellence for Medical Multimedia, or CEMM, recently unveiled an educational and state-of-the-art website on pregnancy for Airmen and their families.The Pregnancy A to Z website, www.pregnancyatoz.org, is the CEMM's 12th educational website. The site

  • AF observes Sexual Assault Awareness Month

    At installations around the world Airmen are working together to increase awareness, prevent and care for the victims of sexual assault, with a variety of events underway in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.From the commander in chief to the

  • AFPC implements live chat capability on myPers website

    The Air Force Personnel Center now provides live chat capability through the myPers website, AFPC officials announced recently.Since April 5, live chat capability has provided users interested in retiring with the option of real time communication with personnel specialists. Additional topics will

  • Reserve, Guard leaders discuss FY14 budget

    The top leaders from Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force Reserve and National Guard were on Capitol Hill here April 17 to provide statements and answer questions regarding their FY14 budget proposals.Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., the chairwoman of the full U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, Sen.

  • DOD 'scrubbing money pot' to reduce furloughs, Carter says

    Pentagon leaders from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on down are looking for ways to reduce the pending civilian employee layoffs known as furloughs, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter said April 16.Under the department's current plan, more than 700,000 civilian employees will receive furlough

  • Airmen fight hunger through 'Food for Kidz'

    Global hunger took another hit today by Luke Air Force Base service members and their families April 13 as they worked alongside community organizations to build "Food for Kidz" boxes.Approximately 165 volunteers from Luke AFB spent about six hours packaging 105,000 meals, which will be sent to

  • Former Airman now NBA pro

    The court was shining and cameras flashing as a crowd of thousands gathered in the Sleep Train Arena to watch the Dallas Mavericks duel the Sacramento Kings April 5. Beale Airmen and 9th Reconnaissance Wing commander, Col. Phil Stewart gathered to witness the contest and meet former 9th Security

  • AF Honor Guard blossoms in joint drill exhibition

    The U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team members displayed their skill at a Joint Service Drill Team Exhibition on the National Mall during the 101st National Cherry Blossom Festival here April 13.Between the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and its iconic reflecting pool, the 12 Drill Team members

  • Air Superiority: Advantage over enemy skies for 60 years

    A few months after the D-Day invasion in June 1944, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower surveyed the Normandy beaches with his son. "You'd never get away with this if you didn't have air supremacy," then 2nd Lt. John Eisenhower told his father. "Without air supremacy," the elder Eisenhower replied, "I

  • SecAF discusses $114.1 billion budget proposal

    The Air Force's top civilian leader today presented his service's fiscal 2014 $114.1 billion baseline budget request to Congress and shared some of the fiscal challenges the Air Force has faced."As with all budgets, our FY (2014) request represents a snapshot in time," Secretary of the Air Force

  • Budget request provides for best Air Force possible, Welsh says

    The Air Force's $114.1 billion fiscal 2014 budget request will provide for the most capable airpower arm possible, the Air Force chief of staff said here today.Testifying with Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley, Gen. Mark A. Welsh III told the House Armed Services Committee his service's

  • 38 Airmen selected for physician assistant program

    More than three dozen Airmen, including one U.S. Air Force Academy cadet, have been selected for the Interservice Physician Assistant Program, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced today.Out of 52 applicants, six officers (one an alternate), one U.S. Air Force Academy cadet and 31 enlisted

  • Space Command's ops chief discusses new warfighter role

    The Director of Air, Space and Cyberspace Operations for Air Force Space Command spoke at the Space Warfighters Luncheon April 9 during the 29th National Space Symposium held at the Broadmoor Resort, Colorado Springs, Colo.Maj. Gen. Jack Weinstein addressed a packed room of both military and

  • AMC commander stresses importance of new tanker

    The commander of the Air Force's Air Mobility Command today stressed the high priority his service places on the KC-46A tanker aircraft program.Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva discussed progress with the program and stressed its priority in a meeting with Defense Writers Group reporters.Air Force

  • Deployed Airmen bridge cultures with words

    Airmen and Soldiers give lessons in conversational English to Afghan students at the Korean Vocational Training Center here, as part of the effort to create a better future for coalition partners.Master Sgt. Dean Regazzi, 455th Expeditionary Medical Group first sergeant, coordinated the 51 American

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Crew chief keeps B-2s ready for long journeys

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story)His hands are glazed from spatters of grease and oil. His uniform reeks of hydraulic fluid after working a 12-hour shift maintaining a B-2 Spirit.Airman

  • New resources promote fitness culture

    To help improve Total Force fitness levels, Air Force Personnel Center officials are fielding new fitness resources accessible online, in person or on DVD.These resources, including the Operational Fitness Program, Xtreme Wednesday Workouts, the Air Force Fitness DVDs and the Fitness on Request

  • Nellis AFB pilots fly their first operational F-35 mission

    Two F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron here conducted the aircraft's first operational flights from Nellis AFB. These historic flights came less than a month after the March 19 arrival ceremony for the aircraft, but members of the 57th Maintenance Group's

  • DOD releases FY 14 defense budget proposal

    President Barack Obama today sent to Congress a proposed defense budget of $526.6 billion in discretionary budget authority to fund defense programs in the base budget for fiscal year (FY) 2014. The budget continues the department's commitment to good stewardship of taxpayer dollars by seeking

  • Air Force graduates first RPA armament course

    Five Airmen from the 363rd Training Squadron graduated from the Air Force's first Remotely-Piloted Aircraft armament apprentice course during a graduation ceremony here April 8.Prior to the RPA armament apprentice course coming on-line, Airmen who were headed to an RPA armament assignment received

  • KC-46 progress on track

    The top acquisition priority in the Air Force - acquiring a new aerial refueling capability - is proceeding "on track," Maj. Gen. John Thompson, the program executive officer for Tankers, said.Two years and several key milestones after the contract was awarded, a great deal of progress has been

  • Cyber Airman-development strategically critical to the nation

    Cyber Airman development became the focus of discussion at Cyber 1.3 in Colorado Springs April 8, as Chief Master Sgt. Linus Jordan, command chief, Air Force Space Command, addressed space and cyber industry leaders at the conference prior to official opening of the 29th National Space

  • Air Combat Command stands down units due to budget cuts

    Air Force officials will begin to stand down active-duty combat units starting April 9 to ensure the remaining units supporting worldwide operations can maintain sufficient readiness through the remainder of the fiscal year.The stand down is the result of cuts to Air Combat Command's operations and

  • ANG Airmen rescue researcher from glacier

    Airmen with the Alaska Air National Guard's 210th, 211th and 212th Rescue Squadrons rescued a snowmobiler who fell 80 feet into a glacier crevasse April 4.According to the Associated Press, Tom Douglas, 41, of Fairbanks, landed unhurt on his feet on a ledge at Jarvis Glacier near Delta

  • AF officials select new fire chief

    The Air Force has a new top firefighter.Jim Podolske has been named chief of Fire Emergency Services, a division of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center's Readiness Directorate here. As the Air Force fire chief, Podolske will manage a force of more than 9,200 military and civilian firefighters as

  • Sexual assault awareness 'begins at top'

    To combat and put an end to sexual assault in the military, the Defense Department has designed programs to boost victim medical care, increase assault reporting and hold offenders accountable for their crimes, the director of the Pentagon's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office said here

  • Navy recognizes Andersen firefighters

    Navy Fire and Emergency Services recently named two Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Airmen Firefighter of the Year and Fire Officer of the Year for 2012.The all-encompassing awards recognized Tech. Sgt. Arnold Castro, 36th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire and Emergency Services Station captain, and

  • Strategic Command plans for unexpected, commander says

    The last thing Air Force Gen. C. Robert Kehler wants is to be caught by surprise.He is the point man for the U.S. nuclear arsenal as well as space, cyber, ballistic missile and other capabilities. As commander of U.S. Strategic Command, Kehler's job is to ensure U.S. deterrence remains so strong

  • MilPDS upgrade complete: Review emergency contact information

    If you married, have a new address or experienced significant life changes in March, you should review your emergency contact information to ensure it is accurate, Air Force Personnel Center officials advised.The Military Personnel Data System manages such military personnel and pay information as

  • Revised security question helps sexual assault victims

    Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper today issued new guidance for a question that deals with mental health treatment on the questionnaire that must be completed by those seeking national security positions and security clearances.In a statement issued to announce the change, Clapper

  • AF announces Installation Excellence award recipient

    Air Force leaders announced the winners of the 2013 Air Force Installation Excellence awards and Special Recognition program March 27.Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., is the recipient of this year's award, with McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., receiving runner-up. "It is our distinct privilege to

  • F-22 resumes normal flight operations

    The F-22 Raptor has resumed normal flight operations after modifications to aircrew life-support equipment were completed across the fleet, including the upper pressure garment and related hoses, valves and connectors. Completion of this task eliminates the need to restrict flight operations to

  • Officials announce team bound for 2013 Warrior Games

    Fifty Air Force athletes are one step closer to gold after being chosen to represent the service at the 2013 Warrior Games.The Warrior Games is an Olympic-style competition open to all wounded, ill and injured military members and veterans. Each branch of service sends a team to represent their

  • CSAF, CMSAF visit Global Strike Command Airmen

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody and their spouses were at Barksdale Air Force Base April 2-3 to visit with Airmen and see the Air Force Global Strike Command mission firsthand.The visit included mission briefings, tours and meetings with

  • Alaska trooper gains, gives at Air Force NCO academy

     Tech. Sgt. Brian Zeisel with the Alaska Air National Guard is modest about the recognition he gets from leading his Alaska State Trooper K9, "Argo," through some dangerous law enforcement dispatches.As a full time State Trooper with more than 10 years' service, thousands see Zeisel's patrols in

  • Guard rescue center completes 5,000th mission

    Members of the Alaska (11th Air Force) Rescue Coordination Center on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, completed their 5,000th mission (since July 1, 1994) March 27. During the 5,000th mission, the team coordinated the Alaska Air National Guard's successful recovery of a pilot who crashed a

  • Airman saves friend's life half a world away

    Most Airmen have accomplished computer-based suicide prevention training and are familiar with the "typical" scenario - a bold Airman asking the right questions to someone who isn't acting "right." In these training modules, the interaction is almost always in person, face-to-face. But, as one

  • Andrews communications Airmen have global mission

    He'll be the first to admit that his job is far from easy. Maintaining highly complex, state-of-the-art cyber systems operations equipment is something Senior Airman Joseph Cline finds amazingly difficult, but one that he says has global implications.Cline is a member of the 89th Communications

  • CMSAF visits Aviano AB, tackles tough questions

    During his recent visit of Air Force bases in Europe, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody spent two days talking with Aviano Airmen, March 28 and 29, getting their viewpoints on some of the Air Force's biggest issues. In his second month since stepping into the service's highest

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: An immigrant's climb to the top

    For decades, America has been known around the world as a place of opportunity, a reputation that has drawn people from all corners of the world to inhabit there. It's this reputation that motivated a husband and wife to leave a former communist nation of Yugoslavia with their two boys in tow in

  • Space mission continues despite restructure

    Critical Air Force missions continue from their current locations after today's restructure of Air Force Space Command's Space Innovation and Development Center at Schriever AFB, Colo.The SIDC restructure and realignment of subordinate organizations is part of the Air Force response to meet future

  • AF nurse to serve in White House clinic

    One 81st Medical Group nurse will soon join an elite medical staff when he becomes a member of the White House clinic.Capt. Kyle Perry, a critical care nurse in the 81st Inpatient Operations Squadron intensive care unit, was notified of his selection for the post in February and reports there in

  • AF scientist earns DOD's top civilian award

    Dr. Boris Tomasic from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base was named a recipient of the 57th annual Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award.The highest honor given by the Secretary of Defense to career civilian

  • Luke AFB reaches millionth-hour milestone

    Translating a million hours into years equals 114 years and one month. Going that far back in time places a person in February of 1899.Luke Air Force Base reached an aircraft milestone March 13 when an F-16 Fighting Falcon took to the sky marking 1 million flying hours in this venerable jet at Luke

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Airman, Vietnam POW looks back

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.) Forty years have passed since the United States ended its involvement in the Vietnam War, and 40 years have passed since many of its sons who engaged in

  • AFR/ANG announces 2013 teen leadership summits

    The Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard officials announced the 2013 AFR/ANG Teen Leadership Summit locations. This year's summits will be held in Dahlonega, Ga., and Estes Park, Colo. The teen summits combine high-adventure activities with leadership classes to allow teens to tap into their

  • AF system improves homeland air defense

    An Air Force system designed in the wake of Sept. 11 to provide comprehensive air surveillance and defense for North America recently got even better. The Battle Control System-Fixed program reached a major milestone with the full deployment of Increment 3. The BCS-F, produced by

  • First woman to lead air campaign

    In early 2011, the world watched in horror as the aging dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi turned his weapons against his own people in what became a bloody civil war in the North African state of Libya. Soon, the Libyan army was bearing down on Benghazi, the second largest city in the country, threatening

  • Medic shows courage after rocket attack

    Three weeks after arriving to her deployed location in Afghanistan, insurgents showered then-Tech. Sgt. Angela Blue's base with 80-millimeter mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and machine gun fire.During the attack, she received a radio request to report to the Afghan National Army side of the

  • SecDef says furlough days reduced for civilians

    The Defense Department has revised from 22 to 14 the number of days hundreds of thousands of civilian employees could be furloughed this year because of the budget sequester, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced today.In addition, a senior Defense Department official speaking on background told

  • Airman helps others any place, anytime

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.) Senior Master Sgt. Marvin D. Compton is no stranger to life-saving events. For the second time in seven years, Compton was at the right place at the

  • Joint Task Force builds skills, ties with RAF at unique exercise

    Units deploying to U.S. Transportation Command's Eagle Flag exercise here can expect to encounter austere field conditions, heated interaction with role players acting as difficult locals, and lots and lots of cargo. But when air mobility specialists from the British Royal air force arrived to

  • AF to implement force structure changes

    The Air Force released its plan Mar. 28 to implement force structure changes mandated by the Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act. The bill authorized the service to complete actions approved in previous years, such as aircraft retirements, and directed execution of

  • B-2 bombers conduct extended deterrence mission to South Korea

    U.S. Strategic Command officials sent two B-2 Spirit bombers for a long-duration, round-trip training mission from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., to South Korea March 28 as part of the ongoing bilateral Foal Eagle training exercise.       The exercise demonstrates the commitment of the United States

  • From the Ground Up: Climbing to the Top of the World

    Six continents. Seven years. More than 100,000 feet climbed and next month, the USAF 7 Summits Challenge team is setting out to climb to the top of the world. At 29,035 ft., Mount Everest is the highest peak on Earth. If successful, six Airmen will become the first American military team to reach

  • Officials uphold commitment to suicide prevention solutions

     A panel of Defense Department and service officials told Congress March 21, their efforts to address military suicides will persist.Representing the Air Force, Lt. Gen. Darrell D. Jones, the deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, spoke to the actions the Air Force is taking to

  • Pacific Air Forces commander thanks Airmen as Cope Tiger 13 concludes

    The commander of Pacific Air Forces met with Airmen from the U.S., Thailand and Republic of Singapore as they joined forces one last time on the flight line during the closing ceremony for Cope Tiger 13 here March 21. "I want to personally thank you for all that you've done. What you've accomplished

  • 17th CMSAF visits Ramstein AB

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody visited with Airmen here March 26 to share his vision of the Air Force.The 17th chief master sergeant of the Air Force visited leaders from numerous organizations here and coined 10 Airmen from different career fields for various achievements.Service

  • Air Force's top enlisted leader visits Spangdahlem AB

    The Air Force's top enlisted leader visited here March 25-26. As part of the tour, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody met with leaders of Spangdahlem Air Base's private organizations, held an Airmen's call and took briefings about fighter wing operations.First, he had lunch with the

  • Night vision training increases Afghan AF capabilities

    NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan air advisors reached an important milestone in the Combined Strategic Flight Plan with the inclusion of nighttime operational capabilities as part of flight training for the Afghan Air Force. Night vision goggle training is one part of an extensive curriculum

  • Moon landing jump starts general's own space legacy

    When Neil Armstrong made history with man's first footsteps on the moon, Susan Helms needed a little nudging from her mom to get excited. And get excited she did. She realized that there would never be another first step on the moon, and even as a young 11-year-old, knew the feat was something

  • Airmen fine-tune skills at Eagle Flag

    Approximately 120 members from the 621st Contingency Response Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and fifty 690th Rapid Port Opening Element Soldiers from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., sharpened their Joint Task Force-Port Opening skills during Exercise Eagle Flag 13-1 here March 8 through15.

  • 'A chief is a chief'

    With the growth of the women's movement evolving in the workplace in the 80s and 90s, military operations continued to see an increasing number of women climb the ranks of the armed forces. In the summer of 1990, while the U.S. moved men and women across the Atlantic in support of the Gulf War,

  • Not too soon for spouse's job hunt before moving

    As service members start to receive their orders for summer moves, it's time for working spouses to update resumes, start networking for job opportunities and contact career counselors at their new locations, a Pentagon official recommends.In an interview with American Forces Press Service and the

  • 16 specialties work together, build one clear picture

    Controlling 250,000 square miles of air space over Afghanistan is no easy task, but it's just another day for the Airmen of the 73rd Expeditionary Air Control Squadron.The 73rd EACS supports the enduring airpower mission through air control and data support by making sure constant radar feeds, radio

  • Clarke officially assumes responsibilities as Air Guard director

    Lt. Gen. Stanley E. Clarke III assumed the duties and responsibilities of director, Air National Guard in a ceremony here March 22 at the Air National Guard Readiness Center. Clarke took over as director from Lt. Gen. Harry "Bud" Wyatt, who retired.A command pilot with more than 4000 hours,

  • Efforts continue for spouse professional license portability

    Defense Department officials recognize that an unemployed spouse can affect a service member's retention, so efforts continue to allow spouses' professional licenses to transfer from state to state as military families move from one duty station to another, a Pentagon official told American Forces

  • Airmen now learn in HD with Guard's NCO Academy

    The Air National Guard's center for training and education is leveraging live high-definition, high-bitrate video to develop Airmen with the high quality associated with an in-residence experience - but at a fraction of the cost.Currently the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center, or TEC, is in

  • Science fair leads to first and only woman as SecAF

    In a field dominated by boys, especially during the mid 1950's, a young high school junior in Tacoma, Wash., was determined to win her local science fair. Borrowing a small piece of uranium from her uncle, who worked for a mining company, the student created a model of atoms and set up a display to

  • Cody testifies to quality of life in the Air Force

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody testified on quality-of-life issues in the Air Force before House Appropriations Committee members March 19.The biggest challenge currently facing the Air Force is the nation's fiscal situation, Cody said, citing the looming furlough of 180,000 civilian

  • Squadron, group command application process underway

    Development teams from various Air Force specialties will convene between May and September to consider eligible officers for 2014 squadron command, deputy maintenance and deputy mission support group commander positions, Air Force Personnel Center officials said today.Suspense dates for statements

  • First international student pilot flies F-35

    The first international student aviator at the 33rd Fighter Wing, training to be an F-35B Lightning II instructor pilot, completed his first sortie in the joint strike fighter here March 19.United Kingdom Royal Air Force Squadron Leader Frankie Buchler flew with Marine Fighter Attack Training

  • Airmen learn to defend against inside threats

    For today's Airmen, just being qualified on their weapons will not prepare them for one of the greatest threats downrange -- the insider threat.Members of the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Group Combat Arms Training and Maintenance train deployed Airmen on the skills needed  to react to a

  • Nellis accepts delivery of F-35 with ceremony

    In the Thunderbird Hangar filled to capacity, Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Lofgren, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center commander, formally accepted delivery of three F-35A Lightning IIs March 19.The aircraft will be assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron where they will undergo operational

  • First Sergeant Academy embraces blended learning

    The U. S. Air Force First Sergeant Academy has transformed its curriculum from a traditional "brick-and-mortar" education experience to a mixture of facilitated distance learning and in-resident classroom time to teach future first sergeants. What was once a three-week in-residence course is now

  • Academy instructors receive Commendation Medals for life-saving efforts

    Two U.S. Air Force Academy chemistry instructors received Commendation Medals March 18 for helping save the life of a fellow hiker on Jan.26 in Manitou Springs, Colo.It was just another day for Maj. Thomas Heier and Capt. Benjamin Worker when they climbed the 8,590-foot Manitou Incline in

  • Keesler personnel chief named Air Force's best

    The personnel chief at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., has been named the top Air Force manpower and personnel flight chief of the year.Becky Green, 81st Force Support Squadron, leads a 68-member flight that includes military and civilian members, is responsible for planning, development and

  • West Point visit sparks illustrious 30-year AF career

    Describing her career as "inconceivable," there isn't much that Maj. Gen. Sharon K. G. Dunbar would want to change. "I've done more than I ever imagined," said the small-hometown-in-Illinois commander of the Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Md. "I've met incredible people

  • 2012 Academy grad killed in motorcycle accident

    A 2012 Air Force Academy graduate assigned to Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, was killed March 15 in a motorcycle accident in Val Verde County.Second Lt. Jason Black, a 26-year-old member of the 47th Student Squadron, was killed at about 3 a.m. on U.S. Highway 90 West and Spur 349 northwest of Del

  • Bombers show U.S. resolve to defend South Korea, spokesman says

    It isn't just American capabilities in South Korea that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has to consider -- capabilities based outside South Korea also figure in the strategic calculus, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.In a meeting with reporters, Little said B-52 Stratofortresses

  • DOD announces pilot sites for Healthy Base Initiative

    Thirteen pilot sites will participate in the Healthy Base Initiative, a demonstration project for the Defense Department's Operation Live Well, Pentagon officials announced March 18.Among the 13 chosen were Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; Yokota Air Base,

  • Photo essay: Cope Tiger 2013

    More than 1,900 U.S., Thai and Singapore airmen are participating in the Exercise Cope Tiger 2013 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, and the surrounding area. The U.S. has participated in since 1994.The annual field training exercise, comprised of aviation and ground units, is designed to

  • AF's top lawyer: Special Victims' Counsel supports sexual assault victims

    The Air Force's top lawyer testified Mar. 13 before the Senate Armed Services Committee's personnel subcommittee on sexual assault in the military and ongoing efforts to combat the problem.The Judge Advocate General, Lt. Gen. Richard C. Harding, was joined by his fellow service counterparts and the

  • Edwards AFB Airmen begin F-35 operational testing

    The F-35 Lightning II program here entered a new phase of testing with the arrival of the first two operational test aircraft March 6. Team members from the 53rd Wing's 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, a tenant unit here, will determine how to best tactically operate the F-35A conventional takeoff

  • Nellis pilot first reservist to fly F-35

    A reservist from the 706th Fighter Squadron here recently became the first to fly the F-35 Lightning II, Air Force's newest aircraft.Maj. Joseph Scholtz is an operational test pilot integrated into the active duty Air Force's 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, and currently Nellis AFB's only

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Risky cliff dive saves friend, earns Airman's Medal

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Capt. Matt Adams looked up, encouraging his friend and co-worker, Capt. John Barbour, as he clung precariously to a waterfall's cliff, some 25 feet above

  • Women in AF paved way, often through adversity

    In a quote from one of Shakespeare's plays, "Twelfth Night," the character Malvallo remarks that "some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon 'em."Women in the Air Force (WAF) produced many such women who did not set out to be trailblazers but whose

  • One success inspires the next for today's women leaders

    "Things done are won; joy's soul is in the doing." This quote from one of Shakespeare's most ambiguous plays, Troilus and Cressida, appears to be the constant theme behind the careers of many of the Air Force's most accomplished women. Whether it was The Honorable Sheila E. Widnall, the 18th

  • US, Canadian airmen train for joint contingency operations

    Earlier this month, the Silver Flag exercise site here hosted 31 Royal Canadian Air Force construction engineers from the 19th Wing, Construction Engineering Flight, Canadian Forces Base Comox, British Columbia. The Canadians trained side-by-side with U.S. Airmen during a week-long training exercise

  • AF personnel chief talks family programs, tuition assistance

    A senior Air Force leader testified in front of Congress Mar. 13 on the impact sequestration has had on Airmen and family programs, to include military tuition assistance. Lt. Gen. Darrell D. Jones, deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, informed members of the House Armed

  • Young girl's love of flying leads to history-making missions in space

    As a young child, Eileen Collins loved to sit with her dad in the family car and watch airplanes take off and land. The roar of the powerful engines and the grace of the aircraft as they seemed to float in the air always held excitement and enchantment for the young daughter of Irish immigrants.That