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U.S. Air Force News

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Following dream as American, Academy cadet

    (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.)When Senior Airmen Shujie Yan immigrated to the United States from China in 2006, she was a freshman in high school. One year later, she had big dreams

  • GPS IIF-4 successfully launched from Cape Canaveral

    A U.S. Air Force Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite built by Boeing was successfully launched May 15. The fourth GPS IIF satellite, Space Vehicle Number (SVN) 66, was carried aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V Launch Vehicle at 5:38 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

  • Warrior Games 2013: Airman faces challenge at Games as TBI victim

    By looking at him, you would never be able to tell he is a battle-tested, combat-injured Airman. He is a testament to invisible wounds and just how their effects can become visible in everyday life. Capt. Mitchell Kieffer is a mathematician at heart and an operations research analyst at Joint Base

  • Warrior Games 2013: Life can change in a split second

    Life can be described as a series of moments, seconds even, strung together to form experiences and memories. A split-second decision can mean the difference between life and death.Senior Master Sgt. Martin Smith knows the impact just one second can make.Smith, a seasoned motorcycle rider and Active

  • Spangdahlem AB Airmen launch final A-10 sortie in Europe

    Airmen here launched the final A-10 Thunderbolt II tactical sortie in Europe here May 14.The airframe belongs to the 52nd Fighter Wing's 81st Fighter Squadron, which inactivates in June."I'm proud to be a part of the last sortie," said Lt. Col. Jeff Hogan, the 81st FS director of operations and a

  • Royalty visits Academy, provides awareness for Warrior Games

    British royalty was on hand to kick off Warrior Games and to have a bit of fun with cadets here May 12.His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales, also known as Prince Harry, made a stop in Colorado Springs and the Academy during his week-long visit to the United States to raise awareness for Warrior

  • Airmen provide fuel to heat Afghan homes

    Shredded paper, sawdust and water may seem unimportant to many people, but to others it can mean fuel to stay warm or cook food. These are small but vital comforts that members of NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan try to provide to the people of Afghanistan on a weekly basis.As part of Operation

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Weather Airman survives lightning strike

    (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.)A weather Airman who issues warnings when lightning strikes take place within five miles of an air base here knows the danger: He's a lightning-strike

  • Afghan AF rises to combat test

    An Afghan national army soldier looks up from his post near Tarin Khowt in the Uruzgan Province. He's surrounded by rugged mountains, a flowing river, a green and vibrant valley and Taliban insurgents trying to overrun the area. The soldier, along with 39 other ANA commandos, is running low on

  • Torch lighting kicks off 2013 Warrior Games

    The 2013 Warrior Games began May 11, when Navy Lt. Bradley Snyder, with the help of Prince Harry and Olympian Missy Franklin, lit the official torch during the event's opening ceremonies at the U.S. Olympic Training Center here.From May 11-16, more than 200 wounded, ill and injured service members

  • SecAF, CSAF share confidence in nuclear enterprise

    Appearing before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense to testify about the service's fiscal 2014 budget request, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III also addressed Congressional concerns over media reports about the findings of a

  • Warrior Games 2013: Cancer survivor tackles new challenge

    Staff Sgt. Lara Ishikawa found herself among a trio of female Air Force Warrior Games athletes with a special bond. Ishikawa, Tech. Sgt. Monica Figueroa and Master Sgt. Sherry Nel are all cancer survivors and relied on each other for support and conversation during the team's selection camp at the

  • Warrior Games 2013: Competing 'medicine' for AF wounded warrior

    Master Sgt. Shawn Schwantes may have been a pleasant surprise for his Air Force Warrior Games coaches during the team's training camp at the U.S. Air Force Academy. But Schwantes fully expected to flourish on the track and with his teammates because he considers sports his most effective medicine.

  • DOD Comptroller: Sequestration devastates U.S. military readiness

    During a Senate hearing yesterday on President Barack Obama's $9.5 billion military construction budget request for fiscal 2014, Defense Department Comptroller Robert F. Hale said the severe and abrupt budget cuts imposed by sequestration are devastating the U.S. armed forces.Hale and John Conger,

  • Breedlove takes charge at European Command

    Gen. Philip M. Breedlove took command of U.S. European Command here today during a ceremony at the command's headquarters with Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter presiding.Breedlove succeeds Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, the first sailor to hold the command. Stavridis is retiring following a

  • Air Force Food Transformation Initiative enters second phase

    Airmen at five installations will see a new era in food service operations as the Air Force Food Transformation Initiative moves into its second phase.The initiative, known as FTI, is a pilot program designed to provide Airmen greater variety, availability, and quality of food, while maintaining

  • Warrior Games 2013: Wounded Academy grad uses Games to help recovery

    About three years after a bullet in his head in Iraq dramatically changed the course of his life, Capt. Wes Glisson can put his sentences together again as he continues his recovery from traumatic brain injury. He's able to remember just about everything about his life except for the shooting, which

  • F-35 fighter takes another step forward

    The Air Force took another step forward with its newest fighter jet when an advanced F-35 Lightning II landed at the service's lead training base, home to the largest fleet of F-35s worldwide.The new stealth fighter kicks off a major training effort at the F-35 schoolhouse on an aircraft with

  • AF officials: Sexual assault has no place in the Air Force

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A Welsh III presented the service's fiscal 2014 budget request to the Senate Armed Services Committee May 7, but much of the discussion focused on the recent sexual battery allegations involving Lt. Col. Jeff Krusinski,

  • Breedlove to take command of EUCOM, SHAPE

    As Gen. Philip M. Breedlove prepares to take command of U.S. European Command and NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, he acknowledged U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Airmen and their importance to the United States' national defense strategy.More than 54,000 American

  • Afghan air university takes dynamic formal stride

    Taking one more step to becoming Ministry of Defense accredited, Afghan air force leaders at Pohantoon-e-Hawayee "Air University" signed six newly developed training decrees May 4 at Kabul International Airport here. The implementation of these decrees marks the first time the school had standard

  • CE Airmen improve life on remote Army outpost

    A small team of deployed civil engineer Airmen traveled to a remote Army outpost to provide much needed infrastructure improvements.The 577th Expeditionary Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force Squadron Consolidated-Small Maintenance and Repair Team visited here April 29 through May 3 to improve life,

  • Report Helps Military Deal With Sexual Assault Problem

    Sexual assault is a long-term problem for the military, and it will take time for military efforts to combat it, the director of the Defense Department's sexual assault prevention and response office said."We are not satisfied with where we are at today," Army Maj. Gen. Gary S. Patton said in an

  • Warrior Games 2013: Retired Airman struggles with PTSD while in training

    Second-year Warrior Games athlete George Stiltner recognized the look on retired Staff Sgt. Larry Franklin's face at the Air Force team's selection camp at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Stiltner had the same demeanor during his first year training for the Games. Now, he recognized a fellow former

  • Weather barely slows 2 AF ultra-marathoners

    Two Eglin Air Force Base Airmen from the 96th Communications Squadron went for an early morning jog in the rain May 4 and did not stop until 7 p.m. that night, running more than 50 miles.Airman 1st Class Thomas Church and Senior Airman Chris Gauthier are ultra-marathoners. They were competing in the

  • Synonyms: Superman and Doolittle Raider

    Looking around the auditorium, legends fill the room. A Tuskegee Airman subtly takes his seat in the crowd. Medal of Honor recipient George "Bud" Day strolls in on his wheelchair and takes a seat near the front. And on the stage stand three men who hundreds came to honor.This was one of the many

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Going for the Gold

    (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.)On July 5, 2011, Senior Airman Gideon L. Connelly was involved in a motorcycle accident in Baltimore County with serious damage to his left leg. The

  • Calif. ANG battles raging wildfires

    The California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing is providing two specialized firefighting C-130J aircraft and crews to assist with wildfires raging across the state.Acting on a request for support from state emergency agencies, Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. directed Army Maj. Gen. David S.

  • C-130 squadron first to perform new airdrop method

    The 772nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron executed the first combat Extracted Container Delivery System, or XCDS, airdrop April 29, successfully demonstrating the increased accuracy that this new technology provides. The new airdrop method is designed to pull the bundles out of the aircraft at a

  • Warrior Games 2013: Track and field star has 'wings on her back'

    Midway through retired Tech. Sgt. Katie Robinson's first track and field practice at the Air Force Warrior Games training camp, she pulled out a pair of butterfly wings from her workout bag and strapped them to her back. The wings were both comedy relief and symbolized a dramatic change several

  • Misawa fighter jets break new training barriers

    An F-16 Fighting Falcon's radar warning emits an eerie, distinct pattern as the jet soars over the Northern Pacific Ocean, moving closer and closer toward hostile territory. The warning tone means one thing -- missiles are inbound. This can end one of two ways: a surface-to-air missile, or SAM, rips

  • AF awards KC-46A aircrew training system contract

    The Air Force awarded a contract to FlightSafety Services Corporation on May 1, taking a major step forward in achieving the service's top acquisition priority - delivering a new aerial refueling capability to the warfighter. The contract, a Fixed Price Incentive Firm (FPIF) and Firm Fixed Price

  • Official urges planning, offers resources for fiscal fitness

    It's important for children to learn financial life skills early on to maintain financial security and avoid woes in adulthood, a Defense Department official said.Barbara Thompson, the director of DOD's office of family policy and children and youth, said in an interview with American Forces Press

  • Officer development program applications due

    Officers considering 2014 advanced academic degree and experience broadening programs have a narrow application window, which is currently open, Air Force Personnel Center officials said. In addition, mobility pilot, intelligence, space, missile, weather, cyber operations, munitions and missile

  • USAFE fighter squadrons affected by sequestration

    Nearly half of the fighter squadrons in U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa halted flying operations three weeks ago.The action was a result of the reduction of flying hours Air Force-wide -- one impact of the current sequestration-related budget challenges affecting the Defense

  • Total force readiness topic of Capitol Hill testimony

    Senior leaders from the active-duty Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve were on Capitol Hill here April 24th to discuss the impact of sequestration on Total Force readiness.In written and oral testimony, they reconfirmed the Air Force's commitment to serving America's long-term

  • JSTARS: Connecting the dots on battlefield

    After slipping by each other the narrow aisle of an E-8C Joint STARS aircraft, more than a dozen Airmen settle into their seats and begin to flip switches and work through checklists. Their olive-green headsets block out the roar of the jet engines and replace it with busy radio chatter as the crew

  • First Lady announces certification plan for veteran jobs

    First Lady Michelle Obama today unveiled the new Information Technology Training and Certification Partnership to put thousands of service members to work with industry-recognized IT certifications in hand before they leave the military.Obama, who made the announcement at the White House Forum on

  • AF uses innovative tactics to tackle sexual assault

    As part of an innovative initiative to reduce sexual assault across the Minot Air Force Base has partnered with the Gracie Academy to certify 100 men and women of the U.S. Air Force in the Gracie Women Empowered program, April 15 to 19. In 2012, the U.S. Air Force saw a 30 percent increase in sexual

  • New under secretary sworn in during Pentagon ceremony

    The Senate confirmed the nomination of Eric Fanning to become the next under secretary of the Air Force April 18 and he began his transition into the office after being sworn in April 29."On behalf of the more than 690,000 men and women of the U.S. Air Force, I want to welcome Eric to our Air Force

  • Congress reviews Air Force's readiness at House hearing

    The top leaders from the Air Force's active and Reserve components were on Capitol Hill on April 24 to provide statements and answer questions regarding their fiscal year 2014 budgets and force readiness.Representative Rob Wittman, (R-Va.), the chairman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee,

  • Timbouktu and back: ANG med unit conducts 'irregular' operations

    "Have you heard of Timbouktu? Well, our medical personnel have been there, providing military support in some unconventional ways," said Lt. Col. Kevin Hinkle, 193rd Special Operations Medical Group chief of medical operations.Timbouktu is a region in Mali, located in the northwestern part of

  • Senior leaders testify on health of personnel programs

    Air Force senior leaders, along with counterparts from each of the services, testified about the current state of military personnel programs before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee April 24.Daniel B. Ginsberg, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs and Lt. Gen.

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: The walk toward flight

    (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.)There's a saying -- "a journey begins with a single step." For a flight engineer assigned to the 8th Special Operations Squadron here, even a single step

  • Affordability priority for F-35 program

    Affordability remains the priority for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter, the Pentagon's program executive officer for the Defense Department's most expensive procurement told Congress yesterday.Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher C. Bogdan told the Senate Armed Services Committee's airland

  • Reservists ready for wildland fire season

    Despite the winter-like weather, Colorado Air Force reservists and their active-duty counterparts were recertified April 19-23 here to respond to wildland fires.The 302nd Airlift Wing, the Air Force Reserve's only organization with the aerial fire fighting mission, held its annual Modular Airborne

  • Indonesian, U.S. forces practice humanitarian evacuation

    After two days of in-class lectures, U.S. and Indonesian service members and civilians from the Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center participated in an aeromedical evacuation subject-matter expert exchange here, April 24.During the exchange, a disaster scenario was simulated in which patients

  • Ramstein Airmen train with Romanian counterparts

    More than 80 Airmen from Ramstein participated in exercise Carpathian Spring in Romania April 12 through 21.The exercise was designed for aircrew to receive upgrade training as well as building partnership capacity with Romanians."Sequestration has forced us to be more efficient with our training

  • SecAF: Readiness, modernization in flux

    The Air Force will see few force structure changes this year, but readiness and modernization accounts will be in flux this year and next, Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said here today.The secretary also told the Defense Writers' Group that now is the time for another base realignment and

  • SecAF discusses Airmen morale

    Deployed airmen are ready and motivated, but those based in the United States face fiscal challenges that sap morale, Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said here today."The Airmen that we send downrange are well-trained -- they are pumped," Donley told the Defense Writers Group. "There's no

  • Through Airmen's Eyes: Marathon man trains to buckle up

    (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.)The appetizer: four times around a 25-mile track in September, with 10,000 feet of ascent and 10,000 feet of descent. The main course: a 100-mile

  • Deployed Airmen save lives miles from front lines

    The explosion took the Airman at the knee, knocking the patrol to the ground. Patrol members rushed to him, treating him for shock and taking out his individual first aid kit to render aid - various gauzes for covering the wound, two tourniquets to cut off blood flow, and a few smaller items that

  • Air Force, Italian medics simulate joint patient care

    Members of the 31st Medical Group at Aviano Air Base and the local Italian hospital in Pordenone, Italy, came together April 17 to discuss the results of the region's first international patient care simulation.The collaboration, which took place in early March, encompassed all levels of care needed

  • 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