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  • Hard in the paint

    When it comes to taking care of the F-16 Fighting Falcons here, no other group of Airmen are more responsible than the aircraft structural maintenance technicians.These corrosion experts are in the process of stripping and re-painting F-16 tails - replacing Luke Air Force Base's "LF" with

  • Fueling the mission & saving money

    A steady rumble cancels out the sound of the outside world as the pistons within the twin Cummins  400 diesel engines have begun to churn, Josef Walter, a locomotive engineer with the 9th Support Division, is at the helm of the 80-ton locomotive on Beale Air Force Base.The train is heading south

  • F-35As visit Mountain Home to test readiness

    Six F-35As arrived at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, Feb. 8, 2016, from Edwards AFB, Calif., to begin an operational deployment test at a nearby range complex. The test will help develop the concept of operations as well as validate the aircraft's capability to deploy.In order for the U.S. Air Force to

  • F-35As visit Mountain Home to test readiness

    Six F-35As arrived at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, Feb. 8, 2016, from Edwards AFB, Calif., to begin an operational deployment test at a nearby range complex. The test will help develop the concept of operations as well as validate the aircraft's capability to deploy.In order for the U.S. Air Force to

  • 99th LRS refueling maintenance keeps Nellis AFB flowing

    When it comes to the members of the 99th Logistics Readiness refueling maintenance unit, hard work is not an option, it's a necessity.This small team, usually made up of four Airmen and one civilian contractor, has the vital mission of supporting flight line activity by performing bumper to bumper

  • Structural maintainers provide backbone of RPAs

    When people have a blemish, they see a dermatologist. When they have a physiological problem, they see an physiologist. For the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper, aircraft structural maintainers fill both the aesthetic and structural maintenance roles to keep remotely piloted aircraft in check.Aircraft

  • Learning my role

    Time and time again I hear, "Everyone makes senior airman, and it's no big deal." If it wasn't a big deal, something to be proud of or a stepping stone, why is there a rank in the first place?I put on senior airman earlier this year and I can tell you I doubted whether making senior airman was a

  • First Sergeants take care of the Hunter family

    They can be seen all around the base, in every squadron, group and wing. Distinguished from their peers by the diamonds adorned on their sleeves, they serve as the enlisted focal point to the commander in Air Force units.The first sergeants at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, make it their priority to

  • 335th FS, 4th AMXS spouses receive unique Strike Eagle opportunity

    Spouses of members from the 335th Fighter Squadron and 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron received a tour and taxi ride in an F-15E Strike Eagle, Feb. 16.More than 30 spouses from the two squadrons were provided this opportunity to see a day-in-the-life of their active-duty counterparts who work with

  • Coalition nations join forces at Red Flag 16-1

    Three coalition nations joined forces during the world's premier advanced, realistic, combat air, space and cyberspace training exercise to build a capable, cohesive team.For three weeks, Red Flag 16-1 trained squadrons from more than 30 units from across the world including squadrons from Australia

  • NAFB powered by sun: Installation unveils DOD's largest solar array

    The U.S. Air Force unveiled the Nellis Solar Array II during a dedication ceremony here Feb. 16, which combined with Solar Array I makes the installation's photovoltaic field the largest in the Department of Defense.The energy generated between the two is enough to power approximately 9,000 southern

  • USAF Hospital Langley opens Level II NICU

    U.S. Service members gathered at the U.S. Air Force Hospital Langley for the opening of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, Feb. 12, 2016.The ribbon cutting ceremony recognized Langley as a level II NICU, which is the only one in an Air Force hospital."As a level II

  • Red Flag 16-1 comes to an end

    Red Flag 16-1, came to an end on Feb. 12 with aircrews and support personnel from around the world participating in the best training that simulates a deployed environment.Red Flag, which was initiated in 1975, and is run by the 414th Combat Training Squadron's where the mission is to maximize the

  • Open carry on base? Not exactly.

    Due to the frequency of active shooter events in recent years, Air Force commanders can now enable members of their units to participate in the Unit Marshal Program. Those selected for the program and certified through the UMP course can open carry a firearm on base.Mountain Home Air Force Base

  • Command Chief select reflects on 26 years of service

    For his entire life, Chief Master Sgt. John has dealt with issues of race, but he never let that slow him down in his 26-year Air Force career.When he enlisted in July 1989 from Savannah, Georgia, John, currently the 432nd Maintenance Group chief enlisted manager, had plans to finish his education

  • Out of the shadows: AMCS Airmen provide the missing link

    Providing round-the-clock intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support to the remotely piloted aircraft community takes a lot of work. But airmen assigned to the 432nd Aircraft Maintenance Communications Squadron  recently showed their leadership they have what it takes.Chief Master Sgt.

  • Love, service and sacrifice

    "Will you marry me?" It's a phrase that invokes an abundance of emotions for many, and depending on the answer, the beginning of a new journey.Marriages and relationships are all about compromise, communication, teamwork, sacrifice, commitment and love.Everyone has an opinion of what makes a

  • Forces unite: Army, Air Force participate in Iron Focus

    In the desert terrain of the Oro Grande Training Complex at Fort Bliss, Texas, nearly 4,000 Soldiers and Airmen combated hours of unpredictable scenarios, standstills and inclement weather to participate in the month-long exercise Iron Focus 16.2 held from Jan. 7 to Feb. 19.The joint readiness

  • Red Flag: Then, now

    During the Vietnam War the U.S. Air Force lost approximately 1,737 aircraft in combat. It was a number that was unacceptable and an area that the Air Force knew it needed to improve on.A study was launched into the matter, and the results indicated that the first ten combat sorties proved to be the

  • ACC commander highlights Beale ISR mission

    U.S. Air Force Gen. Hawk Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, visited Beale Air Force Base to experience the multi-faceted mission of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing and the 548th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group Feb. 9, 2016.During a base all-call, he discussed the Culture and

  • 57th OSS weather plays crucial role during Red Flag

    Atmospheric weather conditions vary every day due to changes in heat, wind and moisture. The 57th Operations Support Weather Flight is tasked with calculating and monitoring weather to provide key information that directly affects daily flying operations. Red Flag brings a new set of challenges due

  • Q & A with AFSOUTH Command Surgeon: Zika Virus

    With the Zika virus making headlines since it was confirmed throughout the Western Hemisphere, the Air Forces Southern Command Surgeon offered to answer common questions about the virus.U.S. Air Force Colonel Leslie A. Knight is the Command Surgeon for 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) at

  • Flying Scarfs keeps soaring

    Bursts of blues, magentas, and greens, are woven together to create tapestries of silken scarves by a group of widowed women in Bagram, Afghanistan.  In the fall of 2011, four Airmen found themselves deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, where they came across a young man, Wasil Hashemi, selling

  • Defense Secretary talks budget, readiness with Nellis community

    Defense Secretary Ash Carter visited on Feb. 4, during the last leg of his defense-budget installation visits.After meeting with service members at the California-based Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Carter spoke to Nellis Air Force Base Airmen to preview

  • 12 AF (AFSOUTH) leadership visits 557 WW

    The vice commander of 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) visited the 557th Weather Wing recently to learn more about its mission and team members.Col. Jay Bickley' s tour included learning about unique units like the 2nd Systems Operations Squadron, the 16th Weather Squadron, 2nd Weather Squadron

  • Seymour Johnson AFB conducts exercise CW 16-01

    More than 1,000 Airmen at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina participated in exercise Coronet Warrior 16-01 Feb. 1-2, 2016 to assess readiness and mission effectiveness while in a chemical environment.As part of the exercise, the Airmen were inspected on their ability to operate while

  • Maintaining success through Total Force Integration at Red Flag 16-1

    It's a given that no aircraft leaves the ground unless it is working properly.  But that challenge is multiplied during the three-week Red Flag 16-1 exercise. Hundreds of aircraft maintainers assigned to flying squadrons from around the world work long hours to ensure all training sorties are

  • Construction update: Progress being made on Beale's CE structure, DCGS

    Beale's newest facilities, the 9th Civil Engineer Squadron's Administration and Operations Facility and the 548th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group's Distribution Common Ground System, are progressing in their construction since the ground breaking in April 2015."Currently, both

  • AF Selective Re-enlistment Bonus program list triples

    WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  Air Force officials released details on the fiscal year 2016 Selective Re-enlistment Bonus program Feb. 1. This year's program, consisting of 117 Air Force specialties eligible to receive bonuses, is a substantial increase from the previous year's program where 40 Air Force

  • Airmen partner with veterans for a retreat ceremony

    The American flag flying outside the 355th Fighter Wing building was lowered ceremoniously and handed off to a veteran's organization to be retired Jan. 28.An American flag is retired from service when it is badly torn, tattered or is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for

  • Nellis Airmen take time to give back

    Volunteering can be an amazing experience. Sharing those volunteer experiences can often inspire others to take time out and give back to the community. Airmen from the 823rd Maintenance Squadron took time on their day off to volunteer at the Nellis AFB Recycling Center Jan. 26."I wanted to get as

  • High-end, advanced combat training launches during Red Flag 16-1

    Combat air force squadrons from across the world joined Tyndall Air Force Base's Checkertails at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, this week for the joint-training, full-spectrum, readiness exercise, Red Flag 16-1.The 325th Fighter Wing took point as it lead Red Flag for the first time from Jan. 25 to

  • SR-71 Blackbird: Gone but not forgotten...

    Twenty-six years ago Beale said goodbye to the fastest air-breathing jet in the world, the SR-71 Blackbird.The Blackbird was an advanced, long-range, supersonic strategic reconnaissance aircraft that called Beale Air Force Base home from January 1966 to January 1990.But for Master Sgt. Floyd Jones

  • Daughter of legendary fighter pilot visits Seymour Johnson AFB

    Christina Olds, daughter of late Brig. Gen. Robin Olds, one of the Air Force's most iconic fighter pilots, visited Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Jan. 22, 2016, to speak about her father's accomplishments in the Air Force.Airmen from around the base came to the 334th Fighter

  • Offutt gives students a chance at mechanics

    Students studying Airframe and Power Plant disciplines at Iowa Western Community College have a unique opportunity to intern with the 55th Maintenance Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.Twelve years ago, the squadron cut roughly 300 military slots and replaced them with approximately 150

  • Life of a Warrior keeping Airmen fit to fight

    Keeping Airmen fit to fight and combat ready at all times is a must around the Air Force. For Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, the Life of a Warrior campaign leads the way in offering opportunities for Airmen to stay in tip top shape.The campaign aims to help Airmen in every pillar of resiliency,

  • 366th Fighter Wing airmen prep for Combat Archer, Hammer

    Airmen from the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho sent personnel, aircraft and 41.4 short tons of cargo to Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Jan. 24, in support of Combat Archer and Combat Hammer, a Weapons System Evaluation Program.The WSEP combines the live air-to-air

  • Taking Care of the Hunter Family: Creech Chaplains keep Airmen resilient

    With every airman having a different faith, each has something unique to add to the mission. At Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, each member of the chapel team helps airmen stay resilient. Air Force chaplains and chaplain assistants provide ministry and spiritual guidance, serving as a reminder that

  • Red Flag 16-1 prepares for takeoff

    Red Flag 16-1 is scheduled to begin Jan. 25 and will conclude Feb. 12. Base officials want to remind southern Nevada residents that they may notice increased military aircraft activity during this time period.Aircraft are scheduled to depart Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada twice a day and participate

  • Langley Airmen share 'Full Spectrum' experience across nations

    A group of U.S. Airmen recently returned from performing a mission to educate, enrich and inspire the lives of not only fellow Service members, but also millions of international community members in Southwest Asia and the Middle East.But instead of carrying weapons, these Airmen carried

  • Warfighters convene at NAFB for WEPTAC

    Air Force senior leaders, industry executives, joint and coalition warfighters converged for the 2016 Annual Weapons and Tactics Conference, hosted here by Air Combat Command, Jan. 3-16."WEPTAC is where wars are won," said Lt. Col. Kendrick Carroll, ACC's WEPTAC chairman.  "There is no other venue

  • First 3-D printed part approved for AWACS

    The 552nd Maintenance Squadron Fabrication Flight recently won engineering approval to make and install the first 3-D printed part for E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft.The part -- a plastic end cap for seat armrests -- isn't crucial to keeping the battle management platforms flying,

  • Commander travels 'Down Under' to observe seismic work

    The commander of the Air Force Technical Applications Center and her command chief master sergeant visited the center's most far-reaching detachment located in Australia's Northern Territory Dec. 14-18.Col. Jennifer P. Sovada and Chief Master Sgt. Neil Jones made the 10,200-mile journey to get an

  • ACC Commander paves way for RPA enterprise improvements

    Gen. Hawk Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, and Command Chief Master Sgt. Steve McDonald paid a visit to the Airmen of the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, Jan. 14, 2016, to address some of the challenges and unique issues the remotely piloted

  • OPERATION DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM

    On the morning of August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded nearby Kuwait. In less than four hours, Iraqi forces occupied the capital, Kuwait City, and Saddam Hussein soon annexed the country as the nineteenth province of Iraq. In response, the U.S government initiated Operation Desert Shield on August 6 to

  • Vipers of '91: Hill's F-16s at war

    When the Gulf War began, the footage of precision weaponry striking Iraqi government buildings, military installations, and tanks impressed the nation. Laser guided bombs and high speed anti-radiation missiles (HARMs), carried by the new, stealthy F-117 Nighthawk, and the F-111 Aardvark caught the

  • DESERT STORM: The Strike Eagle's opening act

    Twenty five years ago, Saddam Hussein's forces rolled south through Kuwait and began massing on the Saudi Arabian border. While most of the world watched the news, the Airmen of the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing sprang into action, employing a brand new weapon system, and ultimately playing a critical

  • 9th Reconnaissance Wing undergoes Unit Effectiveness Inspection Capstone

    Beale's 9th Reconnaissance Wing is currently undergoing a Unit Effectiveness Inspection Capstone, which is being conducted by Air Combat Command's Inspector General team to rate how effective the wing is performing and accomplishing the mission. The inspection began Jan. 11, 2016, and is slated to

  • Blowing up the competition

    The 366th Operations Support Squadron won the Defense Logistics Agency Range of the Year award. Although there isn't a trophy or plaque presented, the range personnel have earned big time bragging rights for their use of excess property.The Range of the Year competition was created by the DLA to

  • Pentagon announces changes to military decorations, awards program

    The Pentagon has made a number of changes to the military decorations and awards program to ensure service members receive appropriate recognition of their actions, according to a statement released Jan. 7.The changes come after a long and deliberate review, a defense official told reporters in a

  • Green Dot to roll out across the Air Force

    Airmen will take the first step of a five-year strategy to decrease interpersonal violence across the service in January when 1,500 Airman implementers attend one of 22 Green Dot prep sessions worldwide.The Air Force contracted the non-profit Green Dot organization to provide these violence

  • Every Airman is mission essential: Aircrew Flight Equipment

    As the day begins for training sorties to take off, Airmen are already preparing for the mission. Like clockwork, Airmen are checking and re-checking equipment and supplying pilots with the necessities to fly.Every Airman plays an essential role in mission success, including those who are behind the

  • Medical Group wins again!

    The 366th Medical Group has earned Air Combat Command's Hospital of the Year for the second year in a row. The award recognized the exceptional performance of the group's airmen and bolstered the 366th Fighter Wing's Outstanding Unit Award for 2015.The group also received the ACC Medium Dental

  • JTF-Bravo wraps up 2015 with CARVANA mission

    Members from Joint Task Force-Bravo completed a two-day troop movement of Honduran soldiers Dec. 17, 2015, in the Gracias a Dios Department (state) of Honduras, as a part of a greater endeavor to assist the Central American nation's efforts to combat the trafficking of illicit materials through the

  • Unifying the WSEP, CF 16-1 training efforts

    When several military organizations come together to accomplish a common goal, it not only validates their commitment to the mission, but it strengthens the morale of its members.Nowhere was this more evident than in this year's combined Checkered Flag 16-1 and Combat Archer exercise.The 83rd

  • Airmen complete assessment to qualify for Army Air Assault School

    Thirty-nine Airmen from the 820th Base Defense Group here and the 1st Special Operations Security Forces Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., completed a bi-annual Army Air Assault assessment, Dec. 16.The Army Air Assault assessment is a voluntary, three-day test consisting of six events, each of which

  • Offutt flight simulators to receive major upgrades

    Pilots who fly the RC-135 aircraft assigned to the 55th Wing here will soon be able to train more effectively thanks to major upgrades being made to Offutt's flight training simulators.The upgrades will improve the simulator's communication equipment along with the system's computer generated sounds

  • First A-29 Afghan pilots graduate: ready for combat

    The 81st Fighter Squadron graduated the first class of combat-ready attack pilots beginning a new era for the Afghanistan air force.The graduation for eight A-29 Super Tucano pilots culminates their training that began in early 2015."The extraordinary dedication of these pilots and the sacrifices

  • Checkered Flag 2015

    Tyndall hosted the Checkered Flag 16-1 exercise that started Dec. 10 and concludes Dec. 18.Checkered Flag is a large-force exercise that gives a large number of legacy and fifth-generation aircraft the chance to practice combat training together in a simulated employment from a deployed

  • AF introduces enlisted Global Hawk pilots

    Air Force officials announced a new initiative Dec. 17 to enhance the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance mission by integrating enlisted remotely piloted aircraft pilots into the force.Air Force officials stated a dynamic threat environment calls for innovative approaches to high-demand

  • First F-16 MRA class graduates at Holloman

    The 372nd Training Squadron, Detachment 10 held a Sole Hands-On Training Mission Ready Airmen course graduation Dec. 16 at Holloman.This is the first graduation of its kind to be conducted at Holloman. The course originally started at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, in 1994, until it was transferred

  • U.S. Air Force, French, British forces finalize exercise

    United States, United Kingdom, and French Service members partnered for the inaugural Trilateral anti-access/area denial exercise at Langley Air Force Base, Dec. 2 - 18.The exercise, hosted by the 1st Fighter Wing (FW), focused on procedures in a highly-contested operational environment through a

  • 563rd OSS, 79th RQS conduct training at Fort Huachuca

    The 563rd Operations Support Squadron and 79th Rescue Squadron, from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, conducted aerial delivery and recovery training at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, Dec. 9.The HC-130J can drop a wide range of equipment to enhance personnel recovery operations.A rigged 9,720-pound Humvee and

  • D-M strengthens ties with Tucson community

    The 355th Fighter Wing and 55th Electronic Combat Group leadership signed four memorandums of agreements with Tucson officials on Dec. 14.The agreements are intended to increase education, foreign language and communication collaborations between the base and the local community.The Educational

  • Commander, ACC visits Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

    Gen. Hawk Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, visited the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore California recently. He reviewed technologies offering potential enhancements to ACC mission needs.Carlisle's visit allowed him to see developing technologies designed to enhance air

  • 42 years of Christmas cheer: Offut Airmen make children's holiday bright

    Three boys fought with foam swords in front of a giant Christmas tree, pausing occasionally to fall dramatically to the ground in a parody of injury. Presents were stacked under the tree, spreading outwards from the lit branches in tantalizingly bright holiday wrapping paper. A line of children

  • SJAFB impacts local economy

    Five months after the United States entered World War II, Seymour Johnson Field, in Goldsboro, North Carolina, activated during the summer of 1942. After the war, in 1946, the installation deactivated.Led by then Goldsboro mayor, Scott B. Berkley Sr., local community leaders spearheaded a successful