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  • Base flightline undergoes pavement touch-ups

    The 319th Civil Engineer Squadron construction and pavement shop completed flightline touch-ups June 25, 2019, on Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. The Civil Engineer Squadron horizontal construction team worked together quickly to repair the flightline June 25, 2019, on Grand Forks Air

  • AFIT students inform Pentagon energy initiative as part of new course

    As part of a newly offered course at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), a small group of students determined energy-optimized flying conditions for Air Force fighter relocation missions, which are also known as coronets. Their work is helping to inform a Pentagon-led initiative that seeks

  • Joint Efforts Reach New Heights

    The 355th Wing is made up of diverse and dynamic teams whose mindsets are focused on mission success and maintaining high-end readiness through continuous training and exercises. On June 6, 2019, the 79th Rescue Squadron provided air support to a Combat Search and Rescue training mission.Home to the

  • Team Offutt restores lighthouse in the sky

    The Tactical Air Navigation System is the first navigational aid to be back in service June 25, 2019 at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. The TACAN system was only two years old when the transponder cabinet in which it is housed was damaged by flood waters March 2019. While the outer shell remained

  • Shaw Airmen, USCG hone joint water rescue skills

    Teaming up with U.S. Coast Guardsmen from Tybee Island Coast Guard Station, Georgia, the Shaw Weasels traveled 25 nautical miles offshore to simulate downed pilot search and recovery efforts.

  • F-35 transported via C-17

    An F-35 Lightning II was loaded into a C-17 Globemaster by 96th Logistics Readiness Squadron aerial porters May 8 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. This was the first-ever F-35 wing removal and shipment via air transport. The $200,000 four-year project culminated in the transport of the aircraft to

  • Keep summer safe with tips for cars, recreational vehicles

    With summer around the corner the freedom to go on road trips, excursions on the lake, family fun on boats, camping sites galore, the list is endless. But safety should be foremost in any family summer event whether you’re road tripping it or just driving a few miles. Summer months are fraught with

  • Preventing heat illness

    Heat is one of the leading weather-related killers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that an average of 658 deaths are directly attributable to heat each year in the United States. Exposure to excessive heat can exacerbate many pre-existing health conditions, (e.g.,

  • Definition of Sexual Assault Update

    A 2016 reform to the Uniform Code of Military Justice that took effect in 2019 has changed the definitions of sexual assault for the military. The changes to the definition clarifies the distinction between abusive sexual contact and assault, and brings the offense of abusive sexual contact under

  • Tyndall Rebuilding Update

    Col. Brian Laidlaw, 325th Fighter Wing commander, and Brig. Gen. Patrice Melancon, Tyndall Program Management Office executive director, discuss how Tyndall Air Force Base will use supplemental funds from Congress to rebuild the base after Hurricane Michael.

  • Baptism by fire

    Firefighters from the Czech Republic, the 155th Air Refueling Wing, Nebraska Air National Guard and members from the Offutt Air Force Base 55th Civil Engineer Squadron fire department participated in a live fire training June 5, 2019, at the fire pit here. Firefighters from Offutt are required to

  • Hill Airmen bring F-35A, fifth-gen capabilities to European defense exercise

    Airmen deployed from the active duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, recently wrapped up the U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning IIs first participation in a large, European air-and-missile defense exercise.The focus of the multi-national exercise, Astral Knight 2019,

  • Heritage Flight honors last D-Day celebration

    The U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight team conducted a flyover in honor of the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the last celebration at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, June 6, 2019.The four-ship formation included U.S. Air Force Maj. Paul “Loco” Lopez, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team

  • ACC warns Airmen: Get ready for severe weather

    To sharpen a proactive preparedness posture, ACC plans to release additional severe weather readiness guidance to all wings, numbered air forces and direct reporting units located in high risk areas of the United States.

  • Female aviators help bring in new age of flight equipment

    Female flight equipment is on its way through a major overhaul. The biggest change coming to the equipment, it is being designed with measurements from female aviators.Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, held a Female Fitment Event June 4, 2019, where U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy female aviators

  • JBLE hosts medical equipment summit

    The Air Combat Command Surgeon General Office hosted the Manpower and Equipment Force Packaging Summit at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, June 4, 2019. Members from various U.S. Air Force major commands attended the summit to view demonstrations and capabilities that may boost efficiency in the

  • Thunderbirds announce 2020 officer selections

    The commander of Air Combat Command, Gen. Mike Holmes, has officially selected the officers who will be joining the United States Air Force Thunderbirds for the 2020 demonstration season.

  • Load 'em up: F-35A from A to B? Ask Fanter

    How do you pack an F-35A into a C-17? Or move nearly 300 Airmen, and all the equipment, to support 12 aircraft around Europe for two months? Or make sure you have enough of everything that you’ll need, and almost nothing that you don’t?For nearly 5 years at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, the answer has

  • Employees save $75million in assets, receive 46 civilian achievement medals

    Within mere days of the Category 5 hurricane that hit Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, employees from the 325th Training Support Squadron rushed from their hunkered down shelters and evacuation points to assess and mitigate damage to more than $75 million in assets while taking care of their own

  • Lights, camera, cyber!

    Capt. Sarah Miller and Tech. Sgt. Carrol Brewster, discuss options in response to a staged cyber-attack during filming of a scene for an Air Force Reserve Command mission video at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, on June 1, 2019. The video, which is currently in production, will also be

  • Mountain Home AFB: First to use Portable Doppler Radar for CONUS Ops

    Weather can be an unrelenting force and infamously fickle. Severe weather can adversely affect the safety of aircrew and Airmen working in the elements. Fortunately, advanced radars with weather forecasting capabilities can mitigate the associated risks.Keeping constant surveillance on weather

  • US, UAE fly to build interoperability

    United Arab Emirates Air Force Mirage 2000, a UAE F-16 Desert Falcon and a U.S. F-35A Lightning II fly a partnering flight in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 29, 2019. The flight was conducted to continue building military-to-military relationships and interoperability with the

  • Hill F-35As transition to Mountain Home during runway closure

    This week, the 34th Fighter Squadron and 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit will transition F-35A Lightning II operations to Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, as the runway here closes for construction.More than 250 Airmen from the active duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings and up to 24

  • Air Force confirms Wright Patterson AFB to host F-35 support organization

    Outgoing Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson has confirmed the selection of Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio to host the F-35 Hybrid Product Support Integrator (HPSI) Organization.The decision confirms completion of the strategic basing process which in December 2018 identified

  • Total force readiness implemented in Summer Viking 19-01

    Airmen with the 319th Air Base Wing participated in Summer Viking 19-01, a four-day readiness exercise, May 20-23, 2019, at the Air National Guard Base in Fargo, North Dakota. The exercise focused on increased readiness capabilities; testing participants on their self-aid buddy care, chemical,

  • Qatari Mirages fly with U.S. B-52H and F-35As

    Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) Mirage 2000s, a U.S. B-52H Stratofortress, and U.S. F-35A Lightning IIs flew in formation over Southwest Asia, May 21, 2019. This flight was conducted to continue building military-to-military relationships and interoperability with the QEAF. The B-52H is part of the

  • Ophthalmology teams give Guyanese the gift of sight

    The ophthalmology center at the Port Mourant Hospital was established to provide aid to the Guyanese population by screening and selecting patients to receive cataract and pterygium surgery in support of New Horizons 2019.This exercise provides U.S. military members an opportunity to train for an

  • 9th MUNS hosts second annual Air Force Combat Operations Competition

    The 9th Munitions Squadron held the second annual Air Force Combat Operations Competition (AFCOCOMP), May 14-16, 2019, here.AFCOCOMP is a one-of-a-kind munitions building competition, which tests participants on the skills required of ammo troops during warfighting operations.

  • ‘Toro’ grabs Viper Demo by horns

    Gen. Mike Holmes, commander of Air Combat Command, certified Maj. Garret “Toro” Schmitz as a demonstration team pilot following an aerial performance, May 16. Schmitz is tasked with commanding the F-16 Viper Demonstration Team through their 2019 and 2020 seasons as they perform at approximately 40

  • RASCAL restoring readiness, the Air Force way

    A Rapid Assistance Support for Calibration unit arrived at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, May 6, 2019, to re-establish the base’s capability to calibrate equipment, which was lost in the flood.RASCAL is a mobile Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory intended for use worldwide where PMEL

  • Airmen come together for Combat Archer exercise

    The 325th Fighter Wing is approaching the conclusion of Combat Archer 19-8 that was conducted in conjunction with the on-going Checkered Flag 19-1 exercise at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, May 6-17, 2019. Combat Archer, also known as the Weapons Systems Evaluation Program, is the Department of

  • Physical therapy technicians rehabilitate Weasels

    After an injury, military members have to face potential stressors like what to do about their physical training test, how to accomplish tasks at work without hurting themselves further, as well as how to recover and prevent further injury. Physical therapy technicians assigned to the 20th Medical

  • Augmentees pump up Security Forces’ power

    On a calm Monday morning I was typing at my desk when my superintendent came up and told me I would be training with Security Forces. As part of the augmentee draft, I had the opportunity to experience what it was like to train under the 20th SFS and learn how to work beside the base defenders.

  • Army GLOs enable joint combat power, battlefield safety

    The U.S. Department of Defense receives a significant amount of its intelligence from the Air Force Distributed Common Ground System, which simply put, is an enterprise of globally networked analysts and cyber professionals linked together by a global communications architecture.Although

  • AFCENT aircraft fly deterrence for region

    U. S. Air Force F-15C Eagles, F-35A Lightning IIs and B-52H Stratofortress aircraft flew deterrence missions in the U.S. Air Forces Central Command area of responsibility, supporting U.S. and Coalition aircraft in various operations conducted in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan.

  • Team Moody sparks innovation

    Moody Airmen had the opportunity to pitch their innovative ideas before a panel of 23d Wing and local community leaders during the base’s second annual Air Force Spark Tank competition, May 3, 2019, here. Seven Airmen presented ideas that will cost-effectively modernize various missions and drive

  • 24th Air Force adds combat comm capabilities with ANG wing transition

    The 156th Airlift Wing, Puerto Rico Air National Guard, transitioned to the 156th Wing April 10. The name change synced with the unit’s newly assigned contingency response and combat communications missions. The transition adds to the 24th Air Force’s combat communications strength and overall

  • Airman enhances aircrew readiness in worst-case scenarios

    F-15E Strike Eagles are a feared weapon, capable speeding past mach 2.5, day or night, in any weather, armed with a versatile arsenal of weaponry. The aircrew of an F-15E will likely win any fight put in their way. But in the tragic event that they must eject, Airman First Class Zack Day ensures the

  • CSAF helps honor rescue community

    More than 400 members of the rescue community gathered to commemorate the 50th, and final, Jolly Green Association (JGA) reunion, May 2-4, in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.The three-day event brought past and present ‘Jolly Greens’ together to celebrate their heritage, reminisce about past missions and to

  • Program Reflections: As F-35 production grows, DCMA takes aim at DoD goals

    The 2019 INSIGHT Magazine covers the many ways DCMA supports America's National Defense Strategy. This article highlights the agency’s work with the F-35 program.F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter production is about to reach new heights. Low rate initial production 11, or LRIP 11, calls for 141

  • Fitness: it doesn't have to be boring

    Although all the branches have a set fitness test that includes basic workouts, training for fitness tests doesn’t have to be a boring or redundant task.

  • Home Improvement - Airmen and their Families are Job No.1

    “Families first” is the mantra behind the Air Force’s Housing Privatization program improvement plan which will take front and center attention at the Air Force’s Global Housing Symposium, set to kick off on Tuesday, May 7, in downtown San Antonio. The plan, which includes five major lines of

  • Operation Restore Paradise enhances readiness through adaptive basing

    Airmen deploy all the time, leaving their work centers behind. But what if the Airman stayed and their work centers deployed?The Air Force has two deployable Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratories (PMEL) called a Rapid Assistance Support for Calibration (RASCAL) unit. And Mountain Home Air

  • Hill F-35A units assist in F-16 fighter training

    Brand new F-16 pilots received a unique training experience here with the help of the active duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings and the F-35A Lightning II.For the last two weeks, F-16 basic course students and instructor pilots from the 311th Fighter Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base, New

  • Leaders discuss Tyndall rebuild at second Industry Day

    The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Energy reaffirmed the Air Force’s commitment to rebuild Tyndall Air Force Base during a symposium with industry representatives May 2 at Florida State University-Panama City.John Henderson told the more than 500 attendees

  • Little Rock Airmen test next generation gas mask

    Airmen from Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, tested the capabilities of the M69 Joint Service Aircrew Mask Strategic Aircraft for implementation and field use for individual respiratory, ocular and percutaneous protection against chemical biological agents on the C-130J airframe April 25 – 30.

  • Back to the future ... kind of: AFNIC’s journey in the new millennium

    The 90s and early 2000s saw the de-centralization of communications with the stand down of Air Force Communications Command as a major command and the responsibility for communications and networking realigning to local bases. While this allowed individual MAJCOMs and local bases the leeway to

  • Hill Airmen return from Middle East deployment

    The 729th Air Control Squadron welcomed home more than 120 warriors from a seven-month deployment to the Middle East. While deployed the 729th ACS members provided aircraft control and an air surveillance picture across 1.1 million square miles of U.S. Air Force Central Command airspace.

  • Combat exercise, weapons evaluations mean busy May at Hill

    Communities surrounding Hill Air Force Base will notice increased flying and numbers of aircraft through much of May as the base’s fighter wings conduct a large combat exercise and host a weapons evaluation.The active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing, along with F-16 units from

  • Command Post: Getting the message out

    Every base has them, the windowless rooms and buildings filled with computers, telephones and radios. What goes on behind those walls may be some of the most important communications base wide. “As Command Post, you are operating in a windowless environment,” said Tech. Sgt. Monica Anaya, 380th Air

  • PJs sharpen skills during Razor’s Edge

    The 48th Rescue Squadron from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base participated in an exercise from April 8-18, 2019. Razor’s Edge is a two-week long exercise where pararescuemen train to be better prepared for unilateral and joint combat search and rescue operations in any situation and environment. To

  • Team JSTARS maintainers design tool saving Air Force estimated $500k yearly

    Eight Airmen from Team JSTARS at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, recently designed an innovative tool estimated to save the Air Force nearly $500k a year in cowling repairs for the E-8C Joint STARS aircraft.The cowling fixture table, an approved tool intended for field-level repairs, was a response

  • Air Force senior leaders update OCP uniform guidance

    The Air Force announced April 23 new rules on Operational Camouflage Pattern uniforms that aim to better fit the needs of Airmen and the jobs they do while also holding fast to tradition. The changes highlighted include authorization of the Two-piece Flight Duty Uniform in garrison and updated patch

  • Soldiers’ air defense capability defends skies

    Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Battalion, 11th ADA Brigade, maintain and operate Patriot missile launchers here, in defense of Al Udeid’s skies, personnel and assets.Soldiers of the 1-43rd ADA Battalion can rapidly respond to a threat if needed and train regularly to

  • Military working dog hunts down aircrew

    Staff Sgt. Antonio Padilla, 336th Security Forces Squadron military working dog trainer, and Alf, 366th SFS military working dog, acting as opposition forces, hunt down aircrew to enhance the combat readiness of both parties during a search and rescue operation as part of a Gunfighter Flag exercise

  • NDI: Ensuring structural integrity and peace of mind

    Inspections are nothing new to the Air Force. In fact, there is an Air Force specialty code within the maintenance field specifically for inspections. Whether at home or deployed, the mission for the 2A7X2 Nondestructive Inspection Airman does not change. They work daily to ensure the structural

  • 22nd MEU at ADAB

    Al Dhafra Air Base hosts several units from across the world and recently began hosting the mission of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.The composite squadron is making use of the base while their amphibious assault ship, USS Kearsarge, is in scheduled maintenance. The Black Knights brought

  • 9th MXG maintain rare U-2 Black Letter Jet at Beale

    A team of Airmen from the 9th Maintenance Group certified a U-2 Dragon Lady as a rare black-letter jet for flight March 17, 2019 Beale. The name “black-letter” originates when the dedicated crew chief initials the first letter of their last name in the “status today” block on a maintenance

  • The 618th ACOMS Spartans Take a Quantum Leap into Cyber Security

    The 618th Air Communications Squadron (ACOMS) facilitated an experimental exercise in support of the 26th Cyberspace Operations Group and 24th Air Force (AF) from December 2018-March 2019. This proof of concept, known as Exercise Quantum evaluated 24th AF’s ability to establish a scalable task force

  • I-WEPTAC delivers third straight year of innovation

    Mission Area Working Groups delivered innovative solutions to the Air Force’s top Agile Combat Support challenges at the 3rd Annual Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conference outbrief here April 10. One of those senior leaders in attendance was Gen. Mike Holmes, commander of Air

  • Viper Out: Vermont Ends 33 Years of F-16 Operations

    A crowd of nearly 2,000 members, family, retirees and freinds attended the Viper Out event at the 158th Fighter Wing, as the F-16 mission have left the VTANG after 33-years of service. The Wing anticipates the arrival of the F-35 Lightning II in the Fall, 2019.

  • Motorcycle Safety Training: What AF riders need to know

    Training season for motorcyclists is just around the corner, and as training gets into full swing, it may be helpful to shed some light on the Air Force’s training requirements, as well as what the proper acronyms are for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses. I’d also like to dispel some

  • Safety Culture and Readiness

    "Sir," he said, "we have four jets available."My first reaction was total disbelief mixed with frustration. At the time, we had 24 jets in the squadron and my Pro Super had just informed me that only four out of 24 were mission ready. The remaining 20 jets were non-mission capable. How was this even

  • 729th Air Control Squadron exercises to bolster readiness

    From Jan. 22-Feb. 7 the 729th Air Control Squadron at Hill Air Force Base engaged in a comprehensive, two-phase readiness exercise. Throughout the military, ‘readiness’ is a common term and one that encompasses the minimum standards required by all deployable units in order to qualify as mission

  • Tyndall family visits Airmen amidst legacy rebuild

    In the Tyndall name there is honor among its legacy that is proceeded by a deep rooted sense of family.Mary Tyndall Troff, daughter of Florida native and World War I pilot Lt. Frank B. Tyndall, 2nd Bombardment Group from Langley Field, Virginia, was only a child when she learned of her father’s

  • Getting right for readiness

    The 633rd Medical Group implemented a new program that incorporates individual medical readiness requirements into the First-Term Airmen Course curriculum at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.The Medical Right Start Program, initially launched in July 2018, aims to reduce overdue IMR statuses

  • Virtual training platform maintains, improves military surgeon’s skills

    It is vital for medical Airmen to continuously maintain and improve their skills. To access more training opportunities, military surgeons are looking to virtual training platforms.The Air Force is working with sister services to study a virtual training platform called Crowd-Sourced Assessment of

  • NDI stays mission ready

    Team Shaw members are always ready to employ and sustain combat ready suppression of enemy air defense, F-16 Fighting Falcons and develop combat ready Airmen to win our nation’s wars.

  • How the Air Force got smarter about its aviation fuel use in 2018

    Did you know the Air Force is the largest consumer of fuel in the Department of Defense? This may not surprise you, if say, you’ve ever watched a sortie of F-35s complete an aerial refueling, or witnessed a C-5 lift (seemingly) effortlessly into the sky. In fact, the Air Force consumes approximately

  • Deploying mental health care downrange

    Deployed mental health providers play a vital role in delivering medical care downrange, ensuring the health of the warfighter and the mission.Even though service members who deploy are medically ready, both physically and mentally, the rigors of deployment can take a toll.

  • COMBAT POWER: Our best photos

    Hill Air Force Base's 388th and 419th Fighter Wings conducted a combat power exercise Nov. 19 and launched 35 F-35A Lightning IIs within a condensed period of time. Here are the best photos of the day.

  • F-35A combat power exercise conducted at Hill AFB

    The active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Air Force Reserve 419th Fighter Wing conducted a combat power exercise Nov. 19, launching dozens of F-35A Lightning IIs within a condensed period of time.

  • USAFSAM readies operational mental health care providers

    The U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine has set up Air Force’s first operational training program for embedded mental health care providers and technicians, preparing them to join Integrated Operational Support teams.Since May, Air Force mental health care providers, technicians and social

  • Robotics key to medical Airmen recruitment, retention, readiness

    With surgical robots becoming the standard of care across many specialties, the Air Force Medical Service is keeping up with the latest advancements to provide the best patient care and maintain Airman readiness.Robotics has been the standard for years in the private sector, especially in OB-GYN and

  • AF deploys metrics, quantifies value of medical readiness

    As the Defense Health Agency assumes management of Air Force military treatment facilities, one of the most important challenges facing the Air Force is its ability to maintain the readiness mission hospitals and clinics support.

  • CMSAF Wright: The Airmen We Need must be resilient

    In order to win tomorrow’s war, defend the homeland and remain a safe and secure nuclear deterrent, Airmen must be well trained, well led, agile and resilient, according to the Air Force’s most senior enlisted leader.Building upon Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson’s discussion of the “Air

  • SecAF Wilson provides Air Force update

    Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson presented an update of the state of the Air Force Sept. 17, during the 2018 Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor.Wilson discussed restoring force readiness, space operations and the future of the Air Force during her

  • ANG medics maintain readiness with University of Kansas Health System

    Air National Guard Airmen are key to supporting Total Force readiness. Training agreements with civilian hospitals are vital to helping them achieve this support.The 190th Medical Group, part of the 190th Kansas Air National Guard Air Refueling Wing, has a partnership with The University of Kansas

  • Resilient kids, ready Airmen

    One thing Airmen worry about when they deploy is the well-being of their family, especially children who may have a hard time coping with the challenges that come with a parent’s deployment.The impact of deployment on children is a key component of Airmen readiness. Knowing their family is well

  • AF tests in-flight respiratory monitoring

    To lower risks of in-flight breathing issues and protect the health and performance of aircrew, Air Force researchers rely on innovative technology to deliver advanced respiratory monitoring, without the added weight.Researchers with the 711th Human Performance Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force