The first remotely piloted aircraft exchange officer stationed at the 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., is not bothered by the 5,000 miles between the state of Nevada and her native England.
"It has been an opportunity that money can't buy," said Royal Air Force Maj. Adele Stratton. "This post is the only exchange job within the rapidly evolving RPA community, and as the first incumbent, I have found it to be an interesting couple of years."
more...
Altus Air Force Base officials temporarily ordered three KC-135 Stratotankers and three C-17 Globemaster IIIs along with 67 aircrew and maintenance members to Lackland AFB, Texas, Feb. 4 to resume limited aircrew training operations.
Aircrew training at Altus AFB came to a halt when a severe ice storm swept through the base Jan. 28, knocking out power to the base.
"This ice storm has had a major impact on our training operation," said Col. Ty Thomas, the 97th Air Mobility Wing commander. "Our first challenge was to get power back to our housing areas and ensure our families were stable, then we had to get started on a return to training."
more...
The Year of the Air Force Family is an initiative focused on enhancing the support and care provided to those who firmly stand behind our Airmen on a daily basis. For one Air Force family stationed at Osan Air Base, the focus of the Year of the Air Force Family has expanded. It's about having an even greater impact by meeting the needs of others through the option of adoption.
Col. John Marselus, the 607th Air and Space Operations Center commander, and his wife, Kim, traveled to Addis Adaba, Ethiopia, in January where they picked up their newest son Caleb, a 5-year-old orphan whom they had just adopted.
more...
Ramstein Air Base officials hosted three officers from the Republic of Macedonia army Jan. 26 to 28 to help them enhance future operations and achieve mission success.
Focused on the world of logistics, the three-day visit was designed to allow the Macedonian officers the opportunity to see transportation, packing and handling operations, as well as movements into the theater in support of a deployment, to develop a more standardized system, thus better integrating their operations with the United States and NATO.
more...
The Protestant community of the 56th Fighter Wing base chapel raised more than $4,200 to help with relief efforts in Haiti.
The funds came from the community donating the tithes and offerings at Sunday services Jan. 24.
"The monies will be used by World Help, a Christian missionary group, to fund several projects in Haiti," said Chaplain (Capt.) Carlos Brito, the 56th Fighter Wing Protestant chaplain. "These include shipping a container with food, water and medicine to the country. The offering will also directly to help the rebuilding process."
more...
Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Airmen have been processing images since Jan. 14 to aid humanitarian efforts in Haiti.
Just two days after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti, these Air Force specialists have been using their talents to assist the recovery efforts in the Caribbean nation.
"Our analysts are highly trained in damage assessment, and in this case, Mother Nature caused incredible damage to the Haiti. What we immediately started looking for were the status of the infrastructure such as power and water treatment plants, locations where people were massing, the state of traffic patterns, and locations for airfields and helicopter landing zones," said Col. Dan Johnson, the 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing commander. "We are one of many organizations helping respond to this crisis, and our hearts and prayers go out to the Haitians. We'll do everything we can to assist them with a speedy recovery."
more...
Air University Holm Center's Officer Training School officials at Maxwell-Gunter AFB celebrated the 50th anniversary of the school's opening Feb. 5.
The school invited former OTS students, staff and their guests to attend 50th anniversary events held through Feb. 7.
"We will commemorate 50 years of excellence and the graduation of the class 60A, which was the first class to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Officer Training School," said Capt. Steve Masternak, the OTS flight commander and one of the project officers for the event. "We wanted former OTS graduates to have the opportunity to return to OTS to see how things have changed since they were officer trainees."
more...
Once a solid navy blue, the slightly worn, blackened fabric reflects the continuous hard work and dedication its owner has pledged to his aircraft.
The crew chief's coveralls bear witness to the countless hours spent on the flightline troubleshooting problems, fixing the jet, working with specialists, preparing the plane for flight and inspecting it after yet another mission in Southwest Asia.
Averaging a combined 350 missions a month between the 737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules aircraft, 817th EAS C-17 Globemaster IIIs and 43rd Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron EC-130 Compass Call, each aircraft within the inventory faces its share of wear and tear. It's up to the crew chiefs of the 386th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 5th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron Operating Location Bravo to keep the jets in the sky.
more...
Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Feb. 7, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Air Operations in Afghanistan:
Close-Air Support
Mazar-E-Sharif
Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircrews provided armed overwatch for friendly forces and a helicopter medical-evacuation mission. The aircrews conducted a show of force, with flares launched, to deter anti-Afghan forces activity. The show of force was declared successful by ground control and the helicopter extraction was accomplished without incident.
more...
Officials from the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Air Forces Northern provided crucial airspace control and manning support to the successful launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour the morning of Feb. 8 here.
CONR ensured airspace sovereignty by enforcing the Federal Aviation Administration's temporary flight restriction area established around Kennedy Space Center using F-15 Eagles from Langley Air Force Base, Va.
Air patrols are carefully planned and closely controlled to ensure public safety while demonstrating CONR's rapid response capability. CONR officials have conducted air patrols throughout the United States since the beginning of Operation Noble Eagle, the command's response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
more...
