Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 24, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
In Afghanistan, Navy F/A-18-E and -F Super Hornets carried out shows of force and used guided bomb unit-38s against enemy personnel on a mountain near Tarin Kowt. Anti-afghan forces had conducted an ambush on a friendly convoy, beginning the attack with an improvised explosive device before opening fire. The jets destroyed the enemy positions.
more...
Airmen and Soldiers were put to the test in the air and space expeditionary force rotation 7/8 fire muster March 21 here.
A fire muster is a fire department competition consisting of several different events from a dummy drag, putting out a "fire" using a bucket brigade, rolling up a hose, and litter carry; all activities that resemble training the Air Force firefighters use to keep their lifesaving skills sharp.
"We hold a fire muster once every rotation to raise awareness among the base populace about what our firefighters go through and to provide a small taste of their experience," said Lt. Col. Mark Sloan, the 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron commander. "It still doesn't equate to the unusually challenging physiological adjustments they go through requiring both strength and stamina at the same time, in high heat, and while breathing oxygen on a tank."
more...
The Air Force Personnel Center recently introduced several changes to Air Force Form 77, Letter of Evaluation, as part of its ongoing efforts to improve and refine its processes.
Some of the specific improvements included upgrading the form's layout and usability, creating dropdown boxes to eliminate confusion, and adding additional rater and ratee acknowledgement blocks.
"These changes enhance the forms' utility and make them more user-friendly for Airmen and their rating officials," said Master Sgt. Jason Malec, Superintendent of Air Force Evaluation programs at AFPC. "We will continue to look for ways to provide Airmen with the tools they need."
more...
Eight Airmen on two UH-1N Huey helicopters loaded with rescue equipment here deployed March 25 to support state authorities in flood efforts in Bismarck, N.D, after President Barack Obama declared the state a federal disaster area.
An ice jam north of Bismarck broke, which sent flood waters from the Missouri River toward the city and evacuations were ordered in riverside areas.
"We're doing an Air Force Rescue Coordination Center-approved rescue request," said Lt. Col. David Lowe, the 54th Helicopter Squadron commander. "They requested us to support state authorities down in Bismarck in regard to potential flooding of the Missouri River."
more...
In AFPC's ongoing effort to improve consistency and efficiency across the Air Force, supervisors will now receive an e-mail notification when one of their civilian employees is within 90 days of completing a probationary period.
New employees and new supervisors serve an established probationary period in which supervisors to evaluate the employee's suitability and capability for fulfilling the duties of the position. The Air Force normally sets a one-year probationary period.
more...
You're in good hands when it comes to the service provided by the 374th Medical Group clinical laboratory, and they have the paper to prove it.
The College of American Pathologists awarded an accreditation, based on a recent on-site inspection, to the medical group laboratory. The lab, noted for "excellence of the services being provided," joins the ranks of the more than 6,000 CAP-accredited laboratories nationwide.
"CAP accreditation assures our beneficiary population that they are receiving quality services just as they would on any stateside base," said Capt. Denise Lennon, 374th Medical Support Squadron clinical laboratory element chief.
more...
Air Force intelligence analysts have been trained to focus on air threats since they first entered the service. There's now a need for them to be trained to provide support for world-wide ground combat and force protection operations.
The Air Force Force Protection Intelligence Formal Training Unit Course at the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center on Fort Dix, N.J., recently trained the first set of students in February to focus on force protection and ground threats, said 1st Lt. Eric Snelgrove, course director for the 421st Combat Training Squadron.
more...
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 25, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer dropped guided bomb unit-38s against anti-Afghan firing positions after enemy forces engaged coalition ground troops. The strike, near Tarin Kowt, impacted the target and ended enemy hostile fire. A coalition aircraft also performed a show of force in the area to deter additional enemy activity.
more...
An Air Force F-22 Raptor crash March 25 near here claimed the life of an Air Force veteran and Lockheed Martin test pilot.
David Cooley, 49, of Palmdale, Calif., died when the F-22 he was piloting crashed northeast of the base here.
Mr. Cooley worked as a test pilot with Lockheed Martin, and was employed at the 411th Flight Test Squadron an Edwards Air Force Base.
Mr. Cooley joined Lockheed Martin in 2003 and was a 21-year veteran of the Air Force. He worked at the F-22 Combined Test Force, where a team of Lockheed Martin and Air Force pilots conduct F-22 aircraft testing.
more...
The door to the 62nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron features a drawing of an MQ-1 Predator armed with Hellfire missiles underscored with the words "We're not drones - we fire back."
Often referred to by reporters as "drones," unmanned aircraft like the MQ-1 Predator and RQ-4 Global Hawk are remotely-flown weapons systems flown both locally and stateside from ground stations using satellite uplinks. They're also far more complex than the U.S. military's relatively more simplified radio-controlled drone aircraft used for aerial target practice, according to unmanned aircraft system professionals.
more...
