For the first time, 12 nations have come together, independent of NATO, to fly in support of their national requirements under the provisions of the Strategic Airlift Capability program, a U.S. military officer in Papa, Hungary, said July 29.
"While we don't take operational directions from (NATO), our nations are free to use their flying hours to support NATO missions," Air Force Col. John D. Zazworsky Jr., commander of the Heavy Airlift Wing at Papa Air Base, Hungary, said during a "DODLive" bloggers roundtable. The Heavy Airlift Wing is the multinational, operational-level unit of the SAC program.
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A military construction team has been created in the 86th Construction and Training Squadron here that brings unique capabilities to U.S. Air Forces in Europe.
This team, known as the Deployable Engagement USAFE Construction Engineers, or DEUCE, is rapidly deployable and can build alongside units of allied nations responding to disasters or developing infrastructure. Additionally, they assist with projects at USAFE bases.
"This team arrives quickly to work projects in war zones and contingency areas, to assist allies or provide support to USAFE bases," said Lt. Col. Mark Vivians, the 86th CTS commander. "They're all multiskilled and ready to go wherever and whenever the USAFE commander needs them."
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Security forces Airmen, emergency medics and hospital staff here saved an Iraqi girl after an improvised explosive device detonated at her feet in July near Joint Base Balad.
The girl and her family had just attended a Joint Base Balad-sponsored clothing-and-toys distribution for local children at the east entry control point, but shortly after the event ended Airmen near the ECP heard an explosion.
Maj. David Haigh and Master Sgt. Sua'ava Poti, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing antiterrorism officers, along with Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Potts of the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group, were meeting with Iraqi security representatives outside the ECP when they heard the blast. A few minutes later, a local man came running toward them, yelling for help.
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Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations July 29, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Near Asadabad, Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons provided armed overwatch for friendly forces engaged in a vehicle recovery operation. Enemy sniper fire forced friendly forces to call for airpower assistance. The F-16s responded by dropping precision guided munitions on the enemy position. Friendly forces were able to complete the mission under air cover.
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Four Hurlburt Field Airmen have tested positive for the H1N1 virus in July and 59 others currently have symptoms consistent with the H1N1 virus.
Most of the illnesses are clustered within one work center and a few are roommates with members who are from that work center.
All are recuperating well, as expected with a seasonal flu, base officials said.
"As a precautionary measure, we have required the 63 affected members to remain in their homes," said Col. Greg Lengyel, the 1st Special Operations Wing commander.
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American Airmen don't run dining facilities for the Iraqi military here. They don't pump fuel and they don't make runs to ammunition storage points. At least not any more.
All of these daily tasks that require the utmost attention to detail to supporting mission readiness are handled directly by Iraqi soldiers.
"We're just here to advise them now," said Tech. Sgt. Willie Moorer, who provides "a safety net" for the Iraqi soldiers who run a dining facility that feeds more than 400 troops per meal. "My goal is to work myself out of a job. They understand what they need to do to maintain the dining facilities. They know how to get a refrigerator fixed if it breaks, they know why cleanliness is important and they know about health standards."
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An Air Mobility Command NCO here recently earned the National Defense Transportation Association International Junior Executive Leadership Award.
Tech. Sgt. Alisha Cua, an air transportation specialist assigned to AMC standardization, programs and resources branch, will be recognized at the NDTA National Convention Sept. 23 in Nashville, Tenn.
The NDTA Junior Executive Leadership Award recognizes outstanding junior executives who demonstrated leadership ability and responded in a constructive manner to current issues confronting the transportation distribution industry.
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An F-22 Raptor pilots braved a rainy day of flying July 27 during Red Flag-Alaska here. Red Flag is a field training exercise for U.S. coalition forces that provides joint offensive counter-air, interdiction close air support, and large force employment training in a simulated combat environment. Participating bases include Elmendorf and Eielson Air Force bases, Alaska, and Osan Air Base, South Korea.
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Members of the 96th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron here completed 10 sorties flying more than 110 hours while participating in Talisman Saber 2009 July 15 through 24 over Australia.
The bilateral command post and field training exercise was designed to increase interoperability between U.S. and Australian forces.
Missions for the B-52 Stratofortresses, deployed here from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., consisted of flying 12 hours from Guam to Australian training ranges where they worked with joint and coalition forces.
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The commander of the Afghan national army air corps toured the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center here and said the predeployment training and education facility "will be a role model" for his country's armed forces.
"After 30 years of turmoil and civil war in Afghanistan and trying to change the system of the military, we require a lot of experiences," Afghan Maj. Gen. Mohammad Dawran said.
Referring to the Air Education and Training Command's Air Adviser Course held at the Expeditionary Center the general said, "Whenever I visit a foreign military educational installation, it gives me a lot of ideas to bring back to Afghanistan to try to improve life in Afghanistan. In the future, if we are in a position to send our military advisers to other countries, then this will be a role model for our training. Fighting terrorism and insurgency in Afghanistan forces us to learn new ways to counter every enemy tactic and method. The main goal of these visits is to witness all these training and experiences and take some lessons from them back to Afghanistan and try to implement them."
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