AirForceDad.com

This week's photo highlights feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

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Officials here hosted their first Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century event Sept. 13 through 17 to further streamline and sustain the KC-135 Stratotanker fleet.

The event, called the "KC-135 Points of Use Parts Enterprise Event," involved 16 different units Air Force-wide, and affects the Air Force's fleet of more than 415 KC-135 Stratotankers.

"The main goal of this conference is to validate and make sure that each base is looking at the same thing on every (KC-135), ensuring parts are available, providing a common part listing to make sure each base will order the same parts, while also looking at supply system," said Master Sgt. David Jones, the 22nd Maintenance Operations Squadron process manager. "This, in turn, helps increase part sustainability for the KC-135 fleet."
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The Enlisted Performance Reporting system constantly comes under heavy criticism from all ranks in the Air Force. The primary complaint is that the system is considered inflated.

So, let me simply say, "If you want it to be, it will be."

I recently met with a group of NCO's during a professional enhancement course and received both verbal and non-verbal cues from many in attendance who feel that our reporting system is inflated.

When asked why, a few mentioned knowing other supervisors who are giving "firewall 5" EPRs to troops who are, in their opinion, average or below average performers. Because of this, some indicated that as supervisors, they weigh their decision on what ratings to give their folks based on not wanting to hurt their opportunity to fairly compete for promotion. This attitude is the one reason why our performance reporting system continues to be inflated.
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Some parts of western Afghanistan could begin transitioning security to Afghan forces within six to nine months, the top NATO force commander in the region said today.

Italian army Brig. Gen. Claudio Berto, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force's Regional Command-West in Afghanistan, and his deputy chief of staff, Italian air force Col. Vito Cracas, briefed Pentagon reporters in a video news conference from their headquarters in Afghanistan.

The 7,000 NATO troops in the region, which include about 2,000 Americans, are partnered with close to 12,000 Afghan soldiers and police.
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Department of Defense Education Activity officials are keeping on the cutting-edge of sharing resources and training tools with public schools supporting military families, a Washington education official said.

"Our goal is to reach military children who attend public schools," said Kathy Facon, the activity's chief of educational partnership. "We want to make sure that what's good for our students is good for them too."

Aimed at cooperation with public schools, the education activity serves as an ex officio member of the Interstate Compact on Education Opportunity for Military Children Commission.
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Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Sept. 29 he anticipates that more women will serve in military special operations in the future.

"My guess at some point is that there will be a careful step in that direction with the special operations forces," Secretary Gates told about 300 ROTC students at Duke University here.

Women already serve in a limited capacity within the special operations community -- primarily in civil affairs, mission information support and aviation capacities, a U.S. Special Operations Command official confirmed.
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People never know when the things they learn in life may have a drastic effect on someone else's life. For one Shaw AFB Airman, those lessons helped him save a man.

On Sept. 17, Airman 1st Class Brandon Horne, a 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels truck operator, was on his way to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. to visit his wife.

It was 2 a.m., and he was driving through Newton Grove, N.C. on U.S. Highway 13, when he saw an all-terrain vehicle driving in reverse at approximately 20 miles per hour.
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The American people are losing contact with those who make up its military, and the nation needs to understand the service and sacrifices that U.S. military personnel and their families make, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said at Duke University's Page Auditorium Sept. 29.

The secretary spoke to the audience about the achievements of the all-volunteer military force and the stresses and strains it faces.

Secretary Gates said the young men and women in today's military had joined up while the country was at war.
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The nonprofit National Fire Protection Association has developed "Smoke Alarms: A Sound You Can Live With!" as the theme for Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 3 through 9.

Newer smoke alarm recommendations and technologies now provide greater levels of home fire protection than ever before.

Officials said many people still do not know about these updated recommendations, nor do they have this level of fire protection in their homes.

The following are some fire prevention tips:
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The Air Force's top leaders released a joint "Letter to Airmen" to encourage Airmen to continue to be energy efficient at the workplace and at home.  

"The Air Force is engaged in a long-term effort to improve our nation's energy security through energy efficiency and conservation," Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said.

"We have made solid progress in these areas over the past year, but our work is far from done. In order to meet our strategic energy goals, we must continue to instill energy efficiency and conservation into our daily routines within our aviation and our installation communities," Secretary Donley and General Schwartz continued.
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