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We found an interesting piece from Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down. He writes in the March 2009 "The Atlantic" on some of the difficult decisions that face the future of U.S. Air Dominance. Should the U.S. Air Force maintain Air Dominance, or should we have to fight for it? Link to the article here.

The opening line: "American air superiority has been so complete for so long that we take it for granted."

He highlights an Airman, Cesar Rodriguez (who retired with more air-to-air kills than any active duty Air Force pilot) and states that the nation can buy expensive, cutting-edge equipment at "great expense to our Treasury. Or we can go back to a time when the cost of air supremacy was paid in the blood of men like Rodriguez."

Another piece of the article that caught our attention was the video that features Airmen from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Check out the retro intro. Creative use of archived footage.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200903/air-force


UPDATE: For the video, and personal account from Lt. Col. "Corky" Corcoran, commander of the 525th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, who worked with the magazine's team during their research for the article, and offered the following perspective on the experience click the link here to go to PACAF Pixels blog.


Posted by Capt. David Faggard, Air Force Public Affairs.

Mt. Redoubt, (live video here from a weather cam) a volcano in Alaska, may erupt and the Air Force is preparing for that according to the mainstream media. Click here for pictures, maps, etc. Many Soldiers and Airmen live in Alaska and are preparing for a potential eruption. We're interested in your photos and personal accounts of the eruption or the prep for eruption. Send them to us at afbluetube AT gmail.com and we'll highlight them in social media, to include our Youtube page, as well as on other popular social networking sites.

UPDATE:
Check out some of our Airmen at Elmendorf AFB preparing for this event.

Picture above right:
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska-- A C-17 Globemaster III takes off from Elmendorf making its way to McChord Air Force Base Feb. 1, 2009. Five C-17 Globemaster IIIs and around 130 operations and maintenance personnel are heading to McChord AFB as a precautionary measure due to increased activity associated with Mount Redoubt. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Jonathan Steffen)



We'll bring you more in the future and will cover it right here.



posted By Capt. David Faggard, Air Force Public Affairs.

AOR Week in Photos
By Master Sgt Mikal Canfield

I am deployed here [Combined Air Operations Center] from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, doing Media Outreach for the Public Affairs office in Southwest Asia. My job is to market print and broadcast stories and photos to media outlets around the world, highlighting the men and women of the U.S. Air Force.

One of the best things about my job is knowing that our products might have an impact on the fight. People around the world see our Airmen in action and are able to see the variety of things we do to preserve freedom.

This week we premiered the “AOR Week in Photos”, pictures from around the area of responsibility – Afghanistan, Iraq and other air bases in this region – focusing on the different things our Airmen are doing here. Some of the photos show mission accomplishment – flying, fighting and winning the war on terrorism, some highlight Airmen facing unique challenges, while others feature our work in the communities we share. I think it’s important to show both aspects because it’s not all about flying sorties and driving convoys, it’s also about connecting with the people of this region and showing that we care about helping them achieve the peace and prosperity previously denied.

The “AOR Week in Photos” is just one of the ways our office does its part to fight terrorism. Putting together a photo slide show or sending out a news release might not be the stuff of legend, but it’s our role here and it’s a job we take seriously. Every single deployed Airman has a job to do and without his or her hard work, skill and dedication, the mission wouldn’t get done. Hopefully the “AOR Week in Photos” gives people a glimpse at some of the men and women representing America with honor.