Air Force-funded researchers from several universities are studying the flexible, flapping wings routinely used by bats and insects and mimicking their biological attributes to improve agility, speed and adaptability in micro air vehicle systems.
Air Force Office of Scientific Research officials here manage two projects on biologically-inspired flight.
Both are part of the 2007 Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative, which provides funding for topics that rely on expertise in multiple disciplines.
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Twenty-one Air Force senior executives and senior professionals received the 2008 Presidential Rank Award for sustained achievement in government service.
President George W. Bush announced the recipients at the Pentagon Sep. 30, 2008, and Air Force officials will honor the award recipients at a ceremony April 17.
"Air Force leadership is proud to be so well represented," said Cheryl Medlin, the former Air Force PRA coordinator at the Pentagon. "These Airmen have made a significant contribution to positively impact the government on a sustained basis. This award is a testament to their leadership and dedication."
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The Washington National Guard officials plan to mobilize up to 200 citizen Soldiers and Airmen over the next few days in response to record snow fall in the Spokane area.
Their mission starting Jan. 7 will focus on removing snow, which has accumulated on the roofs of area schools.
"The unprecedented snow accumulation has necessitated this unique measure in order to ensure the safety of school structures," said 1st Lt. Keith Kosik, the state public affairs officer for the Washington National Guard.
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Force protection augmentees with the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here have added an intermediate item to their tool belt when they began training on how to use a collapsible baton here recently.
The batons allow Airmen to engage an opponent using nondeadly force in accordance with Air Force policy, said Staff Sgt. Gary Hutchings, the 407th ESFS NCO in charge of training.
"Not every scenario ... is going to require an immediate go-to-your-gun type of response," Sergeant Hutchings said.
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The Army & Air Force Exchange Service and the Pentagon Channel have teamed up to bring original, exchange-focused programming to more than three million viewers around the world.
On Jan. 7, the Pentagon Channel began broadcasting the monthly 30-minute show, focused on what makes AAFES special compared to other retailers.
Dubbed "EXchange On Air," the new show airs on the following days and times (all times EST):
Mondays - 5 a.m.
Tuesdays - 1:30 a.m.
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U.S. Africa Command officials are laying plans to airlift heavy equipment to Sudan to support African Union and U.N. peacekeepers involved in the country's Darfur region, an AFRICOM spokesman said Jan. 6.
AFRICOM members will transport about 75 tons of heavy equipment -- water tankers, fuel tank trucks, forklifts and other oversized cargo -- from Kigali, Rwanda, to Darfur aboard two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, Vince Crawley said.
President George W. Bush announced the decision Jan. 5 after meeting at the White House with Sudanese First Vice President Salva Kiir, a former south Sudanese rebel leader.
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This week's Airman's Roll Call focuses on the enlisted promotion process, and features some information Airmen should consider as they prepare for their next promotion.
Testing is one process Airmen need to prepare for.
The purpose of promotion testing is to measure Airmen's specialty and general military knowledge, in conjunction with other weighted criteria, to determine promotion to the next rank.
For more information about the enlisted promotion process, read this week's
Airman's Roll Call.
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It's faster, more accurate and highly maneuverable. What may sound like the latest weapons system is actually a new way of doing business for doctors at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.
With the introduction of Dragon Medical speech recognition software, the process of documenting patient medical records can be accomplished in minutes rather than days. Not only is the process faster, but it allows for a more detailed, accurate and cost-effective way of doing business, said Army Maj. (Dr.) Hamilton Le, a surgeon who has mastered the program in less than a month.
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An Airman and Soldiers here conducted a humanitarian operation Dec. 16 to deliver aid to citizens of Bedouin camps near the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah.
Tech. Sgt. Joseph Slysz, the NCO in charge of COB Adder's criminal intelligence department from the 732nd Provost Marshal Office Det. 5, recently became aware of a personal security detachment's work with the nomadic Bedouin people and said he wanted to get involved.
The personal security detachment staff has visited the camps three to four times per week during the last six months.
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Officials of the Electronic Systems Center delivered the 20,000th Combat Survivor Evader Locator radio to operators in the fall of 2008, and now are on track to deliver an additional 20,000 to warfighters.
Credited with saving many lives, CSELs have been in use in Iraq and in Afghanistan for several years.
In 2007 and 2008, the joint program office staff managing the effort received a significant amount of war on terrorism supplemental funding to procure radios for U.S. Central Command theater operators.
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