U.S. AIR FORCE NEWS

  • Air Force leaders collaborate on total force future

    Air Force senior leaders are looking at ways to balance the ratio of regular and Reserve Component Airmen to create the most effective and efficient combat capability in austere budget times. Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley is leading collaborative efforts between active, Reserve and Guard

  • CSAF visits Airmen in Iraq

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz visited Airmen here Nov. 17.During his trip, he met with Airmen at Sather Air Base and FOB Union III, both in Iraq, as well as with U.S. and Iraqi leaders. While at Sather AB, the general hosted an all call to discuss current Air Force issues and take

  • Recycling saves Keesler hospital $62,000

    The Keesler Hospital's operating room is once again "going green."In 2004, Capt. Wendy Wilkins, an 81st Surgical Operations Squadron operating room nurse, began reprocessing the Flowtron compression hoses used in the operating rooms. Unfortunately, the reprocessing program wasn't re-established

  • Air Force leaders issue holiday safety message

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy send the following holiday safety campaign message to all Air Force personnel:"'Safety never takes a holiday' is the theme of this year's holiday safety

  • Thanksgiving at home away from home

    The streets were lined with hundreds of expatriates cheering, holding up welcome signs and even saluting as buses arrived. Based on the crowd's reaction it may have appeared the buses contained celebrities, but in fact, they carried hundreds of service members from various military installations

  • Bidens host holiday dinner for wounded warriors

    Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, hosted an early Thanksgiving feast for wounded warriors and their families in their home at the U.S. Naval Observatory here Nov. 21.With turkeys and trimmings steaming on the tables, the Bidens kept their remarks short, but both expressed their

  • Air Force firefighters earn gold, silver medals

    Firefighters from the U.S. Air Force Academy took home the gold and firefighters from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., won silver at the World Firefighter Combat Challenge XX Nov. 19 in Myrtle Beach, S.C.The firefighter combat challenge requires maximum effort in minimal time as it simulates the

  • Abizaid agrees to chair Dover mortuary panel

    Retired Army Gen. John P. Abizaid will chair the panel overseeing the Dover, Del., port mortuary, Pentagon officials announced last night.Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta asked Abizaid, the former commander of U.S. Central Command, to replace former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona, who

  • U.S., Swedish air forces conduct squadron exchange program

    Swedish Air Force and 48th Fighter Wing airmen participated in a week-long squadron exchange program here, which concluded Nov. 18. Swedish JAS-39 Gripen pilots went up against F-15C Eagle and F-15E Strike Eagle pilots in simulated combat scenarios to train with and learn from each other. The 493rd

  • CSAF: Despite budget challenges, Air Force will remain superb

    The Air Force's senior-ranking officer visited Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Nov. 16-17 to meet with Airmen serving here.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz met with fellow Airmen in their work centers and also discussed a variety of service-wide issues at an "all call." The general