Doctor performs first robot-assisted surgery in the Air Force

Lt. Col. (Dr.) Kyle Weld performed the first robot-assisted surgery in the Air Force April 10 at Wilford Hall Medical Center here. The surgery was a laparoscopic prostatectomy, or the surgical removal of prostate cancer. "The procedure went great," said Dr. Weld, director of endourology at Wilford

National Security Personnel System goes under microscope

The federal government's largest pay-for-performance system, the National Security Personnel System, is under review at the request of officials in the Defense Department and the Office of Personnel Management. Since October 2006, about 205,000 defense employees were brought under the new NSPS,

First Air Force Indy car gets ready to race

The first Air Force-themed Indy race car debuts April 19 at Long Beach, Calif., courtesy of Luczo Dragon Racing, owners of race car no. 2. Luczo Dragon Racing, corporately-sponsored by Seagate Corporation, will display the Air Force symbol during the 2009 race season, including the Indy 500. "The

Foreign aircrews train at Altus for multi-national mission

Instructors at the Air Force C-17 Aircrew Training Center here are preparing foreign aircrews for a first-of-its-kind mission in Hungary. A multi-national consortium consisting of 10 North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries and two Partnership for Peace nations created the Strategic Airlift

Air Force officials modernize mentoring program

As Air Force officials continue to modernize the processes to meet 21st century mission requirements, manpower and personnel force development officials have taken a hard look at the service's mentoring program to increase its effectiveness. "Our mentoring program has existed on paper for many

Proposed B-1 program aims to speed maintenance

A team of high ranking Air Force officials visited here recently in an effort to determine whether to change the way maintenance is performed on the B-1B Lancer strategic bomber. Called the "Red Team," the group from Air Force Materiel Command, Air Combat Command and the Air Staff are considering

SERE instructors ensure water survival skills

A sudden jump into the ocean after an airplane malfunction could leave a person confused and helpless. However, the chances of survival increase if that person has attended water survival training at Survival Evasion Resistance Escape, or SERE,  School at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. or Naval Air

April 16 airpower summary: F-15Es protect coalition forces

Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 16, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle in the vicinity of

F-22 exchange pilot helps strengthen U.S., Australian ties

A Royal Australian Air Force pilot assigned to the 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron has had the opportunity to fly the Air Force's premier fighter, the F-22 Raptor, as part of a foreign pilot exchange program. Squadron Leader Matthew Harper is an F-22 instructor pilot and the 90th EFS flight

Wheel and tire shop rolls on