Crosses and Stripes

April 1, 1998
In the service’s history, only 21 enlisted members have received the Air Force Cross. Here are their stories.

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Second B-21 Under Construction as Bomber Moves Toward First Flight

Jan. 15, 2021
The first flight of the secretive B-21 bomber has slipped to mid-2022, but the program is moving along well, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director Randall Walden said in an exclusive interview. The second copy of the B-21, which will be used for structural testing, is now on the production…

Pentagon Shifts Israel to CENTCOM Responsibility

Jan. 15, 2021
The Pentagon has changed the combatant command responsible for operations involving Israel from U.S. European Command to U.S. Central Command, following White House-brokered accords between the country and multiple Persian Gulf states. The update to the Unified Command Plan comes as the Trump administration finishes its final week in office.…

Pence Honors Chuck Yeager’s ‘Great American Life’ at Memorial Service

Jan. 15, 2021
Vice President Mike Pence honored the life, career, and character of World War II ace and renowned Air Force test pilot Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager at a Jan. 15 memorial service in West Virginia. “Yeager has been an inspiration to every American pilot, and will be throughout time," Pence said.…

Aviano F-16s Practice ‘All-Domain Targeting’ Near Black Sea

Jan. 15, 2021
F-16 fighter jets from the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, practiced combat cooperation with the Romanian Air Force while conducting “all-domain targeting operations” in a Jan. 14 bilateral exercise in the Black Sea region, according to a U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa release. It's another…

US Down to 5,000 Troops Across Afghanistan, Iraq

Jan. 15, 2021
U.S. military forces in Afghanistan and Iraq have shrunk to 5,000 troops across both countries, with 2,500 personnel in each, meeting a Jan. 15 deadline from President Donald J. Trump to reduce the military’s footprint in the Middle East. The withdrawal marks the lowest level of American troops in Afghanistan…

New Nuclear Cruise Missile Ahead of Schedule for Next Development Phase

Jan. 15, 2021
The Air Force's highly classified Long-Range Stand Off nuclear cruise missile program is running ahead of schedule and could enter the engineering and manufacturing development phase in May—as much as nine months ahead of schedule, the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration said Jan.…

30 Years After Desert Storm: Jan. 19

Jan. 15, 2021
In commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of Operation Desert Storm, Air Force Magazine is posting daily recollections from the six-week war, which expelled Iraq from occupied Kuwait.

30th Anniversary of Desert Storm

Jan. 14, 2021
Operation Desert Storm, the six-week conflict that redefined modern warfare and introduced elements such as stealth, large-scale use of precision weapons, and space support, began 30 years ago Sunday. The operation shaped the world's militaries, which underwent a “revolution in military affairs” in its aftermath.

DOD Grapples With Extremist Troops as Congress Urges Investigation

Jan. 14, 2021
The Pentagon is reckoning with the growing presence of ideological extremists in its ranks, especially white supremacists and militia members who target troops to bolster their organizations’ credibility. A group of lawmakers on Jan. 14 called on the Defense Department to launch a “comprehensive” investigation into the problem. The issue…