No JCS Seat for Guard:

Congressional aides told CongressDaily that the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves has decided against recommending a seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the head of the National Guard Bureau. The Congressional commission plans to release its...

The Great Rocket Motor Transfer:

Airmen with the 78th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Robins AFB, Ga., are working with Raytheon technicians on a three-year, $4.6 million project to replace rocket motors on some 690 AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile. They are swapping motors from A models to B and C models because the B and C engines have a “mild defect” and they are nearing the end of their 10.5 year service life. Unlike the earlier A model, the B and C missiles are programmable so can take necessary software upgrades. The team expects to complete the first 360 missiles this fiscal year.

Pace on Past, Present, and Future:

Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held a short town hall meeting at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, Friday, to say thank you to the troops. Pace told the airmen, soldiers, sailors, and coast guardsmen in...

No “Mushroom Cloud” in Nevada:

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency has just canceled the proposed Divine Strake experiment, which would have involved a large-scale, open air “mushroom cloud” detonation of a common blasting agent over an existing tunnel at the Nevada Test Site, about 65...

A Critical Field:

The Air Force and the Navy contribute the majority of explosive ordnance disposal specialists operating in Southwest Asia, Gen. Michael Moseley, USAF Chief of Staff, stated at a House hearing earlier this month. According to the Air Force’s year to...

Cheney Awards Rescuers in Guam:

Vice President Dick Cheney, on a stopover at Andersen AFB, Guam, addressed US military personnel, reminding them that the island of Guam “may be small, but it has tremendous importance to the peace and security of the world.” He went...

Predator Goes Down:

The Combined Air Operations Center in Southwest Asia reports that an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed Feb. 23 at about 1 p.m. some 60 miles northeast of Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Officials believe the crash was due to mechanical failure rather...

Talon Crashes in Texas:

A Randolph AFB, Tex., T-38 Talon trainer crashed Feb. 22 at around 12:45 p.m. about 12 miles south of Hondo, Tex. The pilot of the 12th Flying Training Wing aircraft ejected safely. The Air Force has launched an accident investigation....

Medics for AFA Team Award:

The Air Force Association has selected expeditionary medics for AFA’s annual “Team of the Year” awards for 2007. The seven airmen comprising the 2007 team are: Col. Jay Johanningman, Air Force Reserve Command; Capt. Shaun Westphal, Air Education and Training...

No Threat to Russia:

Air Force Lt. Gen. Trey Obering told reporters in Washington, D.C., Feb. 22 that plans to base missile defenses in Eastern Europe, specifically Poland and the Czech Republic, would not hamper Russia’s missile deterrent capability but would safeguard US deployed...

Americans see Iran as Top Threat to US:

According to a Gallup Poll conducted early this month, Americans believe that North Korea, Iran, and Iraq—the “axis of evil” countries from President Bush’s January 2002 State of the Union address—are the greatest enemies of the United States today. Iraq...

Renuart Nomination Official:

A Pentagon release Friday stated that President Bush has nominated Air Force Lt. Gen. Victor Renuart for a fourth star and to lead NORAD and US Northern Command. Defense Secretary Robert Gates had recommended Renuart for the position earlier this...

Japanese Airmen Train at Robins:

The Japanese Air Self Defense Force has sent five personnel—four airmen and one contractor—to Robins AFB, Ga., to train with Air Force technicians expert in aircraft battle damage repair. The JASDF liaison at Robins, Lt. Col. Masafumi Ito, said that...

Wright-Patt Drops Spin Simulator:

The Air Force Research Lab earlier this month ran the final spin in the lab’s dynamic environment simulator, which has been in use since 1965. Lab officials “are considering” building a new state of the art centrifuge, according to a...

Air Sorties in the Global War on Terrorism

Feb. 21, 2007 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 15 11 26 CAS/Armed Recon 49 34 83 Airlift 150 150 Air refueling 31 31 Total 64 45 181 290 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance