Maj. Gen. Jim Owoyesigire, Ugandan air force chief, visited 17th Air Force (Air Forces Africa) at Ramstein AB, Germany, becoming the first African air chief to call on 17th AF headquarters since the numbered air force stood up in October 2008. The meetings Nov. 9-11 were the latest step in the strengthening of an “already fantastic” relationship, said Maj. Gen. Margaret Woodward, 17th AF boss. Owoyesigire said 17th has been a key in helping his young air service develop an airlift capability so that it could contribute to peacekeeping activities in Africa, such as the African Union Mission in Somalia. He said lessons learned from the Ramstein visit will shape the next steps in cooperation. “[R]ight now, we are asking 17th AF to come and help us establish a squadron officers’ school and NCO academy in Uganda,” he said. (Ramstein report by MSgt. Jim Fisher)
A Michigan highway traded pickup trucks and minivans for A-10s and U-28s as members of the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and Air Force Special Operations Command trained for agile combat employment. All told, five different kinds of fixed-wing aircraft landed on and took off from the 9,000-foot section…