Photos

About 1,000 attend Aviano F-16 pilot memorial

By Brian Everstine on February 6, 2013 Air Force, Photos

Approximately 1,000 mourners came together Feb. 6 to pay their respects to Maj. Lucas Gruenther, the F-16 pilot who was killed after his viper went missing off the coast of Italy on Jan. 28. Gruenther, who went by the callsign “Gaza,” was posthumously promoted to major. He had been selected but was waiting to pin on the rank. “Nothing I can say can put the emotional stress on the life and the hope and the ambition that he has given everyone he’s known,” said Maj. Travis Winslow, 555th Fighter Squadron pilot, according to an Air Force write-up of the memorial.…

Dancing with the commander in chief

By Brian Everstine on January 22, 2013 Air Force, Obama Administration, Photos

Air Force Staff Sgt. Bria Nelson had quite the dance partner last night. Nelson, who serves with the 579th Medical Operations Squadron at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., was selected to dance with President Obama last night at the Commander-in-Chief’s Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center after the 57th presidential inauguration ceremony. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Timothy Easterling was selected to dance with first lady Michelle Obama. The service members and the Obamas were serenaded by Jennifer Hudson for the dance. The ball was the end of a long day of inaugural festivities, which included about 5,500 military members, including…

President for a day

By Brian Everstine on January 14, 2013 Air Force, Obama Administration, Photos

Air Force Staff Sgt. Serpico Elliott had a unique opportunity on Sunday. Elliott stood in for the commander in chief during a presidential inauguration dress rehearsal Sunday afternoon in Washington. Military members in the Joint Task Force-National Capitol Region will be an integral part of the Jan. 21 ceremony, with more than 5,500 troops expected to take part in the ceremony. More than 1,000 of these service members will be airmen, tasked with security, support and marching in the parade. More than 200 airmen have also been nominated to attend the Military Inaugural Ball.

Air Force planned for a flying saucer

By Oriana Pawlyk on October 9, 2012 Air Force, History, Photos, Space

Whether aliens exist or not, the Air Force may have once tried to reach them. The National Archives published parts of recently declassified records from the Aeronautical Systems Division in a document titled, “USAF Project 1794.” Dated in 1956, this document shows the Air Force’s goal to build a supersonic flying … something. According to the National Archives blog, the Air Force had contracted the work out to a Canadian company, Avro Aircraft Ltd. in Ontario, to construct the disk-shaped craft. The “saucer” was designed to be a vertical take-off and landing plane designed to reach a top speed of…

California wildfires keep it busy for reserve rescue squadron

By Oriana Pawlyk on August 30, 2012 Air National Guard, Photos, Video

Lt. Col. Tom Keegan of the 129th Rescue Squadron based at Moffett Federal Airfield, Calif. has been assisting in firefights for 15 years, and he’s still taking on more. For up to seven hours a day, Keegan and his crew fly an HH60G Pave Hawk with attached Bambi buckets full of water over the parts of California affected by wildfires this summer. At one point there were almost a dozen fires burning throughout the state with varying levels of containment. The California National Guard, California Emergency Management Agency and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection have been working together…

Foam party at Eglin

By Brian Everstine on May 15, 2012 Air Force, Offbeat, Photos

A reddit user uploaded this photo of a hangar at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., that had a rather unfortunate mishap. Reportedly, a spark set off the hangar’s fire suppression system, covering the A-10, F-15 and F-16 in foam. You can only imagine the fun the maintenance crew had cleaning up the mess.

Navy getting its name on Andrews landmark

By Brian Everstine on April 18, 2012 Air Force, Offbeat, Photos

David Brown, the managing editor over at Defense News, snapped this picture of the landmark water tower outside Joint Base Andrews, Md. The water tower has been an icon over the beltway with the Air Force logo standing on its own, until now as a result of joint basing.

What’s in the stocking?

By David Larter on December 28, 2011 Air Force, Offbeat, Photos

So the question has to be asked: What is in a holiday stocking from the chief of staff? I assume it’s full of challenge coins and PowerPoint presentations about Air Force core values on Pentagon-use approved flash drives, but I could be wrong. Any ideas? Leave your guesses, intelligent or otherwise, in the comment section. Also, ever wonder what the chief looks like dressed down? Now you don’t have to wonder.

Photo: An airman’s best friend

By David Larter on December 15, 2011 Air Force, Iraq, Photos

Desktop background refresh

By David Larter on December 7, 2011 Air Force, Airframes, Photos

If your desktop background needs a little shake-up, these awesome Air Force photos might be up to the task. To download the high-res versions click on the photo.

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