The Telegraph has a nice write-up about the people who make sure GPS stays up and humming. The British newspaper profiled the 2nd Space Operations Squadron at Schreiver Air Force Base, Colo., in an article carrying a headline that pretty much sums up the squadron’s contribution to everyday life: “We’d be lost without them.” The article begins with a description of Joshua Williams, a payload systems operator: “Three years ago, it was still illegal for him to buy a drink. Two years before that, he was back home in Virginia learning to drive. And yet today he’s responsible for a…
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If you’ve made a move in the continental United States, or expect to make one this summer, the Defense Department has some bad news for you. Your stuff is going to be late. There have been so many moves this summer that the Defense Department is having a tough time getting everyone’s furniture and other household goods moved in a timely fashion. Things are so busy that the Joint Personal Property Shipping Offices might not be able to accommodate your move date, according to an Air Force press release. The entire CONUS and all military services are experiencing limited capacity…
The Battle Creek Air Show and Balloon Festival in Michigan earlier this month seemed to have a little bit of everything. The Navy’s Blue Angels performed. So did an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle. Dozens of hot-air balloons took flight. Kids could see white tigers on display. The show also offered something you don’t see too often: One guy pulling a KC-135 by himself. Strongman Mark Kirsch pulled the refueling tanker 120 feet before an awed crowd, according to The Enquirer of Battle Creek, Mich. (For those keeping track, the tanker was assigned to the 54th Air Refueling Squadron from…
Start with a CV-22 Osprey. Throw in an experienced combat controller. Lots of stuff goes bang. A JSOC mission into Pakistan? Nah. Try the latest edition of Transformers. The folks at AFSOC helped make “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” even more action-packed than a usual Michael Bay flick. And people appear to hoover up the action; the movie opened with a $116.4 million showing over the holiday weekend. About 50 airmen from headquarters AFSOC, the 1st Special Operations Wing and other units helped with the filming at Hurlburt Field, Fla., last September. Shooting also took place at Edwards Air Force…
During the “critical days of summer” the Air Force wants you to remember that lawnmowers are dangerous. Cautioning airmen to operate household equipment safely, the Air Force wants you to know that some 68,000 people make trips to the ER for injuries related to power mowers. Some 9,000 of those people hurt are those younger than 18. So don’t forget to watch your fingers, your toes and your kids when you’re starring in your own episode of “Home Improvement.” Argh, argh.
Displaced Minot Air Force Base airmen and their families can expense up 180 days of storage fees that they might have incurred because of the historic flooding of the Souris River that occurred in McHenry, Renville and Ward counties, according base public affairs. Col. James Dawkins Jr., 5th Bomb Wing commander, authorized the reimbursement of property storage and short-distance move expenses incurred by Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen and their families June 29. Dawkins’ order applies to displaced active duty military and dependents whose permanent residence is located within evacuation areas. Additional storage or moving costs exceeding the allotted…
Bad news: Spots in the Air Force Marathon are sold out. Good news: They”re not ALL sold out, and you can actually still snag some. Even better news: You might be able to write off the cost of the entry from your income tax! (I’m not a CPA, folks, so don’t take that last part as gospel.) The folks at the Air Force Enlisted Village have a handful of tickets to the full- and half-marathon, and you can still register if you raise at least $500 for the charity. They suggest you ask 20 people to donate $1 per mile,…
Next time you’re sitting at the DFAC in Balad, sipping a Rip It, scarfing a cheeseburger served by a Sri Lankan, relaxing in the air conditioning and avoiding walking into the blast furnace that is the Iraqi climate, just keep this in mind: You’re the reason there are no more Space Shuttle flights. Well, maybe. The former chief logistician in Iraq told National Public Radio that the military spends more than $20 billion annually on air conditioning for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. That cost, the network notes, is larger than NASA’s budget. Of course, cool air alone doesn’t really…
Air Force officials have temporarily halted most permanent change of station moves and temporary duty assignments to Minot Air Force Base, N.D., according to Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs. Flooding has forced many to evacuate Minot, N.D., prompting the commanders of the 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing to request a partial stop movement. Airmen within the U.S. who are projected to move to Minot AFB, and those who have already out-processed but who have not departed their current duty station — except those specifically authorized to continue their move — should not leave. Air Force civilians…
The number of Global Strike Command airmen and their families that have been displaced by flood waters in Minot has grown to more than 1,000, according to Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs. The airmen and their families were forced to flee the area when the waters of the Souris River began spilling over its banks June 20. This is the second time in June that the airmen at Minot have been forced out by flooding. The floodwaters are expected to reach their highest levels in history and the base is offering emergency shelter to displaced base affiliated Department of…
