New USAF Force Hard at Work: The new US Air Force operation at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq comprises strike (an A-10 element for close air support) and airlift operations, including the 438th Aerial Port Flight—a collection of Reserve airmen from 11 different units, reports Capt. Ken Hall and MSgt. Bryan Ripple. Since starting operations in January, the 438th airmen have processed more than 32,000 forces, 15,528 tons of cargo, and more than 2,600 aircraft. Their efforts have made it possible to eliminate convoy duty and transport for nearly 12,000 troops.
Happy Birthday US Air Force: 78 Today
Sept. 18, 2025
Seventy-eight years ago today, on Sept. 18, 1947, Supreme Court Chief Justice Fred Vinson swore in Stuart Symington as the first ever Secretary of the Air Force, and the Air Force officially became the first new military service since the Revolutionary War.