Brig. Gen. Michael Callan, vice commander of 17th Air Force (Air Forces Africa) at Ramstein AB, Germany, in early June made his first official trip to Battle Creek ANGB, Mich., to meet with the Air Guardsmen of the 110th Air Operations Group who support his numbered air force. Callan praised the Air Guardsmen for their contributions. “The number of volunteers we have had for activations from the AOG is simply amazing,” he said. He said he looks forward “to breaking new ground” with them in supporting US Africa Command. The AOG stood up in April 2009. “One of the most impressive things about our partnership is that when AOG members are deployed to Ramstein or in Africa, they are absolutely indistinguishable from the active duty component,” said CMSgt. Michael Grimm, 17th AF command chief, who accompanied Callen. (Battle Creek report by TSgt. Alec Lloyd)
A recent seven-day exercise sent Air Force F-22s—along with other USAF aircraft—to austere, challenging environments across Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Agile Reaper, taking place for the second time after its inaugural edition last year, featured 800 Airmen and 29 aircraft across five different locations from April 10-16, training…