Daily Report

June 14, 2010

Manas Aids Victims of Ethnic Violence

US military officials at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, announced Sunday that operations at the base “have not been impacted” by the recent violence between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in Kyrgyzstan’s southern city of Osh. They said they are...

Unit Cleared to Resume Nuclear Operations

The 898th Munitions Squadron at Kirtland AFB, NM, has been recertified for nuclear operations after receiving a “ready” rating in an inspection conducted at the base June 7-11. Air Force Materiel Command decertified the unit back in January after it...

Names of Dead Airmen in Helo Crash

At the top of the June 11 column was an item on the death of four airmen in an HH-60G rescue helicopter crash in southeastern Afghanistan. Killed in the June 9 crash were: 1st Lt. Joel C. Gentz, 25, of...

GPS Satellite Transmits New Civil Signal

Air Force officials have begun test transmissions of the new L-5 safety-of-life navigation signal from the newest Global Positioning System satellite as part of the satellite’s on-orbit checkout phase. The Air Force launched this satellite into space on May 27....

Air Force Suspends L-3 Unit From Contracts

The Air Force has temporarily suspended L-3 Communications' special support programs division (formerly known as the joint operations group) from receiving new federal contracts after finding that it improperly monitored e-mail traffic on the government's computer network for its "own private corporate intelligence-gathering" purposes. The decision is pending the completion of a criminal investigation into the matter. According to a June 3 memo from the Air Force's deputy general counsel, L-3 JOG "purposefully and intentionally" monitored the e-mails of its employee, other government contractors, and even US government employees, using US Special Operations Command's computer network. The memo states that the company "has admitted to conducting the surveillance." None of these actions were appropriate or adhered to the standards of ethical business conduct, states the memo. (Air Force memo) (See Reuters news wire service June 10 report)

US Eyes Improved Open Skies Gear

The United States wants to move from film cameras to digital sensors for the overhead observation flights conducted under the Open Skies Treaty. “Relying on old film cameras is no longer adequate,” Rose Gottemoeller, assistant secretary of state for verification,...

Airman Earns Bronze Star

CMSgt. Jeffrey Baumgras, an airman assigned to Charleston AFB, S.C., on Friday received a Bronze Star medal for his meritorious service during a deployment to Kuwait. The Post and Courier reported that Baumgras was recognized for his work as superintendent...

Airmen Missing in Action in Vietnam Recovered

The Defense Department has announced that the remains of nine airmen missing in action since 1968 have been recovered and returned to their families. These airmen were buried with full military honors June 10 at Arlington National Cemetery. They are:...

B-17 Bomber Returns to US

A B-17E Flying Fortress bomber that crashed in a New Guinea swamp on Feb. 23, 1942, has been returned to the United States for restoration, possibly to flying condition, after years of salvage efforts. The Boeing-built bomber, which became known...

Air Sorties in Southwest Asia

May 30, 2010 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 24 54 78 9,585 CAS/Armed Recon 22 75 97 14,075 Airlift 185 185 25,718 Air refueling 50 50 6,596 Rescue 22 22 2,652 Total 432 58,626 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom...