Airmen and aircraft from the Air National Guard’s 120th, 140th, and 150th Fighter Wings have been sent to Kunsan AB, South Korea, where they have formed the 186th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. The Guardsmen from Montana, Colorado, and New Mexico, respectively,...

VA Data Theft Numbers Grow: Veterans Affairs Secretary James Nicholson said June 3 that a subsequent independent review into the May 3 data theft indicates that personal information on up to 50,000 active and reserve personnel could have been compromised,...

The First 90 Days: The Congressionally mandated Commission on the National Guard and Reserves lists seven initial findings in its 90-day organizational report, including the belief that “sustained operational use of and potential demands on the reserve components pose challenges...

The Partners Meet in Virginia: The Wall Street Journal reports that the US defense officials and those of the eight other countries with a share in the Joint Strike Fighter program are meeting this week in Williamsburg, Va. The agenda...

North vs. South Over UAVs?: It was bound to happen, given the urgent need for many reserve units around the country to latch onto a new mission—and unmanned aerial vehicles are as close to a flying mission as some may...

Waning Days for a Sole Superpower?: If the results of a recent nine-country survey are any indication, the US will no longer be the only world superpower by the year 2020. It will share superpower status with China. According to...

Rumsfeld Sees a New China: If press reports are accurate, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has changed his attitude—or approach—toward China’s increased defense spending. According to several news reports covering a meeting of Asian defense ministers, Rumsfeld indicated he believes...

The Switch to Seoul Is On: South Korea may call for an end to the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command when Seoul assumes operational control of its own military during wartime. According to the Korea Times, Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung...

Air traffic controllers at Edwards AFB, Calif., operating what’s called Space Positioning Optical Radar Tracking, or SPORT, help keep track of aircraft flying test missions in the base’s restricted—and hazardous—test airspace. They often work one-on-one with test pilots, providing information...

Travis C-17s On the Way: Local dignitaries, base officials, and base personnel were on hand at Travis AFB, Calif., June 3 for a C-17 demonstration flight in anticipation of the arrival in August of the first of the base’s 13...

June 1 marked the first day of the 2006 hurricane season, but was quiet for Air Force Reserve Command’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron—better known as the “Hurricane Hunters”—at Keesler AFB, Miss. In contrast, last year’s season kicked off early with...

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld secured a declaration from Vietnamese defense officials that Hanoi would offer more assistance in US efforts to recover remains of Americans missing since the Vietnam War, reports Associated Press news service.Rumsfeld was in Hanoi on his...

The Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad AB, Iraq, over the past four months has admitted some 1,500 patients, performed 2,500 surgeries, and evacuated more than 2,000 stabilized patients to American military medical facilities in Europe and the US, according to the Red Tail Flyer. The record shows that if a wounded troop makes it to the hospital, the troop has at least a 96 percent chance for survival. (Read the article here.)

The 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano AB, Italy, later this month will deploy some 170 airmen to Turkey to participate in Anatolian Eagle 06/02 with Turkish, French, and Pakistani forces, reports Stars and Stripes. USAF airmen at Incirlik AB, Turkey, also...

June 2-4, 2006 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 45 20 65 CAS/Armed Recon 109 74 183 Airlift 510 510 Air refueling 95 95 Total 154 94 605 853 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance