The Exercise King

The Exercise King: USAF’s B-2 bombers—and their aircrews and maintainers—are using back-to-back exercises to practice for long duration missions and continuous operations. This week it’s Valiant Shield run out of Guam and the previous two weeks it was Northern Edge...

VA Coughs Up Free Credit Checks

Veterans Affairs has announced that it plans to offer one-year of free credit monitoring to individuals whose personal data may have been compromised by the May 3 theft of VA data. The news comes two days after introduction in the...

Looking at the Gift Horse

After praising the VA for offering credit checks (see above), Sen. George Allen took the prudent approach of altering his original amendment to ensure that VA picks up the entire tab. On Wednesday, the Senator’s office stated, “Senator Allen is...

What Are the Odds?

The House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee at a hearing Wednesday began delving into potential vulnerabilities facing national security space assets, which increasingly have become critical enablers for US military operations. Committee Chair Rep. Terry Everett (R-Ala.) threw out the...

Taking a “Measured” Approach

The US is entering an era where cannot use space as a “US sanctuary,” stated the US Strategic Command deputy commander, Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Kehler, at a House Armed Services subcommittee hearing Wednesday. (see above) “We know we...

Wright-Patt Gears Up for New Additions:

Air Force military and civilian officials presented their plan for shifting aerospace medicine functions from Brooks City-Base, Tex., to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, to some Dayton, Ohio, folks on Monday, reports the Dayton Daily News. BRAC 2005 directed the closure of...

A Cold War Carryover

Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Kehler, No. 2 at US STRATCOM, told lawmakers Wednesday, “Some of our systems are very well protected … and have been so since the mandates of the Cold War.” He was referring to Milstar communications...

No More Hand-Scraping Those Wings:

The F-16 mechanics at Ogden Air Logistics Center in Utah no longer have to spend endless hours scraping sealant off fighter wings. Now they have a machine that blasts off the sealant using dry ice pellets, and they say it’s...

Feeling More Positive About Iraq:

According to the Pew Research Center, a new poll shows Americans think the situation in Iraq is less dire. The center credits the death of key al Qaeda figure Abu Musab al Zarqawi and President Bush’s surprise visit to Baghdad...

From an Airman on the Ground:

The (N.C.) Courier-Tribune reports on the work Air National Guard Maj. Steven Francis, a forward air controller with the North Carolina ANG’s 118th Air Support Operations Squadron, performed while serving in Iraq. Francis describes his sojourns into the field, where...

The Air Force Memorial Takes Shape:

Its three spires steadily rising, construction on the new Air Force Memorial continues toward an October completion date. Recently, Air Force Memorial Foundation President retired Maj. Gen. Edward Grillo Jr. guided some young airmen from Bolling AFB, D.C., through the...

Experiencing a “Positive Dialogue”:

From Congressman Steve Buyer’s perspective, the recent get together he had with representatives of four veterans’ service organizations produced a “good and positive session.” The Indiana Republican acknowledged, though, that the parties “did not agree on all topics.” VSOs and...

Air Sorties in the Global War on Terrorism

June 20, 2006 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 12 6 18 CAS/Armed Recon 60 25 85 Airlift 140 140 Air refueling 44 44 Total 72 31 184 287 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance