Sailor ends his career with taste of 'Air Force blue'

In some circles of the military, the term, "Retired on Active Duty" can conjure images of someone who is simply marking time until his retirement date arrives. But for the deputy commander of the 601st Air and Space Operations Center here, it meant he had the privilege of serving his country for one

Minnesota Wing flies ARCHER missions

Aircrews from the Minnesota Wing of Civil Air Patrol, an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, have accumulated more than 100 hours of high-tech flying time in recent days, supporting disaster relief efforts in the Red River Valley."Minnesota Wing has a reputation of excellence and providing a strong

Command Chief prepares Airmen for evolving homeland defense mission

Among the top goals of First Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Joseph Thornell Sr., is the professional development of all enlisted service members.Having accepted his new Command Chief position in December 2009, Chief Thornell sees his top-level post as a means to encourage and mentor young

From H.S. dropout to fighter pilot: Air Force officer to retire

Sometimes when life deals you a significant, life-altering blow, it's hard to rebound in a positive way.But Col. Michael Hare, who is preparing to retire this month from a long, distinguished and quite diverse Air Force career, ultimately responded well to one of life's serious upsets―the tragic

Hurricane Hunters support Air Force DSCA mission

One of the first things Air Force Reserve Command Hurricane Hunter crew members learn about their job―flying airplanes into hurricanes and other storms to collect weather data―is to downplay fear.Lt. Col. Ty Piercefield is a Hurricane Hunter aircraft commander/pilot of WC-130J "Super Hercules"

AFRCC assists in search for downed helicopter in West Virginia

The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center here coordinated efforts to locate a Navy helicopter from Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va., which crashed in a heavily wooded area near Lewisburg, W. Va., earlier this afternoon.At approximately 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time today, controllers at AFRCC received a

AFRCC dispatches helos to missing hiker on Mount St. Helens

The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center here is working with officials from Washington State to locate a missing hiker who fell an estimated 1,500 feet while climbing the 8,364-foot mountain Monday.At approximately 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time Monday, the Washington State Emergency Management Department

CONR supports successful Space Shuttle launch

The Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region (CONR) and Air Forces Northern provided crucial airspace control and manning support to the successful launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour Monday morning.CONR ensured airspace sovereignty by enforcing the Federal Aviation

CONR to fly air patrols for Super Bowl XLIV

Continental U.S. NORAD Region fighters will be busy during Super Bowl XLIV protecting the skies around Sun Life Stadium in Miami on game day. Air Force fighter jets will be airborne Sunday while enforcing the Federal Aviation Administration's temporary flight restriction zone during Sunday's big

Haitian earthquake relief