First students graduate Raptor Basic Course

Four student pilots at Tyndall AFB became the first graduates of the Air Force's F-22 Raptor Basic Course Nov. 1, setting another milestone in the fielding of the Air Force's most advanced fighter aircraft. Capt. Marcus McGinn and 1st Lts. Dan Dickenson, Ryan Shelhorse and Austin B. Skelley made

New UAS program at Randolph simulates air battle space

A first-of-its-kind combat familiarization program for pilots slated to fly unmanned aircraft systems will soon launch at the 563rd Flying Training Squadron here. The four-week-long Unmanned Aircraft Systems Fundamentals Course will begin instruction Nov. 21. It is designed to give 10 newly-winged

CSAF reviews BMT parade

Altus ground safety chief wins AETC-level award

Air Education and Training Command officials recently recognized the chief of ground safety here as the command's winner of the 2008 Government Employee Insurance Company Public Service Award.Mike Matthews, 97th Air Mobility Wing chief of ground safety, will now go on to compete with winners from

Operation Homecooking: San Antonio families can share Thanksgiving with AF trainees

For the 33rd year, San Antonio-area families can brighten the holidays for Air Force basic trainees through Operation Homecooking. The program offers local families the opportunity to share their traditional Thanksgiving Day with basic trainees. Through the years, families have opened their homes to

Joint Chiefs chair highlights keys to defense

The nation's top military advisor, who completed a whirlwind tour of several Baltic States earlier in the month, addressed an array of topics to Air Force leaders here Oct. 28. From cooperation with allied countries to the care of fallen military members' families, Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of

Lackland-based institute teaches English to partner nations

Communication is key to maintaining healthy relationships. The same is true of interactions between the United States and members of its allied militaries: strong, clear communication opens the door to a better, stronger relationship. And being able to speak the same language helps this process

New military working dog hospital opens

Department of Defense military working dogs receive a new level of care as a result of Lackland's Veterinary Service Hospital's recent "facelift" Oct. 21. "The military working dog veterinary service is the supporting organization for the 341st Training Squadron, which is the unit the Air Force uses

Exercise tests interoperability

The City of San Antonio and local military bases were tested Oct. 23 to determine how they would respond to mass casualties during an exercise scenario involving an aircraft incident. The exercise revolved around two simultaneous events - a plane crash at the San Antonio International Airport and a

Historic Tuskegee Airmen address Air Force captains

Riding the crest of the historic opening of the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site Oct. 10, four of the original Airmen spoke to hundreds of Air Force officers at Squadron Officer School recently. In their speeches and subsequent panel discussions, the former fighter pilots reflected on