United States Air Force

1. Assignments
2. Bases and Units
3. Education and Training P...
4. Enlistment and Re-Enlist...
5. Family Matters
6. Humor
7. Joining the Air Force
8. Magazines and Publications
9. Medals, Decorations & Aw...
10. Museums
11. Music and Songs
12. Photos and Graphics
13. Professional Associations
14. Promotions
15. Regulations
16. Regulations
17. Weapons

Air and Space Expeditionary Force (AEF) Concept
The Air Force has created 10 deployable AEFs. Two AEFs, trained to task, are always deployed or on call to meet current national requirements, while the remaining forces train, exercise, and prepare for the full spectrum of operations.

Aerial Gunners
The Evolution of Aerial Gunners -- From World War I to Operation Iraqi Freedom, U.S. bombers and helicopters have been the targets of enemy fighter warplanes and surface-to-air weapons. Against heavy odds, aerial gunners fight with loyalty and grit in a Herculean effort to keep their aircraft in the sky.

Aeromedical Evacuation Team
An Air Force Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Team is a specialized team whose primary work center is the cabin or cargo hold of an airplane flying several miles high.

Air Field Managers
An airfield manager’s job encompasses almost anything that deals with the airfield. Their primary job is to ensure the safety of the airfield.They make sure that obstructions are not interfering with operations, clear zones around the runway and taxiways, and make sure there’s ample lighting to complete the mission. And that's just the start...

Aggressors
Pilots of the 64th Aggressor Squadron are air-to-air threat experts and replicate the tactics used by enemy forces in combat situations. This mission began more than 30 years ago when the squadron was activated as a result of the high air combat loss rate suffered by the U.S. during the Vietnam War.

Air Force Song
Be prepared for that next dining-in with the lyrics to the official song of the Air Force.

Badges
Graphic pictures and award criteria for United States Air Force occupation & aeronautical badges.

Air Defense Mission -- Operation Noble Eagle
Before 2001, 1st Air Force was charged with keeping an eye on the nation’s borders, usually looking for threats in the form of Russian aircraft skirting too close for comfort to the mainland. In those few hours, the command’s mission went from looking outward to looking inward. Now 1st Air Force watches the nation’s skies for the threat from within. Operation Noble Eagle was born.

Basic Training (Email Training Course)
This FREE online "e-course" covers all the major academic areas that Air Force recruits are required to study while in Air Force Basic Military Training (AFBMT). Those who sign up for the FREE course will receive one lesson per day, via email, for 21 days.

Benefits
Listing of benefits available to active duty Air Force personnel.

Beret History
Military forces have worn distinctive uniform items for centuries to create a psychological advantage and boost their esprit de corps, but the military use of berets is a relatively recent phenomenon.

Bike Test (Old Air Force Fitness Test)
The Air Force bike test. Cycle ergometry. Ergo’s been the Air Force cardiovascular standard since 1992. Yet, somehow, it still makes people nervous. Nervous enough, in fact, to look for ways to cheat on the Air Force fitness test. Here's the truths and myths about the test.

Bike Test is No More
A memo from the Air Force Chief of Staff, detailing the new Air Force Fitness Test Program, which is scheduled to begin in Jan 2004. The new program eliminates the controversial Cycle Ergometry Test, and includes running, sit-ups, and pushups.

Airborne RED HORSE
Airborne RED HORSE teams are significantly different than the rest of traditional RED HORSE combat engineer squadrons in that members are airborne qualified and use much lighter specialized equipment.

Board of Records Correction
Information about appealing information in your Air Force military records, such as performance reports, decorations, promotions, etc.

Ammo Troops
Bombs, bullets and explosives are hazardous to friend and foe alike but are handled with care by the men and women who work in Air Force Munitions Flights. Known as "ammo" troops, the airmen of the munitions flight handle all of the bombs, ammunition, defensive ordnance, explosives and bullets used by the Air Force.

Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station - A Look Inside NORAD
Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station doesn’t look like much from above. That’s because the combat operations center — the installation’s nerve center — is hidden beneath more than 2,000 feet of granite.

Civil Air Patrol (CAP) - The Search Masters
The Civil Air Patrol is the official Air Force auxiliary — a nonprofit and federally chartered corporation of nearly 60,000 people age 12 and up. Their storied and aggressive start was in 1941.

Combat Controllers - Shoot, Move, Communicate
For Air Force combat controllers, a 'day at the office' isn’t a cup of coffee and the morning paper — it’s more like a jump in the drink and making the news.

Basic Training
Surviving Air Force Basic Training is an informative comprehensive article about preparing for, and completing Air Force Basic Training (AFBMT) at Lackland Air Force Base, in Texas.

Countersnipers
The Air Force Countersniper School at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in Arkansas. The 15-day course, taught at the National Guard Marksmanship Center, gives security forces a boot camp on countersniper tactics and procedures. It also introduces them to the life of one of their key adversaries — the military sniper.

Deployment Rates - Enlisted
Average number of days deployed from the time period of September 11, 2001 to 1 October 2003 for most Air Force enlisted AFSCs (jobs).

Boom Operators
Lying on their stomachs in the tail section of a Stratotanker, boom operators peer through a small window while maneuvering a refueling boom into an awaiting aircraft thirsty for fuel. At more than 20,000 feet, even the smallest offloading obstacle can become a sky-high challenge to keep the boom connected to the customer aircraft.

Chain of Command (Organization)
I'm often asked what the elements of command are for the U.S. Air Force. While this can change somewhat based upon the type of unit, the basic elements for the Air Force can be found here.

Dining In/Dining Out Planning Guide
Formal military dinners are a tradition in all branches of the United States Armed services. In the Air Force and Navy, it is the dining-in; in the Army, the Regimental Dinner; in the Marine Corps and Coast Guard, Mess Night. The dining-in has served the Air Force well as an occasion for military members to meet socially at a formal military function.

Combat Controller Training
Combat controllers set up air traffic control and perform close air support in remote locations. And it takes some time to groom them — more than 24 months from start to finish. Trainees go from basic to advanced special operations skills. Physical, mental and emotional toughness are essential.

Combat Controllers Play a Key Role
The largest-ever class of future Air Force combat controllers is training at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., to provide critical skills required in the war on terror. The current class of 32 students will help bolster the Air Force's cadre of 360 combat controllers.

Discharge Review Board
Information about appealing type and characterization of a discharge.

Down-Sizing (2010/2011)
The Air Force has announced that it needs to cut around 3,700 enlisted airmen and officers in 2010 and 2011.

Combat Weather
Slashing through Burmese jungles with Maj. Gen. Orde Wingate’s Chindits; hunkering down far above the DMZ in Vietnam; infiltrating into Northern Iraq to ensure the success of a thousand-man airborne jump -- not the average day at the office for most weather forecasters. But those missions and many more have been business as usual since 1942 for the Air Force special operations weather teams.

Combat Weather
Air Force Combat Weathermen are weather forecasters with forward ground combat capabilities. It's a special duty assignment that Air Force weather personnel (AFSC 1W0X1) can apply for.

Command Post Controllers
Airmen in the command post do much more than just pass along information, especially in a combat zone. Air Force Emergency Action Controllers are the eyes and ears of the base.

Dormitories - Moving Off Base
A change in how the Air Force figures unaccompanied housing requirements will call for fewer dormitory rooms -- meaning more airmen could move off base and receive a monetary housing allowance, in the future.

Convoy Airmen
More than 150 Airmen assigned to Det. 2632 provide convoy protection to civilian contractors and Army units delivering supplies throughout Iraq. The unit comprises a variety of Air Force specialties including transporters, security forces, vehicle mechanics, supply Airmen, communications specialists, armory Airmen and logistics readiness officers.

Drug Test Targeting
The Air Force began its Smart Testing program Oct. 1 (2004). Under the program, individuals in the group shown to most likely use illicit drugs are being tested at a higher frequency than the rest of the population. That target group includes those in the ranks of airman basic through senior airman and first and second lieutenants

Customs and Courtesies
Air Force military customs and courtesies go beyond basic politeness; they play an extremely important role in building morale, esprit de corps, discipline, and mission effectiveness. Customs and courtesies ensure proper respect for the chain of command and build the foundation for self-discipline.

Enlisted Rank
The Air Force enlisted force is comprised of distinct and separate ranks. Each correlates to increased levels of training, education, technical competence, experience, leadership, and managerial responsibilities. Here are the general descriptions and average promotion times for each Air Force enlisted rank.

Eye Surgery (Laser) Policy
Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Paul K. Carlton Jr. recently signed a memorandum allowing Air Force members who are designated as priority two in the Air Force's Warfighter Photorefractive Keratectomy Program to receive the procedure at one of the Air Force's laser centers.

Fact Sheets
Facts and photos about Air Force aircraft, missiles, space equipment, commands, and weapon systems.

Financial Responsibility
Air Force members are expected to properly manage their financial affairs. Here are the basic rules for Air Force Financial Responsibility.

Dress and Appearance
Wearing the Air Force uniform means carrying on a tradition—one that identifies the person as a member of a historical unit, a close-knit society, quietly assured of his or her competence and professionalism.

Drug and Alcohol Program
Substance abuse prevention and treatment policies and programs are thoroughly integrated into every facet of Air Force core values, quality of life, and force management. These policies have been in place for over two decades and have evolved to meet changing conditions within the Air Force.

First Term Airman Centers (FTAC)
FTAC is designed to aid all first-duty-stationed airmen with their transition from a systematic and regimented environment into a hands-on employment of the airmen's skills, knowledge and training gained from technical school. FTAC is a 'one-stop-shop-program' that greatly benefits the airmen and allows them to focus on their job without being tagged for various appointments.

EOD in Iraq
Some might call a bomb squad living in a bunker ironic; the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s explosive ordnance disposal flight airmen at Tallil Air Base in Iraq call it practical. The EOD airmen are on alert 24-hours a day, seven days a week, and respond to an average of 25 to 30 calls each week.

Flight Nurses
Air Force Nurses do more than work in hospital wards. A prime example is 1st Lt. Charlie Thomas, a flight nurse. At Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, he was a flight clinical coordinator. He set up the aeromedical evacuation of American and allied troops injured in the war on terrorism.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)
Each time a member of the Air Force explosive ordnance disposal team at Sather Air Base, Baghdad, Iraq, pushes a red tack in on the map, it means they destroyed another Improvised Explosive Device that could have potentially killed someone.

Flying Physicals
Qualification requirements for Air Force Flight Class I, Flight Class II, and Flight Class III Flying Physicals.

Eye Surgery (Aviation Applicants)
After years of study, the Air Force has decided to change their long-standing policy which disqualified applicants who have had LASIK surgery from flight training and navigator training. The change became effective May 21 (2007).

Future of Flight
Pilots maneuver aircraft by thought. Helmet-mounted heads-up displays project a virtual reality “soundscape” of the battlefield. Air Force scientists and others say the dreams of the future are only a few microchips away from reality.

Eye Surgery (LASIK) Policy
The Air Force’s 'warfighter' corneal refractive surgery program expanded its services to include laser-in-situ-keratomileuis, or LASIK, for qualified people at its centers. Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Air Force vice chief of staff, approved a memorandum written by Lt. Gen. George “Peach” Taylor Jr., Air Force surgeon general, announcing the immediate start of the expanded program.

Grooming Standards
Each of the military services impose grooming standards on their military personnel, as part of their Dress & Appearance, or Uniform Regulations. Here are the grooming standards for the United States Air Force.

Ground Radar Control Squadrons
Eyes, minds and bodies are often weary because Air Force air control squadrons travel constantly. Global conflicts, exercises and training keep wheels moving from place to place. Home is the place where the equipment is stored. It’s a relative spot for those who can be deployed as many as 250 days each year.

Honor Guard Duty
Air Force Honor Guard officials are always looking for motivated and dedicated airmen and noncommissioned officers for what they call the world's best job. Located at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington D.C, the 250-person unit seeks airmen E-4 through E-7.

JAG Duty
People who base their perception of military lawyers on the television show 'JAG most likely think those in the judge advocate general profession are pilots, traveling from courtroom to courtroom in high performance military aircraft. They may also believe military legal professionals have the uncanny ability to solve and prosecute any case in less than 60 minutes. Here's a real look.

JSTARS - Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System
The joint surveillance target attack radar system flies overhead to give Army ground commanders an aerial view of the battlefield. The canoe-shaped radome on the underside of the plane offers a unique capability to see through cover of darkness in all kinds of weather.

K-9
Working as a team, a dog and handler’s typical day averages 13 to 14 hours working air-base defense and force protection. The military working dog teams search vehicles daily at the Air Force checkpoints in Iraq.

Number of Enlisted Assigned in Each Career Field
Number of Air Force enlisted personnel assigned in each career field.

Number of Officers Assigned in Each Career Field
Number of Air Force commissioned officers personnel assigned in each career field.

Officer Evaluation FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about the Air Force Officer Evaulation System (OERs).

OSI in Iraq
Most people know that OSI stands for the Air Force's Office of Special Investigations. These are the special agents who investigate major crimes in the Air Force, and perform counter-espionage. But, what exactly does an OSI agent do when deployed?

Rank and Insignia
Insignia identify the rank of each member of the Armed Forces. Members of the Air Force assume a degree of responsibility equal to their rank. The Air Force insignia system is broken down into two major categories: officer ranks and enlisted ranks (the Air Force does not have warrant officers).

Recruiting Duty
Becoming an Air Force recruiter can be the most challenging and gratifying job you will ever have. Recruiters are responsible for the number and quality of young men and women who enlist and begin their Air Force careers. There are few jobs in the Air Force more challenging, satisfying, and rewarding as Recruiting. A more vital enlisted profession does not exist in the USAF.

Restructure in 2004
The FY04 force structure realignment for the Air Force results in a total decrease of 5099 authorizations (2260 military authorizations and 2839 civilian authorizations), and 1055 drill authorizations.

Seal
Background, Description, and Symbolism of the U.S Air Force Seal. In September 1947 the proposed Air Force seal was exhibited in the office of the new Secretary of the Air Force, and later a panel of about thirty top-ranking Air Force officers reviewed it.

Security Forces - PHOENIX RAVEN
Air Mobility Command’s Phoenix Raven program, implemented in 1997, consists of teams of specially trained security forces personnel dedicated to providing security for AMC aircraft that transit high terrorist and criminal threat areas.

Sexual Harrassment
Official Air Force policy on sexual harassement.

Snipers in Iraq
They’re in a unique unit, the only one in the Air Force. The group’s job is to be the first to land at a bare base to establish airfield and aerial port operations — pronto. The 786th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, where Air Force Snipers work, provides the security. The cops keep airmen safe as they land, unload and launch aircraft around the clock.

Space Weather Troops
A 10-inch telescope is the heart of the operation at the Ramey Solar Observatory. Located on a picturesque cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea, the nine airmen who run the site keep an eye on the sun to track solar flares and map sunspots.

Tactical Air Command and Control -- A Close Call
Tactical Air Command and Control, AFSC 1C4X! teams train in navigation proficiency at Fort Bragg’s field training area, in North Carolina, to ensure they’re experts in talking to pilots on high and ultrahigh frequencies.

Tactical Air Control Pary Airmen in Afghanistan
"The strong will stand, the weak will fall by the wayside." For Air Force tactical air control party airmen, these words are more than just a motto; they also serve as a battle cry. Wherever American military forces are found, TACP airmen are sure to be nearby.

That Others May Live
Review of a thrilling new book all about Air Force Pararescuemen.

Inspector General
The Air Force inspector general’s office is the ombudsman for investigating allegations of favoritism, sexual harassment and reprisal. The office handles fraud, waste and abuse concerns at the unit level in the U.S. Air Force.

The Air Force's Navy
Not many people know the Air Force has a small navy. Three chartered, prepositioned ships are assigned to transport and store backup munitions for combat operations around the globe.

Transient Alert
Unlike the old saying which goes, “jack of all trades, master of none,” the transient alert team are "airmen of all aircraft, masters of most." The team is primarily responsible for meeting the fuel, cargo and maintenance needs of military and commercial passenger and cargo aircraft as well as distinguished visitor aircraft not assigned to the base.

Wild Weasels
The mentality of the F-16CJ pilot. A Scud hunter. A radar killer. A Wild Weasel. He’s an aviator who can intimidate by mere presence, and close the eyes of an enemy nation’s defenses.

Readers Respond to OPERATION NOBLE EAGLE
Reader shares his experiences with Operation Noble Eagle

Readers Respond to AIRBORNE RED HORSE
Reader shares his experience with Combat Engineers.

Readers Respond to AIR FORCE AMMO TROOPS
Reader shares his experience with AIR FORCE AMMO TROOPS

Readers Respond to AIR FORCE DRUG & ALCOHOL ABUSE PROGRAM
Reader shares his experience with AIR FORCE DRUG & ALCOHOL ABUSE PROGRAM

Pararescue Training - Hell Night
Faced with a rigorous physical regiment and lack of sleep, Air Force pararescue trainees endure their toughest day -- and one hellish night.

Readers Respond to AGGRESSORS
REader share his experience with Pilots of the 64th Aggressor Squadron.

Readers Respond to AIR FORCE ORGANIZATION
Reader shares his knowledge about Air Force Organization

Uniforms
There are four primary uniforms worn by most Air Force personnel -- the full service dress, the longsleeve service uniform, the shortsleeve service uniform, and the battle dress uniform (BDU).

Air Force Extends Deployment Lengths
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz announced a change to the air and space expeditionary force rotational baseline from 120 to 179 days for most active component Airmen.

Recruiter Assistance Program (RAP)
The Recruiter Assistance Program (RAP) is a way Airmen can assist in finding quality men and women to meet the challenges of today’s Air Force. Airmen can be a major influence in bringing the Air Force story to their hometown or place of previous residence by assisting the local recruiter in making contacts and developing leads. Airmen are eligible to apply for up to 12 days of non-chargeable leave for RAP.

Weight Standards
The Air Force changed their weight standards, both for those serving, and for new accessions when they adopted their new physical fitness program on January 1, 2004.