Articles Index
Air Force Dress and Appearance Changes in Feb 2006
The 97th Air Force Uniform Board released their newest results for proper wear of the uniform. The board met in October (2005) and discussed everything from eliminating the Air Force Good Conduct Medal to maternity uniforms. The board's recommendations were approved by the Air Force Chief of Staff, and announced on February 8th (2006).
Thunderbirds Show Schedule
The Air Force air demonstration squadron is an Air Combat Command unit composed of eight pilots (including six demonstration pilots), four support officers, four civilians and about 120 enlisted airmen performing in more than 25 Air Force specialties. They are based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
Paternity Leave
The Air Force has announced the implementation of their paternity leave program. The 2009 Defense Authorization Act allows up to 10 days of paternity leave for married active duty fathers, but the law allows each service to establish their own rules to implement the new law.
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.
Air Force Fitness Test
The Air Force fitness program was established on January 1, 2004. This program replaces the annual ergo-cycle test that the Air Force had used for several years. Under the Air Force Fitness Program, fitness points are awarded in four areas: aerobic (running), body-composition, push-ups, and crunches.
2008 Force Shaping
The active duty Air Force intends to continue its force-shaping program (reduction in size) in Fiscal Year 2008. The Air Force intends to reach an active duty end-strength of 328,600 by September 30, 2008, which means a reduction in size of about 5,400 officer and enlisted members.
Air Force Lieutenant General
A lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force holds the second-highest rank. The rank is designated as O-9 on the military pay scale. A lieutenant general wears a row of three stars as an insignia on his or her shoulder.
Air Force Major General
Major generals rank below lieutenant generals but above brigadier generals in the U.S. Air Force. Third from the top, they wear an insignia on their shoulder bearing two stars and are sometimes referred to as two-star generals.
Air Force General
The rank of general is the most senior in the U.S. Air Force. It is designated as O-10 on the military pay scale. The insignia for a general, worn on the shoulder, consists of a row of four stars.
Air Force 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.
Privately Owned Vehicle Registration
Effective March 15 (2007), Air Force personnel no longer have to register privately owned vehicles on base. According to Air Force officials, the expense and administrative burden are not justified by the benefits.
New Air Force Utility Uniform Design
The Air Force has pretty much finalized the design of their proposed new utility uniform. Blue and green tiger stripes are out; the digitized pattern with subdued green, tan, blue and gray is in.
Airman Battle Uniform to be Issued in Spring 2007
The new Airman Battle Uniform is ready for production and will be available in fiscal 2007. The new uniform design is a pixilated tiger stripe with four soft earth tones consisting of tan, grey, green and blue. The ABU will have a permanent crease and will be offered in 50-50 nylon-cotton blend permanent press fabric eliminating the need for winter and summer weight uniforms.
Flight Nurses
Air Force Nurses do more than work in military hospitals and clinics. Some turn in their hospital whites for green flight suits. These are the Air Force Flight Nurses.
Air Force News Agency
The Air Force News Agency (AFNEWS) with headquarters in San Antonio is a field operating agency of the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs (SAF/PA).
Air Force Dining In Planning Guide, Part 2
Part 2 of a detailed planning guide for conducting Dining-in and Dining-out Ceremonies in the United States Air Force.
Air Force 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.
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.
The 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.
2007 Thunderbirds Air Show Schedule
The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, performs precision aerial maneuvers demonstrating the capabilities of Air Force high performance aircraft to people throughout the world. Here's where you can see them in 2007.
2007 Force-Shaping (Downsizing) Program
For the past three years the Air Force has been downsizing, and Fiscal Year 2007 will be the same, with the exception that next year the primary focus will be on reducing the number of commissioned officers, rather than enlisted members. Air Force Officials say more than 8,000 officers must separate through normal attrition, retirement or force-shaping measures.
LASIK Eye Surgery for Air Force Aviator 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).
2007 Enlisted Force Shaping Update
In a message dated Jan. 26, officials said the Air Force must cut 3,090 Airmen by Sept. 30 in order to meet this year's force shaping goals. The Air Force will use three personnel programs to help meet the goal.
Possible Officer RIF Board in 2007
The Air Force will convene an officer reduction in force board in June (2007) if it fails to meet its force-shaping goal, said the service's senior most officer for manpower and personnel.
International Affairs Specialist
Air Force officers can expect to gain international insight, foreign language proficiency and cultural understanding by becoming international affairs specialists. Under the old foreign area officer program, international skills were self-obtained. Within the program are two types of positions: regional affairs strategist, or RAS, and political-military affairs strategist, or PAS.