Airman articles from August 2003

Airman archives from August 2003

Aces in the sky: with more than 17,500 U.S. aerial victories, only the best airmen earned the title 'ace'.
August 1, 2003... What does it take to become the best of the best in aerial combat? Skill, determination, tenacity and--some would say--a bit of luck. At least that's what it seemed to take for 1st Lt. Douglas Campbell to score five confirmed victories....

Fini flights mark end of an era. (Airman's World).
August 1, 2003... RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas--When pilots completed their 100th combat mission during the Vietnam War, the ensuing final, or "fini," flight included a bottle of champagne to celebrate a safe last landing and the end of their tours. For...

Medical community on SARS alert. (Airman's World).
August 1, 2003... SAN ANTONIO--Good hygiene That s the secret weapon in the Air Force's defense against severe acute respiratory syndrome, the deadly flu-like illness better known as SARS that has killed more than 400 people worldwide. "The best...

Nano nano. (Airman's World).
August 1, 2003... WRIGHT-PATIERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- A team of scientists, engineers and students at Air Force Research Laboratories are diving into the future to capture new technology. The goal is to rapidly and reliably analyze aircraft fuels. The...

Air Force set to retire KC-135s. (Airman's World).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Through the "tanker roadmap," the air Force is laying out the initial stages of retiring 133 E-model KC-135 Stratotankers and integrating 100 KC-767A tankers it's leasing from Boeing. The plan will run through 2017,...

Nut'n better. (Airman's World).
August 1, 2003... TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- When you need gas, do you ever think of pouring sunflower seeds into your tank? Don't try it unless you're driving one of 700 diesel-powered vehicles at Tinker Air Force Base. Drivers there don't actually...

One stitch at a time. (Airman's World).
August 1, 2003... BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan -- After a hard day's work on the front lines of the war on terrorism, Staff Sgt. Jeremy Nash kicks back in his tent and cross-stitches. Not the usual pastime one associates with men at war. And the medical...

Signing on the Cyberline: as new ID cards become the norm, experts ponder the possibilities of plastic and microchips. (Airman Consumer).
August 1, 2003... Most of us have gone through the transformation by now: Stand in line at the military personnel flight. Hand over the old green identification card. Sit for a photo. Punch in some probably now-forgotten pass code on a keypad linked to something...

Air mail.(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2003... Long-distance thanks Three years ago during a more than six-month deployment to Africa, Ray Scheffler and his fellow Military Affiliate Radio Station operators were the only way I could contact my wife and kids back home ["The Man from...

Keeping a sharp eye: snipers were on guard to protect Bashur Airfield.
August 1, 2003... As Staff Sgts. Larry Knoll and Ace Jones drove down the dirt road, the knobby tires of their all-terrain vehicles kicked up huge clouds of dust. Goggles, strapped over their Keviar helmets, covered their eyes. They wore gloves and heavy...

A season to remember: Air Force Academy Falcons football team is primed to finish what it started last season.
August 1, 2003... Barela, Master Sgt. Tim Air Force Academy Falcons football team is primed to finish what it started last season Master Sgt. Tim Barela Entering his 20th season as the Air Force Academy Falcons head football coach, Fisher DeBerry...

Opening doors: airmen are trying to open doors to a better life for a small Afghan village through an unusual care package program.
August 1, 2003... Airmen at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, are encouraging their friends, families and even complete strangers to keep "thinking in the box." In fact, the main idea behind the Air Force's Adopt-a-Village program depends on a care package...

Bombs away! The bomber force isn't what it used to be.
August 1, 2003... Bombs away! It's a phrase that dates back to when air men first started dropping bombs from their wood and fabric biplanes. To the infancy of aerial bombing. Those early attempts--before and during World War I--laid the foundation for...

The road runners: supporting survival training by maintaining the roads.
August 1, 2003... They are known as the "Road Runners"--a group of airmen charged with maintaining hundreds of miles of roads. These aren't paved roads passing hangars, housing or human civilization, but rather gravel roads passing trees, trees and more trees....

Adios Bashur. (Airman's Notebook).
August 1, 2003... When I left Bashur Airfield, Iraq, in April, I was glad. As I ran to the airplane that would whisk me away, I remember waving and saying: "Adios Bashur." Our C-130 Hercules zigzagged up to cruising altitude so bad guys couldn't get a bead...

Writing home. (Final Frame).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Finding time to write a letter home is a cherished moment in a war zone. Airman 1st Class Martin Rygula found time to pen a note outside his tent at Tallil Air Base, Iraq. An air transportation troop, he works at the 407th Expeditionary...