Airman articles from June 2003

Airman archives from June 2003

Pushing the envelope: for more than 50 years, the Air Force has championed the development of powered flight. (A Centennial of Flight Special Feature).
June 1, 2003... Where do you start cataloging the Air Force's role in the development of powered flight? Aircraft? Flight techniques? Equipment? People? Or, perhaps, it's all of these. Maybe the history of powered flight and the Air Force are so deeply...

Out of thin air. (Airman's World).
June 1, 2003... WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- In 1944, when a major died after bailing out of a B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft at 43,000 feet, no one knew exactly what happened. Doctors eventually determined he died on impact when his parachute...

Ammo troops bring the fight to the front for wartime use. (Airman's World).
June 1, 2003... LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Walking down the hall at the 651st Munitions Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base is intimidating. Before you get to the bomb builders -- or ammo troops, as they call themselves -- there's a long, dark,...

AGM-114M Hellfire missiles headed to the Arabian Gulf.
June 1, 2003... Caption: Staff Sgts. Kevin Johnston (left) and Bobby Hines perform a periodic inspection and verify lot numbers on a shipment of AGM-114M Hellfire missiles headed to the Arabian Gulf. Troops at the 65 1st Munitions Squadron at Lackland Air...

Operation Northern Watch fighters say final goodbye to Incirlik. (Airman's World).
June 1, 2003... INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- The last Operation Northern Watch mission flew March 17, but reality that the operation is really over didn't sink in until the last fighter aircraft roared out in early April. The last fighter planes, eight...

'Synergy' helps airman cope with cancer. (Airman's World).
June 1, 2003... NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- A word has been echoing in the halls of the Pentagon that eventually worked its way around the rest of the Air Force called "synergy." In a nutshell, it means teamwork. However, there's a more in-depth...

Taking a shot at goals. (Airman's World).
June 1, 2003... MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- To 1st Lt. Rich Cullen, there's nothing better than facing down a charging striker, guessing where he'll shoot and then blocking his shot on goal. It's what soccer's all about -- a shot on goal and whether...

Smallpox vaccine program evolves: inoculation list expands to more people in 'high threat' areas. (Airman Consumer).
June 1, 2003... America's response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks has been multifaceted and well-documented - the war on al Qaeda, the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security and the 24-7 combat air patrol coverage of Operation Noble...

Air mail.
June 1, 2003... Well wishes I was in the Air Force and my husband was in the Army, and we're proud to be Americans. At a "support the troops" rally, the organizer read a poem that said, "It is my brother who has your back. It is my husband who has your...

War & peace: Operation Iraqi Freedom toppled Saddam Hussain's regime. Airmen are glad it's winding down, happy to have helped the Iraqi people and ready to return to loved ones.
June 1, 2003... As Operation Iraqi Freedom transitioned from war-fighting to peacekeeping, the speed of the campaign came as a surprise to some deployed airmen, but was a welcome relief to all. At the 40th Air Expeditionary Wing, Chief Master Sgt. Daniel...

The Afghan Express: airmen work to keep Operation Enduring Freedom on track.
June 1, 2003... Prying the helmet with the night vision goggles off his head, Staff Sgt. Michael slumped into his seat. He'd had a long day and was tired to the bone. But the day was only half over. He wiped the sweat that ran over his brow with a gloved...

The lost frontier; Aleutian Islands: World War II secret bases key to defending the mainland.
June 1, 2003... When Stuart Faber enlisted in the Army Air Corps shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941, he wasn't quite sure what he'd be doing. Once assigned to the 404th Bomb Squadron at Elmendorf Field, Alaska. he not only...

Givin' it the gas: airmen at Grand Forks keep the fuel flowing and the mission running.
June 1, 2003... The terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center left many feeling afraid and helpless. Not so for Capt. John Pantleo. As a member of the 319th Air Refueling Wing at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., the tanker pilot knew he would fight...

Getting along in Grand Forks: all they ask is, 'give us a chance'.
June 1, 2003... People assigned to Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., don't expect everyone to love it there. They know North Dakota winters leave many cold to the idea of a northern tier tour, and they're fully aware of the stinging impact of swarming summer...

Expectations and lasting impressions. (Airman's Notebook).
June 1, 2003... After spending a week at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., I wouldn't put it at the top of my dream sheet. However, I still found myself wishing I wanted an assignment there. The more I chatted with local folks and Air Force families, the...

Tired troops. (Final Frame).
June 1, 2003... Longing for more rest and sleep, members deployed to the 303rd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron traveled to their posts in early April during operations in Southwest Asia supporting the war with Iraq. The 3 63rd members worked around the...