Airman takes aim, hits targeted deployment goals

"Don't count the days; make every day count," is the credo Brig. Gen. Craig Franklin, the installation commander, recommends military members adopt during their tour here. One Airman who accepted this challenge is a young, self-proclaimed outdoorsman from Salina, Kan. As his deployment comes to a

Air Force future bright with adaptable, connected Airmen

After more than 21 months on the job, Chief Master Sgt. Scott Dearduff, U.S. Air Forces Central Command command chief, has a good perspective on the lives of the Airmen serving in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. A younger generation of Airmen, he said, is adapting to an

Airmen are enablers to mission success

During a recent visit to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Lt. Gen. Mike Hostage, U.S. Air Forces Central commander, spoke highly of the Airmen supporting ground commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan. General Hostage said he and his fellow military leaders are confident Airmen here and across the

'Lion' Airmen patrol outside to protect inside

For some Airmen, its keep your friends close and your enemies as far away from your base as possible. Every day, the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron's force protection patrols, "the Lions," as they're called, travel outside of Joint Base Balad to provide a security presence that aims to

JBB platelets travel to Afghanistan

 In support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the Air Force Theater Hospital platelet apheresis lab here began dispatching blood platelets to Afghanistan Oct. 14, 2009. The AFTH has functioned as the sole platelet provider in Iraq. Now, it is the first in-theater medical facility to send platelets

Servicemembers hammer out, nail down construction in Iraq

Military contracting officials deployed to Baghdad work to rebuild the economy in Iraq by hiring local contractors to build and remodel facilities throughout the International Zone. Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors have been hands-on with several structure projects, including the construction of an

Zabul PRT opens new girls' school in Qalat

In a land where women were once forbidden the right to have an education during the dark period of Taliban rule and where literacy rate amongst women equaled less than one percent, a crowd of Afghans and U.S. servicemembers celebrated the building of a new school called Bibi Khala Girls' School Oct.

Cleaning your weapon is important

JET Airman helps Army get connected

Shoot, move and communicate. That's a Soldiers motto on the battlefield, but without stable internet connection, communication would not be possible. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jeremy Emond, at Combat Outpost McClain does his part in aiding Soldiers communicate by providing internet access. "Here I'm

Kyrgyz Congress of Women visits Manas

Twenty female Kyrgyz civic leaders, known as the Congress of Women, visited Airmen at the Transit Center at Manas Oct. 16. The visit to Manas was to familiarize the Congress of Women with the Transit Center's mission and for Airmen to learn about the contributions of some of these women to