Maintenance commanders cross paths once again during change of command

Two aircraft maintenance commanders who worked together at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., were reunited after 10 years during a change of command here June 19. Col. Clifton Blanks relinquished command of the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group to Col. Lawrence Gatti, who once worked under Colonel

F-16 pilot takes command of 455th Expeditionary Operations Group

A tearful A-10 Thunderbolt pilot redeployed home and an F-16 pilot took command of the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group during a change of command ceremony June 19. After serving a year as commander, Col. Raymond Strasburger relinquished command of the 455th EOG to Col. Patrick McKenzie as

C-17 crew uses combat offload to deliver materials to warzone

A C-17 Globemaster III crew from the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron used a combat offload procedure here June 20 to deliver materials that will be used to help defend the local population. Due to the austere location of the forward operating base, the personnel stationed here did not have the

Bagram Attack Kills Two U.S. Service Members, Wounds Six

Two U.S. service members were killed and at least six other personnel were wounded yesterday during an early morning indirect-fire attack on Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, officials said. The injured were taken to a U.S. medical facility for treatment. "On behalf of the Combined Joint Task Force 82

Talking with the Troops

Airmen provide training for Afghan National Police

In 2005, the State Department contracted civilian trainers to provide law enforcement skills to Afghanistan National Police, but three years later came the realization that the police really needed a logistics system to support the growing police force. The lesson the U.S. learned is sound logistics

Wing surpasses historic 5K combat hour mark in single month

The 455th Air Expeditionary Wing surpassed a historic milestone after two fighter squadrons deployed here accumulated more than 5,000 combat flight hours in a single month. The A-10 Warthogs, from the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, and F-15E Strike Eagles, from the 336th Expeditionary Fighter

Intel officer gets inside look at Afghan culture

Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team convoys traveling to the far reaches of the Afghan border scoping out potential sites for construction of schools, medical facilities or water purification facilities provide many locals the rare opportunity to interact with Americans. The mission of the Paktya

Air mobility maintains the fight in Afghanistan

Being in a fight is easy; it is having the ability to stay in the fight until you win that is the hard part. This is especially true in the new type of war being fought by the coalition forces in Afghanistan where the enemy's strategy is to outlast the resolve and sustainment capability of U.S. and

Teamwork key to construction of communications hub

A week ago, this vast expanse of land represented particles of dust, rocks, hardened dirt and scrubs located on the other side of Kandahar Airfield's perimeter, mirroring the landscape of this portion of southern Afghanistan. Today, the area is bustling with Airmen dragging cables and laboring to