What’s in the stocking?
December 28th, 2011 | Air Force Offbeat Photos | Posted by David Larter
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz presents a holiday stocking to Senior Airman Jeremy Roberts, 8th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Dec. 24, 2011 at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. // Master Sgt. Sonny Cohrs
So the question has to be asked: What is in a holiday stocking from the chief of staff? I assume it’s full of challenge coins and PowerPoint presentations about Air Force core values on Pentagon-use approved flash drives, but I could be wrong. Any ideas? Leave your guesses, intelligent or otherwise, in the comment section.
Also, ever wonder what the chief looks like dressed down? Now you don’t have to wonder. Click here to get the big reveal.
Tags: CSAF, Mrs. Schwartz, Norton Schwartz, photos, USAF
Photo: An airman’s best friend
December 15th, 2011 | Air Force Iraq Photos | Posted by David Larter
Senior Airman Stephen Hanks, 447th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron military working dog handler and Geri, a 3-year-old patrol explosive detector dog, take a break after a hard day of training in their kennel at Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 9. Geri is one of two military working dogs left in Iraq today. // Credit: Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo
Tags: air force, airman, dog handler, Military working dog
Desktop background refresh
December 7th, 2011 | Air Force Airframes Photos | Posted by David Larter
If your desktop background needs a little shake-up, these awesome Air Force photos might be up to the task. To download the high-res versions click on the photo.
Taiwanese animation: U.S. drone shot down in Iran
December 5th, 2011 | Afghanistan Airframes Iran Next Media Animation UAV Video | Posted by David Larter
The good people at Next Media Animation are always quick on the draw when it comes to the latest news out of DoD. Here is their take of the recent downing of an Air Force Sentinel drone over Iran. The military says it’s unclear how the drone crashed in Iran. The Iranians claimed to have shot the stealthy drone out of the sky.
Tags: drone, Iran, Sentinel, Taiwanese Animation
Let’s think of a new plot twist, Russia
November 30th, 2011 | Afghanistan Flightlines Politics Russia | Posted by David Larter
I’ve seen this movie before. It’s the one with all the harsh Massachusetts accents and Kevin Costner. The Russians start sending arms to Cuba and all the sudden the world is on the brink of total annihilation. Gen. Curtis LeMay even graces the scene as one of the main agitators trying to push that Kennedy guy to bomb Cuba and their commie allies back to the stone age.
Russia Today reports that Russia and Cuba are starting to rekindle the old flame. Russia, according to the State-funded news outlet, is sending arms to Cuba and it seems like they are trying really hard tick off the U.S.
Russian contractors are to supply production equipment for manufacturing 6.52-mm rifle rounds, Kommersant daily reports. Cuban arms plant called Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara will also receive a license and technology for recycling used ammo.
I’m sorry, 6.52 rifle rounds? That’s a lame plot device. This is an obvious attempt to put a bee in the U.S. bonnet but it’s hardly a major threat or the foundation of a tense political thriller. This Cold War throw-back story just smacks of castration anxiety.
Russia Today is a dubious news source at best. The New Republic dubbed the newly formed U.S. bureau of RT as “Pravda on the Potomac,” and described it this way:
With its often virulent anti-Americanism, worshipful portrayal of Russian leaders, and comical production values, the station, which has over 90 million viewers, can be relied upon to repeat Kremlin talking points. But while the station has pretensions to be a respected news outlet, it often can’t help but revive the pettiness that was a distinctive feature of Soviet-era propaganda.
If you’ve been paying attention, the relationship with Russia has become rather tense over the last few hours. In response to the U.S. installing a missile defense system in Europe, Russia has threatened to cut the Northern Distribution Network, a supply train that pumps about 40 percent of the allied war supplies into Afghanistan. If Russia were to cut those supply lines, it would mean that 70 percent of the supplies coming into the country would be cut off since Pakistan has also cut U.S. supply lines.
The Russia Today story acknowledges the tensions but quotes and expert who says the arms deal with Cuba has nothing to do with the current tensions.
Vladimir Anokhin, the vice president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, does not believe that signing the military contract with Cuba is some kind of Russian geopolitical answer to US plans to deploy an anti-ballistic missile system in Europe.
Tags: JFK, Kevin Costner, russia, Russia Today, Thirteen Days
F-15 crash site photos
November 30th, 2011 | Air Force Airframes Flightlines Photos | Posted by David Larter
There is nothing cool about losing a $30 million aircraft. But a couple good things did come from the F-15 crash near Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., in October: the pilot ejected without injury and Airman 1st Class Daniel Hughes managed to snap some nifty photos of the cleanup process.
You can read more here. Click on photos to download the high-res version.
Airmen from the 820th Red Horse Squadron recover parts from a crashed F-15 earlier in November. // Airman 1st Class Daniel Hughes
Tags: crash, F-15, Nellis AFB
Colbert thanks the troops for sacrificing … again
November 22nd, 2011 | Flightlines Obama Administration Politics Video | Posted by David Larter
A screen grab from a video of the Nov. 17 episode of Colbert Report. Stephen Colbert takes time out to "honor the troops." // colbertnation.com
Stephen Colbert has always taken time to cheer up and support the troops, even traveling to Baghdad, donning a universal camouflage pattern suit and declaring victory in the Iraq War in 2009.
And last week he did it again, only this time he had some very pointed criticism for those in Congress who have supported cutting Tricare benefits for veterans as a way of reducing America’s debt burden. During his regular segment “The Word,” Colbert called on the nation’s “1 percent” to sacrifice more for the good of the country.
“Everybody’s talking about it,” Colbert said. “There is a tiny minority of Americans who could be doing a lot more for our nation. A minority who live a lifestyle that the 99 percent could not imagine. You know who I’m talking about. I’m talking about military veterans.”
After lampooning the supercommittee for failing to agree on anything except creating savings by cutting Tricare, he turned his guns on the bipartisan leaders of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committees for supporting the cuts.
“Congress is sending our troops a clear message. That message: that we can take for granted that service members are willing to give up more than the rest of us.”
Colbert offered thinly veiled criticism for those who pay lip service to “honoring the sacrifice” of service members while still asking veterans to give up benefits. “No one honors their sacrifice more than I, and I’ll prove it,” he said, turning with great ceremony toward the camera as if to address service members in TV Land. “I honor your sacrifice,” he said as he flashed “Honoring in progress” in red, white and blue on the screen.
You can see the whole video here.
Tags: Colbert Report, humor, Super committee, tricare
Chad Hall chips in for the Eagles’ W
November 21st, 2011 | Air Force Sports | Posted by David Larter
Chad Hall, shown here after catching a touchdown pass in a game against the Cowboys last season, played last night against the Giants. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)
Former Air Force Falcons standout Chad Hall put together 20 of the Philadelphia Eagles 391 yards in last night’s 17-10 win over the New York Giants.
The Eagles activated Hall from the practice squad last Wednesday after star receiver Jeremy Maclin was injured.
Hall told the Eagles’ website that the game helped him get his feet back.
“It felt great. We got the W and there is no better feeling than that. I got back in the groove and it felt good to help,” said Hall. “They gave me pretty much the same package as last year — a little bit of running back, some receiver and a couple of punt returns.
“Anything they want me to do, I’m going to do.”
Hall went on to say he was committed to digging the Eagles out of the hole they find themselves in. Philadelphia will have to run the table over the next 6 games to be reasonably assured of a playoff berth. If the Eagles continue to loose wide receivers to injury, Hall will only become more important.
Taiwan animates, Iran trembles
November 21st, 2011 | Air Force Flightlines Video | Posted by David Larter
The news that the U.S. Air Force has bunker-buster bombs bad-ass enough to penetrate 60 meters of reinforced concrete was seen as a direct threat to the alleged Iranian underground nuclear weapons labs.
This wasn’t lost on the good folks at Next Media Animation, the people who brought you the famous Tiger Wood reenactment and Gadaffi with burning, satanic eyes.
Enjoy your moment in the Taiwanese sun, U.S. Air Force.
Personnel fitness
November 15th, 2011 | Air Force Photos | Posted by David Larter
Dan Badger from the Air Force Personnel Center's directorate of personnel services participates in the 13.1-mile half marathon at the San Antonio Rock n' Roll Marathon and Half Marathon Nov. 13. // Erin Tindell
The Air Force Personnel Center in San Antonio had a good turnout for that city’s Marathon on Sunday.
All told, 99 members of the AFPC family — civilians, airmen and their family members — made it out.
Nineteen ran the big one: the full 26.2 miles. Another 80 ran the half marathon.
You can read more here.