All photos were taken by Senior Airman Leandra D. Hernandez.

Volunteers work to clean up the fallen tree limbs at the Wings of Freedom Park.

More photos after the jump.

Col. Ty Thomas, right, 97th Air Mobility Wing commander, and Airman 1st Class Jeremy Winston, 97th Civil Engineering Squadron, remove fallen tree limbs Jan. 30. More than 40 people volunteered to clean up the debris that litters the base.

Col. Noel Zamot, 97th Mission Support Group commander; Lt. Col. Derek Oliver, 97th MSG deputy commander; Staff Sgt. Zechariah Cook; Tech. Sgt Wesley De Young and Staff Sgt. Kelly Deppen, all with the 97th Civil Engineering Squadron, talk with Dan Scott, representative of the City of Altus power, and Mike Hagy, representative of Southwest Rural Electric, to discuss the downed power lines outside of the Jasmine gate.

Base personnel wait in line Monday at the Shoppette gas pumps to refuel. Altus received a generator from Vance AFB, Okla., which allowed the Shoppette to open Jan. 30.

Electricians from the 97th Civil Engineering Squadron work on downed power lines.

Altus families take shelter Monday at the Fitness Center. More than 200 airmen and their families took shelter at the Fitness Center and the Medical Clinic during the power outage.

Col. Stuart Shaw, 97th Air Mobility Wing vice commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Eric Malloy, 97th AMW command chief, remove fallen tree limbs.

Staff Sgt. Nathan Cruz of Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the winner of the MyAirForceLife.com T-shirt contest, officials announced.

Cruz, a radio frequency transmission technician, won the contest. His design, one of 174 submissions in the adult category, won with 1,178 votes. Check it out:

Cruz, who is deployed to an undisclosed location, won a MacBook laptop complete with iWorks09 and the Adobe CS4 graphics premium software. His prizes are valued at $2,000.

In addition, Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) will produce his design and offer the T-shirts for sale.

Last year, Air Force Services Agency officials launched MyAirForceLife.com, an interactive site to help airmen stay connected and engaged in programs as part of the Year of the Air Force Family.

“The theme of our campaign is ‘The Air Force is a great place to live, work and play,’ ” said Mike Bensen, deputy to the commander of the Air Force Services Agency. “Our focus is to make it even better for our Air Force family.”

And even though the T-shirt design contest is done, the Web site is offering airmen the chance to compete in short story, video short, original song and photography competitions.

For more, log on to MyAirForceLife.com. Also, visit the Year of the Air Force Family Web site.

2nd Lt. Greg Flynn in Paul Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Mass., home of the Lowell Devils minor league hockey team. (Courtesy photo/Andrew Ramsey)

The Navy: Roger Staubach, David Robinson, Bob Feller, and Yogi Berra, to name a few.

Ted Williams served in the Marines.

But the Air Force? Its top athletes apparently have been NFL players Chad Hennings and Bryce Fisher, who aren’t exactly household names.

2nd Lt. Greg Flynn, a 2009 Air Force Academy grad, is making a bid to change that. Flynn, an All-American hockey player last year, is pulling double duty as a contract manager at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., and a rookie defenseman for the Lowell Devils of the American Hockey League.

Flynn is playing for the Devils, a minor league affiliate of the NHL’s New Jersey franchise, under an “amateur tryout contract.”

His left-handed slap shot helped make Flynn the nation’s top-scoring defenseman in 2009, posting 7 goals and 35 assists in 39 games, but he had yet to record a point in six games played with Lowell as of Jan. 22.

“The biggest thing I need to do is to adjust to the speed of the game,” Flynn said in an Air Force press release. “I need to improve on the little things of the game, being in the right place all the time and trying to be a step ahead of the game. The guys in this league are future NHL players. They know exactly where they need to be and what they are doing all the time. I have a lot to learn on the hockey side, but I know that my priority is the Air Force, and I take a lot of pride in that.”

Defense Department policy states that active-duty service members pursuing careers in professional sports must serve a minimum of 24 months.

“Playing professional hockey is an unbelievable opportunity, but I am an officer in the Air Force and very proud of that,” Flynn said.

Flynn wakes up at 5:30 a.m. and gets to the office at Hanscom by 6:30. After a few hours at the office, he heads to Lowell for the Devils’ late morning practice and then returns to Hanscom to complete his duty day.

“The day is a little like playing at the Academy, when I had class and then practice and back to the dorms at about 7 p.m.,” Flynn said. “The difference is that now I don’t have homework.”

Flynn, who started playing hockey as a seven-year old boy in Minnesota, has always dreamed of playing professionally.

“From the time I was a kid, I always dreamed of playing in the (National Hockey League),” Flynn said. “I grew up a North Stars fan and always thought to myself, ‘hopefully that is me one day.’”

While it might still be a long road to the NHL for Flynn, Academy hockey coach Frank Serratore said his former player might have what it takes.

“He’s a big, tough, durable defenseman who can also make things happen when the puck is on his stick,” Serratore said in the Air Force release. “His greatest strength as a pro is that he doesn’t have a weakness. That makes him real enticing as a pro. The way he works, and his intensity, I would not bet against this guy in anything he wanted to do.”

Airmen of the 621st Contingency Response Wing gather outside their makeshift headquarters at the Port-au-Prince airport Jan. 15. (Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Danielle Johnson)

Col. Patrick Hollrah, 617th Contingency Response Group commander, receives an update at the Port-au-Prince airport Jan. 15. (Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Danielle Johnson)

Two more photos after the jump.

Members of the 621st Contingency Response Wing set up a hardsided expandable light air-mobile shelter at the Port-au-Prince airport Friday. The HELAMS serves as the unit's headquarters while deployed to Haiti and will have satellite communications and other capabilities crucial to the wing's mission at the airfield. (Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Danielle Johnson)

An airman from the 621st Contingency Response Wing takes advantage of an early-morning lull in activity at Port-au-Prince airport after working through the night. (Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Danielle Johnson)

The Air Force has extended the deadline for applications to Feb. 15, one whole month later than its original deadline of Jan. 15.

About 200 wounded active duty troops and veterans will compete in the games, Defense Department officials announced Jan. 7. Hosted by the U.S. Olympic Committee, the games will include events such as shooting, swimming, archery, track, cycling, sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball.

The Air Force is seeking about 25 wounded warriors to compete in the games, which is open to military members and veterans with bodily injuries as well as mental wounds of war, such as post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury.

Participants will be recruited from each of the services, including the Coast Guard, through an independent selection process.

The plan is to make the Warrior Games an annual event.

For more information or to request an application, contact the Air Force Wounded Warrior office at 800-581-9437 or send an e-mail to afwounded.warrior@randolph.af.mil.

The Air Force on Friday announced it is beginning its 10th year of sponsorship in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series by renewing its partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports for the 2010 season.

This year, the No. 19 car, driven by Elliot Sadler, a top 25 finisher in the Cup series, will represent the Air Force.

As an associate sponsor, the Air Force will be featured in a dark blue paint scheme on the No. 19 car in five of 37 NASCAR races this season.

“We are thrilled to have Richard Petty Motorsports as partners for another NASCAR season,” said Col. Michael Tillema, chief of strategic marketing and communications for Air Force Recruiting Service. “The Air Force is all about speed, agility and pushing the boundaries of technology, and we believe those features align well with this great American sport and its fans.”

The only catch is the application deadline is Friday, Jan. 15.

About 200 wounded active duty troops and veterans will compete in the games May 10-14 in Colorado Springs, Colo. , Defense Department officials announced Jan. 7. Hosted by the U.S. Olympic Committee, the games will include events such as shooting, swimming, archery, track, cycling, sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball.

The Air Force is seeking about 25 wounded warriors to compete in the games, which is open to military members and veterans with bodily injuries as well as mental wounds of war, such as post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury.

Participants will be recruited from each of the services, including the Coast Guard, through an independent selection process.

The plan is to make the Warrior Games an annual event.

For more information or to request an application, contact the Air Force Wounded Warrior office at 800-581-9437 or send an e-mail to afwounded.warrior@randolph.af.mil.

Don’t forget: applications are due Friday.

The Air Force has finally released its new fitness AFI. Twelve days after the twice-a-year testing started, but who’s counting.

For the 10 out of 300,000-plus airmen who actually read these things, enjoy. Open up a new tab and click on this link to read it.

The highlights to the new fitness program that was partially instituted on Jan. 1 include new standards, twice-a-year testing and fitness assessment cells, which will be staffed by civilians who will administer PT tests for airmen. The PT test itself will not change. One of the biggest changes, though, is the inclusion of minimum scores for each event. Many Air Force officials said they are worried that will cause many more airmen to fail.

The only portion of the program that started this month is the twice-a-year testing. Below is a pretty good breakdown of when airmen will need to take their tests.

The second portion, which will start July 1, includes the bulk of the new program, including the new standards, the new age groupings and the fitness assessment cells across the Air Force. Read all about the new changes here.

I will likewise be poring over the 104-page document to see if there are any changes not yet reported. If anyone sees a change that is new to them please e-mail me at mhoffman@airforcetimes.com.

Capt. Ian Holt, a missile crewmember with the 319th Missile Squadron at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., races for the United States cycling team at an international competition in Clonmel, Ireland, during the summer of 2009.

Male Athlete of the Year: Capt. Ian Holt

Female Athlete of the Year: Master Sgt. Karrie Warren

Read more about the athletic feats of these two airmen over at Military Times’ sports blog After Action.

You are invited to the OTS 50th anniversary celebration Feb. 5-7 at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., but you must register by Jan. 15.

OTS first opened its doors in 1959 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The first class had 89 trainees, and they underwent a 90-day program of physical, academic and military training to transform them into commissioned Air Force officers.

In 1963, when Candidate School closed its doors, OTS became the sole organization for training Air Force officers.

OTS moved to Maxwell in 1993, and in its 50 years has trained and commissioned more than 100,000 men and women.

For more information or to register for the anniversary celebration, visit the OTS Web site here.

Here’s a short cartoon making its rounds on You Tube, which shows how the F-22 would meet its end by the likes of a J-10 to take you into the weekend. The seven minute video posted on You Tube shows what looks to be an air battle between a J-10, J-8, J-7 and F-4 vs. B-52 and F-22 along with the appropriate tankers.

The tip-off that it’s not real is probably the faces on the aircraft, but I can’t be sure considering the IO blitz I’ve received concerning the F-22’s unmatched capabilities. Who knows? Maybe it can screech like an eagle.

It’s worth a watch from a comical standpoint. I especially like the different animal sounds dubbed for each aircraft. Unfortunately, in this apparent pro-Chinese version of events, the F-22 doesn’t stand up to the J-10.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates luckily was forwarded a rough cut of this video, which helped him decide not to extend F-22 production past 187. Phew.

Well, the choir continues to sing, with the Facebook page “I Hate Reflective Belts” now boasting more than 23,890 fans. It has even spawned a blog simply titled “PT Belt” and a “sister” page on Facebook for a sister service, called “I Hate Reflective Belts Part Deux – Army Style.”

Air Force Times even made it onto the page:

Check out some of the latest photos on the Facebook page:

Oh, and Happy New Year!

One of them is former Air Force chief of staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley.

The other is Joseph C. Montana Jr. — better known as Joe.

Yes, that Joe Montana: winner of four Super Bowls, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Of course, I’m sure Lighting Science Group picked him not for his gridiron prowess, but because he’s a founding partner of something called HRJ Capital and owner of the real estate investment company Montana Property Group, as the company’s press release points out.

I’m guessing that neither Montana nor Moseley have any special technical expertise in LED lighting products, which is what Lighting Science Group makes. Their careers do have some interesting parallels, though.

Moseley logged more than 2,800 flight hours as a fighter pilot; Montana completed more than 3,400 passes. They both wore elaborate uniforms and protective helmets, and both received many shiny trophies and/or medals for achievements in their respective fields. Also, both men ended their career on a low note: Moseley had to resign because of the service’s problems handling nuclear weapons and components, while Montana spent two forgettable years with the Kansas City Chiefs after achieving greatness with the San Francisco 49ers.

I’m pretty sure Montana never received a “letter of admonishment” from the NFL, though.

Here are some of the numbers the A-10 pilots and maintainers racked up flying just 12 Warthogs, according the unit’s public affairs office.

10,000-plus flying hours. (That’s more than 133 percent of what the squadron flies per year at home with twice as many jets.)

2,500-plus sorties.

$3.75 million worth of munitions used including:

* 36,915 rounds of ammo fired from A-10 30mm guns

* 95 500-pound bombs released, including 78 Joint Direct Attack Munitions.

* 104 white-phosphorus rockets launched for marking targets.

* One Maverick missile fired.

Busiest day: Oct. 3 when Combat Outpost Keating was under attack and the A-10s logged 100 hours protecting the forward base, with as many as eight planes flying at the same time.

The Air Force again finds itself on the wrong side of a story. I am far from an Air Force apologist, but in this case I will have to come to the service’s defense.

Thursday, The Wall Street Journal first reported how the U.S. military found evidence in 2009 that Iraqi insurgents had been intercepting video feeds broadcast from aircraft. An Air Force intelligence officer told Air Force Times how U.S. raids on Shiite safe houses had found evidence in 2008 that militia members also used advanced electronic warfare equipment to intercept video feeds.

Check out both stories for the details and implications of the discovery. What’s interesting, though, is how the finger again has been pointed squarely at the Air Force over a problem that is clearly a joint dilemma. It’s not just Air Force UAVs that are susceptible; all military aircraft that transmit a line-of-sight signal to ROVER terminals can be intercepted just as easily. But similar to the way Defense Secretary Robert Gates chose Air War College as the site to chastise the military for not deploying UAVs faster, the focus for this story has again been placed on the Air Force.

Notice how the Journal chose to use a Predator in its lead. A top Air Force UAV officer told Air Force Times that the laptop the Journal cites had video footage collected from Predators and Army UAVs.

The U.S. military has known since RQ-1 Predators flew over Bosnia that the line-of-sight datalinks that transmit video feeds to ground troops were susceptible to intercept. However, service leaders inside the Pentagon decided it was a risk worth taking in order to deploy UAVs as fast as possible. It wasn’t solely an Air Force decision.

So why is the Air Force again taking the beating in the media for dragging its feet? I’d argue it’s due to the Air Force’s media strategy to silence its leaders and hope the story goes away on its own. As we’ve seen from the past two weeks, that hasn’t worked for Tiger Woods and it hasn’t worked for the Air Force over the past few years.

Plenty of Air Force officers spoke to us for our story, but said they were under strict orders to not put their names on the record, which takes away some credibility from their statements. Conversely, when our reporters called UAV officials in the Army, they had no reservations speaking on the record and telling the Army’s side of the story. It’s a matter of transparency; one service’s media strategy is to address issues and the other’s is to just wish they would disappear. Until that changes, the Air Force will continue to be the Pentagon’s punching bag.

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin at Veterans Memorial Park in Fairbanks, Alaska, in May.

Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin stopped by Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, Sunday to sign copies of her best selling book “Going Rogue.”

The stops were the last two on her nationwide book tour to promote her memoir. She has reportedly drawn large crowds at each of her 37 stops, and Eielson was apparently no different. The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported that 500 people showed up, some with lawn chairs who wanted to be first in line.

Last month, I went to Eielson to write about the Arctic Survival School. As part of the trip I also spent a week at Elmendorf and covered President Obama’s trip to the base. So, politics came up in conversation. I was interested in what Alaskans thought about their former daughter, considering the polarizing political figure Palin has become in the lower 48. Frankly, I expected some detractors, but mostly praise for Palin.

I was wrong. This is purely anecdotal, but I was amazed at how angry Alaskans are with Palin. She certainly created some enemies when she quit midway through her first term as governor. Most of all, though, the Alaskans I spoke to said she embarrassed their state with the way she carried herself during the election.

Wondering if anyone was at the book signing and what they thought about it?

A F-15 fighter jet was parked behind the president, not an F-22. Odd considering the 525th is an F-22 squadron and 20 F-22’s typically call the hangar home.

First reported by Foreign Policy’s blog, The Cable, an Elmendorf spokesman, Stephen Lee, confirmed that White House aides ordered airmen to roll the F-22 out and have the president speak in front of an F-15.

In a controversial decision, President Obama chose not to extend the F-22 program, a decision that halted the fifth-generation fighter’s production line at 187 aircraft.

The Air Force’s premier entertainment group is seeking airmen from any component, rank or career field who can sing, dance or play an instrument. Tops in Blue also is seeking comedians and entertainers of all types.

Can’t sing or dance? There also are openings for audio, lighting, video, and staging technicians, and bus and truck operators.

Applications and audition videos for “Mission Audition” must be received by the Air Force Entertainment office by Dec. 4. Airmen can apply online at the Tops in Blue Web site, mail an application and video to the entertainment office or audition live at a Tops in Blue show.

If you apply online, complete the application form and upload your audition video at the group’s Web site.

If you choose to mail your application, send it to Air Force Entertainment, 10100 Reunion Place, Suite 403, San Antonio, TX 78216-4138.

Applicants can audition live between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. the day of a Tops in Blue 2009 performance. The current tour schedule can be found here.

Airmen who show potential will be invited to attend the Air Force Worldwide Talent Search competition Jan. 17-25 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Judges at this competition will select the members of Tops in Blue 2010.

For more information, visit the Tops in Blue Web site or contact Air Force Entertainment at 210-652-6566 or DSN 487-6566.

Don’t worry about that extra helping of turkey, because six months wasn’t enough time. A service known for missing delivery dates when it comes to bi- budget weapons systems mistook the PT program for a satellite system.

Just in case you missed it, those new PT standards every one has been talking about will not go into effect Jan. 1 as planned. Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz OK’d a plan to push back the start date until July 1, 2010.

I’m sure plenty of airmen don’t care about the reasons as long as those dreaded minimum scores don’t go into effect Jan. 1. And I don’t think its fair to compare a PT test to an air war, but this is a perfect example how the layers and layers of bureaucracy built into Air Force decision making slows the service down.

Here is the BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) on what is happening. The PT test itself will not change. You will still have to run 1.5 miles, get your waist measured and then get one minute to do as many push-ups as possible and then another minute for sit-ups. What’s changing is who will give the test, how often you will take it and the standards to pass it.

You will have to schedule your test through the health and wellness center on base, where a civilian will administer it. You must pass two tests a year instead of one. And finally, the new rule airmen fear most is the minimum scores graded for each test event.

Airmen are not completely off the hook. Starting Jan. 1, airmen will still need to take their PT test twice in 2010. And at bases that have stood up fitness assessment cells at their HAWCs, airmen will have to take their test with a civilian. But the new standards will not go into place until July 1.

The excuses: The bases didn’t get money to hire the civilians to man the fitness assessment cells until November due to the budgeting cycle; the Pentagon still hasn’t approved the new PT Air Force Instruction; and the airmen need more time to learn about the new standards.

The only excuse that holds any water is the first one. It takes time to hire the right people, but the service can do what Pacific Air Forces has been doing since March. Choose airmen to serve in the cells until the civilians are hired. The other two excuses have plenty of holes.

When the new PT program was announced in June, the Air Force team that designed the new program said it would have the AFI out by July. Four months past the due date and it’s still not out. What’s taking so long, guys?

And the final excuse is my favorite because it was followed up by the explanation that the service is committed to Air Force fitness. Like I said earlier, the events airmen must complete don’t change at all. It’s only the standards. And airmen have known the new standards since August. How much more “education” do they need? Shouldn’t unit PT leaders have distributed standards and run a couple practice PT tests to allow airmen to see how they measure up?

Nope, airmen need six more months. Let’s just be honest here. The Air Force is terrified their new PT standards will reveal just how many out-of-shape airmen wear Air Force blue. In the meantime, the other services will keep laughing. Forget about a program as technical as a new aerial refueling tanker, the service can’t even deliver a new PT program on time.

Brigham Young defensive end Jan Jorgensen, pictured tackling Air Force quarterback Ben Cochran, said at a press conference before playing Air Force that the Falcons play "legal, but dirty." (AP photo)

… at least that’s what their opponents are saying.

Just two weeks after a Notre Dame coach called Navy’s football team “dirty” and their blocking schemes “dangerous,” a BYU coach and defense lineman have accused Air Force of the same style of play.

The Mountain West Conference doesn’t agree. The league issued a public reprimand on Nov. 22 to Brigham Young defensive end Jan Jorgensen and assistant coach Barry Lamb for violating the league’s sportsmanship rules. The two told the media that Air Force football players utilize dangerous cut blocks to run their triple option offense.

Jorgensen told a group of reporters during a press conference Nov. 16 that the Falcons played “legal, but dirty.” Lamb told a Utah paper, the Daily Herald: “The only thing about the Air Force game is they cut so much. They block low on your ankles and knees. It’s not legal.”

The cut block the coach and player are referring to is when an offensive player tries to block a defender by taking him out at the knees. Defenders, especially linemen, complain that the blocking scheme puts them at severe risk of injury.

BYU isn’t the first team that has accused Air Force of dirty play this season. Former UNLV coach Mike Sanford, who was fired last week, made the same accusations after Air Force beat the Runnin’ Rebels 45-17.

Both Air Force and Navy employ the triple-option to mask the severe weight disadvantages they typically face. Notre Dame’s defense line, for example, outweighed Navy’s offensive lineman on average by 30 pounds.

First brushed off as sour grapes, teams are starting to get in line in calling out the service academies. BYU presents an especially interesting case, considering Jorgensen and Lamb made the comments before the game.

I’d say, though, Jason Franchuk of the Daily Herald made the best point in this whole debate.

“Wow, criticize the academy? Maybe it should be taken as a compliment. Bad teams don’t make enemies.”

Skiers and snowboarders get off the lift on top of Hillberg Ski Area at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, last year. (AF photo)

Your base might have a golf course, but does it have a ski slope? Airmen at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska and Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, can make that claim.

Both feature small slopes with only a few runs, but what did you expect, Killington or Aspen? We’re talking about the Air Force here. You can’t invest too much on a ski resort and risk stealing away money from the beloved golf courses.

I digress. Both Hillberg Ski Hill at Elmendorf and Iceman Hill at Eielson are busy blowing snow, getting ready to open over the Thanksgiving Day weekend. It’s plenty cold in Alaska, but they still haven’t had enough natural snowfall.

While it might only take a few turns before you reach the bottom of the slope, it looks like the perfect place for beginners or families. The best part is the trip comes cheap. A lift ticket only costs $17 and rentals $20. You can’t find another slope, I don’t care how big, with cheaper rates. Beginners are typically scared away by the steep price tag that comes with a ski trip, but this gives airmen a cheap way to learn.

Elmendorf is trying to attract even more airmen to the hill this season by running a shuttle between Hillberg and the dorms.

The most popular runs, though, might not even be the ski and snowboard slopes. Hillberg’s staff said the tubing runs get the largest crowds, especially on weekends.

“Even if you don’t ski you can come out and enjoy the tubing runs. Some might say they are too old to go tubing but after a few times down you can’t get them off the mountain,” said Raina Panarese, who works at Hillberg.

More photos after the jump.

Retired Master Sgt. Tom Green, who works at Hillberg, is working hard with his staff to get the ski hill ready for another season. (Credit: Michael Hoffman)

A view from the bottom of Hillberg prior to opening day on the slopes. (Credit: Michael Hoffman)

The Best Buy store in Anchorage, Alaska, near Elmendorf Air Force Base. Pictures from the Pentagon store forthcoming.

What’s the buzz inside the Pentagon this morning? The upcoming decision on Afganistan? Psssh. Boring.

A Best Buy store opened up on the second floor of the Pentagon this morning! Now that’s a statement that deserves an exclamation point.

Need to buy a big-screen television on a whim, but don’t have time to leave the office? Those in the Pentagon don’t have to face that conundrum.

That’s right. Rather than force those troops working out of the Pentagon to travel half a mile to the next-closest Best Buy in nearby Pentagon City, the electronics super store just got closer.

Anyone out there visit the store this morning? I would love to hear the feedback.

Senior forward Grant Parker (AF photo)

Last season the wheels fell off for Coach Jeff Reynolds’ club. It ended the season on a 17-game losing streak before the Falcons shocked the entire Mountain West Conference by beating Colorado State in the first round of the conference tournament.

This will be a telling third season for Reynolds, a former assistant coach who took over the program when Jeff Bzdelik left to coach the University of Colorado. Bzdelik had led the Falcons to the NCAA Tournament in 2006 and the NIT semifinals in 2007. Air Force was hoping Reynolds could keep the program rolling, but it has been in decline ever since. In his first year the team fell to .500 in the conference, and last year it went 0-16 in Mountain West play.

Reynolds now has a full-blown rebuilding project on his hands. The Falcons will experience a youth movement as they lose their top three scorers and more than 50 percent of the offensive output from last year’s team. Not to say that’s necessarily a bad thing when you go winless in conference play, but it also means the other players didn’t have the chops to earn playing time.

The Falcons do return guard Evan Washington and forward Grant Parker, who both averaged six points per game last year. Parker, who stands 6 feet 8 inches tall, has an effective long-range shot for a big man. He shot 48 percent from behind the three-point line last year and exploded for a career-high 26 points in this year’s season opener against Western State.

Where the Falcons need to make the greatest strides, though, is on the boards. The team gave up 290 offensive rebounds last year while collecting only 211 of their own. Academy teams are typically at a height disadvantage due to the difficulties of recruiting blue-chip players, but rebounding has to become a mindset on this team.

Help down low, though, could be on the way. Freshman Taylor Broekhuis, a 6-10 center and Colorado Springs, Col., native, averaged 17.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 4.9 blocks in his senior year of high school. Another Reynolds recruit, 6-7 freshman forward Zach Bohannon, averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds in high school.

This year will prove to be another tough one for the Falcons as it faces another stiff conference schedule, playing the likes of BYU, San Diego State and UNLV. If Reynolds wants to keep his job, he can’t go another season without a conference win and he has to show the athletic department he’s making progress with the team. Although it’s difficult, Bzdelik showed how to take a service academy team to the Big Dance. Reynolds needs to heed those lessons.

Predicted finish: 11-16 (3-13)

Team MVP: Grant Parker

Bold prediction: The Falcons are looking for a new coach at the end of the season. (Update: As a reader pointed out in an email this morning to Flightlines, the AD did give Reynolds an extension after winning that one conference game last season. However, if there is not a turnaround, AD Hans Meuh is going to look pretty bad for extending a coach who couldn’t win a conference game in season,  and when you make your boss look bad, well, that’s never a good thing.)

The Air Force wishes the Marine Corps a happy birthday. Isn't that sweet?

Almost a month after causing a flap by posting a video in which a basic military training instructor suggested that airmen are more fit than Marines, it looks like everyone’s all buddy-buddy again.

The Air Force today released a story on its Web site wishing the Marines a happy birthday on the 234th anniversary of the Corps’ founding.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz wrote in the story: “Congratulations to the U.S. Marine Corps on 234 years of service to our great nation. We celebrate the culture that the ‘leathernecks’ embody — honor, courage and commitment. Your current active duty and Reserve warriors, along with those who have formerly worn the Marine Corps uniform with pride, have all truly lived up to the Corps’ sacred motto: ‘Semper Fidelis.’”

I guess Nortie can stop avoiding Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway at those Joint Chiefs meetings.

AF photo

President Obama will not be spending Veteran’s Day at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Instead, his stop at Elmendorf prior to his trip to Asia was pushed to Thursday. The president will spend Veteran’s Day at Fort Hood, Texas.

Airmen at Elmendorf don’t seem to mind. First, the airmen I spoke to obviously understood why the president wanted to spend some extra time at the base struck by last week’s tragedy. Also, because Obama pushed his trip back a day, many airmen will get Veteran’s Day off. Before, Wednesday was an all hands day for all units.

A new Web site promotes the Year of the Air Force Family and offers some pretty good prizes.

The Air Force has launched a new Web site, www.MyAirForceLife.com, to promote the Year of the Air Force Family.

The Web site links to individual base calendars of events, and offers competitions for things like short stories and photography.

The current competition, running through Dec. 20, is to design a T-shirt on the theme of “My Air Force Life.” There are adult and child categories. The winners in both categories will receive an Apple MacBook laptop computer, and the winner in the adult category also will have his or her T-shirt sold in AAFES.

The new Web site launched Nov. 1, the first day of Air Force Family Week, which runs through Nov. 7.

Will the recession be a factor in the tanker competition? Here, an artist's rendering of the Northrop-Airbus tanker refueling a pair of Raptors.

The “buy American” argument is emerging in the tanker competition once again.

Reuters is reporting that a group of 40 U.S. lawmakers is asking President Obama to ensure that the new competition to choose the Air Force’s next aerial refueling tanker take into account allegations that the European company Airbus — which has teamed with Northrop to compete against U.S.-based Boeing — has received illegal government subsidies that give it a price advantage.

They also urged that Obama should “use his authority under U.S. law and trade agreements to support U.S. workers,” according to the report.

This was one of the main arguments of the pro-Boeing crowd when the Air Force decided last year to award the tanker contract to the Northrop-Airbus team, a decision the Pentagon ultimately threw out.

The argument seemed a little too protectionist at the time, but I’m wondering if it might gain more momentum this time around. In the face of the worst economic climate since the Great Depression, is it not reasonable that we keep this $35 billion at home and create as many jobs as we can?

Granted, these 40 lawmakers are from states that would benefit from a Boeing win, but does their parochialism necessarily make them wrong?

A South African civilian inadvertently ejected himself from a South African air force Pilatus PC-7 Mk II in mid-flight. Oops!

From the News of the Weird department comes this item about a civilian who accidentally ejected himself while riding as a passenger in a South African air force aircraft flown by his buddy, an air force pilot.

The passenger was joy-riding in a Pilatus PC-7 Mk II — similar to a T-6 — which the South Africans use for their aerial demonstration team. He reportedly was trying to brace himself during a maneuver when he accidentally grabbed the wrong lever.

As Homer Simpson would say, “D’oh!”

The man blasted through the aircraft canopy and 320 feet into the air before drifting down below the ejection seat’s parachute.

He suffered no injury — unlike, presumably, the career of his friend and pilot, Capt. Gerhard Lourens.

Courtesy of CBS

We now know where we can find Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz most Thursday nights. Curled up, watching the latest episode of “Survivor,” of course.

I don’t know how FlightLines missed this. Instead of losing an audience in the usual talking points about how the Air Force is “all in” or “fit to fight,” the Air Force’s top general dedicated an entire speech to explain his love for CBS’ survival reality series and his apparent man-crush on recent contestant John Thomas Jr., who Norty affectionately calls JT.

He let the world know how he really felt about the champion of Survivor’s 18^th season in a June 16 speech entitled “A Country Boy Can Survive” to a group of the Air Force’s legislative liaisons working in Washington D.C.

Schwartz marveled at JT’s southern accent and his constant use of “sir” and “ma’am.” He took note of how the 24-year-old, who never met a shirtless moment he didn’t like, excelled “in several physical challenges.” Most importantly, though, Norty admired JT for his character, describing it as “a radiant beacon that could simply not be ignored.”

Lately, the Air Force has suffered a crisis of credibility following the service’s multiple problems handling nuclear weapons. In fact, Schwartz started his speech explaining that: “Recent events have demonstrated just how fragile the trust we work so hard to earn and keep is, how tiny deviations in compliance manifest themselves over time, and how they eventually punch a crater in a previously pristine record of performance.”

Cue the typical lines about reinvigorating the nuclear enterprise … right? Nope. Schwartz wanted to build up a man whom he felt his airmen should lean on as an example. A man like “Honest” Abe Lincoln or maybe Gen. Curtis LeMay, the father of the Air Force’s previous steward of nuclear weapons, Strategic Air Command? Wrong again; those reference points are way too dated.

“We need you to be like JT, in a sense, faithfully completing our assigned tasks until the Air Force is universally recognized as the beacon for faithful performance with reliability – and as trustworthy stewards of America’s talent and treasure,” Schwartz declared.

After all, JT, a cattle rancher from a tiny town in Alabama “made an explicit point to never lie during the course of the game. He stated flatly that deceit was not his way. He made clear that, in short, he intended to keep his promises.” As an avid fan, Schwartz knew this was not the “norm.”

“Needless to say, deceit, shifting alliances, and subterfuge are common tactics in the game. Perhaps this reminds some of our own experiences at various points in your career?” Schwartz said.

Even when the going got tough and “JT had been betrayed by his own friends” the cattle rancher kept his word and pitched what Schwartz equated to a “perfect game.”

So, “what can we learn from reality television? Is there any value to these programs that showcase human shortcomings?” [Editor’s note: Yes. If you have eight children, the best thing to do for your family would be to invite cameras into your home and broadcast your eventual divorce to the entire world.]

Nix that. Schwartz would prefer to get all philosophical, undoubtedly leading to future classes at the Squadron Officer School and the NCO Academy called “Survivor: Lessons Learned.”

“I offer that those of us who work in this town, both in and out of uniform, might take one or two lessons to heart. Sometimes it may seem that games like ‘Survivor’ are a microcosm of our larger culture, and in some cases it might even be true, where cheaters prosper and circumstances demand lapses in personal integrity, both tiny and significant. Cases where a person’s word is their bond only as it remains aligned with personal and professional interests. I ask you to consider that if America suffers from a shortage of any commodity, it is a shortage of confidence, faith, and sacred trust … It is up to each of us to take our portion of these concerns off America’s consciousness. The nation has enough on its mind without worrying about the integrity of those who serve in our common defense.”

UPDATE: After consistent prodding from Norty, JT has agreed to lead Global Strike Command. His first order of business is to send his airmen TDY to a deserted island.

The “I Hate Reflective Belts” Facebook group describes itself as a place for members of the Air Force “who see the continued use of reflective belts becoming ridiculous” and has attracted attention in the blogosphere.

“Before I had my reflective belt, I had to look both ways before crossing the street!” wrote one user.

Another wrote: “I’ll be waiting for the day when they bomb me over here and they laugh because it looks like they’ve exterminated a nest full of fireflies.”

And if you’re on Facebook, be sure to check out the photos of airmen mocking the reflective belt, including this…

and this…

Ali al-Marri was convicted in Illinois of being an al-Qaida sleeper agent.

The Associated Press reports that an Air Force psychologist testified yesterday in the sentencing of Ali al-Marri, who was convicted in Illinois of being an al-Qaida sleeper agent.

Maj. Deborah Sirratt, who was in charge of medical care in the U.S. Naval Consolidated Brig in Charleston, S.C., told the court that al-Marri can be kind and respectful but would likely attack the United States if given a chance. She also said he believes infidels — i.e., non-Muslims — should be killed.

“I do feel in Mr. al-Marri’s case that it’s likely he might engage in hostile acts against the United States,” Sirratt testified.

Connor Dietz attempts a pass during Air Force's 26-14 win over San Diego State. (Air Force Photo)

Air Force starting quarterback Connor Dietz broke a bone in his right hand and will miss at least three weeks.

The Falcons will not have to turn to an inexperienced backup, though. Sophomore Tim Jefferson will take over for Dietz. He started last year as a freshman and the first three games this year before an ankle injury forced him out.

Jefferson has thrown for 319 yards, two touchdowns and one interception this year. He’s also saying all the right things after not getting his starting spot back from coach Troy Calhoun after he returned from injury.

“I think the best player should be playing,” Jefferson said to The Denver Post. “That’s how Coach Calhoun feels about it and that’s how I feel about it. I don’t say I should be starting because I was the starter last year. The ankle slowed me down a little bit. Coach Calhoun has been very fair with all the decisions he has made.”

He will get his first chance to prove his is that best player again Saturday against Colorado State, which has lost five in a row after starting the season 3-0, including wins over Colorado and Nevada.

Workers install a solar panel on the roof of a house at Davis-Monthan.

The Soaring Heights Communities base housing development at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., will soon be leading the nation when it comes to solar power.

A consortium of companies is installing a massive solar power system in the privatized housing neighborhood that will make D-M home to the largest solar-powered community in the continental U.S., according to a press release by the companies.

The system will have more than 80,000 solar panels and account for 75 percent of the residents’ energy use next year. About 45,000 panels will be included in a ground array, with another 36,000 mounted on residents’ roofs.

Installation of the system began earlier this month.

Whether you’re worried about global warming or dependence on foreign oil — or neither — it’s good to see the Air Force continue to take the lead in developing clean, renewable, domestic energy sources.

The F-22 Raptor performed at an airshow at Naval Base Ventura County on April 1. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech Sgt Justin D. Pyle)

If you’re going to be in San Antonio next weekend, come on down to the 2009 Randolph Air Show Nov. 7- 8 at the Randolph Air Force Base flight line.

The show is free and open to the public; gates are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

Highlights include demonstrations featuring the F-22 Raptor, A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-18 Hornet, C-17 Globemaster and B-25 bomber. Attendees with Defense Department ID cards also can attend a concert featuring Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band at 6 p.m. on Nov. 6 at the West Flight Line Ramp. The band will play for wounded warriors and their families.

For more information, call 210-652-7469.

The hosts of ESPN's College GameDay visited the Air Force Academy in 2001. (Air Force Academy photo)

Lee Corso, Chris Fowler and Kirk Hirbstreit will be headed to the Air Force Academy to host ESPN’s College GameDay on Nov. 7 when Air Force hosts Army.

It’s the third time the Air Force Academy has hosted GameDay, a college football pregame show which has become appointment television for any college football fan.

GameDay last came to Colorado Springs, Col., in 2002 when Air Force narrowly lost to Notre Dame 21-14. It also came the year before for a special 9/11 broadcast which preceded an Air Force win over Army, 34-21.

ESPN will broadcast from the Academy Terrazzo, which is the main cadet square that sits next to the 17-spire cadet chapel.

The news of ESPN’s choice of the Air Force Academy wasn’t met with unanimous joy across the services. Rumors of GameDay’s future travels to Colorado Springs swirled around the parking lot outside Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium this weekend. Many Naval Academy alumni questioned why GameDay has chosen Air Force three times without visiting the Naval Academy once.

A better question might be why ESPN has yet to host their GameDay show prior to Army-Navy. This could have been the perfect year as the Army-Navy game is scheduled for Dec. 12, the week after the Big 12 and ACC championships are played. What a perfect chance to capture the traditions of college football’s greatest rivalry and preview this year’s upcoming bowl matchups.

Check out Military Times’ After Action blog, which covers all things sports and military for additional updates on the Falcons’ football team.

Capt. Jacob Johnson finished second. (AP photo)

Two Air Force captains each took second place in Sunday’s Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C.

Air Force Capt. Jacob Johnson finished more than three minutes behind Navy Lt. Cmdr. John Mentzer. Air Force Capt. Jaymee Marty, meanwhile, finished 27 seconds behind Ethiopian Muliye Gurme.

Johnson, who is stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., beat his personal best time by two minutes to place second. He passed a sergeant first class in the Mexican military with under a mile to go.

He finished in 2 hours, 25 minutes and 2 seconds. Mentzer posted a time of 2:21:47.

Marty, 42, finished in 2:50:15. She competed in the Twin Cities Marathon three weeks ago where she missed qualifying for the Olympic Trials by 29 seconds. She is stationed at Travis Air Force Base, Calif.

Marty stayed close with Gurme the entire race, but was out-kicked in the last half-mile by the Gurme, 25, who was running in her first marathon.

Two airmen at Aviano Air Force Base, Italy, protecting America one Blackberry message at a time. (AF photo)

How many BlackBerries does it take to run the Air Force?

The answer is at least 30,000 of the handheld devices that serve as telephone, e-mail link, date book, fashion statement and electronic companion, according to a Defense Department review looking at 2008 records.

Those 30,000 BlackBerries, all equipped to handle secure information, accounted for nearly 50 percent of the Defense Department’s BlackBerry total in 2008, a recent report said.

The report said no one was certain how many BlackBerries airmen and Air Force civilians carry. The Air Force’s official inventory listed 14,566 BlackBerries, but Air Force records showed the service had bought about 30,000.

Sen. John McCain poses with an aircrew in Iraq. Photo courtesy U.S. Air Force.

Apparently Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., still doesn’t trust the Air Force when it comes to acquisition.

Reuters is reporting that McCain said Wednesday that the Government Accountability Office should keep an eye on the new tanker competition to make sure all is above board.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced in September that the Air Force would resume control of the new competition after the service mishandled the prior competition and was stripped of control.

But apparently that isn’t good enough for McCain.

“I’d like to see [GAO] track it along the way,” he told Reuters. “And I would trust their judgment as to whether the whole process is biased toward one side or the other.”

The competition to build 179 tanker aircraft pits Boeing against a team of Northrop Grumman and European aircraft maker EADS. The Northrop-EADS team won the contract, but Boeing protested the Air Force’s decision. The award was later thrown out because the bids had not been fairly evaluated.

McCain has a long history of being a thorn in the side of Air Force leaders. He has criticized the Air Force on issues ranging from the decade-long effort to acquire a new tanker to the service’s desire to buy more F-22s.

Staff Sgt. Joshua Bellin and his wife Jessica discussed military family issues with the First Lady.

Staff Sgt. Joshua Bellin and his wife Jessica got the rare opportunity to meet first lady Michelle Obama during her Oct. 15 visit to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

Bellin, a vehicle operator with the 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron at nearby Hurlburt Field, was among a group of airmen, soldiers and their families selected to meet Obama and discuss military family issues with her.

“She was very sincere and seemed like she really cared about what’s going on,” Bellin said. “She wanted to get a view from the people who deploy and also the spouses.”

Jessica, a student studying hospitality and resort management, said the First Lady wanted to hear about her personal experiences and challenges as a military wife.

“She … asked us how do we get through life during a deployment,” Jessica said. “She was very sincere. She really wanted to get to the heart of how deployments go and how we handle things.”

Bellin said Obama was easy to talk to, despite her enormous fame and prominence.

“It was real comfortable talking to her,” he said. “At first with all the security around her it was something a little bit different that we’re not used to.”

Jessica called the meeting “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Bellin has deployed to Iraq three times, and served most recently as a lead convoy vehicle commander. He logged more than 45,000 combat miles and endured 23 small arms and improvised explosive device attacks.

He earned an Air Force Combat Action Medal and a Purple Heart after his vehicle received a direct IED hit south of Baghdad on Jan. 13, 2008.

Gen. Bernhard Schriever, the father of the ICBM, is the subject of a new book.

The Chicago Tribune has a review of “A Fiery Peace in a Cold War,” a new book chronicling Gen. Bernhard Schriever, the father of the ICBM, and his epic clashes with Gen. Curtis LeMay, a nuclear bomber proponent.

The book is by Neil Sheehan, a former New York Times journalist who famously obtained the secret Pentagon Papers and wrote “A Bright Shining Lie,” a Pulitzer-winning history of the Vietnam War.

Schriever and LeMay helped shape what the Air Force is today, so this book would make a good addition to the library of any Air Force history buff.

A USAF-chartered Boeing 767 carrying 205 U.S. Marines was forced to land in Mumbai for flying through Indian air space without the correct permissions, while at the same time in another part of the country U.S. airmen and aircraft were conducting a joint exercise with the Indian Air Force.

Officials with both air forces were forced to address the incident at a press conference that was supposed to be about the bilateral exercise. This is probably not what they were envisioning when they called the press conference to highlight U.S.-Indian cooperation.

Whitcomb's innovations, including winglets, are still used on aircraft such as the C-17.

Pioneering aerospace engineer Richard Whitcomb died Oct. 13 at his home in Newport News, Va., the Los Angeles Times reports.

You may not be familiar with Whitcomb — I wasn’t before reading of his death — but you’re probably familiar with some of his innovations.  He invented the “wasp waist,” a now ubiquitous design in which an aircraft fuselage narrows slightly where the wings attach to reduce drag at speeds nearing the sound barrier.

He also invented winglets and the supercritical airfoil, both of which are used on the C-17.  Winglets improve aerodynamic efficiency and fuel consumption, and the supercritical airfoil makes it possible for heavy aircraft to take off and land at lower speeds.

For his innovations, Whitcomb was awarded the National Aeronautic Association’s Collier Trophy in 1954 for the greatest achievement in aviation that year, and he won the National Medal of Science in 1973.

That didn’t take long. Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Roy ordered Air Force Recruiting Service to take down the above video on Thursday. Now, it can only be seen on Air Force Times.

It was removed after the Marine Corps’ enlisted leader took issue with the military training instructor boasting that airmen who graduate from basic military training are in “better shape than Marines.”

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlton Kent emailed Roy after he received “numerous emails” from angry Marines who felt the video was an attack on the Corps’ reputation. Roy read Kent’s email Thursday morning,watched it himself, and then ordered his staff to have it removed.

Watching the situation play out yesterday provided a small window into why the Air Force is struggling with its image right now and the Marine Corps is viewed with such high regard.

When contacted for comment, the Marine Corps immediately issued succinct statements about why this was an attack and described how the Corps would do whatever it took to defend itself. It didn’t wait, stand up a working group to discuss the issue, and then ask if the Air Force would pretty please consider taking it down. The Corps mobilized.

Conversely, the Air Force just backpedaled. My favorite comment is the one from Air Force Recruiting Service, whose spokeswoman said the service took the video down “until the validity of the fitness standards comment can be verified.” Really? And how per se will that be verified? As for Roy, the Air Force’s enlisted leader would only say taking it down was the right thing to do.

Meanwhile, the Marine Corps took the opportunity to return fire at its sister service.

“Imitation is the best form of flattery,” said Maj. Chris Devine, a spokesman for Marine Corps Recruiting Command. “We are proud that the Air Force referred to the Marine Corps as the model of physical fitness [that] its men and women can aspire to emulate.”

Miss Idaho visits Mountain Home

Sometimes a picture is worth 1,000 flyovers.

Miss Idaho —Kara Jackson — was the guest of Mountain Home Air Force .Base Oct. 7 and 8.

No word on what life support thought of Miss Idaho’s non-military spec headgear and name sash

“We were very happy to host Miss Idaho,” Col. John Bird, commander of the base’s 366th Fighter Wing, said in release that went with this picture “Any time we can tell the Air Force story, especially to someone who reaches out across the state like she does, it’s a win for our service.”

Photo credit: Airman 1st Class Renishia Richardson

Freeze frame out of the Air Force recruiting video in question.

Calling out a Marine is best done ready for a fight. It looks like that’s exactly what the Air Force is going to get after broadcasting a video on its website that claims airmen are more fit than Marines or soldiers.

It’s a video that explains to potential recruits the rigors of basic military training. An unidentified drill sergeant says: “The recruits wake up at 0445, and they start exercising around 0500. The biggest misconception is that the Air Force is the easier of the four services, when actually, we are the hardest when it comes to PT standards. Our standards are higher, and we don’t have the 12 to 16 weeks to get them there like the Army and Marines do.”

Word of these bold proclamations reached certain Marine Corps leaders who didn’t appreciate the claims as reported by my colleague Marine Corps Times staff writer Dan Lamothe. Those leaders have asked the Air Force to take down the video.

However, the spokeswoman for the Air Force Recruiting Service at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, had not heard of the controversy.

Seems that whoever put that video together might have wanted to ask that drill sergeant about his facts. Each service certainly has its fair share of fitness freaks and overweight members. However, a 2005 Defense Department study found 13 percent of airmen were clinically obese while only 6 percent of Marines fell under that category.

With that said, though, the Air Force should keep the video up. The Air Force has done plenty of apologizing this past year between its nuclear problems and not delivering unmanned aircraft to Iraq and Afghanistan fast enough for Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ liking. It might rile up some Marines, but Marines do their share of needling airmen. In July, Army Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, made a joke about airmen in to open his speech at Marine Corps Association Foundation’s annual dinner.

Those statistics are at least four years old. Maybe enough airmen whipped themselves into shape and a few Marines let themselves go. Then again, probably not.

Col. Christopher Ayres

It appears Air Force Space Command wasn’t laughing after a recent investigation found a bug caused an Air Force truck carrying rocket engine parts for intercontinental ballistic missiles to crash near Minot Air Force Base, N.D., in August.

In fact, the crash cost 91st Missile Wing Commander Col. Christopher Ayres his career. Space Command officials also axed Col. Lyman Faith, 91st Maintenance Group commander, and Lt. Col. Andrew Healy, 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron commander.

Granted, 20th Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Roger Burg didn’t remove Ayres  from command simply because of one crash. Officials said it was a culmination of misconduct, a failed nuclear surety inspection, and the fact this was the second crash of a payload transporter under his watch.

I understand the party line that perfection is the standard when handling nuclear weapons or the nuclear weapon components. I’ll also cavert this saying I know a commander must take responsibility for any mistakes made under his command. However, it came as a surprise, at least in our newsroom, to see Ayres get fired after this particular incident.

Nowhere in the investigative report did the Air Force Space Command team fault leadership or the training the airmen driving the truck received. Frankly, it seemed like a fluke combined with some bad luck. It makes one wonder if there was more found during the investigation that was not included in the report. Or, there had been numerous cases of misconduct that were not publicized.

Yet, it stands as another blackeye for Minot. This is the second wing commander to get axed since 2007 when the 5th Bomb Wing commander got canned after airmen at Minot mistakenly loaded six nuclear warheads onto a B-52 that flew to Barksdale Air Force Base, La. After that incident, there were no questions that heads needed to roll.

While speaking to a group of senior coalition commanders after an air strike on an Afghan compound, McChrystal reportedly said:

“Gentlemen, we need to understand the implications of what we are doing. Air power contains the seeds of our own destruction. A guy with a long-barrel rifle runs into a compound, and we drop a 500-pound bomb on it? … If we use air power irresponsibly, we can lose this fight.”

It is no secret that McChrystal thinks air power needs to be used more judiciously — as I reported recently — and it seems probable that is all he was trying to say. But the “seeds of our own destruction” comment caught my attention as a particularly blunt way to put it, and one not likely to win him a lot of fans in the fighter pilot community.

Courtesy of the Air Force

The Iranians and the Taliban better get digging. Next summer, the Air Force plans to unveil it’s 15-ton bunker buster that can travel through as much as 200-feet of reinforced concrete.

That’s a long way. The Massive Ordnance Penetrator doesn’t depend solely on explosives to dig that deep. Instead, the megabomb will rely on gravity and 24,700 pounds of steel to tear through anything in its path. There certainly remains quite a bit of oomph behind the 5,300 pounds of explosives packed inside, but that’s a lot less than the 18,700 pounds of explosives inside the 21,000 pound Massive Ordnanace Air Blast.

The B-2 Spirit will carry the MOP, which is curious because of how few B-2 Spirits the Air Force has in its inventory. Yes, it provides the stealth capability, but with only 19 operational B-2s in the fleet, it restricts the service’s flexibility. Just a thought.

However, let’s move onto more pressing matters, the lack of a catchy nickname. What the MOAB lacks in heft, it makes up with its nickname. “Mother Of All Bombs” is pretty good. Does anyone out there have any suggestions for the MOP? I brainstormed all morning to come up with one and couldn’t think of any to rival the MOAB. Leave it in the comments section and hopefully we can give the MOP the nickname it deserves.

First Lady Michelle Obama will visit Eglin on Thursday. Photo courtesy of the White House.

Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is about to have some major star power on base.

Air Force Times has learned that First Lady Michelle Obama will visit Eglin on Thursday afternoon to meet with base leaders and military families.  She also will give a speech on base to airmen and families from Eglin and nearby Hurlburt Field.

The first lady has made military families one of the main focuses of her public outreach efforts.

A 91st Missile Wing payload transporter overturned on Aug. 31. Courtesy of the Air Force.

Ignore the threats posed by North Korean or Iranian special ops teams. They don’t pose a risk to our nation’s nuclear stockpile. Instead, holster a can of bug spray to fend off Cpl. Mosquito and Capt. Lady Bug.

All those cloak and dagger conspiracy theories explaining why a truck carrying rocket parts for an intercontinental ballistic missile on Aug. 31 tipped over in a North Dakota field near Minot Air Force Base turned out to be just that, theories. … At least that’s what they want you to believe.

The truck tipped over after a “large insect” flew in the window and landed on the driver’s back, according to an Air Force report released Oct. 9. Really? Can the Air Force’s nuclear enterprise catch a break? Is there a chance that Defense Secretary Robert Gates will order the service to hire a extermination task force deployed immediately to Minot?

Anyway, the report doesn’t list what I really wanted to know. What type of bug was it? I mean that has to be a serious sized bug to cause the driver to allow a truck the size of an 18-wheeler carrying ICBM rocket parts and two two 14-gallon tanks of liquid rocket fuel to drift off the road and tip over.

Either way, I pity the future airmen who have to take a five day insect defensive driving course or sit through an hour-long briefing of just what to do when Capt. Lady Bug lands on your left shoulder.