We have moved

Thanks for all the continued support of the U.S. Air Force efforts in entering the blogosphere. This site has officially moved. We're now located at http://airforcelive.dodlive.mil.

You ask why is it that we've moved?

1. To migrate onto the .mil domain which allows us to have a helpdesk (believe me, we've needed it).

2. Access for Airmen and any others who may be blocked from reading blogs. Now everyone can interact with it, even our forces deployed around the world. Previously some Airmen could not access this blogspot address.

3. It will provide a unified portal for other Air Force bloggers as they build into and under this site, similar to USAFE Live.

4. It is archived for historical purposes; all previous materials have been migrated over to the new site.

5. We've got some great developers who know what they're doing and can continue to make the site even better!

Air Force Combat Camera Airman on Oprah today

We got word that today’s Oprah Show (Feb 26) will feature military women in war, and Stacy Pearsall—former combat photographer with the 1st Combat Camera Squadron from Charleston AFB, SC—will be a part of the show.

UPDATE:
Check out more of her work here...."She may look like the girl next door, but Staff Sgt. Stacy Pearsall's camera has captured the horrors of war", says the Oprah Website.

We saw a promo on oprah.com that included a small glimpse of Stacy’s photos and a sentence from her about how war changes you. We’re looking forward to seeing the show in its entirety.


About Stacy, in her own words:

"I got my start as an Air Force photographer over ten years ago at the age of 17. In the fall of 2004, I attended Syracuse University where I was presented with the Associated Collegiate Press Award. Since that time, my work has been publicized in various media to include Time Magazine, New York Times, CNN, Oscar nominated PBS: Operation Home Coming and GQ Magazine: This is Our War.

Early on in my life, I had trouble expressing my emotions in words. I found that I could use a camera as a vessel of expression.

From then on, I harnessed my emotions and strove to make each image an evocation of what I saw and felt. I believe it is that ability, which allows me to be a successful storyteller.

For the last 12 years, I have witnessed the depredation of war and immeasurable kindness of humanity.

I cannot express in words what I have seen and lived to those who have not been privy to it.

I have survived weeklong sieges, 12-hour gun battles, three improvised explosive devices and two helicopter crashes.

I have experienced my own suffering and loss. However, I know that my images of these acts have and will bring about change.

It is the confidence I have in myself, in photojournalism and in humanity, which compels me to continue my work.

I have faith that people will make the right decisions when they are presented with the facts.

So, I will continue to use my vessel of expression in the hopes that I can do my part in bringing about change for the future."

Wow, what an Airman.


You can log into Oprah's Website and leave comments about this show too here.

Air Force General on "Air Force fails new nuclear reviews"

The Commander of U.S. Air Force's Space Command wrote the following letter to the editor of the Washington Times. For more on Space Command, check out the fact sheets here.



LETTER TO EDITOR: Maintain nuclear deterrence

I am responding to the article "Air Force fails new nuclear reviews" (Page 1, Feb. 4). Nuclear deterrence is the foundation of our nation's security. The Minuteman intercontinental-ballistic-missile (ICBM) force is a critical part of that deterrence. Deployed across almost 35,000 square miles of the Great Plains, the missiles are operated, secured, maintained and sustained every minute of every day by almost 10,000 dedicated airmen. These airmen understand the awesome responsibility that comes with the nuclear-deterrence mission, and they accomplish their mission with great skill and professionalism.

As the reporter correctly pointed out, a number of disturbing incidents have caused us to re-examine every aspect of our nuclear mission. As a result, we are aggressively finding and fixing problems. Inspections are among the tools our commanders use both to identify problems and to see where we're making solid progress. The most recent inspections have shown us that we still have work to do; they also have shown us that our nuclear-deterrent force is safe, secure and fully capable of performing its mission.

Perfection is our standard. The demand for focus, attention to detail, discipline and dedication to the highest principles and standards surrounding nuclear weapons has not changed for the past 50 years. We make no excuses for the problems we have had. The U.S. Air Force is absolutely committed to restoring our nuclear enterprise as our top priority and will use tough inspections to help us do just that. We have had inspection failures in the past and likely will have them in the future. In the meantime, we will strive for perfection while we provide the responsive deterrent force America demands.

GEN. C. ROBERT KEHLER
U.S. Air Force
Commander
Air Force Space Command
Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.

US Airmen in Europe start blogging

The Airmen of U.S. Air Forces in Europe launched a blog. It's first post? General Roger Brady, their Commander. Check them out and leave a comment. USAFE is the second Air Force Major Command to get a blog up and running, but the first on the new DOD Live blogging platform.

Black Hawk Down Author Addresses Air Dominance

We found an interesting piece from Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down. He writes in the March 2009 "The Atlantic" on some of the difficult decisions that face the future of U.S. Air Dominance. Should the U.S. Air Force maintain Air Dominance, or should we have to fight for it? Link to the article here.

The opening line: "American air superiority has been so complete for so long that we take it for granted."

He highlights an Airman, Cesar Rodriguez (who retired with more air-to-air kills than any active duty Air Force pilot) and states that the nation can buy expensive, cutting-edge equipment at "great expense to our Treasury. Or we can go back to a time when the cost of air supremacy was paid in the blood of men like Rodriguez."

Another piece of the article that caught our attention was the video that features Airmen from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Check out the retro intro. Creative use of archived footage.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200903/air-force


UPDATE: For the video, and personal account from Lt. Col. "Corky" Corcoran, commander of the 525th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, who worked with the magazine's team during their research for the article, and offered the following perspective on the experience click the link here to go to PACAF Pixels blog.


Posted by Capt. David Faggard, Air Force Public Affairs.

Reservists, Guardsman fly President-elect (at the time) Obama

Some may not know, civilian employers are required by law to allow Air Reserve Component Airmen (and all Reservists and National Guard members) to report for military duty. Thanks to a once in a lifetime chance, two Reservists and a Guardsman flipped the equation and asked their military supervisors if they could briefly return to their civilian jobs. What reason was compelling enough to make these men want to take a brief leave? The opportunity to fly the last commercial flight, on a chartered airliner for then President-elect Barack Obama. Each man's supervisor, understanding the relevance of such a chance, granted permission, and the rest was history. Read the full story here.

Above: From left to right: Maj. Irby Rivera, Lt. Col. Pete Maynard, then President-elect Barack Obama and Maj. Jon Bryant. Major Irby is a non-drilling Reservist assigned to the Non-obligated Reserve Section at the Air Reserve Personnel Center in Denver, Colorado. Colonel Maynard is an Individual Mobilization Augmentee assigned as the deputy director of programs and requirements for Air Force Reserve Command at the Pentagon. Major Bryant is a pilot with the Tennessee Air National Guard’s 105th Airlift Squadron. (Courtesy Photo)

Posted by Paul F. Bove, Air Force Public Affairs.

Facebook letter addressed to Airmen

While on Facebook today, we found and interesting note addressed as "Advice to any Airman." It was written by a retired Air Force Colonel and posted to the Facebook page for the Air Force Association.

UPDATE: The link is here.

Advice to Any Airman

Yesterday [Feb. 10, 2009] at 2:18pm

Dear Airman,

Welcome to the most exclusive fraternity/sorority you could possibly have been chosen to enter, the Profession of Arms, and, more exclusively, the United States Air Force. You have joined a true family, and one to which you will remain a member long after your active/reserve service ends.

As a result of 26 + years on active duty and a subsequent 16 years working in various civilian occupations, I would like to offer you some observations about the path you have chosen. You will be given levels of authority and responsibility at an earlier point in your career far greater than you would ever be entrusted with in a civilian organization. You will also find that, as a group, your USAF comrades have a degree of integrity and dedication to their mission which you cannot find in any civilian organization. You will receive the best technical training one earth, and a rigorous program of leadership training which is recognized as outstanding by virtually every employer and leadership “expert” in America. Take full advantage of both, they are as good as or better than you can get at any Ivy League school.

The Air Force provides you with these tools to build in you the qualities required to perform under pressure and lead your people in doing the same. I found, over the years that those qualities can be summed up in what I call the five “Cs”. They are:

Competence – Learn your job, and not just what the regulation or the Tech Order says, but why. If your people ask why, tell them, and if you don’t know, don’t stop until you find out.

Confidence – You and your people need to know that you really believe the mission will succeed. Nothing destroys a unit’s morale faster than a lack of confidence.

Courage – Certainly physical courage is a cornerstone of military service, but often, you may be called upon to exhibit moral courage, which is often more difficult. Learn to make the tough decision, and to deliver the truth, even when it is not what the boss or your troops want to hear.

Commitment – Military service is a 24 hour-a-day, 365 day-a-year job. There will most certainly be family time, and the Air Force is very sensitive to trying to provide that at every opportunity. In addition, you can be certain that if you are not there to take care of your family, no other organization in America does a better job of filling that role than the USAF. However, always be aware that you are a very visible representative of your country, both on and off duty, and the mission comes first. My family, and most others with whom I had close contact, understood that, and were proud to support me in discharging that responsibility.

Class – The USAF not only strives to accomplish its mission, but to do it in an atmosphere of absolute professionalism. Any job worth doing is worth doing with right, and with class.

You will find that, as a group, your comrades in the USAF exhibit these five qualities, and they are what separate us from other professions. You will find that they are highly prized by all successful organizations. Your technical and leadership training and experience in the USAF will offer you the opportunity to build these five qualities in your personal character, and along the way you’ll have a heck of a lot of fun, and meet the greatest people you will ever know. Finally, let me suggest that you consider Joining the Air Force Association. Membership is the best way to help keep your Air Force strong, and will keep you in touch with your fraternity long after your active/reserve status is officially over. Best wishes for a great career!

David A. Dietsch
Col. USAF (RET)
President, AFA Texas