New rifle course prepares Airmen for combat

VOGELWEH, Germany – An Airman loads ammunition into a clip before firing in the new Air Force rifle qualification course Oct. 7. The new course of fire has a mandatory implementation date of Dec. 1, 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Benjamin Wilson)

New rifle course prepares Airmen for combat

VOGELWEH, Germany – Staff Sgt. Timothy Streets, 569th U.S. Force Protection Squadron, practices tactical movements with an M-4 carbine while taking the new Air Force rifle qualification course Oct. 7. The new course of fire has a mandatory implementation date of Dec. 1, 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Benjamin Wilson)

ANG, USAFE Leaders visit Safe Skies 2011

Maj. Gen. Paul Brown, Chief Master Sgt. Michael Cone, and Maj. Gen. Don Ralph talk before a press conference at Mirgorod Air Base, Ukraine, July 22, During Safe Skies 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Maj. Matthew T. Mutti)

Honoring a hero

French air force Maj. Guillaume Vernet shows his pride after receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor from Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz July 13, 2011, at the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial in Marnes-la-Coquette, France. Vernet was awarded the decoration for repeatedly flying into hostile territory in December 2009 while deployed to Afghanistan as an exchange officer with the 41st Rescue Squadron from Moody Air Force Base, Ga. During that mission, Vernet rescued an urgent casualty whose injury put the lives of 160 British soldiers in jeopardy. (Courtesy photo)

MEDCEUR 11 kicks off in Macedonia

CAMP PEPELISHTE, Macedonia -- Members of the U.S. Air Force and Army salute during the Macedonian and American National Anthems at the opening ceremony of Medical Training Exercise in Central and Eastern Europe 2011 here June 6. The countries participating in this year’s MEDCEUR are Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovenia, Norway and the United States. MEDCEUR is a Partnership for Peace and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff-sponsored regional and multilateral exercise in Central and Eastern Europe designed to provide medical training and operational experience in a deployed environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Kelley J. Stewart)

MEDCEUR 11 kicks off in Macedonia

CAMP PEPELISHTE, Macedonia -- Members of the United States Air Force and Army salute during the Macedonian and American National Anthems at the opening ceremony of Medical Training Exercise in Central and Eastern Europe 2011 here June 6. The countries participating in this year’s MEDCEUR are Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovenia, Norway and the United States. MEDCEUR is a Partnership for Peace and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff-sponsored regional and multilateral exercise in Central and Eastern Europe designed to provide medical training and operational experience in a deployed environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Kelley J. Stewart)