News Search

  • Aero Repair Keeps Birds In The Air

    SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) -- With the highest volume of flying missions in the U.S. Air Forces Central Command area of responsibility, aircraft at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing rely on a team of professional maintainers to keep them in top shape to accomplish the mission.Among the maintenance back

  • 99 ARS Airman receives call from President Obama

    KABUL, Afghanistan -- When Master Sgt. Tim Farris, NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan maintenance advisor, answered the phone on Thanksgiving, he had no idea that he would be speaking with President Barack Obama.Farris, who is stationed with the 99th Air Refueling Squadron in Birmingham, Ala.,

  • 117th Maintenance Group Peers Recognize Outstanding Performance

    Tech. Sgt. Jay G. Heatherly of the 117th Maintenance Group was recognized as the Maintenance Person of the Quarter here on Aug. 11.The 117 MXG has reconstructed their way of recognizing performance and accomplishments while carrying out their duties."This is called 'Maintenance Person of the

  • 117 ARW Holds POW/MIA Walk

    Members of the 117th Air Refueling Wing walked 16 miles here at Veterans Park on Friday in honor of Prisoners of War and Missing in Action service members. POW/MIA Recognition Day is a national holiday that honors former and current prisoners of war and service members still missing in action. Tech

  • Historic Five-Ship Flight

    A five-ship of KC-135 aircraft departed in formation, making it a first-ever event in the base's 91-year history, here at the 117th Air Refueling Wing on Saturday."It's a huge motivational factor when the entire base can walk out in the backyard and see the fruit of their labor," said Col. Scott

  • 117 ARW Leaders Present World War II Service Medals

    Leaders from the 117th Air Refueling Wing presented a local World War II veteran his service medals here on Saturday.Army Cpl. Andre Vanbrabant, 88, tried to get his medals replaced when they were nowhere to be found and was told that it would take two years to replace them. Vanbrabant's son David,

  • 117th Participates in Navajo Exercise

    Over 400 members of the 117th Air Refueling Wing participated in a Navajo exercise here from September 10-13. The goal of the exercise was to get airmen away from computer based training (CBT's) and teach them using hands-on instruction. "This also gives airmen time to accomplish ancillary training

  • Boy Scouts Tour Base Fire Department

    Boy Scouts from two different Alabama troops visited the 117th Air Refueling Wing's Fire Department here as a part of earning their Aviation Merit Badge yesterday.Troop 160, Oneonta, Ala., and Troop 97, Remlap, Ala., toured the fire department and learned about the equipment used by fire fighters.

  • Shadow Box Returned to Family

    A lost shadow box of a former member of the 117th Air Refueling Wing was returned to his family here yesterday. Tech. Sgt. Richard E. Thomason joined the 117 ARW in 1948 as a firefighter. He received the shadow box when he retired in 1972. A shadow box is a glass front box that encompasses the

  • 18th Air Force Commander Visits 117th Air Refueling Wing

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Lt. Gen. Darren McDew, the 18th Air Force commander, visited the 117th Air Refueling Wing here on Tuesday and Wednesday.McDew met with Brig. Gen. Steven Berryhill, Alabama Air National Guard commander, Col. Cliff James, 117 ARW commander and other commanders on base.McDew was lead