Without its growing fleet of unmanned aircraft, the Air Force would not be as effective. It's why Predators, Reapers and Global Hawks are in such demand on the battlefield.

Airman Magazine is published bi-monthly by the Air Force News Agency for the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs. As the official magazine of the U.S. Air Force, it is a medium of information for Air Force people.

Readers may submit articles, photographs and artwork. The Airman staff welcomes suggestions and criticisms.

CONTENTS:
4 Fear the hog
A-10 Thunderbolt II maintainers at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, know their “hogs” are helping win the war on terrorism. So they do what it takes to keep their jets flying.

10 The space link
“Space warriors” use high-tech, spacedbased systems to help coalition ground forces track down their elusive enemies.

14 A persistent presence
Pacific Air Force’s area includes 16 time zones, 43 countries in 100 million square miles. That’s a lot of space and responsibility for Gen. Carrol “Howie” Chandler.

24 Recruiting the force
The Air Force is not having problems recruiting people. But recruiters still look far and wide to find “the best and brightest.”

36 Keesler marches on
After surviving a near knockout blow, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., is alive and kicking and training Airmen like before. Its post-Katrina transformation has put it back on track.

42 Vote of confidence
An army of voting officers worldwide is ready to help Airmen cast their votes in the upcoming election.

44 ‘FITTER ’ to Fight
Many reasons can derail a fitness program. But in today’s Air Force, fitter is better.

Download Airman Magazine, July/August 2008

PDF format, 5.9MB, 50Pages

On the Cover
photo by Master Sgt. Demetrius Lester design by Luke Borland

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FEAR THE 'HOG'

Airman 1st Class Marissa Burke doesn’t fear the “hog.” Coalition ground forces fighting the war on terrorism don’t fear it either. They love to hear the distinctive hum of the A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack fighter twin turbofan engines overhead.

It means help is only a radio call away. But those who dare tangle with the hog definitely tremble in fear when it is near. Because the jet’s deadly 30 mm Gatling gun can end an insurgent’s career in a three-second burst of bullets.

Bullets Airman Burke, an A-10 weapons load crew member at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, helps load on the aircraft. It’s a job she likes because of the final results.

“My job is cool because I know what I do impacts the war,” said the Airman from Archibald, Pa., who is on her first deployment. “I’m actually doing something that helps people, America and the cause over here.” She’s one of more than 200 aircraft maintainers who deployed with the 81st Aircraft Maintenance Unit, from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, to join the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

Their mission since January 2008: Keep their 12 jets flying. The “Spang” crew has done just that, said 1st Lt. Kristen Lainis, the unit’s assistant officer in charge.

Since arriving at Bagram, maintainers have been busy keeping 81st Fighter Squadron jets flying. They “met every air tasking order with 100 percent flying schedule effectiveness and launched more than 1,300 sorties,” said the lieutenant, a three-year Air Force veteran.

That equated to more than 5,700 combat flying hours of close-air support and show-of-force missions, she said. And squadron pilots dropped more than 130 bombs, launched more than 200 rockets and fired more than 65,000 of the heavy 30 mm rounds. ...

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