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.

On the Cover
Airman Jacob Cook, an aerial porter Reservist with the 433rd Airlift Wing, tightens a cargo strap prior loading a pallet on a AMPmodified C-5 Galaxy.

Download Airman Magazine, July/August 2009

PDF format, 10.5MB, 44Pages

FEATURES
10 Making BIgger Better
The Air Force’s largest aircraft is being upgraded, while the total force team is learning to operate the Super Galaxy at a single location.

16 Symphony of Hope
Airmen partner with sister services, local units to provide humanitarian relief to Central America.

20 Aerial Porters
Airmen work together moving tons of cargo and thousands of passengers through the “Gateway to the Pacific.”

26 Pushing Tin
Dedicated Airmen enable airlift and air refueling missions every 90 seconds.

30 Refuel
Aerial refueling began with ropes and luck, but without it, today’s Air Force would be standed with fuel gages stuck on “Empty.”

36 Global Rangers
Air Mobility command provides the aerial refueling and airlift needed to conduct wartime and humanitarian missions around the globe.

40 Teaching Airpower
A unique training environment gives Airmen the skills needed to deploy anywhere in the world.

46 12 Hours
A special team of Airmen stand ready to provide communications around the world within 12 hours.

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Airmen perform uncommon Missions

Airmen perform tasks every day that most Americans never get the chance to do. They may cruise at more than 1,100 mph without afterburner in an F-22 Raptor, hydraulically open the engine cowlings of multi-million dollar aircraft to repair components, or even outfit a military working dog with specially-made goggles before taking off in a helicopter over Iraq.

That is exactly what Staff Sgt. Phillip Mendoza III does before he and his dog Rico board a helicopter for aircraft entrance and exit procedures and air-assault training. The training exposes the security forces member’s dog to noise and gusts from the propellers in a training environment.

“When the K-9 muscle memory kicks in from the training, the K-9 knows to be calm and stay close to the handler,” said Sergeant Mendoza.

As for real mission duties, the two are outside the wire performing tasks including explosive detection, and personnel, vehicle and open area searches.

On one of these searches, Rico successfully located an explosive device before it could harm anyone. “If that [explosive device] was set off, it could have killed some of our coalition forces,” Sergeant Mendoza said. “That would have to be, by far, the biggest accomplishment that we have had together as a military working dog team.”

“I love it. To get the chance to clear routes for personnel so they may pass safely and to find explosives so that they can’t be used against coalition forces is very rewarding. I am honored to work with a military working dog,” said Sergeant Mendoza.

—Airman staff

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