Air Force

Law enforcement officials gather Monday at the scene of a deadly shooting the previous day at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs in Texas.

National

What We Know About The Texas Church Shooting Suspect

4:53pm November 06, 2017

by Scott Neuman

Authorities say that 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley had a brief and troubled enlistment in the U.S. Air Force before being court-martialed and discharged in 2014 for assaulting his wife and child.

U.S. Air Force Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria gathered cadets, staff and others to urge them to have moral courage and protect their institution from racism. A video of the speech was released by the school.

'You Should Be Outraged,' Air Force Academy Head Tells Cadets About Racism On Campus

2:07pm September 29, 2017

by Bill Chappell

Treat people with dignity and respect — or get out. That's the message Superintendent Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria told 4,000 cadets Thursday, after racist notes were left outside five cadets' doors.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley wrote, "The Army doesn't tolerate racism, extremism, or hatred in our ranks. It's against our Values and everything we've stood for since 1775."

Joint Chiefs Denounce Racism After Trump's Comments

12:06pm August 17, 2017

by James Doubek

Top-ranking uniformed leaders of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and National Guard all posted on social media condemning racism, hatred and extremism.

A pair of Chinese SU-30 fighter jets, like those pictured right, intercepted a U.S. Air Force WC-135 Constant Phoenix aircraft, like the one pictured left, on Wednesday over the East China Sea.

Chinese Fighter Jets Buzz U.S. Air Force Plane Over East China Sea

10:47pm May 19, 2017

by Amy Held

In an intercept that the U.S. Air Force described as "unprofessional," a pair of Chinese fighter jets reportedly came within 150 feet of the American plane over the East China Sea on Wednesday.

The Air Force's secret X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle landed at NASA 's Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida on Sunday, setting off a sonic boom that surprised residents.

Secret U.S. Space Plane Lands With A Boom In Florida

10:18am May 08, 2017

by Bill Chappell

For a secret aircraft, the X-37B wasn't very stealthy about its return to Earth. The space plane was launched in 2015.

A pilot prepares to launch an unmanned aerial vehicle from a ground control station earlier this year. The Air Force is moving to treat psychological stress faced by remote pilots and analysts a little more like the effects of traditional warfare.

The Warfare May Be Remote But The Trauma Is Real

7:38pm April 24, 2017

by Sarah McCammon

Drone pilots and intelligence analysts who work with them may not be in physical danger themselves but "no doubt are war fighters" who experience psychological stress, says the Air Force.

Former U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., has been selected as President Trump's nominee for secretary of the Air Force.

Trump To Nominate Heather Wilson As Secretary Of The Air Force

3:59pm January 23, 2017

by Merrit Kennedy

If confirmed, Wilson would be the first Air Force Academy graduate to hold the position. She represented New Mexico in Congress from 1998 to 2009 and currently leads a South Dakota college.

We've all been there — confronted with something shy of overt racism, but charged enough to make us uncomfortable. So what do you do?

National

Hear Something, Say Something: Navigating The World Of Racial Awkwardness

10:42am September 28, 2016

by NPR Staff

What do you do when a friend or loved one talks about race in a way that makes you cringe? Karen Good Marable, Aaron Sanchez, Robyn Henderson-Espinoza and Channing Kennedy tell us how they reacted.

For months, Security, Colo., resident Brenda Piontkowski has regularly visited this vending station to collect drinking water for her family.

Chemicals In Drinking Water Prompt Inspections Of U.S. Military Bases

6:54pm September 15, 2016

by Grace Hood

Synthetic chemicals have been found in Colorado water supplies. The Pentagon is examining hundreds of military sites for possible contamination by PFCs, which have been linked to health problems.

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An Afghan commando stands on the tarmac, wearing night vision gear. The elite commandos are about to fly into an area controlled by Taliban fighters. Their mission: to sweep a village for Taliban fighters.

World News

Under U.S. Air Cover, Afghan Commandos Chase The Elusive Taliban

1:31pm June 02, 2016

by Tom Bowman

Afghan commandos, supported by U.S. special operations forces, launched a raid into a village contested by the Taliban. The raid permitted an aid convoy to make progress after nearly a month.

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