Features

Singles Retreat to Bolger Center
November 13, 2012 — The historic Bolger Center resort in Potomac, Md., just outside the affluence of the nation's capitol, seemed a world away from work, traffic and political sound bites on the airwaves. About 20 Airmen stepped out of there cars and into the autumn air as they arrived on the three-day, all inclusive retreat Oct. 12-14. In effort to help Airmen... MORE

WALDORF, Md. - Chaplain Capt. Denis Gueu, head chaplain, and Master Sgt. Matt Cagle, 744th Communication Squadron NCO in charge of cable maintenance, host a chapel sponsored singles retreat at Bolger Center Resort in Potomac, Md., Oct. 12-14, 2012. The retreat served to promote healthy and successful communication in male and female relationships. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Amber Russell)

Through Airmen's Eyes: Airman battles breast cancer
October 31, 2012 — (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)"I was 21 years old and didn't think I was strong enough to beat two cancers -- I thought my life was over," said Senior Airman Latisha Chong.Chong, a flight kitchen specialist from the 628th Force... MORE

Senior Airman Latisha Chong, 628th Force Support Squadron, Joint Base Charleston S.C., was diagnosed with Breast Cancer Jan. 19, 2012. Chong went through chemotherapy for five months and was told she was cancer free June June 19, 2012. (U.S. Air Force illustration/ Airman 1st Class Chacarra Walker)

Eternal courage remembered
October 11, 2012 — It is Air Force tradition to name installations, streets and even buildings after fallen hero Airmen who gave their life in service to their country. The names of the streets and buildings that make up Joint Base Andrews are shared with those of other installations around the world.One such building, known as King Manor, will share its namesake... MORE

Airmen help youth learn aviation at conference
October 11, 2012 — More than 80 volunteers from Joint Base Andrews, Md., Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, D.C., and the Pentagon helped children from 19 area schools glimpse the dynamic world of aviation during the Air Traffic Control Association's 57th Annual Conference Exposition here Oct. 3.This year's conference focused on the future of air traffic control, and the... MORE

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md.- Airmen gather with members of the Federal Aviation Administration during the Air Traffic Control Association's 57th Annual Conference Exposition at the Gaylord Convention center, National Harbor, Md., Oct. 3, 2012. Service members and DoD employees from the National Capital Region volunteered chaperones for more than 1,000 students from 19 area schools. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Amber Russell)

Heal Your Heels
October 9, 2012 — The human foot is an amazing piece of engineering. Your feet are actually shaped like bridges, and in the course of your day, the arch of your foot (the bridge structure) and your muscles and tendons and ligaments (the support structure) do a great job of moving you around and absorbing shock.Just like a bridge, though, too much repeated shock to... MORE

4-wheelin' provides active therapy for wounded warriors
September 28, 2012 — Airmen from the Washington area have found a unique way to help wounded warriors, one that takes them out of the daily grind, far removed from their normal surroundings.Tucked away in the backwoods of northwest Virginia, about 90 miles from Washington, a non-profit organization called "4 wheel to heal" provides wounded warriors with an outdoor... MORE

Staff Sgt. John Purser, right, together with wounded warriors and volunteers prepare to pull a jeep out of a ditch during an off-road event in Gore, Va., Sept. 15, 2012. Purser, who is the president of 4 Wheel To Heal, is assigned to the command post of the 113th Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md. (U.S. Air Force photo/Val Gempis)

CAC holds HAHM food tasting
September 25, 2012 — In celebration of Hispanic-American Heritage Month, a free food tasting and cultural event was held at the community activity center, Sept. 21, 2012. Hosted by Col. William A. Knight, 11th Wing/Joint Base Andrews commander, the event also included a professional-dancing demonstration, a live DJ and an opportunity for patrons to dance. According to... MORE

Staff Sgt. Corina Hernandez, Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintenance and analysis specialist, displays Hispanic cultural attire with Master Sgt. Christina Packer, Air Force District of Washington command assistant manager, at a Hispanic-American Heritage Month celebration at the community activity center, Sept. 21, 2012. The event included a free ethnic-food tasting, a professional dancing demonstration, a live DJ and an opportunity for patrons to dance. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amber Russell)

Department of Education schools Andrews on resources
September 19, 2012 — More than $150 billion in Federal student aid is available to military members, dependents, and Joint Base Andrews community members who qualify, to help pay for college. However, taking initiative to sign-up is a must. Military life and life in general can distract individuals from meeting their educational goals. Knowing this, Dr. James Copeland,... MORE

Team Andrews member inspires taekwondo movie
September 17, 2012 — As the 2012 Summer Olympic Games spectacle ends in London, some U.S. Olympians will continue to bask in the promise of future endorsement deals prompted by their athletic achievements. Andrews' own Lynnette Love, a 1988 Olympic gold medalist and 1992 Olympic Bronze medalist, watched this year's Summer Olympic Games with warm thoughts, reflecting on... MORE

Master Lynnette Love, gives a student one-on-one instruction during a scheduled class at the Love Academy at Andrews Youth Center on Aug. 14, 2012.. Love is an Olympic taekwando champion, and her story has inspired a movie called "Seoul, U.S.A.," which is being produced later this year. (Photo/Bobby Jones)

Chaplains provide support and comfort for families
September 13, 2012 — From the first phone call to a grieving family to get to know their lost loved one, to the carefully chosen words spoken at a graveside service, the chaplains at Arlington National Cemetery are tasked with some of the most difficult duties at the cemetery. Led by Senior Chaplains from the Air Force, Col. Charles Cornelisse; Army, Lt. Col. Thomas... MORE

Col. Charles Cornelisse provides words of comfort to the family of retired Air Force Maj. Gen. John Alison. (U.S. Air Force Photo/ Tech. Sgt. Raymond Mills)

You've got Base Pride detail
September 13, 2012 — Under a mid-day August sun, humidity and heat beat down on sticky soda bottles, greasy fast food containers and a seemingly endless number of discarded cigarette butts. Together, these items lie fermenting in the ditch near the Andrews Main Exchange. Armed with a black garbage bag and plastic gloves, Tech. Sgt. Jody Lucas, Base Pride NCO in charge,... MORE

Senior Airman Cornelie Hall, 779th Medical Support Squadron command support staff and Base Pride detail Airman, collects tree debris Aug. 16, 2012. Base Pride is a week-long detail that works to maintain installation cleanliness and uphold Andrews’ sanitation standards. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lindsey A. Porter)

Airman, Duathalete, demonstrates motivation
August 23, 2012 — (This feature is written as a follow-up of the, "MMA Fighter pulls no punches at World Duathlon Championship," story.) Motivation is essential to success. Team U.S.A. Duathalete David "DeFierro" Perez, a U.S. Air Force technical sergeant who works with the U.S. Cyber Command directorate of logistics at Fort George G. Meade, Md., has it in... MORE

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. David Perez, works with the directorate of logistics at Fort Meade, Md. He has served in the Air Force for 11 years. (Courtesy photo)

Behind-the-scenes look at saving lives
August 23, 2012 — It was his first deployment to Afghanistan, and to make matters worse, he was assigned to one of the busiest trauma centers in the region. Staff Sgt. Caleb Gibson felt a sense of shock, pride and satisfaction as he watched U.S. military medical personnel treat injured troops. "It was shocking to see the extent of injuries in there. But at the same... MORE

Staff Sgts. Caleb Gibson, left, and Erick Bartels use patient simulator equipment to check Propaq Encore monitors at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Aug. 15, 2012. The Airmen are biomedical equipment technicians assigned to the Medical Logistics Flight of the 779th Medical Support Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Val Gempis)

Team Andrews ceremonial guardsmen respond to car crash, help save lives
August 20, 2012 — Their job that day was to provide final honors on behalf of a grateful nation for a retired master sergeant who had come to the end of his life journey in West Virginia.While on their journey home from the funeral, however, six-members of the Andrews Base Honor Guard used their skills to preserve the lives of two women Aug. 10, 2012.Those two women... MORE

Staff Sgt. Kody Whiteside, 779th Medical Operations Squadron medical
technician; Senior Airman Sean Smith, 11th Security Forces Squadron elite gate
guard member; Airman 1st Class Gil E. Gonzolez, 779th Dental Squadron dental
technician; Senior Airman Antonio Hernandez, 779 MDOS cardiopulmonary
technician; Senior Airman Marcus Mendez, 779th Surgical Operations Squadron
radiology technician; and Senior Airman Danielle Robles, 779 MDOS aerospace
medical technician. These members of the Andrews Base Honor Guard were the
first to respond to a single-vehicle accident while driving home from an Honor
Guard ceremony Aug. 10, 2012. (U.S. AIr Force photo/Staff Sgt. Torey Griffith)

Speed mentoring at The Club
August 17, 2012 — Andrews Airman and NCOs in charge showed up to The Club at Andrews mentally-clad in questions and challenges for SNCOs from all over base to engage in speed mentoring, the cutting-edge new alternative on the mentoring scene, Aug. 16."I think it is a great opportunity for our Airmen to get out and get SNCO mentorship," said Senior Master Sgt. Tesha... MORE

Master Sgt. Sylvia Dieble, 1st Helicopter Squadron superintendent, educates and mentors junior enlisted Airmen at a Speed Mentoring forum held at The Club at Andrews Aug. 16, 2012. Junior enlisted members were able to spend seven minutes at each table and bring their challenges and questions to leadership. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amber Russell)

779th Medical Group essential to Vibrant Response 13
August 3, 2012 — The "walking wounded" arrived first to the field hospital set up by the 779th Medical Group. The warbling siren from an ambulance heralded the arrival of patients on litters. The doctors, nurses and medical technicians greeted them with the initial care that could save their lives or at a minimum alleviate some of their suffering.The Joint Base... MORE

Army military policemen assigned to the 811th Engineer Company help simulated survivors evacuate a neighborhood involved in a simulated nuclear blast attack at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center at Camp Atterbury, Ind., July 26, 2012, during exercise Vibrant Response 13. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Terence Ewings)

Airman, MMA fighter, pulls no punches as Duathlon World Championship competitor
July 23, 2012 — Every step was agony. With the brutal pain of blisters cutting through his feet, amplified by the weight of combat gear and 55-pound rucksack he donned, Tech. Sgt. David Perez recalled feeling almost too engulfed in his own pain and mental struggle to keep moving forward through the last 16 miles of the 2009 Bataan Death March."I was tired, hot and... MORE

Air Force TSgt. David "De Fierro" Perez, elite endurance athlete and professional fighter, will represent the USA in the Duathlon World Championship set to take place Sept. 2. Perez is a Vehicle Management and Analysis craftsman at Fort Meade, Md(courtesy photo)

'Deebo' gets lifted with the 1st Helicopter Squadron
July 17, 2012 — Tommy "Tiny" Lister, Jr., a character actor and professional wrestler widely known for his role as neighborhood bully Deebo in the Friday trilogy movie series, made a visit to Joint Base Andrews 1st Helicopter Squadron on July 12. The 1st HS flew Lister and Elaine Rogers, USO Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Chief Executive Officer and president, to... MORE

Tommy "Tiny" Lister, a character actor and professional wrestler widely known for his role as neighborhood bully Deebo in the “Friday” movie trilogy, visited Joint Base Andrews’ 1st Helicopter Squadron on July 12. The 1 HS flew Lister to Dover Air Force Base, Del., to visit the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Office, USO and troops there. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Aaron Stout)

Capital Flyer takes final flight
June 28, 2012 — After more than seven decades, the Capital Flyer newspaper makes its final flight today, ending a rich legacy that dates back to the inception of "The Springboard," the first base newspaper at Camp Springs Army Air Base.As I write this, my last Capital Flyer entry, I do so with mixed emotions. I'm excited about the future and how the 11th Wing... MORE

A copy of the Springboard, one of the first on-base military newspaper publications distributed here, highlights the accomplishments of service members and families stationed on Camp Springs Army Air Base during World War II. Formerly known as Camp Springs Air Base, Joint Base Andrews has continually run a military newspaper publication since 1944. The Capital Flyer, the base's most-current publication, will cease distribution July 6, and be replaced by The Andrews Gazette, a combined military and civilian newspaper.

Retiring commander reflects on career, family, faith
June 28, 2012 — After serving more than 25 years on active duty, Col. Ken Rizer, 11th Wing/Joint Base Andrews commander, is slated to retire in a ceremony here on July 6. Surrounded by friends, family members and fellow coworkers, Rizer's dual retirement and change-of-command ceremony will commemorate his extensive Air Force career and highlight the many... MORE

Col. Ken Rizer, 11th Wing/Joint Base Andrews commander, poses for a photo next to his aircraft after initially completing pilot training. Rizer is slated to retire in a dual change-of-command and retirement ceremony here July 6. (Courtesy photo)

Reading is so delicious!
June 22, 2012 — Team Andrews community members of all ages appeared eager to ingest knowledge at the Joint Base Andrews library as they signed up for the Summer Reading Program at the kick-off party event held from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. on June 18. The Summer Reading Program here lasts through Aug. 11.The theme for the DoD sponsored program, 'Reading is so Delicious,'... MORE

Team Andrews Airman helps bring cash flow back to Iraq
June 15, 2012 — In August 2010, President Barack Obama announced the end of the combat mission in Iraq. In December 2011, images of the last U.S. servicemembers leaving the country flooded the media. But they weren't the last to leave. A handful of U.S. servicemembers, alongside a strong U.S. and international contractor presence, remain in the country to live and... MORE

Senior Airman Deborah Vives with the Office of Security Cooperation - Iraq Financial Management team, assists a customer June 6 in Taji, Iraq. The OSC - I FM team travels to several sites in Iraq helping U.S. military personnel and civilian contractors with EagleCash and cash operations, setting up a new way to conduct financial services after the 2011 Armed Forces drawn down. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Greg C. Biondo)

MANning the Homefront links male military spouses
June 14, 2012 — It has been said that spouses have the toughest job in the military. They support the military member and their children through frequent moves, long spans without their significant other due to deployments, and even learn a new language filled with acronyms, "hooahs" and the occasional "roger that."Military wives clubs have been around since the... MORE

744 CS's Airmen Motivation Program 'amps' up fellow service members
June 7, 2012 — What could motivate you to wake up at 4:30 a.m.? Is it free food? A guaranteed spot in the HOV lane? The ever-dreaded mandatory unit formation? For most, it would probably take much more than mental fortitude to relinquish the comfort of warm bed sheets before the sun is up. But for some, the thought of waking up at 4:30 a.m. isn't even a thought... MORE

From left to right: Senior Airman Carl Free, Airman 1st Class Travis Yannell, Airman 1st Class Norbert Dudzic, Airman 1st Class Eli Cordy and Senior Airman Michael Wells, members of the 744th Communications Squadron's Airman Motivation Program (AMP), pose for a photo May 9 inside Building 1539. AMP encourages Andrews' base populous to seek self improvement through activities that foster teamwork, physical fitness and unit camaraderie. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lindsey A. Porter)

Recent ceremony a 'major' deviation from the norm
June 6, 2012 — From the most senior officer to the newest enlisted Airman, promotion is a milestone best celebrated standing alongside family and friends. Thanks to modern technology and a little ingenuity, a joint military couple serving thousands of miles away from one another was able to share in each other's special day during a double-promotion ceremony here... MORE

Brig. Gen. Les Kodlick, director of Air Force Public Affairs, and Maj. Christian Hodge pin rank insignia onto a life-size photo cut-out of Hodge’s wife, Maj. Lori Hodge, during a unique promotion ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., June 4, 2012. The Hodges were both promoted from captain to the rank of major during the ceremony. Lori, who is deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, participated via video teleconference. The photo cut-out took her place during the pin-on portion of the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo/Andy Morataya)

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