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  • CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan -- A pararescueman from the 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron sits aboard a HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter awaiting take off.The 26th ERQS compliments their traditional personnel recovery mission with medical evacuation operations in Afghanistan’s Regional Command Southwest. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tyler Placie)

    Deployed rescue group Airmen provide confidence, combat rescue capability to ground forces

    The 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron compliments the traditional personnel recovery mission with medical evacuation operations in Afghanistan's Regional Command Southwest. The squadron's aircrew, support personnel and maintenance Airmen, Reservists deployed from the 943rd Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., a geographically
  • Master Sgt. Ruby Zarzyczny, 306th Rescue Squadron first sergeant, (third from right) and Mr. Ben Buehler-Garcia (right side) walk the streets of Tucson Ariz. as outreach counselors for the national volunteer organization Stand Up For Kids. The group hands out hygiene items to homeless children in Tucson Ariz. They also provide information on the resources available to homeless children to help get them off the streets. (Courtesy Photo)

    Rescue group first sergeant takes a stand against youth homelessness

    The temperate winter conditions in southern Arizona draws in visitors from all over the U.S. who want a brief escape from severe winter weather; unfortunately, most homeless teens make the migration here to escape the cold during the winter months.To help combat the struggles of youth homelessness in Tucson, Master Sgt. Ruby Zarzyczny, first
  • Airman 2nd Class Richard Staley (far right), socializes with fellow Airmen from the 512th Troop Carrier Wing Medium during a wing dining-in, known as a "wing ding," circa 1956. Staley joined the Air Force Reserve unit, then located in New Castle, Del., in 1954, seven years after the Air Force became a separate service. (Courtesy photo)

    Former 512th member offers glimpse into 1950's Reserve life

    (Editor's note: The 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Office frequently receives requests for unit patches. One of those requests was from someone who said he was a proud Air Force veteran who served in the 512th AW decades ago. This is his story.)THE EARLY YEARSThe 512th Airlift Wing was flying C-46 transport aircraft when a 17-year-old from
  • Airman First Class David Atchison poses in front of an F-15 Eagle at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. (Photo courtesty of David Atchison)

    Comic book creator reflects on Air Force Reserve experience

    When writers introduce a character to the comic super hero canon, they usually begin with a common theme. The protagonist possesses some raw talent and power but lacks the competence and confidence to effectively transmit those skills into any great accomplishment. In fact, the greatest enemy of the new character is often a lack of

  • The nuts and bolts of combat search and rescue

    In NASCAR, the drivers who win races get all the glory, while the team behind them fine tuning their cars for optimal performance, sometimes go unnoticed. It's no different in the 920th Rescue Wing. Behind the pilots is a team that works to ensure its combat search and rescue (CSAR) aircraft perform optimally in a race against the clock to save
  • WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio - Family members, friends and colleagues commemorated the retirement of Master Sgt. Robert Anderson, 445th Maintenance Operations Flight, and Master Sgt. Mary Anderson, 445th Maintenance Squadron Sept. 10 in a dual-retirement ceremony here. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Mikhail Berlin)

    Reserve couple retire in dual ceremony

    When an Air Force Reserve couple who have the same job, the same rank, and same career field decide to retire at the same time, one could say it's a 'match made in heaven.'Family members, friends and colleagues came to commemorate the retirement of Master Sgt. Robert Anderson, 445th Maintenance Operations Flight, and Master Sgt. Mary Anderson,
  • Air Force Airman 1st Class Joel Adriance, 446th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron hydaulic systems apprentice out of McChord Field, Wash., makes some last few adjustments to his safety harness before getting in a Condor Maintenance Platform basket to place external locks on a C-17 Globemaster III rudder, Sept. 22, 2011. Adriance is also a high school math teacher in Coupeville, Wash. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jake Chappelle)

    Math teacher calculates success on C-17 planes

    Some career advisers might tell a person who specializes in mathematics to consider a military career in computer science, operations research, finance or cryptography.Airman 1st Class Joel Adriance is a high school math teacher in Coupeville, Wash. He decided to use his skills in a different area when he joined the 446th Aircraft Maintenance
  • (A-10) Master Sgt. Larry Washington, of the 442nd Fighter Wing, pictured here (far left) is retiring after three decades of military service. Washington has worked as a public affairs specialist, first sergeant, Airmen and Family Readiness specialist and now helps with Newcomer’s Flight. The 442nd Fighter Wing is an A-10 Thunderbolt II Air Force Reserve unit at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. (U.S. Air Force illustration/Tech. Sgt. Kent Kagarise).

    Army dragged him in, 39 years later, AF Reserve had to drag him out

    He was underneath the flatbed trailer of his racecar making adjustments when an olive-drab green vehicle pulled up. He found the solid, black wall tires of the vehicle to be strange, but was impressed with the shiny black boots - those of a solider-- of the man who stepped out. The soldier then kicked his leg that stuck out from underneath the
  • PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla.- Pararescuemen from the 920th Rescue Wing here pose with Chaplain (Col.) Bill Willis, Air Force Reserve Command Chaplain, as a HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter flies by. "This is a great way to pump up their enthusiasm which will hopefully carry them through their seminary training, until they can reappoint as a chaplain," said Willis in regards to the tour the 920th RQW hosted Aug. 11 and 12. The primary mission of the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter is to conduct day or night personnel recovery operations into hostile environments to recover isolated personnel during war. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Natasha Dowridge)

    Future chaplains get pararescue fit to fight

    Being an Airmen in a combat-search-and-rescue wing, there's a high demand for physical, mental, moral and spiritual readiness at a moment's notice.The job demands persistent visits to the gym, while the mental, moral and spiritual aspect may be harder to come by. To meet this need, Air Force Reserve Command spiritual leaders, known as chaplains,

  • Couple answers call for help in Afghanistan

    For a former commander of the Air Force Reserve Command and his wife, a single deployment to Afghanistan was a life-changing event. In December 2007, Lt. Gen. John Bradley was about to go on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan. He said he heard about a volunteer effort at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, that involved providing humanitarian aid to
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