2013: Year in photos

Making the final flight

The 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing has wrapped up 2013 with its last shipment of the year - one that will be used to champion remotely piloted airpower during 2014 and, hopefully, beyond. Three C-17 crews arrived from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., on Dec. 30, 2013, to load their aircraft

AF announces additional force management programs to reduce force size

Air Force leaders announced force management programs Dec. 11 designed to reduce the force by thousands of Airmen over the next five years as a result of sequestration.Fiscal 2014 force management initiatives are in addition to the announcement made in July, stating the Air Force will implement

Beauty and a Beast: Airman's road to becoming world's strongest woman

It's not uncommon to see Alanna flipping a 600-pound tire, carrying a 200-pound keg or a 150-pound sandbag, or doing a 225-pound farmers carry; things her neighbors have grown to see as normal.She can be seen at all hours of the day and night lifting weights or lugging atlas rocks around. Yet she

Former commander sees mission decades later

Linus Upson Jr. was a 27-year-old Army Air Corps major when he was assigned to command Indian Springs Army Air Field in 1945.Both Upson and the base were in the early stages of serving their country. Upson had only a few years of service under his belt when the base stood up in early 1942."There was

RPAs then and now Part IV: The untapped capabilities

(Editor's note: This article is part four of a four-part series.)Reaching 2 million flight hours for the remotely piloted aircraft community was just the beginning of the still untapped capabilities of the systems and program. This feat continues to expand the future of the RPA community with

RPAs then and now Part III: History in the making

(Editor's note: This article is part three of a four-part series.)Early days:How did the remotely piloted aircraft develop into what it is known as today? The RPA actually got its start as early as 1896. Known as aerodromes at the time, early RPAs were used to test the capabilities of new flying

RPAs then and now Part II: Maintenance makes history possible

(Editor's note: This article is part two of a four-part series.)During the morning of Oct. 22, 2013, the aircraft parking ramps at a deployed location roared to life. Checklists were run, hatches checked, and missions briefed as the crew chiefs, support units and air crew carefully prepared an MQ-1

RPAs then and now Part I: Reaching 2 million hours

(Editor's note: This article is part one of a four-part series.)The U.S. Air Force's MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft accumulated 2 million flight hours Oct. 22, 2013, not only marking a significant milestone, but also demonstrating the evolution of the program. The RPA

Hunters honor fallen defenders

Members of the 432nd Operations Support Squadron completed a 10 kilometer memorial ruck march here Oct. 18 to honor fallen security forces Airmen.The event, which is in its fourth year, typically takes place at Camp Bulls, Texas, but since the 432nd OSS team couldn't travel there members chose