Feature Search

  • Photo Feature: Firefighters welcomed home from Southwest Asia

    Four firefighters assigned to the 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International Airport heard the cheers of family and friends as they were welcomed home April 13.Arizona Air National Guardsmen Senior Airman Gregory Leyba, Master Sgt. Christopher Black, Master Sgt. Joe Linehan and Senior Airman Frank

  • Photo Feature: RAF Tornados Visit Snowbird

    Royal Air Force 31 Squadron visited D-M recently to train at Operation Snowbird. The squadron brought pilots, flight engineers and several of their aircraft, the Tornado GR-4. Operation Snowbird provides support for visiting flying units from U.S. military installations and allied partners needing

  • Current Libya operation brings back memories of El Dorado Canyon

    April 15 is a day best known as the traditional deadline to file taxes in this county. In 1986, however, that day became notable for another reason - Operation El Dorado Canyon. In light of the current operation in Libya, Odyssey Dawn, El Dorado Canyon is remembered as a day the U.S. took action

  • Citizen Airmen rehearse desert combat ops

    Paint-ball bullets zipped around the eight-person security team as they peered into the mixture of gnarled mesquites, tall-desert grass, and thick sagebrush that shielded the attacking force from sight. Out in the open, the security team was unable to effectively engage the attacking forces. The

  • New wing chaplain finds unique way to bond with Airmen

    In February, the 162nd Fighter Wing welcomed a new chaplain to the Guard family. On Sunday morning of the April unit training assembly, Chaplain (1st Lt.) Nathan Mestler reported to the wing's student flight - a group of 45 brand new Airmen preparing to attend Air Force basic training - to practice

  • From atop a horse - to jockeying for his troops

    When leaving the Army in 1984, Marc Polanco told his platoon that he was going to race horses for a living. At 140 pounds--almost 25 pounds too heavy for the sport--and having never raced before in his life, it was no wonder they may have had their doubts.Seventeen years later, Polanco is a master

  • A bald head, but many hats with which to cover it

    Chaplain (Maj.) Mike Martinez is not your average Air Guardsman. He's not your average Catholic priest either. In fact, he wears so many different hats that you might not recognize him outside of his military uniform. Most commonly referred to as 'Father Mike,' he is known by many for either his

  • Coached by "Bear" Bryant, Air Guardsman recalls well-respected mentor

    Master Sgt. Peter Smith, a phase inspection supervisor here, prefers to be known for what he says and does, not for where he has been or what he has done in the past. For this reason, few know of his impressive accomplishments in the realm of American football -- including the fact that he played

  • Diminishing the ‘human factor’ one Airman at a time

    The concerted efforts of Air Force safety officials and aircraft maintainers to remove the human element from preventable mishaps are deeply rooted in a humanitarian ethos - the idea that every Airman deserves to go home safe at night.Maintenance Resource Management, or MRM, is the safety movement