Space Force

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (AFNS) --  Department of the Air Force senior leaders highlighted modernization and integration challenges during the Air and Space Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Sept. 16. The panel included Andrew Hunter, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics; Frank Calvelli, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration; Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein; and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Jim Slife. During the panel, the DAF senior leaders focused on how the Air Force and Space Force must capitalize and leverage acceptable risk in future planning, adapt to the resourcing and risks ...

WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced seven initiatives to improve the quality of life for service members and their families today. These actions build on the extensive and unprecedented actions that Department of Defense leaders have taken over the past four years as part of Austin's Taking Care of People initiative.  Secretary Austin directed the implementation of the following:  Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts for Service Members: To reduce out-of-pocket health care costs for service members, the DoD will make HCFSAs available to Service members for the first time through a Special Enrollment Period in March 2025. HCFSAs are an optional benefit that enable Service members to set aside ...

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii (AFNS) --  A group of 18 personnel from the 4th Space Operations Squadron, a component of Delta 8, headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, traveled to Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam for a contingency operations exercise to test a highly technical piece of equipment known as a Mobile Constellation Control Station.“The Milstar and Advanced Extremely High Frequency military satellite communications system provides survivable, endurable and protected communications for the highest levels of military and civilian leadership within the Department of Defense,” said Tech. Sgt. Andrew White, 4th SOPS transition maintenance supervisor.In today's complex and rapidly evolving military landscape, reliable and sec...

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) --  Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi hosted the 2024 Senior Enlisted Leader International Summit, bringing together senior leaders from around the globe, Aug. 26-29.The four-day summit focused on the “Spirit of Integration,” and brought together Department of Defense, NATO and more 67 allied and partner nations’ SEL counterparts to show the Department of the Air Force’s commitment to working together to overcome shared challenges. During the summit, Bentivegna delivered a keynote address on the changing chara...

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) --  From Aug. 15-24, U.S. Space Forces – Space conducted its first Tier 2 exercise, Zealous Kepler 24, which was designed to prepare S4S for its wartime mission. The staff exercise involved tailored participation from subordinate units to refine and validate S4S’s organizational concepts of operational employment. The exercise aimed to improve coordination and efficiency in command and control between the S4S staff and its operations centers with the purpose of preparing the command for future integrated exercises. It involved planning and executing orders, ...