CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. (AFNS) -- Air Force officials successfully launched a new-generation military communications satellite from here at 8:47 p.m. EST Dec. 5 when a Delta IV rocket carried a Wideband Global SATCOM into space. WGS satellites are designed to provide high-capacity communications to U.S.

There was some good news in yesterday’s Board of Inquiry hearing taking place at Camp Pendleton, California.  Despite the obvious bias of their high command, “stand-up” Marine officers, Majors Jeffrey Dinsmore and Luke McConnell, in strong and unequivocatestimony, substantiated LtCol Chessani’s innocence.

Today, a long line of “stand up” field grade officers and enlisted men who served with LtCol Chessani are expected to testify as to his outstanding military character.

In January 2010, the last of three U.S.-funded radar stations on the Black Sea coast of Georgia will open, marking the completion of a significant international assistance program. The radar stations will help a key U.S. ally protect its maritime borders, said James Kelly, chief of party for the U.S.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2009 – The largest U.S. Defense Department-sponsored exercise in Africa this year yielded many important lessons, the commander of U.S. Army Africa said yesterday.  Army Maj. Gen. William B.

Sailors and Marines of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) completed a successful seven-month deployment Dec. 8 when USS Bataan (LHD 5) and USS Ponce (LPD 15) arrived at Norfolk Naval Station and USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) returned to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Va. "Completing a successful deployment and bringing all of the Sailors and Marines safely back home to their families accomplished one of my major goals," said Capt. Paul McElroy, commander of the Bataan ARG.

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- Members of the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center here aided in search operations with local and state agencies to save a stranded man late Dec. 1 in the Sonoran Desert in Apache Junction, Ariz. The young man was hiking on Superstition Mountain, became stranded and was suffering from hypothermia. He placed a 911 call on his cell phone when his phone battery died.

The U.S. Navy and the National Park Service hosted a joint memorial ceremony at Kilo Pier on Naval Station (NAVSTA) Pearl Harbor to commemorate the 68th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7. More than 2,000 people attended the event, including 45 survivors of the bombing, which took the U.S. by surprise 68 years ago. The theme of this year's ceremony was "But Not in Shame." To observe the start of the attack at 7:55 a.m., the Pearl Harbor-based guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) blew the ship's whistle, which commenced a moment of silence.

Shaw Air Force Base Airmen supporting the Operation Noble Eagle alert mission provide quick-reaction support to protect U.S. airspace and significant events like presidential movements and space shuttle launches. "We have to be ready if the alarm goes off at 2:30 in the morning," said Master Sgt. William Martin, the alert NCO in charge. "I want everything to be ingrained in (the Airmen) so they can get the mission done." Recently, the alert Airmen were tested by Exercise Fertile Keynote.

Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Jerry Beckett said a final farewell to his former commander and lifelong friend, retired Col.