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The 87th Air Base Wing Motorcycle Safety Program Team, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ, led by Maj Frank A. Rodela, has been announced as the winner of the Air Mobility Command Distinguished Motorcycle Safety Award.

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and the unofficial start of the motorcycle riding season. As the weather warms and the sun comes out, bikers feel the call of the road. However, the majority of motorcycle accidents occur during the summer months. No matter what type of vehicle you drive, you can take steps to help keep motorcyclists safe.

In September 2024, Hurricane Helene rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to a powerful Category 4 hurricane, leaving widespread devastation in its path. Amid this chaos, the 6th Air Refueling Wing (6 ARW) at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, FL, proved once again why it is a powerhouse in accelerating global airpower and poised to win against any threat that comes its way.

The world is full of wonder for children, and the digital world is no different. Nevertheless, alongside its endless opportunities, it also holds hidden dangers that families must be prepared to navigate. With kids spending more time online—whether for gaming, social media, or school—parents need proactive strategies to protect against various threats.

Airmen in the U.S. Air Force undergo a range of challenges that require resilience and endurance. For instance, Airmen sustain themselves, allies, and partners in competition and conflict; conduct logistics under attack; adopt innovative ways to use logistics; defend against all-domain effects; and recover quickly after braving difficult tasks and opposition.

Airmen work with numerous chemicals in their daily jobs. Various fluids necessary for the proper functioning of aircraft—jet fuel, deicing compounds, cleaning agents, fire extinguisher chemicals, lubricants, adhesives, liquid oxygen, and hydraulic fluid, for example—can be aerosolized and carried through the air as vapor.

7,500 Hours 155 ARW, Lincoln, NE Lt Col Randy Douglas 165 AW, Savannah, GA CM Sgt Francisco Marcos Ramirez, III 934 AW, Minneapolis, MNSM Sgt…

As a pilot, I certainly knew how to fly an airplane. However, I never really understood what went on behind the scenes—preparing the aircraft for flight. We cannot do it without our maintainers. Maintenance is an integral part of military operations, especially with regard to our aircraft—not only in Air Mobility Command (AMC) but also in the Air Force as a whole.

“I was a young kid before I joined the military… You know, I just worked at fast food. And now I have been given an aircraft to take care of that is seen worldwide and says ‘United States of America’ across it. It all started with me just saying, ‘Hey, I need to do something different.’

As the year draws to a close, it is a privilege and honor to pause, reflect, and praise the accomplishments of our exceptional team. Across our Total Force—active duty, Guard, Reserve, and civilian personnel—each of you have contributed to our continued success. Airmen drive the mission forward, ensuring Air Mobility Command delivers Rapid Global Mobility when and where needed, rising to every challenge with honor and professionalism.

I heard an apocryphal story years ago about a commander receiving an intelligence briefing before making a decision on an imminent operation. The Intel Officer comprehensively discussed both possible courses of action (COAs), describing the advantages, disadvantages, and risks from the adversary’s point of view. After every question from the commander, the Intel Officer would describe one possibility, then state “on the other hand” and state the countering possibility. After ten minutes of questioning with similar answers involving “on the one hand” and then “on the other hand,” the commander’s deputy asked if anything else was needed before making a decision. The exasperated commander replied, “I need a straight answer…I need a one-handed Intel Officer!”

The Air Force Force Generation (AFFORGEN) model, which replaced the Air Expeditionary Force deployment model, is a twenty-four-month cycle that provides a predictable rotation schedule to ensure Airmen are capable and ready to meet any mission that lies ahead. Logistically speaking, AFFORGEN provides increased clarity in deployment planning.