United States Air Force

Learn about the roles of airmen and their training, as well as the advanced equipment, aircraft, and weapons the Air Force uses.

Unearth the rigorous reality of air force life with "Air Force Ascend", an accessible, comprehensive guide directing you through every stage of the air force journey from enlistment, training, to leadership and beyond. In this revealing edition, leap straight into understanding the enlistment process in Chapter 1. Prepare yourself with the knowledge of enlistment requirements and procedural insights. Broaden your insight into Basic Military Training, acquainting yourself with the highs and lows of daily routines, physical, and technical training right down from the initial steps. Discover ...

This engaging autobiography traces the life of a shy, insular lad, born into an Army family with roots in the rural South, who gained an unlikely acceptance to the fledgling Air Force Academy in 1957, survived a career punctuated by an unrelenting series of personal and professional crises, and took command of the the Air Force's strategic nuclear forces just as the Cold War was drawing to a close. Seizing the moment, General Lee Butler won Presidential approval for a merger of the bombers and land-based missiles in his charge with the Navy's ballistic missile bearing submarines. This long ...

The US Air Force is experiencing a profound shift! In order to aggregate the military’s major space assets under one authority, they are being moved into a new branch under the purview of the Air Force. This new branch is to be called “Space Force”. The true purpose of Space Force will be to publicly unveil the most well-guarded secrets in the Air Force’s stunning arsenal of exotic spacecraft, unconventional weapons and mind-blowing technologies assembled over the more than 70 years since its official emergence in 1947.

On America's newest combat base, U.S. Air Force aerial warfare expert Major General Patrick McLanahan and his crew of daring engineers are devising the air combat unit of the future. Known as Air Battle Force, it can launch concentrated, stealthy, precision-guided firepower to any spot on the globe within hours. And soon McLanahan and his warriors will have their first target.

Embark on an extraordinary journey through the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) as Chief Master Sergeant (Retired) Bob Vásquez, opens his heart and shares a collection of poignant stories. This captivating book is intended to inform, inspire, and ignite introspection for USAFA Grads, USAFA Staff, parents, and family members alike. Picture yourself sitting with Chief, savoring a cup of coffee at Arnold Hall or strolling across the iconic Terrazzo, as he masterfully recounts unforgettable anecdotes. With every turn of the page, readers are beckoned to reflect on their own ...

On Thursday, October 14, 1943, 291 B-17 Flying Fortresses set out for a strategic bombing raid on the factories in Schweinfurt. Sixty of those planes never returned and 650 men were lost during the course of that mission. It was the greatest failure that the United States Air Force had ever suffered and became known as "Black Thursday". Martin Caidin's Black Thursday: The Story of the Schweinfurt Raid is a brilliant account of that day that should never be forgotten. This audiobook uncovers in thrilling detail the build-up to that fateful raid.

The Wynne Doctrine: Innovation, Leadership, and the Fight for America's Military Future This book chronicles the visionary leadership of Michael W. Wynne, the 21st Secretary of the Air Force, whose prescient warnings and bold innovations were dismissed—only to become America's most urgent military priorities two decades later. At the heart of Wynne's philosophy lies a simple but powerful doctrine: "If you are ever involved in a fair fight, it is the result of poor planning." This principle drove his relentless pursuit of military superiority through breakthrough technologies and strategic...

Four dissimilar airmen meet in Okinawa during the Korean War and become close friends. The free-living GIs mingle with a poor and bitter indigenous Okinawan population. One of the airmen falls in love and marries an Okinawan girl. He is subsequently badly beaten by three racist airmen. His three friends vow to avenge the attack.

Mark chose to enlist in the Air Force as a Special Operations Combat Controller after he received his Bachelor’s degree from The University of Alabama. Because of his above average grades and near-photographic memory, his Business Finance degree would have done him well. But, he felt a higher calling; one that put him between us and the enemies bent on our destruction.

Hispanics have played a vital role in the success of the United States Air Force since its inception in 1947. We are a diverse group of people whose core values match those of the Air Force in many ways. A sense of family, character, and loyalty, are among the virtues instilled in Hispanics from the day we’re born and are observable in our Airmen as we fly, fight, and win for the Air Force and our country. Chief (Retired) Bob Vásquez, has collected stories written by various Hispanic Airmen who have served and are still serving to protect the United States from all enemies, foreign, and ...

Nathan Raab, America’s preeminent rare documents dealer, delivers a “diverting account of treasure hunting in the fast lane” (The Wall Street Journal) that recounts his years as the Sherlock Holmes of historical artifacts, questing after precious finds and determining their authenticity.

In 1949 the Communist Party of China (CPC) under the leadership of Mao Zedung drove the Kuomintang and their leader, Chiang Kai-shek, off the mainland and onto the island of Taiwan. The CPC established a government on the mainland which has persisted to this day. Taiwan, formally known as the Republic of China, has flourished as a democracy for the past 70+ years. Although it is not formally a member of the United Nations and has no formal diplomatic relations with the United States, it has maintained a friendly relationship with the U.S. and the West for seventy years. For that period, the...

Ever since the Vietnam War, if not World War II, the acquisition process for new goods or services used by the U.S. Armed Forces has been the same. It has involved as much paperwork, and taken as long, to acquire a new software program as it takes to acquire a new aircraft carrier. A service's needs were more likely than not to change between the time the bids were let and the date upon which the product was delivered. This process may not have drastically changed the configuration of the aircraft carrier, but in the realm of software the specifications and need for output can change by the...

Award-winning journalist and best-selling author Ian McPhedran takes us to the heart of the RAAF through personal accounts of fighter pilots’ bombing raids over Iraq, of hi-tech spy planes over Afghanistan, of the operational nerve centre of the Middle East war, and of the men and women who deliver humanitarian aid across the world. This is the compelling narrative, in the RAAF’s 90th year, of its aircraft, leadership, traditions, and personalities at a time of rapid change.

'Hook 'em Up, Get 'em High' is the rallying cry of the men and women of this elite organization tucked inside the world of high altitude reconnaissance. As untamed as the cheer may seem, there is a reverence to the role that this team has played in the strategic reconnaissance mission of the United States Air Force. Balanced between medical and operational expertise, the story of the Physiological Support Division emerges from the secretive black ops world of the U-2 and SR-71, and traces the steps that led to new pressure suit designs, more effective protection from the hazards of extreme ...

The diverse makeup of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) American Airmen is one of the Air Force’s greatest strengths today. Each of us comes from the powerful and graceful heritage of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) that helped shape who we are today. Our large ethnic groups, diversity of languages, and past struggles unite us together to protect our new country, America. We hope that these real-life stories provide you a small glimpse of our rich AAPI history. --Bob and Phi

On America's newest combat base, U.S. Air Force aerial warfare expert Major General Patrick McLanahan and his crew of daring engineers are devising the air combat unit of the future. Known as Air Battle Force, it can launch concentrated, stealthy, precision-guided firepower to any spot on the globe within hours. And soon McLanahan and his warriors will have their first target.

Rank may have its privileges, especially in the military, but how does one gain the rank and those privileges? And are they worth it? Chief (Retired) Bob Vásquez, has collected stories written by Air Force members, active and retired, who made the choice to gain higher rank and different privileges. Known as “Mustangs,” these members chose to leave their enlisted ranks behind to become officers. Each story depicts a path and perspective of the evolution from Enlisted to Commissioned and whether or not it was worth the journey. They each followed “the yellow brick road” that wound ...

Through the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), this series of communications has been made public and available! Most of the names have been left out, but the majority of the sightings in 1947 can be known by listening to the fascinating ongoing correspondence at the time between the FBI and diverse US government and military organizations. Absolutely essential listening for both history buffs and fans of ufology.