Aviano News

  • Volunteering at Aviano Air Base is as easy as reaching out to the Airman & Family Readiness Center. The Volunteer Program on base provides service to others, builds or maintains skill sets, expands networking opportunities, and can be personally rewarding.

    The Volunteer Program at Aviano AB

    Volunteering at Aviano Air Base is as easy as reaching out to the Airman & Family Readiness Center. The Volunteer Program on base provides service to others, builds or maintains skill sets, expands networking opportunities, and can be personally rewarding.
  • Barrels are transported by forklift in a warehouse during the night operations of Combat Ammunition Production Exercise 2019 on Aug. 7, 2019, at Aviano Air Base, Italy. Airmen are able to learn and enhance their skills during exercises allowing for improved combat readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Caleb House)

    CAPEX 2019

    Combat Ammunition Production Exercise, an exercise typically located at a Pacific Air Forces base, has been hosted by USAFE the last two years, most recently by the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, from Aug. 5 through 9. 
  • On Aug. 9, BE participated in exercise Ready EAGLE in order to hone their skills as hazard responders.

    31 MDG BE Flight practices protecting Wyvern Nation

    As a part of the 31st Aerospace Medicine Squadron (AMDS), the Bioenvironmental Engineering (BE) section provides care and protective measures for Airmen and their families. Usually, this includes heat stress warnings, testing air and water quality for the base, and conducting gas mask fit tests to keep Wyverns prepared for anything. However, they also perform another critical mission role: hazard identification and containment.
  • The Refuge, located on Area F, is a place for Airmen to relax, play games, read books, and conversate while off duty.

    The Refuge: A place for Airmen, by Airmen

    The Refuge is a place for Airmen, especially those residing in the dorms, to gather for fun, comradery, or even just a break from the daily stresses of life.
  • U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 31st Force Support Squadron sort mail, Aug. 2, 2019, at Aviano Air Base, Italy. The 31st FSS is the 31st Fighter Wing's largest and most diverse squadron, comprised of more than 600 military and civilian personnel whose primary mission is to enhance combat capability, readiness, and quality of life for a community of nearly 10,000 military members, DoD civilians, local national employees, and dependents. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Ericka A. Woolever)

    You got mail: Aviano Post Office Airmen are rapidly ready

    ***DO NOT REPLY- This is an unmonitored email address*** A package has arrived at the Aviano Air Base Post Office addressed to you.
  • The AFW2 program works with the Air Force Survivor Assistance Program and Airman and Family Readiness Centers to ensure Airmen receive support and care for life.

    AFW2 program visits Aviano AB

    Members of the Air Force Wounded Warrior program visit with 31st Fighter Wing leadership at Aviano
  • The 31st Maintenance Group hosts Friday Fusion July 26, 2019 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. The event allowed service members to learn about what the 31st MXG does during daily operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Caleb House)

    31st MXG Friday Fusion

    Most Airmen will never see munitions up close. Even fewer will ever handle munitions. But thanks to an event called Friday Fusion, two Wyverns got the chance to help build munitions.
  • U.S. Airmen pose for a picture during the Combat Survival course July 25, 2019, at Aviano Air Base, Italy. The Combat Survival Training course is a refresher course, which assures that Airmen can win today’s fight and are ready to win tomorrow’s fight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Ericka A. Woolever).

    31st Fighter Wing SERE operations and training

    Cool, yet crisp air hits your face as you go 25 mph per hour up a narrow white road, at an elevation of about 4,000 feet, searching for the pilots who are immersed in a Combat Survival training scenario.
  • Cristin, an Italian native from Fontanafredda, won the Air Force Chaplain Corps Outstanding Civilian of the Year in 2018.

    Wyverns Win Top Air Force Awards

    Joe Torre, Major League Baseball's chief baseball officer, was once quoted as saying, “Competing at the highest level is not about winning. It’s about preparation, courage, understanding and nurturing your people, and heart. Winning is the result.”
  • The 308th fighter squadron had a part in preparing for the launch of Operation DRAGOON and providing escort to paratroops. Lt. Bob Goebel, pictured here, flew as a flight leader during the missions, recording his experiences in his memoir, Mustang Ace.

    The 31st Fighter Group and Operation DRAGOON

    Operation DRAGOON was conducted Aug. 15 to Sept. 14, 1944, during World War II (1939-1945) to open another front in southern France. The goal of the operation was to secure the vital ports on the French Mediterranean coast and increase pressure on the German forces by opening another front. This was an important invasion of southern France that liberated a huge portion of the country in only four weeks with comparatively light casualties.
  • Military Working Dog Cigan lays down during his retirement ceremony at Aviano Air Base, Italy, July 19, 2019. MWD Cigan has worked at Aviano since September 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Rebeccah Woodrow)

    31 SFS retires MWD Cigan

    July 19 marked Military Working Dog Cigan’s last day as a crucial part of the 31st Security Forces Squadron K-9 team. He has worked at Aviano Air Base since September 2015.
  • Genavieve Osuna, dependent of Senior Master Sgt. Jesus Osuna, from the 31st Logistics Readiness Squadron and Sinead Osuna, contractor for the 31st Medical Group receives a scholarship July 3, 2019, at Aviano Air Base, Italy. The Aviano Teen Center, located on Area 1 in the Community Center, offers a fun and safe environment for teens ages 13-18 under the supervision of trained program assistants. (Courtesy Photo)

    Aviano Youth of the Year- Genavieve Osuna

    In the freezing cold winter, 15-year-old Chester Greenwood of Maine had enough of her ears being cold. So she decided to make a wire loop and asked her grandmother to sew fur onto the ends. She invented what we now know as earmuffs.
  • U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jared, 57th Rescue Squadron aircrew flight equipment technician and drop zone control officer, right, communicates with aircrew via radio during over-water parachute training off the coast of Italy, July 9, 2019. The 57th RQS trains periodically to keep their Airmen technically proficient in their job and to provide day or night personnel recovery operations in and out of combat. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kelsey Tucker)

    57th Rescue Squadron stays rapidly ready

    Two boats idled together in the Adriatic Sea just off the coast of Northern Italy, battered mercilessly by the waves as eight pairs of eyes searched the sky. The silence stretched for long moments, a hint of anticipation on the cool sea breeze before a radio crackled to life.
  • The 31st Medical Group held a Community Health Care Services Forum at Aviano Air Base, Italy, July 8, 2019. The forum was held to hear concerns and inform patients of improvements at the 31st MDG. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Caleb House)

    Aviano Hosts Community Health Care Services Forum

    The 31st Medical Group held a Community Health Care Services Forum on July 8 at the Community Center on Area 1. Similar to a town hall the purpose of the event is to come together to understand concerns and develop potential solutions as a community. The medical group also informed those in attendance on improvements they have made and the plans they have for the future.
  • This month, Aviano Air Base will be the first in U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) to try out an innovative new frequency monitoring system.

    Aviano AB Innovation: Electromagnetic Visual Recording

    This month, Aviano Air Base will be the first in U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) to try out an innovative new frequency monitoring system.
  • U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jacob Elliott, first sergeant from the 731st Munitions Squadron from Camp Darby, Italy, poses for a photo, at Aviano Air Base June 28, 2019. The 731st Munitions Squadron endeavors to be U.S. Air Forces in Europe's premier munitions hub, capable of receiving, maintaining, and shipping munitions by rail, sea, or road to any destination globally. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Ericka A. Woolever)

    Leadership at a Geographically Separated Unit

    Air Force bases are designed to be self-contained communities with everything Airmen need to live and raise their families. Especially overseas, base amenities such as shopping centers, libraries, chapels, education centers, automotive centers and vet clinics help improve the quality of life for Airmen.
  • U.S. Air Force Airman Basic Jeffery Jenkins, aircraft metals technology technician from the 31st Maintenance Squadron, works on the MJ-1 STEP project, July 1, 2019 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. Jenkins’s primary duties on the project are to analyze and interpret the blueprints of the MJ-1 STEP. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Ericka A. Woolever)

    Innovation at its finest: MJ-1 STEP

    Munitions Airmen often use the MJ-1 series bomb lift truck to help transport, load and unload a wide variety of munitions and other supplies. Typically, a ladder is used to make small adjustments for precise positioning of supplies during loading. But now, members from the 31st Maintenance Squadron are innovating a locally manufactured platform called the MJ-1 STEP. It’ll be attached to the front wheel area of the MJ-1, where the weapon troops can step up on, eliminating the need for a ladder.
  • Members of the Patient and Family Partnership Council gather to discuss concerns of patients at Aviano Air Base, Italy, July 1, 2019. The members discuss old and new concerns that are brought to the council’s attention. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Heidi Goodsell)

    Seamless 31st Medical Group and patient partnership

    Every month the Patient and Family Partnership or PFPC comes together to discuss one unique topic that is brought to the Patient Advocate on Aviano Air Base, Italy.
  • U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Jeremy Schoneboom, first sergeant of the 31st Security Forces Squadron poses for a photo next to a vehicle at Aviano Air Base, Italy, June 26, 2019. The 31st Security Forces Squadron maintains installation force protection during peacetime and wartime operations within eight separate base areas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Ericka A. Woolever).

    Exceptional Leader Spotlight: Senior Master Sgt. Jeremy Schoneboom

    Life isn’t always about starting off perfect, sometimes it’s the challenges that build our character, or maybe it’s about finding out what our purpose is that inspires us.
  • U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Richard Duken, first sergeant of the 57th Rescue Squadron from Aviano Air Base, Italy, earns the 31st Fighter Wing First Sergeant of the Year. (Courtesy Photo)

    Exceptional Leader Spotlight: Master Sgt. Richard Duken

    Some of us don’t go where the path leads, but instead blaze our own trail. When U.S. Airmen choose to be the difference, they are making themselves, the Wing, and the Air Force better.
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Around the Air Force

  • Egress Training

    12th OSS egress training saves lives

    With approximately 1,200 students certified or recertified every year, the program teaches pilots how to properly egress from T-1A Jayhawk, T-6A Texan II and T-38C Talon aircraft.
  • An F-35A Lightning II taxis during sunset

    AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.
  • GPS III SV 2 Launch

    SMC works with government, industry partners in successful launch of GPS III SV 2 satellite

    The Lockheed Martin-built satellite, named “Magellan” after the Portuguese navigator who led the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe, was carried to orbit aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV launch vehicle in its final flight.

  • Around the Air Force: Staff Sergeant Promotions Results / Innovative Readiness Training

    Today's look around the Air Force features staff sergeant promotion results, 419th Civil Engineering
  • 39th Airlift Squadron hits west coast skies, drops 200 Marines

    39th Airlift Squadron hits west coast skies, drops 200 Marines

    This training was designed to prepare 39th Airlift Squadron aircrew for future deployed operations in mountainous terrains.
  • A coding team with the Air Force Business Enterprise Systems Directorate discusses a mobile app they are developing for the Air Force during a recent huddle in Atlanta. Business and Enterprise Systems Product Innovation - or BESPIN – based at the Maxwell Air Force Base Gunter Annex, Alabama, is teaming with the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Innovation Office to develop applications that will help Airmen do their jobs better and stay connected to their military community.

    BESPIN-AFIMSC alliance improves mission support capabilities

    BESPIN and AFIMSC are partnering to develop two mobile applications: an app connecting the military community to base events and an app to improve contractor accountability. The apps were two of the top three ideas chosen during AFIMSC’s inaugural Innovation Rodeo March 1.
  • U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Daniel Moffett, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge of training validation and operations, tries out the 86th VRS’s new vehicle simulator at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 7, 2019.

    86th VRS rolls onto virtual highway

    Members of the 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, are doing exactly that by acquiring a new driving simulator to train Airmen that aren’t familiar with German roads and weather conditions.
  • A U.S. Air Force C-130H Hercules assigned to the 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron receives fuel Nov. 6, 2018, at an undisclosed location. U.S. and Coalition aircraft provide unmatched combat capability in support of U.S. Central Command military objectives. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Clayton Cupit)

    AMC C-130 rainbow fitting inspections complete

    Thanks to early detection by Air Force Materiel Command aircraft maintenance and engineering professionals and quick implementation of a fleet-wide time compliance technical order, C-130 maintainers have inspected and verified the viability of 108 of the 123 affected aircrafts’ lower center wing joints, or “rainbow fittings,” allowing for their safe return to service.
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    Air Force advances innovation at “Spark Collider”

    In Air Force-speak, the Spark Collider “will accelerate the matching of Air Force problems with viable solutions” by being equal parts speed dating, tech showcase and pitch sessions. The Air Force’s effort to innovate is part of a central tenet for defending the United States as outlined in the National Defense Strategy.
  • U.S. Air Force Airman Kristina Schneinder, 312th Training Squadron student, leads Airman Emalie Lemons, 312th TRS student, in a textbook style approach to a mock vehicle fire outside the Louis F. Garland Department of Defense Fire Academy on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, July 11, 2019. Schneinder and Lemons were trained in the classroom how to approach a live fire and what angle to spray the water hose for hood and undercarriage fires before their hands on experience. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Airman 1st Class Abbey Rieves/Released)

    Guardsman graduates 3rd fire academy at top of class

    Airman Kristina Schneider, a 40-year-old mother of two, surprised everyone not only with her age or gender, but also with her level of success in the classroom and outside.
  • Kevin Landtroop, Capital Factory venture partner, speaks on a panel about the symbiosis between startups, government, and venture capital during the first-ever Spark Collider at the AFWERX Austin Hub Aug 14, 2019. The event connected approximately 100 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research companies and Airmen from about 50 bases to potentially solve Air Force problem areas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jordyn Fetter)

    Airmen, companies tackle mission pain points during AFWERX "Spark Collider"

    Over the span of two days, more than 150 Airmen representing 50 bases and 200 entrepreneurs representing 100 Small Business Innovation Research Phase I companies joined together to see which missions could match up to an associated business product.
  • Newly-selected participants in Air Force Global Strike Command professional development programs recently came to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., for a three-day orientation, where they met with senior leadership and functional managers, and received general information about their programs. They also spent two days in a Leadership Enhancement Course.

    AFGSC professional development programs help Airmen grow

    In Air Force Global Strike Command, there are a number of programs designed to develop the understanding and knowledge of nuclear operations and critical thinking for officers, enlisted members and civilians as well as broaden their view of the mission.
  • Airmen with the 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron expeditionary theater distribution center showcase some of the items stocked in the facility at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, Aug. 13, 2019. The theater distribution center packs a variety of items to include body armor, advanced combat helmets, ballistics plates and other chemical warfare defense items. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mozer O. Da Cunha)

    ETDC supplying Airmen with right gear for mission

    Ali Al Salem’s ETDC, currently the second largest distribution center in the (USCENTCOM) theater of operations, is the distribution center support hub for more than 14,000 warfighters, issuing up to 100,000 items worth $56 million every six months.
  • Two men stare out a window.

    Air traffic control: Keeping the skies safe

    Similar to other careers, on-the-job training for air traffic controllers is a must in order to ensure agile combat airlift is delivered anywhere and anytime. Airmen assigned to this unit learn alongside a fully qualified and experienced trainer, so there is no room for error when it comes to mission success.

  • DoD agency keeps file swaps safe

    Now in the wheelhouse of DISA, the file transfer capability has been rebranded DoD SAFE, or secure access file exchange. The DoD SAFE capability is part of DISA's Defense Collaboration Services suite of applications.
  • U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Liddane, 909th Air Refueling Squadron boom operator, prepares for in-flight refueling during RED FLAG-Alaska 19-3 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Aug. 7, 2019.

    2019 Red Flag-Alaska season concludes

    More than 1,500 service members and 100 aircraft participated from more than 12 different units stationed around the world.
  • Air Force cyber warfare operators set up their computer stations before a capture-the-flag competition during DEF CON 27 Hacking Conference in Las Vegas, Aug. 8, 2019. The operators participated in a number of DEF CON events to showcase their knowledge and experience. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. R.J. Biermann)

    AFCYBER presents, participates in DEF CON 27

    Throughout the four-day event, attendees could learn new skills from industry professionals, test those skills during capture-the-flag competitions, network with others, interview for jobs and test out products and simulators, among other things.
  • Travis AFB is the first field-unit location in the Air Force to have the Stratays F900 3-D industrial printer certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and Air Force Advanced Technology and Training Center for use on aircraft replacement parts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Louis Briscese)

    Travis AFB produces first certified 3-D printed aircraft parts

    The Stratasys F900 3D printer, which is capable of printing plastic parts up to 36-by-24-by-36 inches, uses a material called Ultem 9085 that is more flexible, dense and stronger than typical plastic.
  • Building resilient installations was the theme of an Air Force Civil Engineer Center workshop that brought together environmental, public affairs and other base professionals August 13 to 15 in San Antonio.

    Air Force workshop focuses on installation support, environmental stewardship

    More than 400 military members and civilians were on hand at the 2019 Air Force Environmental Workshop to focus on the role of environmental restoration and protection in ensuring installations are mission ready. Hosted by AFCEC’s Environmental Management Directorate, a primary subordinate unit of the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, the workshop focused on enabling the Air Force environmental mission of building resilient installations through environmental stewardship.
  • Construction of a new 3.55 MW solar array was completed June 2019 at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The array feeds directly into the electric grid adding to the base's existing renewable energy prodcution capability and was one of several projects that contributed to the base's energy office earning the 2019 Federal Energy and Water Management Award from the U.S. Department of Energy. (U.S. Air Force photo by Todd Cromar)

    Hill AFB wins DOE award for energy efficiency

    The annual award recognizes outstanding contributions in the areas of energy efficiency, water conservation and the use of renewable energy technologies at federal facilities.
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