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  • OESC brings Okinawa enlisted spouses together

    When Okinawa Enlisted Spouses Club (OESC) President Michela McKenna first arrived here on island, there was no enlisted spouses club for her as a Marine Corps spouse. All of that changed earlier this year, when the Kadena Enlisted Spouses Club became the Okinawa Enlisted Spouses Club, uniting all

  • 33rd RQS returns from Afghanistan

    Airmen from the 33rd Rescue Squadron's B-flight recently returned home from a four-month deployment to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan supporting U.S. and coalition operations against the Taliban. The rough terrain of Afghanistan can be very challenging for HH- 60 Pavehawk pilots, but it becomes even

  • 18 CES draws Kadena's Fire Prevention Week to a close

    The 18th Civil Engineer Fire Department held their last Fire Prevention Week event, the "Fire Fest" Saturday as they drew their 14-day awareness campaign to a close. For the past two weeks, members of the fire department have been holding daily events to educate Airmen and their families on this

  • News/Video Story: Kadena, Japanese responders team up for rescue exercise

    The 18th Wing and a host of Japanese agencies joined forces Oct. 8 to practice emergency response procedures during an annual field exercise. The video for this story can be viewed here.The exercise tested the ability of the base, the Japan Coast Guard and other off-base agencies to respond to a

  • PJs recall recent rescue mission

    If jumping out of a perfectly good airplane into the middle of the Pacific Ocean in the middle of the night to help out complete strangers isn't your idea of a rush, then maybe a career as a pararescueman isn't for you. That's exactly what a team of PJs from the 31st Rescue Squadron and the 320th

  • 31st RQS, 320th STS undergo confined space training

    Fifteen pararescuemen from the 31st Rescue Squadron and 320th Special Tactics Squadron recently took part in training to help them execute rescue missions in confined spaces and collapsed structures. According to the 31st Rescue Squadron commander, Maj Jason Pifer, the training came about as a

  • Commentary - Never lose sight of the big picture

    During the summer of 2006, I was deployed to Baghdad serving with the Army Corps of Engineers when I learned one of the most important leadership lessons of my life. Of course, I've learned a lot of lessons over the years, but this one was one of those "eye-opening" moments that I will never forget.

  • 18th Wing leaders focus on mission, vision, strategy

    The senior leadership team of the 18th Wing took a hard look Monday and Tuesday at Kadena's strategic goals and priorities in an effort to better align them with those of Pacific Air Forces. Wing leaders were participating PACAF's Strategic Alignment and Deployment process, which is designed to help

  • Conservation is the word during Energy Awareness Month

    Did you know that Kadena Air Base's electricity bill was $45 million last year? Adding in gas and water, the base's total utility bill came to a whopping $66 million. That's not chump change. October is Energy Awareness Month and 18th Wing officials continue to focus on ways to reduce Kadena's

  • 18th CPTS, CONS make end-of-year look easy

    For Kadena's finance and contracting professionals, Sept. 30 every year usually means frenzied workers, moving dollars and nailing down contracts as the fiscal year comes to a close and fallout money is distributed by PACAF. This year however, the 30th came and went without the usual drama as a

  • CFC kicks off at Kadena

    The Combined Federal Campaign for the 18th Wing kicked off Oct. 1 with a 5K fun run at the Risner Fitness Center. More than 110 runners endured the rain to take part in the inaugural event which raised $1,412 toward the base's goal of $500,000. The CFC is a campaign that allows federal workers to

  • 18th Wing commander issues permanent uniform policy

    Effective Oct. 1, 2008, the blue uniform will be the duty uniform worn every Monday by all Air Force uniformed personnel unless immediate duties require the wear of a utility uniform to perform assigned tasks. Squadron commanders will make the final determination. Regardless of duty, squadron

  • Kadena children deploy for Skoshi Warrior '08

    The Japanese word "skoshi" may mean "small" or "little," but the fun times shared by children, parents and volunteers at Marek Park Saturday were anything but small. More than 250 children donned BDUs and camouflage paint for this year's Skoshi Warrior. The Airman and Family Readiness

  • Kadena Airmen return home after rescue mission

    A team of Pacific Air Forces and Air Force Special Operations Command Airmen from Kadena Air Base returned home yesterday evening after providing medical assistance to two injured mariners aboard a Panamanian freighter 750 nautical miles north of Saipan. Despite the efforts of the rescue team, one

  • Kadena Airmen aid injured mariners

    A team of Pacific Air Forces and Air Force Special Operations Command Airmen from Kadena Air Base deployed yesterday to provide medical assistance to two injured mariners aboard a Panamanian freighter 750 nautical miles north of Saipan. Pararescuemen from the 31st Rescue Squadron and members of the