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  • Passing the Ball, Bridging the Gap

    Under the bright lights of a gym in Ginowan City, Okinawa, two teams met not as rivals, but as neighbors. On August 14, 2025, Airmen from the 18th Communications Squadron faced off against the Okinawan prefectural basketball team in a friendly match that brought together competition, camaraderie,

  • Special Mission Aviators: your safety, our mission

    Part flight engineer, part weapons operator, and part hoist specialist, Special Mission Aviators, or SMAs, are trained to operate in high-pressure environments where timing, precision, and teamwork are critical. SMAs work closely with pilots to develop detailed mission plans, anticipate threats, and

  • Igniting readiness in the engine test cell

    The moment the F-15E Strike Eagle engine ignites, it’s like the building comes alive. A deafening roar fills the sealed test cell, shaking concrete walls and sending vibrations through your chest. Flames burst from the exhaust as a crew of Airmen from the 18th Component Maintenance Squadron stood

  • Aerial allies in action: 909th ARS meets the fleet

    A KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 909th Air Refueling Squadron refueled U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets and a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II during a joint training exercise over the Pacific Ocean, Aug. 7, 2025. The joint training bolstered all services’ interoperability and capability to

  • The Silent Shield: How Public Health secures the mission

    Behind every mission-ready aircraft, every deployment, and every operational success lies a force few see but everyone depends on: Public Health. At Kadena Air Base, the 18th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron’s Public Health team plays a vital role in preserving mission readiness, quietly

  • ACE: Forging Multi-Capable Airmen in the Indo-Pacific

    KADENA AIR BASE, Japan - U.S. Air Force Airmen from Kadena Air Base and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, alongside Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Marines, recently completed a joint Agile Combat Employment training event on Okinawa, Japan, July 15-23, 2025. The multi-day exercise focused on one

  • Readiness in every bag: the 18th LRS IPE team at work

    Walk into any office or unit on Kadena Air Base, and you’ll see them, two unmistakable green bags tucked neatly beside desks or stowed within arm’s reach. Far from ordinary luggage, these bags contain body armor, chemical gear and other essential items, ready to go at a moment's notice for training

  • Rapid response, relentless readiness: CE Airmen enable the mission

    U.S. Air Force Airmen with the 18th Civil Engineer Squadron conducted an emergency rapid repair on an air conditioning unit at Kadena Air Base, Japan, May 29, 2025. The 18th CES provides world class engineering and emergency response services to the 18th Wing across the full mission spectrum.

  • Peace, Planes, and Kappy: Achi-Mura students visit Kadena Air Base

    Elementary and middle school students from Achi-Mura in Nagano Prefecture visited Kadena Air Base, August 4, 2025, to experience American life firsthand and learn more about the U.S. Air Force. The visit marked the first time students from Achi-Mura have toured the base since 2020.

  • More Than Muscle: How Risner builds a stronger Kadena

    At first glance, Risner Fitness Center might look like any other gym. Rows of treadmills lined up next to racks of weights, and the steady rhythm of exercise echoing through its halls. Beneath the surface, however, Risner is much more than a fitness facility—it's a cornerstone of wellness,

  • 909th ARS fuels Rocketeers over the Pacific

    A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker, assigned to the 909th Air Refueling Squadron, performs aerial refueling operations with F-15E Strike Eagles assigned to the 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, deployed to Kadena Air Base, Japan, over the Pacific Ocean, July 25, 2025.

  • Mission Ready: Kadena’s Vet Clinic supports troops one paw at a time

    Tucked between the roar of fighter jets and the hum of island life, there’s a team quietly powering mission success, one paw at a time. At the heart of Kadena Air Base, the Veterinary Clinic isn’t just a place for shots and checkups. It’s a mission-critical hub, supporting everything from beloved

  • From care packages to classified: Kadena’s unsung mail force

    Whether it’s a long-awaited care package from home, official mail, or online orders filled with deployment essentials, every piece of mail moving through Kadena Air Base touches the hands of the 718th Force Support Squadron’s Postal Operations flight. Often working behind the scenes, this team of