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  • Airmen and community come together to save a U.S. service member

    When seconds mattered most, training, teamwork and quick thinking became the difference between life and death as U.S. Air Force Capt. Zach Siefken, 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron E-3 Sentry pilot and 2nd Lt. Holly Siefken, 18th Medical Group officer in charge of quality assurance, alongside

  • USSOCOM vice commander tours Kadena

    U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Steven Marks, vice commander of U.S. Special Operations Command and director of the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, visits Kadena Air Base, Japan, July 23, 2026. Marks visited Kadena to engage with 18th Wing leadership, discuss DAWG initiatives and observe the installation's

  • BB26-1: Hot-gas refueling strengthens HH-60 readiness

    U.S. Air Force special mission aviators assigned to the 33rd Rescue Squadron refuel a U.S. Air Force HH-60W Jolly Green II during a hot-gas refueling operation as part of readiness exercise Beverly Beach 26-1 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Aug. 4, 2026. BB26-1 provides Airmen opportunities to refine

  • BB26-1: Serving Around-the-Clock Readiness

    As readiness exercise Beverly Beach 26-1 unfolds across Kadena Air Base each day, the 18th Force Support Squadron dining facility is already hard at work. Ovens heat, serving lines fill and food service specialists prepare hundreds of meals, ensuring Airmen and joint partners have the fuel they need

  • BB26-1: 18th MDG tests En-Route Patient Staging System

    Airmen assigned to the 18th Medical Group established and operated an En-Route Patient Staging System (ERPSS) during Beverly Beach 26-1, strengthening the 18th Wing's ability to rapidly receive, stabilize and prepare patients for aeromedical evacuation during contingency operations.

  • BB26-1: 718th AMXS sustains readiness as Typhoon Dolphin approaches

    Airmen assigned to the 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron prepared HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters and KC-135 Stratotankers for typhoon operations at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Aug. 3, 2026, as Typhoon Dolphin approached Okinawa. The preparations took place while the 18th Wing conducted exercise

  • BB26-1 demonstrates combat readiness at Kadena

    Before the first U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors assigned to the 27th and 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadrons, deployed to Kadena, lifted off the runway, hundreds of Airmen had already set the mission in motion. Maintainers completed final inspections, pilots reviewed mission objectives and support

  • Kadena honors Battle of Okinawa legacy during Memorial Day ceremony

    U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. John Gallemore, 18th Wing commander, delivers remarks during the Okinawa Memorial Day ceremony at “The Cornerstone of Peace” in Peace Memorial Park, Okinawa, Japan, June 23, 2026. The annual ceremony, hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Okinawa and USO Okinawa,

  • Kadena Airmen support Okinawan children’s home following typhoon damage

    Airmen assigned to the 18th Civil Engineer Group at Kadena Air Base partnered with the Misato Children’s Home during a community cleanup project June 12, 2026, demonstrating the installation’s commitment to strengthening relationships with the local community while improving a safe outdoor

  • PACAF commander visit highlights Kadena’s Indo-Pacific role

    KADENA AIR BASE, Japan – U.S. Air Force Gen. Kevin Schneider, Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Kadena Air Base, Japan, April 29, 2026, to assess operational capabilities and reinforce the installation’s role in sustaining combat power across the Indo-Pacific.

  • U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific - Asia rocks Okinawa

    The U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific performed across Okinawa April 11–14, 2026, engaging U.S. service members, families and local residents through a series of live events aimed at strengthening community partnerships.The band’s visit supported Pacific Air Forces’ mission to build relationships

  • Stars, Cars and Guitars bring community together at America Fest 2026

    The 18th Wing welcomed the local community during America Fest 2026 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, April 11-12, 2026, offering visitors a closer look at the installation, its mission and its Airmen.“To come on base and learn more about Kadena and our neighbors is always a pleasure,” said Kiya Masahiko,

  • 909th ARS honors fallen KC-135 crew during vigil at Kadena Air Base

    Thousands of miles from the crash site in western Iraq, Airmen at Kadena Air Base, Japan, joined service members and families across the globe in mourning the loss of a KC-135 Stratotanker crew who died while supporting Operation Epic Fury.The vigil, held at the 909th Air Refueling Squadron, brought