Joint Base San Antonio > News > News

Basura Bash draws hundreds out to beautify Salado Creek at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston
February 16, 2019 — The ninth annual Joint Base San Antonio Basura Bash had a stellar turnout of volunteers Feb. 16 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston’s Salado Creek Park... MORE

A trio of Air Force Airmen make their way along Salado Creek in kayaks, helping clear out a year's worth of accumulated debris at the ninth annual Joint Base San Antonio Basura Bash Feb. 16 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston’s Salado Creek Park.

BASH Program keeps JBSA-Kelly Field safe
February 15, 2019 — The airspace above Joint Base San Antonio has all kinds of missions and one program is supporting the runways by making it safe for humans and wildlife to co-exist. The Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard, or BASH, program is continuously working to mitigate wildlife hazards, such as bird strikes to the aircraft. ... MORE

Financial Operations workshop features innovation
February 15, 2019 — Tech Sgt. Samuel Spaethe used to spend hours upon hours completing work as a financial services technician, often working weeknights until 7 p.m. and then on Saturdays just to get the job done. But he knew that effort was not sustainable. So he did something innovative about it. Spaethe developed an Excel macro tool that pulls four reports and two rosters from the Defense Travel System, compares the information, and determines what needs to be done on a member’s pay record. The macro saves technicians hours in research time... MORE

Nearly 300 Air Force financial service technicians and operators received training during the Air Force Financial Operations Workshop in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 11-15. The workshop focused specifically on training in 17 finance customer service topics.

Feedback Fridays
February 15, 2019 — Feedback Fridays is a weekly forum that aims to connect the 502d Air Base Wing with members of the Joint Base San Antonio community. Questions are collected during commander’s calls, town hall meetings and throughout the week. If you have a question or concern, please send an email to RandolphPublicAffairs@us.af.mil using the subject line “Feedback Fridays.” Questions will be further researched and published as information becomes available. ... MORE

Feedback Fridays is a weekly forum that aims to connect the 502d Air Base Wing with members of the Joint Base San Antonio community. Questions are collected during commander’s calls, town hall meetings and throughout the week.

If you have a question or concern, please send an email to RandolphPublicAffairs@us.af.mil using the subject line “Feedback Fridays.” Questions will be further researched and published as information becomes available.

AETC partners with university to expand virtual reality trainer’s capabilities
February 15, 2019 — Air Education and Training Command is partnering with a South Dakota-based university known for its science and engineering curriculum to enhance the capabilities of the virtual reality trainers used in pilot training... MORE

Dr. Jeff McGough, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Computer Science and Engineering Department head, evaluates a virtual reality trainer sent from Air Education and Training Command’s Pilot Training Next program. A technology team at the school has begun work on improving the trainer used in pilot training.

Wheel and tire shop keeps ‘everybody rolling’ at JBSA-Randolph
February 15, 2019 — Student fighter and instructor pilots fly dozens of sorties each day from Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, spending nearly all of that time in the air. However, their aircraft also touch ground during takeoff and landing, and it is during those moments that they rely on a small team of professionals who work each day to ensure their aircraft’s wheels and tires are able to withstand the rigors of the runway. ... MORE

Roy Spencer, 12th Maintenance Group Aircraft Wheel and Tire Shop technician, inspects seals that were recently washed inside the Aircraft Wheel and Tire Shop on Feb. 14, 2019, at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. Tire shop technicians and AGE members are part of a team that ensure the integrity of the wheels and tires used on the 12th FTW’s fleet of trainer aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ave I. Young)

ARNORTH CG Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan receives Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
February 14, 2019 — U.S. Army North Commanding General, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan was presented the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award at the Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council Brunch Feb. 13 in San Antonio. Buchanan, who attained the rank of Eagle Scout in 1973, was presented this award for exceptionally distinguished service in his military career and to the community... MORE

U.S. Army North Commanding General, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan (second from left) was presented the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award at the Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council Brunch Feb. 13 in San Antonio. Buchanan, who attained the rank of Eagle Scout in 1973, was presented this award for exceptionally distinguished service in his military career and to the community. Only one in every 1,000 Eagle Scouts has been awarded this high honor. Pictured (from left to right) are Mike Crownover, National Eagle Scout Association Chairman; Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan; Jim Lynch, Alamo Area Council Commissioner; Jim Jeffrey, Alamo Area Council President; and Michael de los Santos, Alamo Area Council Scout Executive.

Twenty-Fifth Air Force mentors coach Thomas Jefferson High School students for national cyber competition
February 14, 2019 — Twenty-Fifth Air Force members from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland adopted two teams from San Antonio’s Thomas Jefferson High School to help prepare them for this year’s CyberPatriot competition... MORE

Thomas Jefferson High School’s Army Junior ROTC CyberPatriot team displays the CyberPatriot challenge coin during their CyberPatriot meeting in San Antonio Jan. 31. Jefferson’s team advanced to the gold and platinum rounds of this year’s competition.

Military City USA hosts Navy Recruiting Command’s Leading Petty Officers Course
February 14, 2019 — To assist recruiters in accomplishing the accession goals set by Navy Recruiting Command, Navy career force recruiters assigned to the National Training and Quality Assurance Team, or N-7, traveled from Millington, Tenn., to provide training to Navy Recruiting Districts and Navy Talent Acquisition Groups, or NTAGs, during a Leading Petty Officers Course held at the Double Tree Hotel in San Antonio Feb. 11-15... MORE

Chief Petty Officer Nolita Whiten, an assessor/trainer assigned to Navy Recruiting Command’s (NRC) National Training and Quality Assurance Team, provides instruction on Web R-Tools maintenance to Navy Recruiting District San Antonio’s leading petty officers, Petty Officers 1st Class Juan De Leon and Elbert Anderson, during a Leading Petty Officers Course held at the Double Tree Hotel.

Army may use nutritionists, sports trainers to boost readiness
February 14, 2019 — The Army may soon place nutritionists, physical therapists and sports trainers at the unit level to improve individual readiness, said Secretary of the Army Mark T. Esper... MORE

Soldiers conduct the deadlift event of the new Army Combat Fitness Test in Georgetown, South Carolina, Feb. 9. The 1-178th Field Artillery is one of six battalions in the National Guard and 63 Army-wide selected for the pilot program to help validate scoring and administration of the ACFT.

MICC workshop strengthens skills to assure best value in contracts
February 14, 2019 — The U.S. Army’s Mission and Installation Contracting Command is set to roll the first official offering of a cost realism analysis workshop for cost-price analysts Feb. 20-21 at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, following a successful training pilot in January... MORE

Raul Guerra leads discussion of a case study during a pilot training workshop for cost realism analysis Jan. 23 at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Guerra is the cost-price functional manager for the Mission and Installation Contracting Command at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.

149th Medical Group, 149th Force Support Squadron participate in response training
February 14, 2019 — The Texas National Guard's 6th CBRN Enhanced Response Force Package Task Force, which includes our 149th Medical Group's Det. 1 and 149th Force Support Squadron's Fatality Search and Recovery Team, participated in response training with local civil authorities Feb. 5 in Round Rock, Texas... MORE

Staff Sgt. Jacquelyn Montoya and Senior Airman Kimberly Gaona, members of the 149th Fighter Wing’s MDG Det-1, which is part of the 6th CERFP task force, perform an operations check prior to deploying into the disaster incident site during response training Feb. 5 in Round Rock, Texas.

Social media imposters: awareness, defense
February 14, 2019 — Clicking on your favorite social media app, you notice you’ve got a new friend request. The request is from you. The profile picture is of you. The name is yours. Is this a prank? Have you been hacked? What just happened?... MORE

According to Air Force Reserve Command Intelligence, open sources report that cyber actors and terrorists use multiple fake personas on social media to target Defense Department personnel.

AFICA partnership delivers COOL program for Airmen
February 13, 2019 — In partnership with Air University and The Barnes Center for Enlisted Education, the Air Force Installation Contracting Agency recently delivered a follow-on contract to help enlisted Airmen get civilian-recognized credentials for their post-Air Force careers... MORE

Russell Gray, Air Force Credentialing Opportunities On-Line director, explains the AF COOL program to an Airman following a briefing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The Air Force Installation Contracting Agency recently partnered with Air University and The Barnes Center for Enlisted Education to deliver a follow-on contract for AF COOL. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kevin Gaddie)

New Army app provides mobile access to HR, pay records
February 13, 2019 — The Army has released a new human resources mobile application for the Integrated Personnel and Pay System - Army (IPPS-A) that allows Soldiers to access their personnel records using a mobile phone or tablet. IPPS-A is the Army's next generation human resources and pay system that revolutionizes the way the Army does business and brings the Total Force into the digital age... MORE

The U.S. Army G1, Lt. Gen. Thomas Seamands, previews the Integrated Personnel and Pay System - Army (IPPS-A) app while visiting Pennsylvania Army National Guard Soldiers at Fort Indiantown Gap Feb. 7.

AFDW provides ceremonial honors to longest-serving Congressional member
February 13, 2019 — Air Force District of Washington conducted an Arrival Ceremony in honor of World War II Army veteran and former Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) here Tuesday... MORE

The U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) body bearer team fall into formation as an Air Mobility Command C-17 Globemaster III arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Md. with the remains of World War II Army veteran and former Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) Feb. 12, 2019.

‘The Wall That Heals’ makes San Antonio stop Feb. 28-March 3
February 13, 2019 — The Daughters of the American Revolution’s Alamo Chapter hosts “The Wall That Heals,” a traveling representation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery Feb. 28 through March 3. The cemetery is located at 1520 Harry Wurzbach Road, near the Wurzbach Entry Control Point at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston... MORE

Like the original memorial, “The Wall That Heals” is erected in a chevron shape and visitors can do name rubbings of individual service member's names. The replica is constructed of Avonite, a synthetic granite, and its 140 numbered panels are supported by an aluminum frame. Machine engraving of the more than 58,000 names along with modern LED lighting provide readability day and night.

Cole High School students earn superior ratings for photos at national journalism convention
February 13, 2019 — A pair of Cole High School students have each earned a superior rating for their photography from a national scholastic journalism organization... MORE

Raquelle Bennett, a junior at Cole High School, won the superior rating medal in the photography portfolio competition at the Journalism Education Association/National Scholastic Press Association National High School Journalism Convention held in November in Chicago. She was one of only three high school students from across the U.S. who earned the superior rating in the portfolio category.

Army Emergency Relief wants no Soldier left behind financially
February 12, 2019 — The Army Creed of leaving no Soldier behind on the battlefield also applies to helping others in the Army family with their finances when needed, according to Army Emergency Relief, or AER... MORE

Retired Army Lt. Gen. Raymond V. Mason, director of Army Emergency Relief (left), and retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Charles E. Durr Jr., AER chief of assistance, review AER educational materials at U.S. Army Installation Management Command headquarters at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Jan. 23.

Army aligning modernization programs with other services
February 12, 2019 — The Army collaborates now more than ever with the Air Force and Navy, and development of a hypersonic weapon is a good example, senior leaders said... MORE

Secretary of the Army Mark T. Esper says the service must modernize or "risk losing the first fight of the next war." He spoke on a panel with his counterparts from the Navy and Air Force at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., Feb. 8.