Joint Base San Antonio > News

Partner nation guest instructor becomes first to earn AETC master instructor designation
March 7, 2023 — For the first time in the Inter-American Air Forces Academy’s 80-year history, a partner nation guest instructor has earned the master instructor badge, the highest Air Education and Training Command’s instructor qualification... MORE

Col. José Jimenez, Jr., Commandant of the Inter-American Air Forces Academy, holds speaks to Intendente Jefe Alexander Pacheco of Colombia’s National Police, at JBSA-Lackland, Texas, Feb. 17, 2023. Pacheco, a partner nation guest instructor at IAAFA, recently earned the Air Education Training Command Master Instructor designation. He is the first international member to earn master instructor, which is the highest honor one can earn as an instructor. (U.S. Air Force photo by Vanessa R. Adame)

37th Training Wing: Gentle leaders for gentle giants
September 26, 2022 — Considering the 37th Training Wing is home to training all military working dogs for the Department of Defense and other agencies, it is no surprise Airmen from the 341st Training Squadron found a new way to improve the exercise of the gentle giants of our force – using a gentle leader. A gentle leader is a collar, except it’s not the traditional collar that goes around a dog’s neck. Instead, it is a head collar that goes around a dog’s snout, which prevents them from being “pullers.”... MORE

341st Training Squadron implements gentle leaders for MWDs

Basic military training commander completes first Iowa ride with Air Force Cycling Team
September 1, 2022 — The Air Force Cycling Team, known as the "Guardian Angels of the Road," recently participated in Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, or RAGBRAI. The oldest, largest, and longest multi-day bike ride in the world, the ride takes place across Iowa and is now in its' 49th year, and is quite an achievement for avid bike riders... MORE

Group of people in cycling kit stand together for a photo in front of two jets

Military students from eight partner nations, U.S. graduate from IAAFA
May 16, 2022 — Twelve weeks after the start of their academic training, military students from eight partner nations across Latin America and the U.S. walked across the stage to accept graduation certificates and their much-anticipated wings from the Inter-American Air Forces Academy April 28... MORE

International students stand next to flags

IAAFA professional military education center garners top Air Force award
May 16, 2022 — Consistency, hard work and dedication. That’s what Capt. Yaira Saroli, flight commander of the 837th Training Squadron, points to as the reason for the Inter-American Air Forces Academy winning the Air Force’s Enlisted Professional Military Center of the Year Award... MORE

Instructors stand outside IAAFA headquarters with flags flying in background

'Fight Through' appropriate theme for 2020 37th TRW annual awards
March 9, 2021 — The 37th Training Wing annual awards for 2020 took place March 5 after Winter Storm Uri forced a two-week delay of the ceremony. The ceremony – part virtual and part in-person – had the appropriate theme of “Fight Through.” ... MORE

The 37th TRW annual awards ceremony was held at the IAAFA auditorium, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, March 5, 2021.

'Being an MTI is everything and nothing you ever thought'
July 16, 2020 — After more than a dozen years as a 433rd Training Squadron military training instructor at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Reserve Citizen Airman Senior Master Sgt. Jason Wagner is moving on. ... MORE

Reserve MTI embraces challenges, follows path to dream come true
July 14, 2020 — Tech. Sgt. Sharon Collado is a Reserve military training instructor supervisor at the 433rd Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Unlike many people, she knows that she can do anything she wants to do. She's proved it to herself countless times throughout her 18 year Air Force career, but long before she enlisted, her dad, a career Air Force information manager, told her so... MORE

Flexibility essential during pandemic: NCOA builds first-ever virtual course
July 2, 2020 — The first-ever virtual, in-residence Enlisted Professional Military Education Course at the Robert D. Gaylor Non-Commissioned Officer Academy at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland is now available to students across the country. The inaugural course started June 15 and the first graduation is scheduled for July 10... MORE

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kurt Alie (left), Robert D. Gaylor Non-Commissioned Officer Academy student instructor, receives an evaluation from Tech. Sgt. Michael Napieraj, instructor trainer, while Tech. Sgt. Alie’s virtual class takes a break June 23, 2020, at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.

Commentary: Whatever it takes
April 9, 2018 — Sacrifice is not something you can train for, no one can prepare you for this feat. I would like to think, sacrifice is instilled through a continued growth of personal characteristics and values; both ethical and spiritual... MORE

Military working dogs continue to serve and sacrifice
March 13, 2018 — March 13 marks National K9 Veterans Day, a day to honor and commemorate the service and sacrifices of American military and working dogs throughout history... MORE

Senior Airman Jordan Fuller, 802nd Security Forces Squadron military working dog handler, and his MWD, Rocco, perform maneuvers Feb. 23, at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Medina Annex. Handlers regularly practice obedience training with their working dogs to increase their team cohesiveness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Johnny Saldivar/released)

Logistics and Materiel Management courses prepare IAAFA students
March 7, 2018 — At the Inter-American Air Forces Academy at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, the International Logistics course teaches students how to get materiel while the Materiel Management course tells them what to do with it once they have it... MORE

The Materiel Management course taught at the Inter-American Air Forces Academy at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas teaches students about warehouse design, how to build it and how to maintain it.

International symposium to promote shared information
February 27, 2018 — The Inter-American Air Forces Academy at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland will host international leaders and representatives for the upcoming Western Hemisphere Exchange Symposium, scheduled March 14-16 in San Antonio, Texas... MORE

The Inter-American Air Forces Academy at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland will host international leaders and representatives for the upcoming Western Hemisphere Exchange Symposium, scheduled March 14-16, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas.

Brazilian Air Force instructors receive high honors in the U.S.
February 22, 2018 — A group of Brazilian Air Force instructors at the Inter-American Air Forces Academy at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland received awards within the U.S. Air Force International Instructor Exchange program... MORE

Stepmother and son share BMT experience
December 14, 2017 — For Airman 1st Class Tyler Scott and his stepmother, Airman 1st Class Kelly Scott, the basic military training experience is something they will share and treasure together having graduated only eight weeks apart and being led by the same military training instructors... MORE

IAAFA teams up for first ever joint training exercise
November 29, 2017 — Students from both the Inter-American Air Force Academy’s 837th Training Squadron and the 37th Training Group's 343rd TRS partnered in the first of many joint military training exercises... MORE

Students from the Inter-American Air Force Academy’s 837th Training Squadron and 343rd TRS attend a pre-mission briefing at Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis as part of their final training exercise Nov. 8, 2017. The students practiced reconnaissance, ambush, searching, and patrolling tactics. This was the first time the 837th TRS and 343rd TRS partnered for joint training.

Unlikely volunteers help 502nd CES accomplish the mission on time
November 21, 2017 — Forty office personnel from the 502nd Civil Engineering Squadron volunteered their weekend to help renovate a building for the Battlefield Airmen Training Group Nov. 18-19 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland... MORE

A member of the 502nd Civil Engineering Squadron cuts through a sheetrock wall during building renovations Nov. 18, 2017 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Forty office personnel from 502nd CES volunteered their weekend to help with renovations to meet a short deadline.

CORBT summit provides joint services insights on recruit basic training
November 17, 2017 — Representatives from all five branches of the U. S. armed forces, members from British Armed Forces and Australian Defence Force, held a Council on Recruit Basic Training summit Nov. 8-10 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland... MORE

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Malcolm B. Frost, commander of the U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training, speaks during the Council on Recruit Basic Training Nov. 8, 2017 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The purpose of CORBT is to address common issues across the joint services in recruit basic military training and technical training with the goal of sharing ideas, lessons learned and procedures to improve entry-level enlisted training programs.

IAAFA’s first female flight instructor continues to make history
November 13, 2017 — She may only weigh about a 100 pounds, but her expertise in flying a 2-ton fighter plane and years of extensive work in aviation helped Maj. Maria Tejada-Quintana land a historic guest instructor position at the Inter-American Air Forces Academy at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland... MORE

Maj. Maria Tejada-Quintana, a guest instructor at the Inter-American Air Forces Academy at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, is the only female flight guest instructor teaching international students from partner nations in the Western Hemisphere.

DLIELC manager ensures smooth partner nation in-country English language training
September 26, 2017 — Since 1954, the Defense Language Institute English Learning Center has provided English language training and services in support of security cooperation objectives. They also provide English language training to U.S. military service members whose primary language is not English. As part of that mission, they annually train students from more than 100 countries... MORE

From left to right: Col. Roy W. Collins, 37th Training Wing commander, Lt. Col. Aaron J. Franklin, 637th International Support Squadron commander, Katie Carraway, Defense Language Institute English Learning Center overseas program manager, and Maj. Gen. Robert D. LaBrutta, commander of the Second Air Force, pose for a photo May 8, 2017 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Carraway, who conducts site surveys with partner nation in-country English language training programs and makes specific recommendations to strengthen them, was honored for being selected as the 2016 Air Force International Affairs Excellence awardee.