Members of the Air Force Band Yuma played 10 concerts during an eight-day tour Sept. 4 through 11 throughout Kyrgyzstan.

Military heavy equipment and teams began arriving onshore here Sept. 18 as part of a tremendous assistance effort for an area devastated by Hurricane Ike.

Loadmasters work together to load a firetruck onto a C-17 Globemaster III Sept. 19 at McChord Air Force Base, Wash. The firetruck and pallets of rescue equipment are headed to a remote village outside of Guadalajara, Mexico. Through the Denton Amendment, three local Washington nonprofit agencies worked with the 446th Airlift Wing for more than a year in order to transport the firetruck and cargo to Mexico. (U.S. Air Force photo/Abner Guzman)

Effective Oct. 1, Air Force officials here will implement policy changes to improve sourcing efficiency of 365-day deployments and ensure Airmen receive adequate notification prior to deployment.

Pacific Air Forces wrapped up the annual 101 Critical Days of Summer safety campaign with no reportable fatalities and an overall decrease of 20 percent in total ground safety mishaps from the same time last year.

An Airman finished third in a joint-service 5K fun run celebrating the Air Force's 61st birthday Sept. 18 at a Southwest Asia base. 

Airman 1st Class Phillip Bean performs a preflight inspection on a C-130 Hercules aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 18. Airman Bean is assigned to the 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron as a crew chief. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Kenny Holston)

Today's Air Force prepares Airmen to be ready for any contingency, and often emergency situations arise at the most unexpected times.

In our Air Force's 61-year history, Airmen repeatedly have been called upon to defend the cause of freedom in the air and on unfamiliar terrain around the world. Whatever the conflict, natural disaster or crisis, Airmen have answered the call and performed their missions with incredible courage and distinction. Their consistent example of excellence and dedication is our treasured heritage.

The Air Force has begun its venture into funny car racing by teaming up with Kenny Bernstein Racing for the O'Reilly National Hot Rod Association Fall Nationals Sept. 19-21 at the Texas Motorplex in Dallas.