Arizona, Japanese Partnership

Japan Air Self-Defense Force 1st Lt. Keisuke Ueda pre-flights his helmet with the help of Staff Sgt. Luis Aguilar, an aircrew flight equipment specialist at the 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International Airport, Feb. 22. Ueda is one of three Japanese students currently enrolled in F-16 initial pilot training here. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Dave Neve)

MASSF C-130s ON OPERATIONAL HOLD

(U.S. Air Force photo/ COURTESY PHOTO, U.S. Air Force graphic/Robin Meredith)

Academy firefighters battle Waldo Canyon fire

Tech Sgt. Jason Linta, Bobby Garza and Dean Prestia cut lines to create a firebreak to prevent fires from jumping at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., on June 28, 2012. Sergeant Linta is a firefighter assigned to the Academy and Garza and Prestia are firefighters assigned to Buckley Air Force Base, Colo. The Waldo Canyon fire has destroyed more than 18,000 acres in the Colorado Springs area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz)

Academy firefighters battle Waldo Canyon fire

Firefighters battle several fires in Waldo Canyon in Colorado Springs, Colo., on June 27, 2012. The fires, which have burned more than 15,000 acres, began spreading to the southwestern corner of the Academy causing base officials to evacuate residents. Officials estimated the fire had spread to about 10 acres of Academy land. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jeremy Lock)

Waldo Canyon Fires

U.S. Air Force Academy resident Emily Rich carrys a stuffed animal to the car as her family packs up their possessions during the Waldo Canyon Fire on the U.S. Air Force Academy June 27, 2012. Residents were allowed back after the initial evacuation for two hours to gather more belongings. The fires, which have burned more than 15,000 acres, began spreading to the southwestern corner of the Academy in the early morning, causing base officials to evacuate residents. Officials estimated that the fire had spread to about 10 acres of land belonging to the Academy. (U.S. Air Force Photo by: Master Sgt. Jeremy Lock)

Waldo Canyon Fires

A helicopter drops water on the fire as firefighters continued to battle the blaze that burned into the evening hours in Waldo Canyon on the U.S. Air Force Academy June 27, 2012. (U.S. Air Force Photo by: Master Sgt. Jeremy Lock)