Family, Medical Leave Act expands protections for military families

More support has been extended to military dependents through expansions of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which include unpaid, job-protected time off for care of injured servicemembers or veterans, and activities arising from a servicemember’s deployment. (Graphic Courtesy of US Department of Labor)

Command announces Public Affairs Communication Excellence Awards

Air Force Reserve Command announced the winners of the 2012 Public Affairs Communication Excellence Awards Feb. 8. Winners will represent the command at the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs competition. (U.S. Air Force graphic/Philip Rhodes)

‘Lucky’ Airman goes from ‘jumping on grapes’ to Presidential Ball

Staff Sgt. Ivanka Vrechkov (right), poses with her father Alexi Stefanov, brother Petko Stefanov and mother Rusanka Stefanova in Varna, Bulgaria. Vrechkov, a Knowledge Operations Manager assigned to the Air Force Reserve Policy and Integration Office in the Pentagon, landed two spots at the President's Inauguration Military Ball Jan. 21. Vrechkov, a naturalized American citizen, feels very lucky to be attending this historic event. “I came from a little village in Bulgaria and now I’m going to be at a party with the President of the United States – the greatest nation on earth. It feels surreal.” (Courtesy photo)

‘Lucky’ Airman goes from ‘jumping on grapes’ to Presidential Ball

Staff Sgt. Ivanka Vrechkov poses with her grandparents, Pene Stefanov and Ruska Stefanova in Varna, Bulgaria. Vrechkov, a Knowledge Operations Manager assigned to the Air Force Reserve Policy and Integration Office in the Pentagon, landed two spots at the President's Inauguration Military Ball Jan. 21. Vrechkov, a naturalized American citizen, feels very lucky to be attending this historic event. “I came from a little village in Bulgaria and now I’m going to be at a party with the President of the United States – the greatest nation on earth. It feels surreal.” (Courtesy photo)

Reservists to get help with travel vouchers

Air Force Reserve Command is adding resources and changing business practices to make travel voucher processing easier for reservists. Throughout FY13 the command will increase the number of Defense Travel System travel technicians to assist reservists with their travel vouchers. (U.S. Air Force graphic)

Obama Signs $633 Billion Defense Authorization Act

President Barack Obama signed the $633 billion fiscal 2013 National Defense Authorization Act into law Jan. 3. The legislation, which cleared Congress last month, authorizes the department to act in any number of instances. The act allows the department to institute pay raises, bonuses and incentive pay for personnel. It includes a 1.7 percent pay raise for military personnel, and contains $527.5 billion for DOD's base budget, $88.5 billion for overseas contingency operations and $17.8 billion for national security programs in the Energy Department and Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. (U.S. Air Force graphic)