This 2015 Year in Photos feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This yearly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

We have selected a few of our favorites from the gallery, which you can view fully at:

2015 Air Force Year In Review

Enjoy!

Click on each graphic to make it bigger:

The 2015 Operation Christmas Drop officially kicked off Dec. 8 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Military members from the 36th Wing, 374th Airlift Wing, 734th Air Mobility Squadron, 515th Air Mobility Operations Wing from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and international partners from Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force gathered for the opening ceremony celebrating the first ever trilateral execution of Operation Christmas Drop.

Ongoing since 1952, Christmas Drop is the Department of Defense’s longest running humanitarian airlift mission and impacts more than 20,000 islanders annually. C-130 aircrews will deliver nearly 40,000 pounds of supplies by executing more than 20 low-cost, low-altitude airdrop training missions to islanders throughout the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau.

We have compiled this gallery of our favorite images that put you in a C-130 with the aircrews.

Enjoy!

Unofficially Thanksgiving is the kickoff to the season of gratitude and thankfulness expressed during the holidays. The Air Force social media team would like to say that we are grateful for the opportunity to highlight and share the stories of our most valuable assets in the Air Force’s inventory. That’s our Airmen! We would like to take a moment to express our thankfulness to the Airmen for all your hard work supporting the mission of the Air Force, to fly, fight, and win; in air, space, and cyberspace. You continue to demonstrate with confidence our Air Force core values: Integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all you do.

Your U.S. Air Force is a global force. The complex operations and missions that our Airmen are responsible for stretch far beyond our nation’s borders into other areas of our world. You will take comfort in knowing our Airmen are constantly training and sharpening their skillset to meet the expectations of our leaders. Take a look below of a recent Pacific Theater exercise meant to ensure peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.

Drones. The once harmless term has taken on new meaning in recent years largely due to misinformation, Hollywood dramatizations and their growing uses in non-military settings. For the men and women of the remotely piloted aircraft enterprise who provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support to combatant commanders around the world 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, dispelling myths associated with their mission is now a top priority.

1. Myth: Drones and RPAs are the same.

2. Myth: RPAs fly themselves.

3. Myth: Military RPAs are used to spy on U.S. civilians.

Additionally, the following guidelines structure how training flights work:
– Training is normally conducted in airspace over and near federal installations and unpopulated training ranges that have been set aside for that purpose.
– Information gathered during training missions that is relayed to ground stations is seldom retained after training operations.
– Any information retained after training missions is deleted shortly afterwards in accordance with regulations (typically no more than 90 days).
– During training missions, pilots and sensor operators are not applying or receiving the analytical support necessary to allow them to use imagery to identify individuals beyond gender and approximate age.

4. Myth: RPAs strike randomly.

5. Myth: RPAs are made from alien technology and are flown from area 51.

6. Myth: RPAs are unmanned and require less manpower to operate.

7. Myth: RPA pilots are just “gamers.”

8. Myth: Everyone in the RPA community suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

9. Myth: RPA aircrews are not compassionate to the missions they perform.

10. Myth: RPAs will replace manned aircraft

Despite the misconceptions surrounding the RPA enterprise Air Force leadership remain optimistic on the future capabilities RPAs can provide.

“What our RPA professionals are doing in today’s fight and in preparing for future conflicts is simply incredible. RPAs and their operators are in the highest demand from our combatant commanders because of the situational awareness and strike capabilities that they enable. Despite being some of the newest weapon systems in the Air Force inventory, RPAs fulfill critical demands in every theater 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” said Gen. Hawk Carlisle, Air Combat Command commander.

After more than 800 miles on the road, 20 Special Tactics Airmen finished their journey to honor fallen teammates, crossing through the gate here with families of those Special Tactics Airmen killed in combat.

The march was held specifically for Capt. Matthew Roland, special tactics officer, and Staff Sgt. Forrest Sibley, combat controller, who were killed in action, Aug. 26, 2015, Afghanistan.

“These men walked 812 miles, demonstrating to the vast majority of the southern part of America what our country values,” said Lt. Gen. Brad Heithold, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command. “And that’s people who are willing to make sacrifices.”

The marchers walked day and night through five states to honor the fallen special operators who gave their lives in service to their country, relaying the 812 miles in two-man teams.
Across the southern part of America, communities and individuals took time to cheer on the marchers, and honored the fallen with salutes and hands over hearts. Some community members even prepared home-cooked meals for the Special Tactics Airmen, who would walk a total of 90 miles with a 50-pound assault pack on their back, and a memorial baton in their hand.

While the marchers blew through anticipated timelines by completing their 12.6 mile-legs in three hours instead of the expected four, this consistent speed didn’t come without its costs. Throughout the ten-day period, they experienced large blisters, muscle tears, heat exhaustion and dehydration. One Special Tactics Airmen completed his 90-plus miles with three broken ribs.
“We are pretty tired and beat down, but it’s about telling the story of the guys who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said a Special Tactics combat controller about the march. “That’s why we do this: to remember the brothers we lost and show support to the families.”

For many of the Gold Star families and Special Tactics Airmen, it was a reunion. The ST Airmen had carried memorial batons engraved with the names of the fallen hallway across the country to walk alongside the families who lost their loved ones. This was not the first time they had done this; most of the families had attended all four of the memorial marches, which first occurred in 2009.

“Who’s got Argel?” one family member shouted into the chaotic crowd of hugging people, searching for the person holding their son’s baton. Eventually, the batons and their safekeepers found their way to the right family. Then the Airmen, who had so diligently carried it over 800 miles, handed it over to the family and walked the last mile with them.

At the end of the final mile, the Airmen took part in a small ceremony. The batons were solemnly saluted and returned, one by one, to a waiting Special Tactics Airmen, as the names of the 19 teammates were called.

The batons will be returned to their display case in memory of the fallen, and will only be removed for a memorial march if another Special Tactics Airmen is killed in action.
Then, as tradition in the Special Tactics community, all Airmen formed up to complete memorial pushups, honoring teamwork, fallen comrades, and Roland and Sibley.

“The fallen’s legacy will never die because we will continue to honor their sacrifices and perpetuate their excellence,” said Col. Wolfe Davidson, 24th Special Operations Wing commander, of the 19 Special Tactics Airmen killed in action since 9/11. “We aren’t ever going to quit talking about them. We will walk across this country to say, ‘we will never forget you.’”

For more coverage, visit the AFSOC Blog here: http://bit.ly/1OGniGs.

Here are a few videos that highlight parts of the Air Force mission from around the world that truly give insight into the amazing things Airmen are doing across the Air Force.  We’ll be sure to share more videos in the future of other Air Force missions. I chose to highlight these videos because of the job diversity shown in each video. We have more than planes in the Air Force; people assume we are all pilots or aircraft maintainers. All of the jobs in the Air Force reinforce our mission to fly, fight and win. We are truly one team! We will never falter, and we will not fail

Air Force Special Operations Command’s  primary mission is to deliver highly trained, capable and ready Airmen to conduct special operations. The mission is to organize, train and equip Airmen to execute global special operations.

The primary mission of U .S. Air Forces Pacific Air  Force (PACAF) is to deliver rapid and precise air, space and cyberspace capabilities to protect and defend the United States, its territories and our allies and partners; provide integrated air and missile warning and defense; promote interoperability throughout the Pacific area of responsibility; maintain strategic access and freedom of movement across all domains; and posture to respond across the full spectrum of military contingencies in order to restore regional security.

U.S. Air Forces in Europe Air Forces Africa (USAFE) directs air operations in a theater spanning three continents, covering more than 19 million square miles, containing 104 independent states, and possessing more than a quarter of the world’s population and more than a quarter of the world’s Gross Domestic Product.

What Air Force mission intrigues you the most?

Air Force Social Media

On Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015, the Air Force Academy football team begins the hunt for the coveted Commander in Chief’s Trophy.

The hardcore hardware, weighing 170 pounds, goes to the team that wins the most football games in a competition between the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy each season.

The trophy was created by service academy alumni in 1972. The Air Force Falcons claimed the trophy for the 19th time during their game against the Army Black Knights with a score of 23-6 in November 2014.

We’re taking a look back at last year’s accomplishments when the Air Force beat Navy during the round robin.

I have compiled some of the best images from last year’s game. Hope you’ll enjoy.

GO AIR FORCE, SINK NAVY

It’s that time of year – marathon time! Some of you might be running your first one, too, which can be daunting. Here are some tips to get you through your final days of prep and to make it to the finish line.

One of the most important things first-time runners need to know: How to use food as fuel correctly.

“To run a marathon, you need to be a butter burner, not a bagel burner. You have to be able to efficiently use fat as fuel,” said Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, the Air Force Marathon’s chief medical consultant.

Meaning you have to eat healthy fats, not carbs. A lot of people load up on pastas and starches ahead of a race, but Cucuzzella said all that excess food will just get stored and won’t be used during the marathon. It can also actually lock out your body’s ability to burn fat.

Think of your body as a hybrid car, where the gas is sugars and the electric is fats. Cucuzzella said using both fuel sources and pacing yourself is critical for a marathon run.

“If you run really hard, your body will default to sugar because it’s the quickest access,” he said. “It’s like a Prius engine. If you hammer it, it’s all gas tank, and it drains pretty quick. But if you’re cruising, you’re in electric, and then you’re good.”

The proportions of fat use and sugar use shift as your effort increases, so understanding your heart rate as you go into race day can be a powerful tool. While Cucuzzella said using a heart rate monitor is a great idea, don’t rely on pace monitors and apps. They don’t take into account effort levels, which can change depending on heat, humidity, etc.

“Pace is an effort, not a speed,” Cucuzzella said.

Even the slightest increase from your optimal pace can tire you out early, he said, so relax and keep up a comfortable effort – not a specific time. He also said to lay off the gels and Gatorade during training runs.

“If you use that on a two- or three-hour training run, you’re not teaching your body to use the right type of fuel,” Cucuzzella said.

On Race Day

Once you get to race day, know this – you’re at about 90 percent of your goal already. Cucuzzella’s tips for the big day include:

• Setting all of your clothing and supplies out the night before.
• Don’t do anything radically different than you normally would (if you’re a coffee drinker, drink your coffee).
• Prep mentally. Get your mind in a happy place. He said if you’re starting to struggle (and there will be bad patches), focus on your immediate needs – slowing down, getting to a water station, adjusting your stride.
  “Focus on something other than your discomfort. Take a race in chunks. I like running a race from aid station to aid station,” Cucuzzella said.
• If it’s windy, get behind a group to save physical and mental energy.
• Relax and breathe deeply from the belly.

After the race, be sure to do active recovery. You’re going to be sore and tired, but make sure to squeeze in a walk, swim or something physical in the days after the race to flush out all the toxins.

And don’t forget to relax and relish in the fact that you’ve done it!

Cucuzzella, a 48-year-old Air Force Reserve lieutenant colonel and West Virginia University professor, will be taking part in the Air Force Marathon for the 12th straight year on Sept. 19. He’s won it twice in the past.

Visit the Air Force Marathon website for more tips on footwear, stability and how to run marathons.