JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 6 -- The U.S. Air Force Personnel Center issued the following news: The annual Air Force Assistance Fund campaign officially kicked off across the Department of the Air Force March 1 and will run through April 9. The AF Assistance Fund raises money for four charities that take care of Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Those four charities are the Air Force Enlisted Village, the General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation, the Air Force Village  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 6 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: U.S. Air Force Gen. Mark Kelly, commander of Air Combat Command and Command Chief Master Sgt. David Wade, Air Combat Command, visited the cyber and intelligence Airmen of 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), here, March 2-4. The 616th Operations Center Airmen demonstrated their role in monitoring and maintaining the Air Force Information Network to the  more

LACKLAND AFB, Texas, March 5 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: Airmen of the 668th Alteration and Installation Squadron, also known as the "Roadrunners," collaborated with JBSA-Lackland's 502nd Civil Engineering Squadron to help ensure the safety of base tenants during the worst winter storms in Texas history. Winter storm Uri blasted its way through Texas, Feb. 15, dropping more than 2 inches of snow and causing below freezing te  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, Feb. 28 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: Lt. Gen. Brad Webb, commander of Air Education and Training Command, discussed efforts to accelerate change within "The First Command" during this year's 2021 virtual Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference Feb. 25. The "Accelerating Change Across the Air Force," panel focused on how the Air Force is executing Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr.'s action orders to chal  more

HOUSTON, Texas, March 3 -- The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Jennifer B. Lowery, issued the following news release on March 2, 2021: A 37-year-old Houston resident is set to appear in federal court for her alleged submission of two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. The criminal indictment, filed Feb. 24, charges LaDonna Wigg  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 2 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command issued the following news: As part of Air Education and Training Command's efforts to aggressively and cost-effectively modernize education and training, Airmen and Guardians can access the "myLearning" digital platform on the Air Force Portal beginning March 18, 2021. The AETC Learning Services division is launching the new secure learning management system (LMS) that will enable student l  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 5 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: As part of Air Education and Training Command's efforts to aggressively and cost-effectively modernize education and training, Airmen and Guardians can access the "myLearning" digital platform on the Air Force Portal beginning March 18. The AETC Learning Services division is launching the new secure learning management system that will enable student learning, automation and reporting for roughly 8  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reached a consent decision against Richard Gresham d/b/a H&D Cattle Company (Gresham) of Cushing, Texas, on Jan. 25, 2021, for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act. An investigation by USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) revealed that Gresham failed to pay $289,286 when due for 442 head of livestock  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 6 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command issued the following news: Diversity and winning the next great power competition go hand-in-hand. Recognizing the value of having and developing agile thinkers at all levels of the Air Force who have diverse backgrounds and experiences, Air Education and Training Command leaders have taken deliberate actions focused on diversity and inclusion for both recruits and current Airmen and Guardia  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 4 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: Two Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center units won Gears of Government awards recently for delivering mission results, customer service and accountable stewardship. The Air Force Category Management Program, part of the Air Force Installation Contracting Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and the Air Force Civil Engineer Center's Joint Explosive Ordnance Technology Divisi  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 6 -- The U.S. Air Force Reserve Command issued the following news: As part of Air Force Recruiting Service's Total Force recruiting enterprise, finding better ways to do business is a leading charge. A part of that is reducing redundancies and having one location conduct business for all of the Total Force partners and providing medical standards consistencies across all components. AFRS has created a chief medical officer position to help expedite  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 4 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: The Air Force Security Forces Center is testing a virtual process to streamline visitor-pass requests and reduce foot traffic at visitor control centers across the force. The DBIDS Defense Biometric Identification System Visitor Enrollment System uses smart devices and the current Defense Biometric Identification System's web-based functionality to link requesters, sponsors and VCCs in a virtual pr  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 5 -- The U.S. Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center issued the following news: The Air Force Security Forces Center-led Government Working Dog Category Intelligence Team aims to improve the cost, process and procurement of government working dogs across 14 federal agencies. The team recently submitted the Working Dog Category Intelligence Report, which looked into the requirements of maintaining working dogs within the Department of De  more

DALLAS, Texas, Feb. 22 -- The Army and Air Force Exchange Service issued the following news release: The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is helping make the filing season less taxing by working with H&R Block to provide tax preparation services to military members and their families at a 10% discount at select locations worldwide. In addition to the discount, H&R Block at the Exchange is offering: * A free second-look tax review program in which H&R Block reviews last year's returns to dete  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, March 5 -- The U.S. Army Medicine issued the following news: An Army Capability Manager-Army Health System (ACM-AHS) team provided their expertise during Arctic Warrior 21 at Fort Greely, Alaska, from February 6 to 12 to assess AHS, resolve Arctic Warfare gaps, enhance readiness and inform modernization. Arctic Warrior 2021 (AW21) is a cold-weather training event that incorporates airborne operations, situational training exercises, and live fir  more

DALLAS, Texas, March 2 -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southwest Regional Information Office issued the following report on March 1, 2021, entitled "Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization in New Mexico for 2020": In 2020, the broadest measure of labor underutilization, designated U-6 (which includes the unemployed, workers employed part-time for economic reasons, and those marginally attached to the labor force), was 15.1 percent in New Mexico, compared wi  more

DALLAS, Texas, March 2 -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southwest Regional Information Office issued the following report on March 1, 2021, entitled "Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization in Oklahoma for 2020": In 2020, the broadest measure of labor underutilization, designated U-6 (which includes the unemployed, workers employed part-time for economic reasons, and those marginally attached to the labor force), was 10.5 percent in Oklahoma, significantly l  more

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 1 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Fort Worth District issued the following news release: The Fort Worth District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will be hosting an online involvement video presentation to provide information and receive public input toward the draft revision of the Master Plan for Benbrook Lake. Normally, USACE would conduct a live public workshop to announce the availability of the draft revised Master Plan, but precautions associated with t  more

DALLAS, Texas, March 2 -- The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas issued the following news release: The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas has appointed four new members to its Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council. The council, composed of representatives from financial institutions of various sizes in the Eleventh District, is part of a Federal Reserve initiative to enhance communication with community bankers. The council provides senior Dallas Fed officials with grassroots informatio  more

DALLAS, Texas, March 2 -- The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Prerak Shah, issued the following news release on March 1, 2021: A North Dallas tax return preparer was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison and ordered to pay $11.9 million in restitution for filing fraudulent income tax returns, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah. Alma Jean Gilbert, 54, pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation of a materially false ta  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency issued the following news release on March 4, 2021: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that Army Master Sgt. James Hart, Jr., 25, of Hopkins, Texas, killed during the Korean War, was accounted for May 28, 2020. In late 1950, Hart was a member of Company C, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950, when his uni  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 4 -- The U.S. Air Force Personnel Center issued the following news: The Department of the Air Force launched a new today, website last month, giving Exceptional Family Member Program families direct access to decision-making information related to medical programs, assignments or other support resources. Service and family members can now obtain information without using a Common Access Card at the DAF Family Vector site at https://daffamilyvector.  more

SHEPPARD AFB, Texas, March 6 -- The U.S. Air Force's 82nd Training Wing issued the following news: The 81st meeting of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program Steering Committee is set to begin March 8, 2021, a biannual gathering of partner nations to discuss the program and plans for the future. Col. Robert Haas Jr., commander of ENJJPT and the 80th Flying Training Wing, said the global COVID-19 pandemic has once again prohibited the committee from gathering in person. Instead, they wi  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- The U.S. Department of Justice's Federal Bureau of Investigation Dallas Field Office issued the following news release on March 5, 2021: On Tuesday, March 2, 2021 officials from the Dallas FBI Field Office and the Dallas Museum of Art announced the transfer of a recovered stone artifact that was previously on loan to the museum from a private collection. With the full support of the object's lender, the Stele of Lakshmi-Narayana was transported from Dallas, Texas, to Wash  more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- The Federal Maritime Commission issued the following news release: This week, Commissioners Maffei and Bentzel sent letters to the Governors of major port states urging them to prioritize the vaccination of the maritime workforce to protect the Nation's supply chain. Letters were sent to the Governors of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington. The text of the letter is below, and a copy of t  more

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 4 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Fort Worth District issued the following news release: The Fort Worth District along with all the rest of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continue our efforts to ensure the life safety, health, and well-being of visitors to our district facilities, our personnel, and the communities we serve during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic. While the state of Texas and other states have chosen to end masking, social distancing, and other COVID  more

HOUSTON, Texas, March 1 -- The Naval Sea Systems Command issued the following news: The Navy teamed up with NASA astronauts and engineers in Houston last week to test an evolving technology that allows divers to improve underwater task efficiency for potential use in NASA's planned return to the moon. Divers from the Naval Sea Systems Command's Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) joined the NASA team at the Sonny Carter Training Facility, NASA's 6.2 million gallon Neutral Buoyancy Labor  more

GOODFELLOW AFB, Texas, March 1 -- The U.S. Air Force Goodfellow Air Force Base (17th Training Wing) issued the following news: The 17th Training Wing celebrated the Air Force's newest chief master sergeant select, during an induction ceremony here, Feb. 25. Only 1% of the total enlisted force are selected to hold the rank of chief master sergeant, which is the highest enlisted rank in the Air Force. "Don't forget where you came from," said retired Chief Master Sgt. Daniel Stein, guest speaker  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on March 5, 2021: Two Texas construction company owners have pleaded guilty in a long-running scheme to defraud the United States. Michael Wibracht of San Antonio, Texas, the former owner of several companies in the construction industry, conspired to defraud the United States in order to obtain valuable government contracts under programs administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for whi  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on March 4, 2021: Two members of the Aryan Circle (AC) pleaded guilty this week to their roles in a violent assault of a man in October 2016. Michael Martin, aka Aryan Prodigy, aka AP, 38, of Austin, Texas, and Bobby Dayle Boney, 50, of Sulphur Springs, Texas, each pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering. Martin and Boney committed the assault as part of their mem  more

LAUGHLIN AFB, Texas, March 4 -- The U.S. Air Force Laughlin Air Force Base (47th Flying Training Wing) issued the following news: Due to a steady decrease in positive COVID-19 cases in Val Verde County, the 47th Flying Training Wing commander, Col. Craig Prather, has directed the change to Health Protection Condition Bravo on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, effective immediately. The movement to HPCON Bravo does not alter the policies directed and implemented by the Department of the Air Force regardi  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 1 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command issued the following news: In today's era of Great Power Competition and ever-changing operational environments, the Department of the Air Force has moved toward developing Airmen with foundational competencies that help enable them to out-think and out-perform adversaries. As part of that effort, the Air Force has formally added "Digital Literacy" and "Fosters Inclusion" as Air Force found  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, March 3 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: In today's era of great power competition and ever-changing operational environments, the Department of the Air Force has moved toward developing Airmen with foundational competencies that help enable them to out-think and out-perform adversaries. As part of that effort, the Air Force has formally added "Digital Literacy" and "Fosters Inclusion" as Air Force foundational competencies, and both have  more

LACKLAND AFB, Texas, March 5 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: Brooke Army Medical Center opened a new Infusion Clinic to help high-risk COVID-19-positive patients whose symptoms are mild to moderate. The treatment involves IV infusion of investigational antibody medications that are not Food and Drug Administration approved but are authorized under an FDA emergency use authorization. "The goal of this treatment is to halt the pr  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, March 3 -- The U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command issued the following news: Leaders from across the Mission and Installation Contracting Command are meeting virtually to discuss a number of topics aimed at reinforcing the command's efforts toward the Army's priorities of People, modernization and readiness. Leaders from the headquarters, brigades, field directorate offices, battalions and contracting offices are coming togeth  more

FORT KNOX, Kentucky, March 1 -- The U.S. Army Cadet Command issued the following news: Much has been written about the state of Texas. The subject matter of outstanding works from John Steinbeck, to quotes from Willie Nelson and Sam Houston; they all have one thing in common: Texans. Throughout the annals of history, this unique group of Americans has done and continues to do great things for their state and country. One such Texan happens to work in the Iron Eagle Brigade and flies hospital  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, March 3 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Ashley C. Hoff, issued the following news release on March 2, 2021: In San Antonio today, 46-year-old George Alberto Barragan of Cibolo admitted that he stole money from high school students who paid him for group travel opportunities to celebrate their graduations, announced U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division. Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Ju  more

HOUSTON, Texas, March 3 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas issued the following news release on March 2, 2021: A medical director, operator and two unlicensed practitioners at a Texas medical clinic are now in custody on charges related to their alleged participation in a $32 million health care fraud scheme. Farrah Forough Farizani, D.O., 57, Hamid Reza Razavi, 60, Elie Hanna Hajjar, 48, and Juan Acuna, 64, all of Houston, made their appearances today before  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- The U.S. Navy issued the following news release: The Order of Daedalians presented the "Golden Eagles" of strike Training Squadron (VT) 22 the 2020 Adm. John H. Towers Flight Safety Award during a small ceremony held at the squadron aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, Texas, March 1. The award recognizes the Naval Air Training Command squadron that has made the most significant contributions to the Naval Aviation Safety program throughout the year. All student na  more

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany, March 4 -- The U.S. Air Forces in Europe issued the following news: Two U.S. B-1B Lancers from the 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, flew a Bomber Task Force mission in areas including the international airspace of the North and Baltic Seas, March 3, 2021. The flight included integration with Danish F-16 Fighting Falcons, Polish F-16s and Baltic Air Policing Eurofighter Typhoons from Germany and Italy. One B-1 and Typhoons also conducted a low-fly over Rig  more

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany, March 4 -- The U.S. Air Forces in Europe issued the following news: U.S. B-1B Lancers from the 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, will fly a Bomber Task Force mission in areas including the international airspace of the North and Baltic Seas, March 3, 2021. The flight will include integration with fighter aircraft from a number of NATO allies. Our continued presence is our most visible symbol of assurance and commitment to our allies and provides deterrenc  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation issued the following news release on March 2, 2021: U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation's Build America Bureau (the Bureau) has provided an up to $448.38 million consolidated Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan to the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) for tollway projects in the Austin, Texas metropolitan area. This is  more

WASHINGTON, March 2 -- The U.S. Army issued the following news release: As of March 1, approximately 730 U.S. Army Soldiers are providing support at community vaccination centers in New Jersey, Texas, California, Florida and St. Thomas. The Soldiers, along with members of the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, are supporting U.S. Army North and U.S. Northern Command, the combatant command overseeing joint military assistance to state-run, federally supported community vaccination centers across   more