By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes ARLINGTON, Va. — The Air Force is looking to get rid of about 5,750 people by fiscal 2012. With the economy still lagging, retention is at a 15-year high. The Air Force has more than 335,000 airmen right now, well above its fiscal 2010 authorized active-duty end-strength of 331,700, service officials said. The Air Forc ...

Fireworks explode over the harbor at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka as the U.S. 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) is lit by Christmas lights during a new year celebration. At the stroke of midnight U.S. ships sound their whistles and flash their lights to ring in the new year. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Special ...

From Commander, Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) -- In an effort to ensure the right specialists are in the right place, the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) announced Dec. 29 that it has been conducting a review of its technical leadership since August 2010 and will brief Navy leadership in late February 2011. The Navy's lim ...

By David Allen, Stars and Stripes Kate Puzey was Peace Corps volunteer and daughter of two DODDS teachers CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — A 2002 honors graduate of Kadena High School was killed last week in the West African nation of Benin. Catherine "Kate" Puzey, 24, a Peace Corps volunteer, was found dead March 12 outside her home in the village of Bad ...

OKINAWA CITY — A sex shop in one of this city’s “red light districts” has been declared off-limits for all personnel attached to the III Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Corps Bases Japan. The shop is called by the names “Shampoo” and “Diana” and was in the news recently during the trial of a 22-year-old Air Force dependent who admitted he beat and rap ...

By Erik Slavin and Chiyomi Sumida, Stars and Stripes YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — After last year’s breathless predictions of a plummeting Japanese yen from some of the world’s most prestigious financial firms, 2011’s predictions seem tame by comparison. Of course, most of those daring 2010 predictions were dead wrong. Instead of weakening 20 percen ...

By Ensign Bill Morrison, USS Fitzgerald Public Affairs Officer YOKOSUKA, Japan – With colored lights strung throughout the ship, USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) welcomed aboard carolers from Ikego Elementary School for a morning of Christmas cheer. The first and second graders led the crew in traditional songs and taught them how to say, “Merry Christmas,” in diffe ...

By Ed Barker, Naval Education and Training Command Public Affairs PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- The Naval Education and Training Command announced Dec. 29 that the Navy continues to invest in a broad range of officer advanced education opportunities to meet existing and future mission requirements as well as support the Maritime Strategy by building the future f ...