Battlefield Weather

Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan -- Ecker is a battlefield weather forecaster with the 19th Expeditionary Weather Squadron at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder)

Battlefield Weather

Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan -- Senior Airman Michael Richardson takes weather readings with a TMQ-53 tactical weather sensor during training at Fort Irwin, Calif. Richardson is a battlefield weather forecaster assigned to the 3rd Weather Squadron at Fort Riley, Kan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Val Gempis)

Battlefield weather forecaster

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Adam Gagne, 19th Expeditionary Weather Squadron, battlefield weather forecaster, is responsible for maintenance of remote weather sensors inside and outside the wire Oct. 10, 2012, at Forward Operating Base Masum Ghar, Afghanistan. The 19th EWS provides Army ground commanders with accurate and real-time weather conditions and offers alternative options to help commanders make informed decisions on combat operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder)

Battlefield weather forecaster

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman James Ecker, 19th Expeditionary Weather Squadron, battlefield weather forecaster, conducts a preventive maintenance inspection on a weather sensor on Oct. 9, 2012, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. The 19th EWS provides Army ground commanders with accurate and real-time weather conditions and offers alternative options to help commanders make informed decisions on combat operations. Ecker's hometown is Lorain, Ohio. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder)

Home Again

OMAHA, Neb. -- Tech. Sgt. Chuck Minor, 2d Systems Operations Squadron, hugs his daughter, Sarah, at a local restaurant on Nov. 29, after returning home early from a year-long deployment to Iraq. Minor is the Air Force Weather Agency’s information technology procurement manager. (Air Force photo by Ryan Hansen)

Honoring Capt. Nylander

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan -- Maj. Ken Burton, 19th Expeditionary Weather Squadron director of operations, participates in a 10-kilometer road race here May 30 to honor the memory of Capt. Nathan Nylander, a fellow Air Force weather officer who was killed in an attack at the Kabul International Airport on April 27. Major Burton ran the race in-conjunction with the Bolder Boulder, a 10-kilometer road race held annually on Memorial Day in Boulder, Colo., in his combat gear. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Kerry Leverett)

Afghan Weather

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Afghan Air Force Maj. Hameedullah, the Kandahar Air Wing's meteorologist, delivered his first weather brief to Afghan and NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan Mi-17 crews on Jan 5. (Courtesy photo)

Deployed Forecaster

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Staff Sgt. Ashley Barnett, a weather forecaster for the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, collects data from a TMQ-53 weather sensor to observe conditions and update forecasts at an undisclosed air base in Southwest Asia, Oct. 28, 2010. The 386th AEW forecasters work behind the scenes to provide Air Force and Army personnel with accurate, up-to-date forecasts so flying missions can continue in support of operations Enduring Freedom and New Dawn. Barnett is deployed from Air Mobility Command’s 305th Operations Support Squadron, 305th Air Mobility Wing, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Laura Turner)

Iraqi weather graduates

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A crowd gathers for the graduation of the first class of Iraqi air force meteorology officer's graduation at the Air Force House, Camp Victory, Iraq, March 25. The graduates will be sent throughout Iraq for 30 days of on the job training. Once the training is concluded, some of the weather advisory officers will become instructors while others will begin their weather advisory mission for the Iraqi military. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Patricia Bunting)

Iraq Air Force Weather Officer

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Capt. David Finlay, a weather advisor with the Iraqi Air Operations Center, instructs Iraq Air Force Maj. Majid, a weather officer with the Iraq Air Force meteorology department, at Camp Victory. A group of four Iraqi Air Force meteorologists just completed 52 days of classroom training based on the U.S. Air Force weather’s initial skill course.

Weather Warrior

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - U.S. Air Force Senior Airmen Jarod Bjork, from Orlando, Fla., mans his battle-station at the Combined Joint Task Force-82’s joint operations command center, Jan10. Bjork uses advanced equipment to monitor the weather and give recommendations that are used by the war-fighters on the ground to plan and execute missions. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. B. Todd Willis, Combined Joint Task Force-82 Public Affairs)

Warfighters take time for Air Force's 62nd birthday

Lt. Col. Brian Griffith discusses battlefield weather capabilities with Capt. Jacob Chisolm at the Air Force's 62nd birthday Sept. 18, 2009, at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Colonel Griffith is the 19th Expeditionary Weather Squadron commander, and Captain Chisolm is the 504th Expeditionary Air Operations Support Group executive officer. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. David Faggard)

Combat Weather Airman

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq ?Air Force Senior Airman Daniel Jamison, weather system support cadre technician, sets-up a tactical meteorological weather equipment here July 30, 2009. Airman Jamison is responsible for maintaining and repairing 30 of these systems throughout Iraq. The equipment, also known as TMQ-53, is used to obtain pressure, wind speed and direction, temperature, dew point, relative humidity, precipitation, surface visibility, cloud height and lightning detection. Airman Jamison is deployed from Hurlburt Field Air Force Base, Fla., and is a native of Troy, Mich. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Johnny L. Saldivar/Released)

Combat Weather Airman

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq ? Air Force Tech. Sgt. Terry Hutton, weather system support cadre team lead, and Air Force Senior Airman Daniel Jamison, weather system support cadre technician, set-up a tactical meteorological weather equipment here July 30, 2009. Both Airmen are responsible for maintaining and repairing 30 of these systems throughout Iraq. The equipment, also known as TMQ-53, is used to obtain pressure, wind speed and direction, temperature, dew point, relative humidity, precipitation, surface visibility, cloud height and lightning detection. Sergeant Hutton is deployed from Hurlburt Field Air Force Base, Fla., and is a native of Enid, Okla. Airman Jamison is also deployed from Hurlburt Field AFB and is a native of Troy, Mich. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Johnny L. Saldivar/Released)

Calm before the dust storm

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Mark Casey, weather forecaster of the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, conducts a maintenance check and weekly cleaning for a Tactical Meteorological Equipment-53 Sensor on the flight line here Aug. 10. The TMQ-53 Sensor's capabilities include the tracking of wind speeds, airfield pressure, visibility, precipitation and altimeter settings. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christopher Hubenthal)

Iraqi, U.S. Air Forces establish weather partnership

KIRKUK AIR BASE, Iraq -- Col. Salman, Iraq Air Force Weather Service director, goes over a training schedule for IqAF weather officers as Master Sgt. Lisa Gore, 506th Expeditionary Operational Support Squadron weather flight superintendent, and Maj. Barry Hunte, Iraq Training and Advisory Mission-Air Forces' weather advisor, stand by. Recently a new partnership was established between the 506th EOSS weather flight and the IqAF weather team here that will improve the services they provide.

Deployed Airmen recording weather data

Tech. Sgt. David Ivey records weather data from the roof of the Task Force XII tactical operations center at Camp Taji, Iraq. Sergeant Ivey is one of a team of eight U.S. Air Force weather experts that support the aviation task force led by U.S. Army Europe's 12th Combat Aviation Brigade. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Seaton)

Pair of eagles far from the nest

Col. John Murphy (right), Combined Air Operations Center Director of Staff at Al Udied Air Base, Qatar, visits with Col. Don Berchoff, 376th Expeditionary Mission Support Group Commander at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyz Republic. Colonel Murphy accompanied Maj. Gen. Maury Forsyth, Deputy Combined Forces Air Component Commander at Manas AB, as part of an AOR familization tour. U.S. Air Force photo.

Observing

BALAD AIR BASE Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Ronald Sherard, 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron combat weather forecaster, takes a scan of the weather on the observation deck here Oct. 16. Sergeant Sherard is deployed from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Alice Moore)

Combat weather

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Jason Noel, 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron combat weather forecaster, provides the most up to date weather conditions for aircrew here Oct. 16. Sergeant Noel is deployed from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Alice Moore)

Team weathers the mission

Staff Sgt. Levy Bland performs a preventative maintenance inspection on weather equipment in Southwest Asia. Sergeant Bland is a weather forecaster with the 380th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt Jason Webb)

Team weathers the mission

Staff Sgt. Levy Bland adjusts weather equipment in Southwest Asia. Sergeant Bland is a weather forecaster with the 380th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jason Webb)

Desert wind

Senior Airman Daniel Perry takes a wind reading at a forward operating base in Southwest Asia Aug. 25. Airman Perry is a weather forecaster assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron and is deployed from Robins Air Force Base, Ga. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. John DeGroot)

Weather watch

Staff Sgt. Jennifer Nuy, 506th Expeditionary Operation Support Squadron Weather Flight, gauges the wind speed with a ?kestrel,? which collects data on current conditions. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Stacy Fowler)