Released: 14 Jun 1999
by Tech. Sgt. Debbie Aragon
31st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy (AFPN) -- With combat air operations suspended over Yugoslavia and Serb forces pulling out of Kosovo, Operation Allied Force warriors here had a reason to celebrate Friday.

And celebrate they did, with a 31st Air Expeditionary Wing party.

27 Mar 1998

The 510th Fighter Squadron's mascot, "Buzz", was safely returned to his perch in BUZZARD Loop early Thursday morning after a feather-raising night.  The infamous mascot was swiped by ruthless thugs from another squadron, who shall remain nameless (from the Operations Group, not the 555th, or 603rd), during the Airman Leadership School graduation Wednesday night at Sabre Hall. 

11/4/2002 - RENO, Nev. (AFPN) -- Three Air Force units were among those recognized for outstanding achievements in maintenance during the annual Secretary of Defense Maintenance Awards ceremony Oct. 30 here.

The 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska (large category); the 18th Maintenance Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan (medium category); and the 510th Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy (small category), were among those honored during this year's ceremony.

With Iraq often failing to follow U.N. resolutions, air expeditionary forces at Incirlik AB keep "A Northern Watch".

Written by Tech. Sgt. Ray Johnson
photos by Staff Sgt. Vince Parker

It seems as if Saddam Hussein has thumbed his nose at the world more times than there are grains of sand in Southwest Asia’s vast desert. Moreover, he sporadically stalls international arms inspectors at every turn, hindering their eight-year search for evidence of weapons of mass destruction.

While tomorrow's Air Force will have more of an expeditionary look, at Aviano Air Base, The Future is Now.
Written by Tech. Sgt. Ray Johnson
Photos by Master Sgt. John McDowell

News was made in August when Air Force leaders announced that the service would transition to an expeditionary aerospace force within 18 months. By January 2000, Gen. Michael Ryan, Air Force chief of staff, said we will have the mindset, procedures, doctrine and organization to allow for the most effective use of people and resources for challenges resulting from the post-Cold War era.

Written By Tech. Sgt. Bill Hickman
31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Released: Jan. 28, 2000

ANGHIALOS AIR BASE, Volos Greece (USAFENS) -- People and aircraft from Aviano Air Base are in Greece to participate in the joint Greek-American exercise dubbed "Greek Knights".

Five F-16s flew to Anghialos Air Base Jan. 21 to kick off the two-week exercise. About 70 people from the 510th Fighter Squadron and Aviano support agencies are also in Greece making sure the missions are a success.

Written by Gary J. Kunich
Monday, February 12, 2001
Stars & Stripes, Aviano bureau

AVIANO AB, Italy— It doesn’t move like one, it doesn’t sound like one, and it certainly doesn’t look like one. But now it does a job like one.

The F-16 can now list combat search-and-rescue missions — something normally done by A-10s — as one of its multi-role tasks.

Written by Terry Boyd
Stars & Stripes, Turkey Bureau
Tuesday, August 7, 2001

IZMIR, Turkey — It would be difficult to imagine two more different attack planes than the F-16 and the A-10. The only thing the sleek, supersonic F-16 Fighting Falcon and the hulking, tree-skimming A-10 Thunderbolt II have in common is that they both are in the U.S. Air Force inventory.

By Tech. Sgt. Ray Johnson
Air Force News Service
Released: Jun 15, 1998

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy -- Vowing not to repeat mistakes made five years ago when Serbian forces ravaged Bosnia-Herzegovina, NATO ordered Operation Determined Falcon to begin.

Approximately 80 aircraft from 13 countries are participating in a show of force brought about by bloodshed in Kosovo, a separatist Serbian province wracked by violence.

The 510th Fighter Squadron was originally constituted as the 625th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 4 February 1943. It was activated on 1 Mar 1943 at Drew Field, FL, and assigned to the 405th Bombardment (later, 405th Fighter-Bomber; 405th Fighter) Group. It was redesignated as the 510th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 10 August 1943; as the 510th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, Single Engine, on 20 August 1943; and as the 510th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 30 May 1944. In late 1943, the squadron moved to Walterboro Army Air Field, South Carolina where it began to fly the were the Douglas A-24 Banshee (1943), then the Bell P-39 Airacobra (1943) and finally the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (1943-1945).