简体中文
EnglishWhat Is Air Force Times and What Kind of News Does It Cover?
Updated
Air Force Times is an independent news publication for U.S. Air Force personnel, covering military news, pay and benefits, retirement, health care, and practical guides for service members and their families. It is aimed at active-duty airmen, veterans, military families, and readers who follow defense and military affairs. The site organizes content into news sections (Top Stories, In Other News), feature and editor's pick areas, and dedicated pay-and-benefits resources.
What the site is
Air Force Times describes itself as "your independent voice for news about airmen at home and deployed around the world." That framing tells you two things about its positioning:
- Audience-first: The coverage is written for airmen and their families rather than for a general news audience.
- Independent: It presents itself as a separate editorial voice, not an official Air Force or Department of Defense channel.
The publication is part of the Military Times family, which is why its pages cross-reference Military Times guides and programs (for example, the Best for Vets: Trusted Brands program and the annual PCS and Benefits guides).
What kind of news it covers
The homepage evidence shows a mix of breaking military news, policy and personnel stories, and service journalism. The main content areas are:
| Area | What you'll find | Example from the site |
|---|---|---|
| Top stories | Timely military and personnel news | The 2027 cost-of-living increase for retirees and veterans; absentee-ballot voting reminders for service members |
| Operations and basing | Aircraft, bases, and deployments | Gulf Coast Air Force bases relocating aircraft ahead of Hurricane Isaias |
| Acquisition and industry | Programs, contracts, and defense industry access | Air Force and Army opening test ranges to approved defense firms; groundbreaking on the B-21 Raider final assembly facility |
| Pay and benefits | Compensation, retirement, health care, insurance | A Pay & Benefits section with sub-pages for the Military Pay Center, Military Retirement, Military Benefits, Health Care, Mil Money, and Discount Depot |
| Special features | Practical guides and community programs | Insurance Guide, 2025 PCS Guide, 2025 Benefits Guide, Best for Vets: Trusted Brands |
| Editor's picks | In-depth or policy-focused reporting | Pentagon efforts on brain injury assessment standards; drone production funding |
A few observations from the actual headlines:
- Personnel policy is a core beat. Stories like routine testosterone screening of troops and its follow-on care requirements show the site covers health and readiness policy, not just equipment.
- Practical deadlines matter. The absentee-ballot item is a good example of service journalism: it tells readers an action is time-sensitive and what to do.
- Benefits content is structured, not just article-based. The Pay & Benefits links function as standing resources rather than one-off stories, which is useful if you're looking for a reference page rather than today's news.
Who it's for
The content maps to four reader groups:
- Active-duty airmen — news about their bases, careers, pay, and benefits.
- Veterans and retirees — cost-of-living adjustments, retirement pay, life insurance, and benefit changes.
- Military families — PCS moves, health care, insurance, and family-related policy.
- Defense-industry and policy readers — acquisition news, test-range access, and Pentagon programs.
If you're a service member trying to understand a pay or benefits change, the Pay & Benefits section is the more direct entry point than the news feed. If you're following a specific program or base, the Top Stories and In Other News columns are where day-to-day coverage appears.
How to use the site
- For a quick news check: Start with Top Stories and In Other News, which carry the most recent items.
- For benefits questions: Go to the Pay & Benefits hub and choose the sub-section that matches your question (pay, retirement, health care, insurance, discounts).
- For planning a move or a benefits decision: The PCS Guide and Benefits Guide are compiled references rather than news articles.
- For context on a policy story: Editor's Picks tend to hold the longer-form or policy-analysis pieces.
One caveat worth knowing: the site carries "subscribe" and "premium" signals, so some content may sit behind a subscription. The evidence here doesn't specify which articles are gated or what a subscription costs, so check the individual page before assuming an article is open.
What it is not
Air Force Times is not an official Air Force publication, and its headlines include political and policy stories (for example, coverage of an execution decision and Pentagon budget requests) that go beyond base-level news. Treat it as an independent news source: useful for understanding what's changing and when deadlines fall, but for official eligibility rules and pay tables, confirm against the relevant Department of Defense or Department of Veterans Affairs source.