Marriage and Family Therapy Essay Example for Free

Marriage and Family Therapy Essay This paper will also evaluate five major themes relevant to Marriage and Family Therapy which include: ethical dilemmas in marriage and family counseling, premarital counseling qualifications of marriage and family therapists including licensure and certification. The biblical insight related to marriage and family therapy will also be explored as well as my personal reflections about this topic. History and Development of Marriage Counseling Marriage counseling was established in the early 1930s. Counselors recognized the advantages and effectiveness of treating married couples in joined sessions. This growing appreciation for patterns of relationships in families led to numerous studies on marital conflict and dynamics and the effects on childrens development. In 1932, there were three marital clinics said to open. They worked with individuals and their difficulties adhering to traditional gender role expectations. Developed and founded in the late 1970’s was the Marriage and Family Therapy’s code of ethics which is called The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). The organizations philosophy was that marriage and family therapy were two separate areas, each with their own histories, concepts and differing practices. (AAMFT, 2012) Introduction of Marriage and Family Counseling Counseling is to help persons understand and clarify their views of their life space, and to learn to reach their self-determined goals through meaningful, well-informed choices and through resolution or problems of an emotional or interpersonal nature. (Burks and Steffire, 1979 . Focusing on a broader field in counseling, What is Marriage and Family Counseling? Marriage and family counselors work with couples and families on a wide range of clinical problems including, but not limited to, depression, marital strife, communication, and anxiety and child-parent problems. Marriage and family counseling is not just for unhappy or struggling couples, couple’s therapy can be used proactively to strengthen bonds and to gain a better understanding of one other. In addition, before a marriage begins pre-marital counseling can help couples achieve a deeper understanding of each other and iron out differences before their wedding day. They also help families learn to solve their problems by managing their relationships effectively. Family therapists often work with individuals, the couple and parents and children to get a better perspective of patterns that affect the entire system to develop strategies for modification. (Corey, Corey ;amp; Callanan p. 450 2011). Family Counseling is important to the counseling field this therapy can help people within the family to resolve their disputes and quarrels through effective communication. Proper communication with the help of a therapist or a counselor can help family members discuss their problems and issues with each other. The importance of the family in our development as whole and healthy individuals is recognized as a basic truth by. In most cases, however, a disturbed and distressed client will have some difficult, challenging relationships within his/her family and these will need to be explored and addressed if the client is to discover and create relief and resolution of their problem. Biblical Insights related to Marriage and Family Therapy In the book, Competent Christian Counseling it states that â€Å"To understand the individual, the one must see the individual in the context of his or her system of relationships† This implies that the quality of a individual is much more than one person, the person is a part of a social system that begins with family. (Clinton ;amp; Ohlsclager p. 518 2002). From a biblical aspect Family is described as a social system that progressed by forming a set of rules, roles, power structure. Forms of communication and way to solve problems. There are four key principles that a Christian counselors point out when approaching any family. The first one is â€Å"The family, in is social dimensions, reflects God†. Meaning that The Father, Son and Holy Spirit all have unique distinctiveness however they are â€Å"one† as God; this is compared to the Family. A family can consist of a mother, father and children or a mother and husband. If thought they are their own persons, they are considered â€Å"one†. The second key principle that is describe is â€Å"Family health, individual health, and maturity are inseparably entwined†. This key principle entails that the powers of family identity and socialization is significant for growth and development among each family member, which can ultimately lead to healthy family living. â€Å"The Family is also like the church is that next basic principle, meaning that a family has functions like the church. Finally, the last key principle describes states that â€Å"Trouble is reproduced, but can also be stopped, in families and in generations of families†. This key principle indicates that there is a psychosocial and spiritual relation among family reproduction pertaining to alcoholism and other issues as describes in Competent Christian Counseling as â€Å"generational curses†. Christians believe that these issues within families from generation to generation can be transformed through Christ. A example is that of Abraham found in Genesis 20. Abrahams family was said to show favoritism to certain children, which continued for three generations. When it comes to marriage counseling, Christian counselors believe marriage counseling helps couples to understand God’s pattern for husband-wife relationships, diagnoses unbiblical patterns and their root causes, and prescribes God’s solutions for soul change that leads to relational growth. Biblical marriage counseling should result in enhanced relationship: closeness with Christ, intimacy with your spouse, and a sense of greater peace. Biblical insights involving to family counseling, the focus is solutions, not simply external solutions. Your counselor will help you to understand God’s design for healthy family living, will assist you to assess unhealthy and unbiblical ways of relating as parents and children, and will equip you to reconcile and grow in your family relationships. Counselor Identity, Functions and Ethics of Marriage and Family Counseling The practice of Marriage and Family counseling rest on the foundation of systems theory, which views psychological problems as arising from within the person’s present environment and intergenerational family system. Corey, Corey, Callanan p. 449 2011). The systems theory is very similar to the views on Christian Counselors as stated earlier; â€Å"Trouble is reproduced, but can also be stopped, in families and in generations of families†. Marriage and Family therapists follow a specific code of ethics know as The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Founded in 1942 as the American Association of Marriage Counselors, the A AMFT has been involved with the problems, needs and changing patterns of couples and family relationships. The association focuses on increasing understanding, research and education in the field of marriage and family therapy, and ensuring the quality training of marriage and family therapists. AAMFT members meet standards for education and training and are held to the ethical standards of the profession. (AAMFT, 2011) AAMFT ethics are broken down in eight core areas. The first area is the responsibility to Clients. Marriage and family therapist have a responsibility to the welfare of both the family and individuals in the family. Therapists are to make reasonable efforts to guarantee their services are used properly and accordingly. Confidentiality is the next core area, which applies to all code of ethics pertaining to the counseling field. Confidentially in Marriage and Family is distinctive because the therapist is dealing with a group of people. However, the AAMFT insist on therapists to respect the confidentiality of each individual client. Although, confidentiality is essential, there are some exceptions. Those exceptions include, mandates by the law pertaining to cases of child and elderly abuse, incest, or abuse to persons with disabilities. A therapist has an exemption from confidentially when it is necessary to protect clients from hurting themselves and others (AAMFT, 2011). When working with a family, all family members must agree concerning the release of any information. Some therapists, in fact, arrange for sessions with individual family members to actively encourage the sharing of secrets to better understand what is occurring in the family. The therapist then may work with the individual client in the hope of enabling that person to disclose the same information in the family session. Marriage and family therapists are to maintain high standards if professional competence and integrity. Therapists must remain current on any developments and advances relevant to their field of practice. They can do this by continuing education, training, workshops and interacting with other professionals in the marriage and family therapy field. (Corey, Corey ;amp; Callanan p. 452 2011). Therapists also have a responsibility to students and supervisees. They are not to manipulate the trust and dependency of the students and supervisees in which there are working with. Responsibility to the profession is the next core is in the AAMFT code of ethics. This includes reporting people practicing without a license and contributing to community service for advancement of the society. The next core area is financial arrangements. Marriage and family therapists are not to misuse clients financially for services. Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions states that clients are to be â€Å"truthful in representing facts to clients and to third parties regarding any services rendered†. The last core area in the ethical standards of Marriage and family therapy is advertising. Therapists are able to truthfully represent their competence, education, training and experience in marriage and family therapy. Nevertheless, they should not advertise themselves as specialists with show evidence and supporting this assertion. The therapists primary responsibilities are to protect the rights and to promote the welfare of his or her clients. The dilemma with multiple clients is that in some situations an intervention that serves one persons best interests may be conflicting to another. Indeed, the very reason that families tend to seek therapy is because they have conflicting goals and interests. The family therapist must insure that improvement in the status of one family member does not Occur at the expense of another family member. Other therapists implement the policy of not keeping secrets from other family members. They clearly discourage the sharing of any information that might lead to a special alliance with one individual and that excludes the remaining uninformed family members. The impact of the therapists values, unavoidable in any counseling process, can play a particularly role in marriage and family therapies. Issues discussed in family therapy elicit very important personal, familial, and societal values regarding preservation of the family system, extramarital relationships, and sex roles. Dealing with these values is not easy, particularly when the therapist confronts a conflict in values among different family members and is inclined to reinforce the beliefs and attitudes of one family member over another (Hines amp; Hare p. 65 1978). Premarital Counseling Couples now face more demands and have fewer supports than ever before. The typical complex marriage includes managing two careers while rearing children really requires that couples have very strong, well-established abilities to communicate, resolve issues, maintain support and set goals. Without this foundation, its easy to feel overwhelmed by stress and time pressures. Problems can intrude mu ch more easily than most couples realize. Therefore, premarital counseling is recommended for couples looking to eventually get married. Research shows that premarital counseling reduces the risk of divorce by up to 30% . Premarital counseling is a type of therapy that helps couples prepare for marriage. Premarital counseling can help ensure that you and your partner have a strong, healthy relationship, giving you a better chance for a stable and satisfying marriage. Premarital counseling can also help you identify weaknesses that could become bigger problems during marriage. There are a variety of formats of counseling through local psychology and counseling centers, including individual counseling, small group counseling and interactive seminars where couples participate with a large number of other couples. (Wright p. 65 1992) Characteristics and Qualifications of Marriage and Family Therapists To be qualified as a marriage and family therapist requires not just that you get the right degree, pass the right tests and meet the licensing requirements, but that you possess qualities that prove you to be both sensitive and firm. Corey, Corey and Callanan in Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions identifies personal characteristics for effective marriage and family therapists as being assertive, confident, accepting, appreciating the influence of diversity to just name a few. Self knowledge is predominantly vital for marriage and family therapists because when working with a family, their reactions and perceptions are influenced by their own regard to family of origin issues. Marriage and Family Therapists must be sensitive to dealing with peoples most personal and graphic secrets, shame, guilt and rage. A Marriage and Family therapist should be embarrassed to hear about these things or make distasteful comments about a chosen lifestyle or action, otherwise she risks shutting out the patient. An effective marriage and family therapists must listen to stories that are painful to hear but should remember that those stories are always more painful for the teller than the listener. An important quality in an marriage and family therapists is recognizing the difference between judging and advising. A good marriage and family therapist will help the patient with insights into sensible decisions that lead to greater personal happiness and responsibility but will not tell the patient what choice to make or ask the patient to adhere to the therapists own likes and dislikes. An marriage and family therapist should distinguish between dysfunctional qualities in a patient and those that are simply non-normative. Marriage and family therapists may hear confessions of illegal activity or hear from the victims of crimes, and legal codes dictate what they have to report. A therapists job is not just to listen but to encourage the patient to take action in his life to get the patient to see their actions in a clear light and make good decisions in turn. Marriage and family therapist can become eligible for state certification, or licensure, upon completion of their internship. First, candidates must register with the Association of Marital and Therapy Regulatory Boards. The Regulatory board will examine the applicants credentials, education and experience to establish competency before the applicant can qualify for testing. State certification costs vary from state to state. Each state has different rules regarding retesting if the candidate does not pass the test on his or her first attempt. Upon completion of the test, scores are validated and mailed to the candidate. A candidate who has passed the state exam is called a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and is free to practice in a private or clinical setting. The educational requirements to become a Marriage and Family Therapist are regulated by each state and thus may vary; however, most will require a masters degree or higher in Marriage and Family Therapy or a related field from an accredited institution. It is essential for students to gain experience in working with a selection of families from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. A program that offers a all-inclusive course work and clinical supervision provides the ideal learning situation. Corey, Corey amp; Callanan p. 457 2011) Ethical Dilemmas is Marriage and Family Counseling Couples counselors and family and marriage therapists are likely to encounter many ethical dilemmas throughout their careers. Because of the nature of couples therapy, issues pertaining to informed consent, confidentiality, multiple relationships, and value systems can have a damaging effect of the counselor-client relationship if they arent handled appropriately and discussed by both parties at the beginning of the counseling relationship. Informed consent refers to the process of informing clients about the therapeutic process. Issues such as fees and payment schedules, appointment cancellation policy, theoretical framework that the counselor employs in his practice, approaches and techniques the counselor intends to use with clients and the limits of confidentiality should all be discussed. In addition to discussing verbal consultation, clients also should be given an informed consent package detailing all the information discussed in session. Clients should be asked to sign an informed consent document for both the client and counselors records. In couples counseling, informed consent prevents misunderstandings, disagreements and hostility between the counselor and the client. (AAMFT, 2011) One of the biggest ethical dilemmas in any kind of counseling is confidentiality. This is particularly complicated when it comes to couples counseling in which couples receive both individual and couple counseling. It is important for the counselor to determine early on in the counseling process whether information disclosed in individual counseling sessions will be kept confidential or if both individuals will sign waivers allowing whats discussed in private sessions to be brought up in couples counseling. According to the AAMFT Code of Ethics, counselors must discuss the limits of confidentiality with their clients and make sure clients understand these limits. Article 2. of the AAMFT Code of Ethics states that marriage and family therapists do not disclose client confidences except by written authorization or waiver, or where mandated or permitted by law. Verbal authorization will not be sufficient except in emergency situations, unless prohibited by law. When providing couple, family or group treatment, the therapist does not disclose information outside the treatment context without a written authorization from each individual competent to execute a waiver. In the context of couple, family or group treatment, the therapist may not reveal any individuals confidences to others in the client unit without the prior written permission of that individual. (AAMFT, 2011) In counseling, multiple relationships refer to a situation when the counselor and client are engaged in a sexual or nonsexual relationship outside the counseling relationship. Multiple relationships are often unavoidable, especially in small towns; as a counselor, you may attend the same church as your clients, your children might be on the same soccer team or you may serve on the same board or council. However, multiple relationships should always be avoided when possible. In couples counseling, multiple relationships can further complicate the counseling relationship if the counselor is involved in a multiple relationship with one client but not the other. The client that is not involved in the multiple relationships may feel that the counselor is taking sides or treating her unfairly. (Corey, Corey ;amp; Callanan 2011) At some point in their careers, counselors are likely to encounter couples with a value and belief system that differs significantly from their own. Within the counseling relationship, the counselor has a position of authority; the counselor must not take advantage of this position by trying to impose his values on the client or clients. Counselors must understand that individuals from different backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities and religions than their own may have different value systems. It is not the counselors job to change his clients value system; it is only the counselors job to help clients become comfortable with the decisions they make within their personal value systems. Article 1. of the AAMFT Code of ethics states that marriage and family counselors respect the rights of clients to make decisions and help them to understand the consequences of these decisions. (AAMFT, 2011). Personal Reflections In todays world more and more people are experiencing life struggles when it comes to family. These issues can range from problems in a marriage, how to deal with your children issues and understand yourself and how to deal with your family and certain issues. The area of marriage and family counseling/therapy has had an outbreak over the past decade. The counselors are expected to work effectively with families experiencing a variety of issues and problems. In marriage and family therapy/counseling there are so many different types of techniques that are out there but should be used and looked upon not a cure, but a method to help mobilize the family. Choosing this topic wasnt hard for me because of the love I have my family and evaluating what I believe needs to be repaired and what I believe stands strong for us. I believe in saving marriages and families, I think it is really important. Having strong family and a stable marriage plays such a major part in kids lives today, they need a solid foundation in order to have a healthy life. Watching so many young couples get divorce after less than two years of marriage and seeing how the kids suffer really from the break up of the family. I believe that if younger therapist/counselors were out there and start getting involved in the community, church and conducting seminars relating to marriage and families this could be the beginning of change. This is why I chose this topic to research.

Bad Medicine :: Essays Papers

Bad Medicine Before the age of television shows, movies, and the Internet people entertained one another with vibrant and exaggerated tales. Geoffrey Chaucer’s, The Canterbury Tales, is a good example of this form of entertainment. The novel details the journey of a band of pilgrims, who engaged in a storytelling competition, as they travel toward the shrine of Thomas à   Becket. These Middle Age storytellers varied as much as the stories, and consisted of a knight, physician, monk, and many more. In â€Å"the Prologue† the Physician is revealed as a con artist who cares more about himself than his patients. The Physician was a medical doctor, who was responsible for taking care of the ill and disease stricken. â€Å"No one alive could talk as well as he did / On points of medicine and surgery†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Chaucer 30). He was part of the rising middle class society and his garments that were â€Å"lined with taffeta† (Chaucer 31) made this assumption apparent. During the Middle Ages taffeta was a material like silk, which was very expensive, so only the wealthy could afford it. To many he seemed to be a productive member of society, but appearances can be deceiving. People of the medical profession were looked upon with a certain respect; so many patients did not question what was prescribed. The Physician misused his title to take advantage of his patients’ faith. He was revealed as a liar and a cheat. He was a partner with the druggist, to help each other build their wealth. The reader can draw the appearance of his deceit in the following quote, â€Å"He gave the man his medicine then and there. / All his apothecaries in a tribe / Were ready with the drugs he would prescribe / And each made money from the other’s guile; / They had been friendly for a goodish while† (Chaucer 30). Chaucer describes these habits of the physician in order to allow the reader to paint a mental picture of his morals and character. Chaucer also brings the readers attention to the fact that the Physician â€Å"did not read the Bible very much† (31). Chaucer implies that the Physician is a sinner, who did not see an error in his dishonesty. Many analysts believe that Chaucer was trying to portray certain qualities through the vivid descriptions of the characters’, such as in the following quote describing the physician; â€Å"In blood-red garments, slashed with bluish grey / And lined with taffeta †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Chaucer 31).

Hantavirus: National Park Service and Popular Camping Site

Hantavirus It seems that the there has been an outbreak of a rare, deadly virus called the Hantavirus in Yosemite National Park. According to the article, there has been an outbreak of hantavirus infections in Curry Village, a popular camping site in Yosemite, and that two people have already died from it. However, this isn’t the first time the hantavirus has spread. In 1993, the virus had been first discovered when a terrifying outbreak unfolded in the Four Corners Area of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah.The fatality rate was incredibly high—killing about half the people it infected. But, what exactly is the Hantavirus? The Hantavirus causes a disease called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which can kill an infected within just 10 days. Researchers have learned that the hantavirus is spread by the wastes and saliva of deer mice, whose population in Yosemite is bigger than usual this year.Over the 20 years since the virus has been discovered, experts have been ab le to learn more about the disease thus making them better at saving lives, but not that much better. Currently, there is no official cure. With that being said, I believe that this article was published to alert people about the hantavirus. It’s obvious that the hantavirus is extremely fatal and sneaky, for its symptoms are similar to those of harmless illnesses. People need to be notified to be cautious of their health.It might be in Yosemite for now, but modern technology gives us humans the ability to travel great distances. Although there has been a recent outbreak, I do not think the hantavirus is or will ever be an epidemic. This is because I think that us humans are more than capable to stop the spread of this virus. I remember reading about the SARS outbreak that originated in China a couple of years ago. The CDC and the World Health Organization were immediately put into action as soon as it was found to have hit North America.Flights were grounded, travel within bo rders was locked, and only around 40 people died in the entire continent. Also, I believe that this is the way we can fix this problem, almost like how they fixed the SARS outbreak. We should restrict travel to and from Yosemite so that the spread radius is minimized. Then, we should thoroughly study the virus and develop a cure. Unlike SARS, the cause of hantavirus infections is no longer a mystery. I believe that experts can cure the virus in just a few weeks if this is process is followed.

B-52 Stratofortress - Strategic Air Command

On November 23, 1945, only weeks after the end of World War II, the US Air Material Command issued performance specifications for a new long-range, nuclear bomber. Calling for a cruising speed of 300 mph and a combat radius of 5,000 miles, AMC invited bids the following February from Martin, Boeing, and Consolidated. Developing the Model 462, a straight-wing bomber powered by six turboprops, Boeing was able to win the competition despite the fact that the aircrafts range fell short of the specifications. Moving forward, Boeing was issued a contract on June 28, 1946, to build a mock-up of the new XB-52 bomber. Over the next year, Boeing was forced to change the design several times as the US Air Force first showed concern over the XB-52s size and then increased the required cruising speed. By June 1947, the USAF realized that when complete the new aircraft would nearly be obsolete. While the project was put on hold, Boeing continued to refine their latest design. That September, the Heavy Bombardment Committee issued new performance requirements demanding 500 mph and an 8,000-mile range, both of which were far beyond Boeings latest design. Lobbying hard, the president of Boeing, William McPherson Allen, was able to prevent their contract from being terminated. Coming to an accord with the USAF, Boeing was instructed to begin exploring recent technological advances with an eye to incorporating them into the XB-52 program. Moving forward, Boeing presented a new design in April 1948, but was told the next month that the new aircraft should incorporate jet engines. After swapping out turboprops for jets on their Model 464-40, Boeing was ordered to design a completely new aircraft utilizing the Pratt Whitney J57 turbojet on October 21, 1948. A week later, Boeing engineers first tested the design that would become the basis for the final aircraft. Possessing 35-degree swept wings, the new XB-52 design was powered by eight engines placed in four pods under the wings. During testing, concerns arose regarding the fuel consumption of the engines, however the commander of the Strategic Air Command, General Curtis LeMay insisted the program move forward. Two prototypes were built and the first flew on April 15, 1952, with famed test pilot Alvin Tex Johnston at the controls. Pleased with the result, the USAF placed an order for 282 aircraft. B-52 Stratofortress - Operational History Entering operational service in 1955, the B-52B Stratofortress replaced the Convair B-36 Peacemaker. During its initial years of service, several minor issues arose with the aircraft and the J57 engines experienced reliability problems. A year later, the B-52 dropped its first hydrogen bomb during testing at Bikini Atoll. On January 16–18, 1957, the USAF demonstrated the bombers reach by having three B-52s fly non-stop around the world. As additional aircraft were built, numerous changes and modifications were made. In 1963, the Strategic Air Command fielded a force of 650 B-52s. With the US entry into the Vietnam War, the B-52 saw its first combat missions as part of Operations Rolling Thunder (March 1965) and Arc Light (June 1965). Later that year, several B-52Ds underwent Big Belly modifications to facilitate the aircrafts use in carpet bombing. Flying from bases in Guam, Okinawa, and Thailand, B-52s were able to unleash devastating firepower on their targets. It was not until November 22, 1972, that the first B-52 was lost to enemy fire when an aircraft was downed by a surface-to-air missile. The B-52s most notable role in Vietnam was during Operation Linebacker II in December 1972, when waves of bombers struck targets across North Vietnam. During the war, 18 B-52s were lost to enemy fire and 13 to operational causes. While many B-52s saw action over Vietnam, the aircraft continued to fulfill its nuclear deterrence role. B-52s routinely flew airborne alert missions to provide a rapid first strike or retaliation capability in case of war with the Soviet Union. These missions ended in 1966, following the collision of a B-52 and a KC-135 over Spain. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War between Israel, Egypt, and Syria, B-52 squadrons were placed on a war footing in an effort to prevent the Soviet Union from becoming involved in the conflict. By the early 1970s, many of the early variants of the B-52 began to be retired. With the B-52 aging, the USAF sought to replace the aircraft with the B-1B Lancer, however strategic concerns and cost issues prevented this from occurring. As a result, B-52Gs and B-52Hs remained a part of the Strategic Air Commands nuclear standby force until 1991. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the B-52G was removed from service and the aircraft destroyed as part of the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty. With the launch of the coalition air campaign during the 1991 Gulf War, the B-52H returned to combat service. Flying from bases in the United States, Britain, Spain, and Diego Garcia, B-52s conducted both close air support and strategic bombing missions, as well as served as a launch platform for cruise missiles. Carpet bombing strikes by B-52s proved particularly effective and the aircraft was responsible for 40% of the munitions dropped on Iraqi forces during the war. In 2001, the B-52 again returned to the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Due to the aircrafts long loiter time, it proved highly effective in providing needed close air support to the troops on the ground. It has fulfilled a similar role over Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. As of April 2008, the USAFs B-52 fleet consisted of 94 B-52Hs which operate from Minot (North Dakota) and Barksdale (Louisiana) Air Force Bases. An economical aircraft, the USAF intends to retain the B-52 through 2040 and has investigated several options for updating and enhancing the bomber, including replacing its eight engines with four Rolls-Royce RB211 534E-4 engines. General Specifications of the B-52H Length:  159 ft. 4 in.Wingspan:  185 ft.Height:  40 ft. 8 in.Wing Area:  4,000  sq. ft.Empty Weight:  185,000 lbs.Loaded Weight:  265,000 lbs.Crew:  5 (pilot, copilot, radar navigator (bombardier), navigator, and electronic warfare officer) Performance Power Plant:  8 Ãâ€" Pratt Whitney TF33-P-3/103 turbofansCombat Radius:  4,480 milesMax Speed:  650 mphCeiling:  50,000 ft. Armament Guns:  1 Ãâ€" 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon (remote controlled tail turret)Bombs/Missiles:  60,000 lbs. of bombs, missiles, mines in numerous configurations Selected Sources US Air Force: B-52 StratofortressFAS: B-52 StratofortressGlobal Security: B-52 Stratofortress