Baby Boom

Dylan Wilson Jr., became the 105th baby born this month at the Eglin Hospital Oct. 31 at 10:05 p.m. The staff of the 96th Inpatient Squadron haven't reached more than 100 births in one month in eight years. The hospital had 108 births in August 2003. The 96th Medical Group’s delivery unit averages a little more than 60 births per month. The significant spike was attributed to the influx of new military personnel over the summer to include the 7th Special Forces Group, according to Maternal/Child Flight Commander, Maj. Cindee Wolf. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Round of applause

Col. Sal Nodjomian, 96th Air Base Wing commander, applauds his wing after announcing the results of the Operational Readiness Inspection Oct. 28 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The wing received an overall excellent rating in all four areas of the inspection and more than 200 people were recognized for their efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kevin Gaddie)

Weapons Load Competition

Staff Sgt. Michael Barnes, from the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, watches as the AIM-9 is moved into place during the 46th Maintenance Group’s third quarter weapons load competition at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Oct. 28. The best of the best from AMU Red and AMU Blue met to load a Joint Direct Attack Munition and an AIM-9 onto an F-15 and F-16 respectively. AMU Red won with the best time and fewest errors. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Weapons Load Competition

Staff Sgt. Anthony Childers, 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew leader, completes checks of his F-15 during the 46th Maintenance Group’s third quarter weapons load competition at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Oct. 28. The best of the best from AMU Red and AMU Blue met to load a Joint Direct Attack Munition and an AIM-9 onto an F-15 and F-16 respectively. AMU Red won with the best time and fewest errors. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Weapons Load Competition

Staff Sgt. Anthony Childers, 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew leader, places the proper fittings onto the weapon loader during the 46th Maintenance Group’s third quarter weapons load competition at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Oct. 28. The best of the best from AMU Red and AMU Blue met to load a Joint Direct Attack Munition and an AIM-9 onto an F-15 and F-16 respectively. AMU Red won with the best time and fewest errors. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Weapons Load Competition

Senior Airman Michael Simmers, with the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, directs the loader to where the weapon needs to be during the 46th Maintenance Group’s third quarter weapons load competition at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Oct. 28. The best of the best from AMU Red and AMU Blue met to load a Joint Direct Attack Munition and an AIM-9 onto an F-15 and F-16 respectively. AMU Red won with the best time and fewest errors. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

F-35 maintainers validate engine processes for future

Staff Sgt. Jason Anderson, a 58th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron maintainer, guides an F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter engine immobilizer into place at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Oct. 27. Airmen, Marines and Sailors are executing step-by-step processes to validate engine maintenance procedures for the F-135 to ensure they are sound before being taught to future F-35 maintainers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

F-35 maintainers validate engine processes for future

Staff Sgt.s Jason Anderson and Michael Sanders, maintainers with the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, try to remove a piece of equipment from the front of the an F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter engine at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Oct. 27. Airmen, Marines and Sailors are executing step-by-step processes to validate engine maintenance procedures for the F-135 to ensure they are sound before being taught to future F-35 maintainers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

F-35 maintainers validate engine processes for future

Sgt. Orazio Cara, a Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 maintainer, makes adjustments to an F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter engine at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Oct. 27. Airmen, Marines and Sailors are executing step-by-step processes to validate engine maintenance procedures for the F-135 to ensure they are sound before being taught to future F-35 maintainers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

EOD students give back

Airmen help clear space for a greenhouse and garden at the Boys and Girls Club. Seven students from Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal spent their free day helping others. (USAF photo/Lois Walsh)

EOD students give back

Airman 1st Class John Nelson removes lumber from a storage shed at the Boys and Girls Club. Seven students from Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal spent their free day helping others. (USAF photo/Lois Walsh)

EOD students give back

Airman 1st Class Shane Hakimi clears a storage shed at the Boys and Girls Club. Seven students from Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal spent their free day helping others. (USAF photo/Lois Walsh)

Navy wingmen

Cmdr. Scott Kartvedt, commander of Naval F-35 squadron VFA-101, tosses a bean bag as Cmdr. John Allison, also from VFA-101, waits to throw, Oct. 7 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The 33rd Fighter Wing Airmen, Marines and Sailors took some time off from F-35 preparations to come together for some Wingman Day activities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Karen Roganov)

Chief chef

Chief Master Sgt. Rodney T. Cherry, of the 33rd Maintenance Group, prepares burgers for about 400 members of the 33d Fighter Wing. Eight of the wing’s chiefs kept the charred burgers cooking and the plates full for the lunch portion of Wingman Day Oct. 7. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Karen Roganov)

Morning exercise

The on-scene commander gives orders on what to do next during a fire exercise at the auto hobby shop Oct. 5 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Firefighters had to enter the smoke-filled facility, find and put out the fire and rescue two simulated victims as part of the Operational Readiness Exercise’s that took place throughout the week. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

To the source

Joe Stein, a firefighter with the 96th Civil Engineer Group, attaches a firehose to the hydrant as other firefighters prepare to enter a simulated house fire during an exercise in base housing Oct. 5 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Firefighters had to enter the smoke-filled home, find and put out the fire and rescue two simulated victims as part of the Operational Readiness Exercise’s that took place throughout the week. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

House call

Rick Cole, a firefighter with the 96th Civil Engineer Group, drags the fire hose up to the door of the house during a fire exercise in base housing Oct. 5 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Firefighters had to enter the smoke-filled home, find and put out the fire and rescue two simulated victims as part of the Operational Readiness Exercise’s that took place throughout the week. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Ready to go

Airman 1st Class Daniel Hayden, a firefighter with the 96th Civil Engineer Group, waits for the order to enter the building during a fire exercise at the auto hobby shop Oct. 5 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Firefighters had to enter the smoke-filled facility find and put out the fire and rescue two simulated victims as part of the Operational Readiness Exercise’s that took place throughout the week. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Gear up

Airman 1st Class Tyler Omara, a firefighter with the 96th Civil Engineer Group, secures his mask as Airman 1st Class Daniel Hayden brings in more equipment during a fire exercise at the auto hobby shop Oct. 5 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Firefighters had to enter the smoke-filled facility find and put out the fire and rescue two simulated victims as part of the Operational Readiness Exercise’s that took place throughout the week. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Call for help

Louis Szymanski, a firefighter with the 96th Civil Engineer Group, calls in for help while Anthony Nespoli waits to begin extraction of a simulated victim during a house fire exercise in base housing Oct. 5 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Firefighters had to enter the smoke-filled home, find and put out the fire and rescue two simulated victims as part of the Operational Readiness Exercise’s that took place throughout the week. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Buddy care

A firefighter and two medics secure an injured firefighter before moving him away from the simulated house fire in base housing Oct. 5 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Firefighters had to enter the smoke-filled home, find and put out the fire and rescue two simulated victims as part of the Operational Readiness Exercise’s that took place throughout the week. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Weaponized

Weapons loaders carry a missile to an awaiting aircraft prior to a Combat Archer mission at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. Combat Archer is a weapons system evaluation program mission conducted by the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group. The group is responsible for air-to-ground and air-to-air weapons evaluation. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. John Hoffmann)

33rd FW Weapons Loading Trainer delivered

Tech. Sgt. Jeff Taggart, of Det. 19, 372nd Training Squadron, maneuvers the training weapon underneath the recently delivered F-35 Lightning II Weapons Loading Trainer. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Greg Steiner, of the 359th Training Squadron, guides it into its permanent home at the 33rd Fighter Wing's Academic Training Center Sept. 23. Eric Litton, a Lockheed Martin weapons instructor, monitors Marine Sgt. Joel Perkins, of the 359th Training Squadron, directing Joint Tech Data procedures utilizing the Portable Maintenance Aid (laptop). Capt. Mike Byrd, of the ATC staff, evaluates the load process. The ATC is the schoolhouse of the F-35 Integrated Training Center for pilot and maintenance joint strike fighter training in all three of Department of Defense aircraft variants. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Point & shoot

Master Sgt. William Newcomb, the NCO-in-charge of training for the 96th Security Forces Squadron, fires his X-26 Taser at a target across the room during a demonstration at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. All 96 SFS personnel must attend an eight-hour course to carry a taser. It is required annual training to maintain certification for the device. 16 SFS Airmen and civilians were trained or re-certified through at class Sept. 22. Six people received exposure to the taser’s 50,000 volts for five seconds to better understand, first-hand, how the body reacts to the shot. It is not a requirement to receive exposure to the taser to carry the weapon. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)