Engineers honors deployers

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Airmen from the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron fired up the barbecues and treated their deploying members and the families to a cookout on the eve of their deployments. To give them a proper send off and to meet their families, volunteers and co-workers cooked hamburgers, hotdogs and sausages on the grills. More than 35 members from the squadron will be deploying as a team in the next two weeks and many others will deploy within the next two months. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares)

Neville Thompson

Neville Thompson, Air Force Research Laboratory senior electronics engineer, is a recipient of the 2007 Professional Achievement in government Award. Mr. Thompson, assigned to the AFRL Munitions Directorate, received the honor for his outstanding accomplishments during the 21st anniversary of the Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference, held Feb. 15 - 17, in Washington D.C.

Good to go

Capt. Michael Frasco, a flight commander in the wing's 33d Maintenance Operations Squadron, joins representatives from each military service in the "Why We Serve" Speakers Outreach Program, traveling around the country for three months telling his personal story of serving.

Nice Cut

Staff Sgt. Anthony Brown, 58th Fighter Squadron Life Support Airman, carefully removes Velcro from a new G-suit to get the suit ready for use. Sergeant Brown makes up part of the 33d Fighter Wing Life Support Section that was awarded best small unit in Air Combat Command for 2006.

Spot Free

Airman Joshua Riffe, 58th Fighter Squadron Life Support Airman, finishes cleaning and prepping helmets after the pilots return from their sorties. Airman Riffe makes up part of the 33d Fighter Wing Life Support Section that was awarded best small unit in Air Combat Command for 2006.

Routine maintenance keeps Kingpin in control of skies over Iraq

Balad Air Base, Iraq - Technical Sgt. Kelvin Curry, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) shop Noncommissioned officer in charge, replaces a broken belt from an air conditioning unit at Balad Air Base, Iraq. Sergeant Curry is assigned to the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron (EACS) and is deployed from the 728th Air Control Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Also known as Kingpin, the self-sustaining 727th EACS is comprised of nealry 200 Airmen from 27 different Air Force specialties. Air conditioning units like this keep Kingpin's radars, computers and communication equipment cool, allowing its controllers to maintain positive control over aircraft operating in Iraq's 277,000 miles of airspace. (U.S. Air Force photo/Major Damien Pickart)

Kingpin Airman keeps OIF aircrew in touch with ground controllers

Balad Air Base, Iraq - Airman First Class Nicholas Chase, a satellite wideband and radio maintenance technician, monitors a radio test set to ensure radar controllers' have clear communication with aircrew flying over Iraq in support of OIF. Airman Chase is assigned to the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron (EACS) and is deployed from the 728th Air Control Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Also known as Kingpin, the self-sustaining 727th EACS is comprised of nealry 200 Airmen from 27 different Air Force specialties. Kingpin is responsible for maintaining positive control over aircraft operating in Iraq's 277,000 miles of airspace. (U.S. Air Force photo/Major Damien Pickart)

Radar technicians keep Kinpin controllers aware of friend versus foe

Balad Air Base, Iraq - Senior Airmen Jason Gleason and Charles Storr, both radar technicians, bench check a UPX-27 Interrogator, a key component of the Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) system, which challenges and identifies aircraft. Both Airmen are assigned to the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron (EACS). Airman Gleason is deployed from the 728th Air Control Squadron (ACS) at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Airman Storr is a volunteer augmentee from the 603rd ACS, Aviano Air Base, Italy. Also known as Kingpin, the self-sustaining 727th EACS is comprised of nealry 200 Airmen from 27 different Air Force specialties. Kingpin is responsible for maintaining positive control over aircraft operating in Iraq's 277,000 miles of airspace. (U.S. Air Force photo/Major Damien Pickart)

Kingpin Airmen maintain OIF radar systems

Balad Air Base, Iraq - Senior Airmen Amanda Hoffman and Rebekka Baker conduct an operational check of a AN/TPS-75 radar system at Balad Air Base, Iraq. Both Airmen are assigned to the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron (EACS) and are deployed from the 728th Air Control Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Also known as Kingpin, the 727th EACS is responsible for maintaining positive control over aircraft operating in Iraq's 277,000 miles of airspace. (U.S. Air Force photo/Major Damien Pickart)

Kingpin perform maintenance on OIF radar control system

Balad Air Base, Iraq - Senior Airmen Amanda Hoffman and Rebekka Baker secure the radar equipment van after completing an operational check of a AN/TPS-75 radar system at Balad Air Base, Iraq. Both Airmen are assigned to the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron (EACS) and are deployed from the 728th Air Control Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Also known as Kingpin, the 727th EACS is responsible for maintaining positive control over aircraft operating in Iraq's 277,000 miles of airspace. (U.S. Air Force photo/Major Damien Pickart)

Golden Knights

Golden Knights

Daddy's little 'Princess'

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Scarlett Quesenberry, 7, sits in the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at the Magic Kingdom after her Princess Aurora, Sleeping Beauty, make over. The Quesenberry family wrote an essay to enter the "Year of a Million Dreams" Celebration essay contest and was selected from entries of 14 eligible military bases throughout the state. The essay was about their contribution to enriching the lives of the local military community. (photo by Melissa Leonard, Walt Disney marketing)