A chilly read

Meredith Anderson, daughter of Capt. Joel Anderson, 413th Flight Test Squadron, reads a particularly appropriate book while sitting in the snowy conditions of the McKinley Climatic Lab Sept. 9 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Meredith visited the lab as part of Operation Read, the base library's military-themed summer reading program. More than 300 registered readers were able to visit different base facilities such as the military working dog kennels and the climatic lab. (U.S. Air Force photo/Dorothee Bennett)

Water survival

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Aircrew flight equipment specialists from 46th Operation Support Squadron teach water survival to Eglin aircrew Sept. 10 at Post'l Point. Some of the activities were: escaping from under a water parachute trainer, moving harness release, and surviving in the one-man life raft. This training is essential to aircrew survival after an in-air emergency. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Felicia L. Welch)

Flare up

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Staff Sgt. Joseph White, 46th Operation Support Squadron’s life support flight, teaches students how to use flares during a water survival training class Sept. 10, at Post'l Point More than a dozen aircrew members received the training that day. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Felicia L. Welch)

Buckle up

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Tech. Sgt. Maikel Figueroa-Jimenez, 46th Operation Support Squadron Life Support Flight, assists Maj. David Garay, AAC executive officer, Sept. 10, in donning his personal flotation device and chute harness at Post'l Point. More than a dozen aircrew members received their annual water survival training that day. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Felicia L. Welch)

O' wayward son

Members of the Eglin honor guard remove the flag-draped casket from the hearse during a mock funeral as part of the Eglin honor guard graduation Sept. 3. The class performs a funeral ceremony with full honors for base leadership before graduating afterward. The ceremony has four honor guard functions to be performed: the flag detail, the 21-gun salute, pall bearers and bugler. Eglin’s honor guard holds four classes per year with 15 Airmen graduating this particular class. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Salute

Staff Sgt. Raymond Stead, Eglin honor guard, salutes the flag during a mock funeral as part of the honor guard graduation Sept. 3. The class performs a funeral ceremony with full honors for base leadership before graduating afterward. The ceremony has four honor guard functions to be performed: the flag detail, the 21-gun salute, pall bearers and bugler. Eglin’s honor guard holds four classes per year with 15 Airmen graduating this particular class. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Tailwind

Maintainers load up their bags after arriving to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., by a 916th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotanker, as part of a hurricane evacuation from Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. Approximately 30 F-15E Strike Eagles, three KC-135s and 300 personnel arrived to beddown the aircraft as Hurricane Earl headed for the N.C. coast. The 33rd Fighter Wing, a former F-15 unit now the training wing for the F-35 Lightning II, provided flightline space for the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Seeking shelter

Maintainers and security forces Airmen from the 4th Fighter Wing disembark the KC-135 Stratotanker after arriving to Eglin Air Force Base Fla., Sept. 1 as part of a hurricane evacuation from Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. Approximately 30 F-15E Strike Eagles, three KC-135s, and 300 personnel arrived to beddown the aircraft as Hurricane Earl headed for the N.C. coast. The 33rd Fighter Wing, a former F-15 unit now the training wing for the F-35 Lightning II, provided flightline space for the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Seatbelt ... check.

Col. Michael Gantt, 53rd Wing commander, performs a routine seatbelt check on a busy street corner on Eglin Air Force Base, Aug. 31. Each month during the 101 Critical Days of Summer, 53rd Wing units conducted seatbelt checks on 50 passengers. The surveys are part of Air Combat Command’s seatbelt compliance initiatives. As part of the 101 CDS, the 53rd created the Commander Safety Cup Challenge, a Wing-wide competition where small, medium, and large organizations compete for the infamous Commander Safety Cup in each size category. The CC Cup Challenge pits organizations competing to accrue points in ten events including 101 CDS Kick-off briefings, a slogan contest, safety briefings, seat belt surveys, etc. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Dogs of War

Kanjer and Jimmy, military working dogs with the 96th Security Forces Squadron, stand together in front of their squadron prior to their upcoming deployment. This will be Kanjer’s first deployment and his handler, Staff Sgt. Jeremy Rice’s fourth deployment and second as an MWD handler. They will deploy to Afghanistan. This is the third deployment for Jimmy, but it’s the first for Staff. Sgt. Donald Nachand as an MWD handler. They deploy to Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Blue water

Todd Staats, 96th Air Base Wing, leads the way in the floatation relay during the first-ever Water Olympics at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Aug. 27. Teams from three different wings competed in three separate team-swimming relays. The 53rd team dominated the event winning all three relays with ease. A team from 46th Test Wing also competed. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Breathless

Joe Lafitte, 53rd Wing, comes up for air while swimming his leg of the freestyle relay during the first-ever Water Olympics at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Aug. 27. Teams from three different wings competed in three separate team-swim relays. The 53rd team dominated the event winning all three relays with ease. Teams from the 46th Test Wing and 96th Air Base Wing also competed. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)