WASP

Anne Atkelson suited up and ready to fly an AT-6 Texan trainer. (Photo courtesy Air Armament Center History Office)

96th Air Base Wing annual award winners selected

Attendees enjoy their dinner at the 96th Air Base Wing's 2007 annual banquet and awards ceremony. The event was held at the Officers' Club on Feb. 29.

Escorts ensure OPSEC

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Airmen 1st Class Jordan Malfoy and Iris Lopez radio in a head count to the 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron escort flight supervisors at a construction site here. The 154 third country national escorts here ensure accountability for every foreign employee on base and provide operational security for the wing. Airman Malfoy is deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and Airman Lopez is from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carolyn Viss)

Commander?s Hunt bags "bucks" for the Air Force Enlisted Village

Maj. Gen. David Eidsaune, Program Executive Officer for Weapons and Air Armament Center Commander, Justin Johnson, Eglin Air Force Base Natural Resources Branch; and Jim Binnicker, Air Force Enlisted Village president and CEO, pose with a check for $6,568 presented to the AFEV from proceeds raised during the 2008 Commander?s Hunt at Eglin Air Force Base.

Best in the Air Force

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Master Sgt. Melissa L. Gee, 96th Medical Operations Squadron NCO in charge of pulmonary diagnostics, conducts a lung capacity test on Senior Airman Yung Kim. Sergeant Gee was recently awarded the U.S. Air Force John Salustro Memorial Award for Cardiopulmonary Excellence. Among her many accomplishments, she procured the region's sole cauterizing bronchoscopy machine, helping stop life threatening lung bleeds in three patients. Sergeant Gee graduated with an associates degree in Cardiopulmonary Laboratory Science and is working toward a bachelors degree in Health Sciences. She is an active member in a local Parent Teacher Association and participated in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares)

Best in the Air Force

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Master Sgt. Melissa L. Gee, 96th Medical Operations Squadron NCO in charge pulmonary diagnostic, conducts a lung capacity test on Senior Airman Yung Kim. Sergeant Gee was recently awarded the U.S .Air Force John Salustro Memorial Award for Cardiopulmonary Excellence. Among her many accomplishments, she procured the region?s sole cauterizing bronchoscopy machine, helping stop life threatening lung bleeds in three patients. Sergeant Gee graduated with an associates degree in Cardiopulmonary Laboratory Science and is working toward a bachelors degree in Health Sciences. She is an active member in a local Parent Teacher Association and participated in the American Cancer Society?s Relay for Life event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares)

Seeing the big picture

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Staff Sgt. Cristian R. Martinez, 96th Surgical Operations Squadron Optometry Clinic NCO in charge, assists Capt. Thomas Dahl, an ophthalmologist, during an examination of a patient in the Optometry Clinic. Sergeant Martinez was recently named the U.S. Air Force Col. Donald D. Dunton Award as Ophthalmic NCO of the Year. He was selected by the Eglin Chief Master Sergeants as a "Sharp Troop" for superior service and professionalism. Among his accomplishments, Sergeant Martinez revamped the Optometry Clinic by doubling available appointments and reducing wait times by 47 percent. He was also able to eliminate referrals to downtown medical providers. He is currently seeking a bachelor's degree in business management. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares)

Seeing the big picture

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Staff Sgt. Cristian R. Martinez, 96th Surgical Operations Squadron Optometry Clinic NCO in charge, assists Capt. Thomas Dahl, an ophthalmologist, during an examination of a patient in the Optometry Clinic. Sergeant Martinez was recently named the U.S. Air Force Col. Donald D. Dunton Award as Ophthalmic NCO of the Year. He was selected by the Eglin Chief Master Sergeants as a "Sharp Troop" for superior service and professionalism. Among his accomplishments, Sergeant Martinez revamped the Optometry Clinic by doubling available appointments and reducing wait times by 47 percent. He was also able to eliminate referrals to downtown medical providers. He is currently seeking a bachelor's degree in business management. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares)

Eyes on the award

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Senior Master Sgt. Erik D. Kessler, 96th Surgical Operations Squadron Surgical Specialty Flight Chief, assists an ophthalmologist during an examination of a patient in the Optometry Clinic. Sergeant Kessler was recently awarded the U.S. Air Force Col. Donald D. Dunton Award for his role in overseeing five clinics and 67 staff members. Sergeant Kessler is also the Top 3 president, an organization of senior enlisted Airmen at Eglin. Among his many accomplishments, Sergeant Kessler earned his third Community College of the Air Force Associate of Applied Science degree and is working toward a bachelor's degree in management. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares)

Best in the Air Force

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Maj. Stacey L. Coleman, 96th Medical Operations Squadron emergency services clinical nurse, checks the pupils of a patient in the emergency room. Major Coleman was named the U.S. Air Force Critical Care Emergency Nurse of the Year for her dedication at Eglin and while deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. While deployed, she provided critical care to more than 2,200 U.S. personnel and Afghani civilians. She was instrumental in expediting helicopter transport for a child with a skull fracture. At Eglin, she was a member of the hurricane ride-out team and a key planner for the 2007 Eglin Air Show. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares)

Best in the Air Force

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Capt. Bryan D. Bonzo, 96th Medical Operations Squadron physical therapist, was recently awarded the U.S. Air Force Company Grade Physical Therapist Award for his support at Eglin and while deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. Captain Bonzo was instrumental in treating more than 100 Afghani civilians, police and army personnel. He is pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy from Saint Augustine University. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares)

Valentines for Vets

Col. Eric Pohland, 96th Air Base Wing commander, visits with Charles and Mernie Mundy during Eglin's Valentines for Vets event at the Westwood Retirement Resort Feb. 14. The Mundys celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary on Valentines Day. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Brian Jones)

Valentines for Vets

Col. Eric Pohland, 96th Air Base Wing commander, greets Col. (Ret.) Joseph Stanley during a Valentines for Vets visit to the Westwood Retirement Resort Feb. 14. Colonel Stanley was Eglin's commander in 1954 and recently clebrated his 100th birthday. More than 50 Eglin Airmen visited local veterans at four retirement facilities on Valentines Day. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Brian Jones)

Valentines for Vets

Second Lt. Christine Meyling, 96th Air Base Wing executive officer, chats with Betty Heider during a Valentines for Vets visit to the Westwood Retirement Resort Feb. 14. More than 50 Eglin Airmen visited local veterans at four retirement facilities on Valentines Day. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Brian Jones)

Kabul

KABUL, Afghanistan ? An Afghan boy stands looking out over his home in the ?city of shimmering hopes,? a subsection of Kabul shortly after being let out from school Jan. 9, 2007. Most of the homes in this historic section of Kabul are falling apart because they took one of the heaviest tolls during the fight for the city by the war lords, the Russian occupation and the Taliban rule.

Service members honored at EOD memorial

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Family and friends gather around the memorial after the ceremony during the Explosive Ordnance Disposal 38th Annual Memorial Service at the Kauffman EOD Training Complex April 21. The ceremony memorialized 14 names of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who have sacrificed their lives during EOD missions. Those names will bring the total to 215 names inscribed on the bronze tablets of the memorial.

National Prayer Breakfast

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Charles Baldwin, Air Force Chief of Chaplains, accepts a 96th Air Base Wing chapel coin from Chaplain (Col.) Richard Elliott, 96th ABW chaplain, after he spoke to about 200 people gathered for the Eglin National Prayer Breakfast observance Feb. 6 at the officers' club. The Prayer Breakfast brings together leadership to affirm the moral and spiritual values upon which the Nation is founded. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. LuCelia Ball)

National Prayer Breakfast

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Charles Baldwin, Air Force Chief of Chaplains, speaks to about 200 people gathered for the Eglin National Prayer Breakfast observance Feb. 6 at the officers' club. The Prayer Breakfast brings together leadership to affirm the moral and spiritual values upon which the Nation is founded. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. LuCelia Ball)

Senior Master Sgt. Emery R. Talbert, Jr.

Senior Master Sgt. Emery R. Talbert, Jr.

Four-star visits base

EGLIN AFB, Fla. -- Gen. Bruce Carlson, Air Force Materiel Command commander, is escorted down the red tarmac by Maj. Gen. David Eidsaune, program executive officer for weapons and Air Armament Center commander. General Carlson and his wife, Vicki, visited Eglin Jan. 29-31. (USAF photo by Bruce Hoffman)

Eglin hospital welcomes first speech pathologist

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Maj. DiAnna Calvin, 96th Surgical Operations Squadron speech pathologist, demonstrates feeding a barium sulphate suspension to "patient" Airman 1st Class Kimberly York, 96th Medical Operations Squadron radiology student. The barium, which is mixed with food, allows Major Calvin to view and video the swallowing process through X-ray. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. LuCelia Ball)

Eglin hospital welcomes first speech pathologist

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Maj. DiAnna Calvin, 96th Surgical Operations Squadron speech pathologist, maneuvers a flexible laryngeal scope into Senior Airman Adrian Balkissoon's nose. Airman Balkissoon is a 96th SGOS Ear, Nose and Throat clinic technician. The scope has a fiber optic camera attached to a rhinolaryngeal video stroboscopy machine, which allows Major Calvin to view and diganose vocal pathology. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. LuCelia Ball)

Col. Blanke

Col. Blanke

CMSAF Gaylor visit

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Retired Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Robert Gaylor, the fifth to hold the highest enlisted rank, speaks with Airman Andrew Chapman, 46th Maintenance Squadron, after the enlisted call Jan. 11 at the base theater.