Present arms

A member of the flag detail holds the rifle out during the “present arms” command at the Honor Guard graduation ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Approximately 16 new Airmen graduated from the 80-plus-hour course. Prior to the graduation, the Airmen perform a full honors, military funeral to include flag detail, the 21-gun salute, pall bearers and bugler for friends, family and unit commanders. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Hold tight

(Left) Airman 1st Class Taurie McCurdy and five other members of the Eglin Honor Guard hold the flag tight above the casket during a mock funeral as part of the honor guard graduation. Approximately 16 new Airmen graduated from the 80-plus-hour course. Prior to the graduation, the Airmen perform a full honors, military funeral to include flag detail, the 21-gun salute, pall bearers and bugler for friends, family and unit commanders. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Flag detail

Senior Airman David Rebholz and Airman 1st Class Kasey Roberts were part of the flag detail during a military funeral performance at the honor guard graduation at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Approximately 16 new Airmen graduated from the 80-plus-hour course. Prior to the graduation, the Airmen perform a full honors, military funeral to include flag detail, the 21-gun salute, pall bearers and bugler for friends, family and unit commanders. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

With Reverance

Members of the Eglin Honor Guard carry the flag-draped casket during a mock funeral as part of the honor guard graduation. Approximately 16 new Airmen graduated from the 80-plus-hour course. Prior to the graduation, the Airmen perform a full honors, military funeral to include flag detail, the 21-gun salute, pall bearers and bugler for friends, family and unit commanders. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Saluting with honor

Airman 1st Class Eric Esser leads the flag detail at the honor guard graduation ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Approximately 16 new Airmen graduated from the 80-plus-hour course. Prior to the graduation, the Airmen perform a full honors, military funeral to include flag detail, the 21-gun salute, pall bearers and bugler for friends, family and unit commanders. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

The bugler

Airman 1st Class Brittany White, of the Eglin Honor Guard, holds her bugle prior to a military funeral performance at the honor guard graduation at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Approximately 16 new Airmen graduated from the 80-plus-hour course. Prior to the graduation, the Airmen perform a full honors, military funeral to include flag detail, the 21-gun salute, pall bearers and bugler for friends, family and unit commanders. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

MMA fighter visits Eglin Airmen

Tech. Sgt. Brian West, 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, shows Carlos Condit, the Ultimate Fighting Championship interim welterweight champ, around the F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter during his tour March 2 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Condit visited and signed autographs at the 33rd and 96th Air Base Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

MMA fighter visits Eglin Airmen, Marines

Carlos Condit, the Ultimate Fighting Championship interim welterweight champ, signs an autograph at the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 501 March 2 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Condit visited and signed autographs at the 33rd Fighter Wing and 96th Air Base Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Airmen take Habitat for Humanity trip

Airman 1st Class Ian Roosa, from the 96th Dental Squadron, and Airman Jonathan Quinchia, from the 96th Fuels Management Flight, work together to secure a corner of a structure in Tuscaloosa Ala., during a Habitat for Humanity trip. The Airmen constructed two outdoor storage buildings, finalized the interior of a house, made a front porch deck, laid the base flooring for a house, cut the re-barb for a driveway and sidewalk, constructed three safe rooms and repaired one safe room capable of withstanding 200 mile per hour winds. The 19 Airmen provided 588 man hours of labor and saved $5,800 in contractor costs over three days. (Courtesy photo)

Airmen take Habitat for Humanity trip

Team Eglin members secure wood for a floor in Tuscaloosa Ala., during a Habitat for Humanity trip. The Airmen from the Fuels Management Flight and the 96th Dental Squadron, constructed two outdoor storage buildings, finalized the interior of a house, made a front porch deck, laid the base flooring for a house, cut the re-barb for a driveway and sidewalk, constructed three safe rooms and repaired one safe room capable of withstanding 200 mile per hour winds. The 19 Airmen provided 588 man hours of labor and saved $5,800 in contractor costs over three days. (Courtesy photo)

US, Kyrgyz share EOD, CBRNE techniques

Staff Sgt. Ken Buchanan, 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron NCO in charge of emergency management training, helps Sgt. Murat Chinalier, Kyrgyz Ministry of Defense head specialist of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosives section, with his gear Feb. 22, 2012. Emergency responders from the Kyrgyz Ministries of Emergency Services, Interior and Defense visited the Transit Center at Manas to exchange information on explosive ordnance disposal and CBRNE tactics, techniques and procedures. Buchanan is deployed here from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lynsie Nichols)

AFSO-21 Marine

Staff Sgt. James Bentley, of the 359th Training Squadron, trains others on the merits of continued process improvement and Air Force Smart Operations 21 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Bentley is the first Marine certified in AFSO-21 within the 33rd Fighter Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Karen Roganov)

EOD Airman

Staff Sgt. Travis Groeschel, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician with the 96th Civil Engineer Group, moves an extendable arm to a simulated suspicious package during a demonstration at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The EOD flight is responsible for many of the range missions involving explosives. They also respond to suspicious packages or recovered unexploded ordnance found in the area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

EOD Airman

Staff Sgt. Travis Groeschel, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician with the 96th Civil Engineer Group, is outfitted in his bomb suit before performing at demonstration at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The EOD flight is responsible for many of the range missions involving explosives. They also respond to suspicious packages or recovered unexploded ordnance found in the area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

TD pass

The Company Grade Officers Council goes for another touchdown during their flag-football game against the 5/6 Council team at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Jan. 20. The CGOC shut out 5/6 38-0. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Game time

Jimmy Howard, of the 96th Force Support Squadron team, talks strategy during a timeout at the base intramural basketball championship game against the 96th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Jan. 19. FSS defeated the defending champion LRS team 54-45 in a close game. FSS’s explosion of points in the final four minutes sealed the game. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Throw it up

Choy Alexander, of the 96th Logistics Readiness Squadron team, shoots over a 96th Force Support Squadron defender during the base intramural championship game at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Jan. 19. FSS defeated the defending champion LRS team 54-45 in a close game. FSS’s explosion of points in the final four minutes sealed the game. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Gold & the blue

Players from the 96th Force Support Squadron team stand for the National Anthem during the base intramural basketball championship game against the 96th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Jan. 19. FSS defeated the defending champion LRS team 54-45 in a close game. FSS’s explosion of points in the final four minutes sealed the game. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Nowhere to go but up

David Garcia, of the 96th Logistics Readiness Squadron team, looks for room to take a jump shot during the base intramural championship game against the 96th Force Support Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Jan. 19. FSS defeated the defending champion LRS team 54-45 in a close game. FSS’s explosion of points in the final four minutes sealed the game. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

728th return home

Friends and family welcomed home more than 200 members of the 728th Air Control Squadron Jan. 17. The Airmen, who arrived from Southwest Asia, provide command and control of joint air operations by conducting surveillance, identification, weapons control, battle management and theater communications data link. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lois Walsh)

Building to care

(Left to right) Senior Airman Jacob McGlothlin and Airman 1st Class Thomas Howard, of Eglin Honor Guard members, build a base for a playhouse at the new Child Development Center, Jan. 10 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The new CDC had a ribbon cutting Jan. 13, here. The $11 million project was funded through the Base Realignment and Closure based on the scheduled relocation of families from the 7th Special Forces Group and the arrival of the joint strike fighter in 2011. The CDC will open for child care Jan. 17. When all the CDC facilities open, they will care for 744 children on a daily basis. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Building to care

Toys and games wait to be played with in one of the many classrooms at the new Child Development Center, Jan. 10 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The new CDC had it’s ribbon cutting Jan. 13, here. The $11 million project was funded through the Base Realignment and Closure based on the scheduled relocation of families from the 7th Special Forces Group and the arrival of the joint strike fighter in 2011. The CDC will open for child care Jan. 17. When all the CDC facilities open, they will care for 744 children on a daily basis. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

New fellow

Dr. David Lambert, a senior mechanical engineer at the Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate’s damage mechanisms branch, was recently named an AFRL fellow. He is one of only four AFRL scientists to have ever received the honor. (Courtesy photo)

Maintainers compete for load crew of year

Staff Sgt. Anthony Childers, a 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew leader, completes checks of his F-15 during the 46th Maintenance Group’s year-end weapons load competition at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Jan 13. The best of the best from 46th AMXS met to load a Joint Direct Attack Munition and AIM-9 and a small diameter bomb onto an F-15. The winners will be announced at the 46th MXG annual awards banquet in March. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)