Eglin’s Instructor of the Year award winners

Blaise Durante, the Air Force deputy assistant secretary for acquisition integration (left) and Maj. Gen. Kenneth Merchant, the Air Armament Center commander (right), present the annual Air Armament Academy’s Blaise Durante Instructor of the Year awards April 2 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The winners were Robbie Norris, for the college of science and technology category (not pictured); Wanda Riley, for the college of acquisition category; Peggy Shepherd, for the college of installation, sustainment and management category; and Jerry Griffith, for the college of test and evaluation category. The instructors were recognized for their contributions to professional education. The Air Armament Academy was established in 2003 to ensure Eglin personnel have a wide variety of training opportunities available to promote effectiveness in the workplace. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kevin Gaddie)

Honoring the flag

An all-female flight and flag detail perform the retreat ceremony in honor of Women’s History Month, March 29. More than 30 women participated in the ceremony. To see more photos of the all-women flag detail go to facebook.com/teameglin. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Honoring the flag

An all-female flight salutes while the base flag is lowered at the retreat ceremony March 29. The flag detail and flight positions were filled by women in honor of Women’s History Month. More than 30 women participated in the ceremony. To see more photos of the all-women flag detail go to facebook.com/teameglin. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Honoring the flag

Master Sgt. Deaira Smith, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Detachment 2, makes the final fold of the base flag during the flag folding portion of the retreat ceremony March 29. The flag detail and flight positions were filled by women in honor of Women’s History Month. More than 30 women participated in the ceremony. To see more photos of the all-women flag detail go to facebook.com/teameglin. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Honoring the flag

Members of the flag detail bring the flag together at the retreat ceremony March 29. The flag detail and flight positions were filled by women in honor of Women’s History Month. More than 30 women participated in the ceremony. To see more photos of the all-women flag detail go to facebook.com/teameglin. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Honoring the flag

Senior Airman Jennifer Fernandez, 96th Medical Group, and Staff Sgt. Tenisha Lewis, 728th Air Control Squadron, part of the flag detail salute during the National Anthem at the retreat ceremony March 29. The flag detail and flight positions were filled by women in honor of Women’s History Month. More than 30 women participated in the ceremony. To see more photos of the all-women flag detail go to facebook.com/teameglin. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

AF award winner

Eric J. Kitchen, the technical adviser with the Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., recently won the Arthur S. Flemming Award in the applied science, engineering and mathematics category. The annual Air Force award recognizes the outstanding contributions of federal employees on either a sustained basis or through a single exceptional accomplishment achieved or completed during 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kevin Gaddie)

EOD school

Rear Adm. Donald Quinn, the commander of Naval Education and Training Command, observes Senior Chief Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Joseph Severino, an instructor at Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal, as he initiates shock tube during a tour of the improvised explosive device division, March 14. NAVSCOLEOD, located on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., provides high-risk, specialized, basic and advanced EOD training to over 2,200 U.S. and partner nation military and selected U.S. government personnel each year. (U.S. Navy photo/ Ensign Elizabeth Allen)

Major saves during deployment

Maj. Raynae Leslie, the 96th Medical Support Squadron’s chief of clinical laboratory services at Eglin AFB’s hospital, pulls a unit of blood from the cross-matched shelf for issue for a transfusion. Leslie and her team provided more than 400 pints of blood to a U.S. Army Ranger, helping save his life during her 2011 deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kevin Gaddie)

Honor Guard

Members of the Eglin Air Force Base honor guard pass the American flag 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.)

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.)

Hold tight

Airman 1st Class Wayne Phillips 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.)