A kiss for a star

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Brig. Gen. Joseph A. Lanni, Air Armament Center vice commander, get a hug and a kiss form Michaela, his 4-year-old daughter, during his promotion ceremony at the Officers' Club Aug. 27. More than 300 friends and family members from as far away as Washington D.C. and California joined the Lanni family to celebrate the achievement. (U.S. Air Force photo by Craig McDonnell)

Water Survival Training

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Steve Horton offers Garrett McNeil a hand to climb aboard a life raft July 20 during Survivor Skills Day on Eglin Air Force Base. The event was hosted by the 33d Fighter Wing and the 53d Wing to teach their honorary commanders land and water survival tactics wing pilots are trained to use in emergency situations. Honorary commanders are civic leaders paired with wing leadership for a year-long immersion in the mission, with a goal of educating the civilians about the Air Force and its people. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Franks)

Water Survival Training

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Marion Riley Taylor, Honorary Commander for the 33d Fighter Wing's 33d Maintenance Squadron, follows a parachute seam to daylight in a simulated parachute canopy escape July 20. The simulation was part of Survivor Skills Day, during which honorary commanders learned land and water survival tactics wing pilots are trained to use in emergency situations. Honorary commanders are civic leaders paired with wing leadership for a year-long immersion in the mission, with a goal of educating the civilians about the Air Force and its people. Honorary commanders from the 53d Wing also participated. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Franks)

Water Survival Training

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Robert Babcock and Richard McNeese, Honorary Commanders for the 33d Fighter Wing's 33d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 33d Operations Support Squadron ignite flares under the watchful eye of Staff Sgt. Benjamin Rosciglione, 33d Operation Support Squadron Survival, Evasions, Resist and Escape instructor. The event taught honorary commanders land and water survival tactics wing pilots are trained to use in emergency situations. Honorary commanders are civic leaders paired with wing leadership for a year-long immersion in the mission, with a goal of educating the civilians about the Air Force and its people. Honorary commanders from the 53d Wing also participated. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bryan Franks)

Airmen receive Purple Hearts

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Airman 1st Class Andrew Vu, 96th Security Forces Squadron, receives a Purple Heart from Lt. Col. Timothy Meserve, squadron commander, for his injuries when the vehicle he was providing turret support for in Iraq was hit by an explosive device Jan. 20. The Airmen were part of a team due to fill a more traditional billet at a forward-operating base in Mosul, Iraq, but were redirected to Contingency Operating Base Speicher instead, taking on the in-lieu-of mission -- ordinarily tasked to the Army -- of training Iraqi police. The 15-member security forces team was awarded a U.S. Army Commendation Medal. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares)

Airmen receive Purple Hearts

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Airman 1st Class Janette Gonzalez, 96th Security Forces Squadron, receives a Purple Heart from Lt. Col. Timothy Meserve, squadron commander, for her injuries when the vehicle she was driving in Iraq was hit by an explosive device Jan. 20. The Airmen were part of a team due to fill a more traditional billet at a forward-operating base in Mosul, Iraq, but were redirected to Contingency Operating Base Speicher instead, taking on the in-lieu-of mission -- ordinarily tasked to the Army -- of training Iraqi police. The 15-member security forces team was awarded a U.S. Army Commendation Medal. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares)