Special Ops Weatherman receives The Purple Heart and USAF Combat Action Medal

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, FL -- Commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, Lt. Gen. Donny Wurster, pins the Air Force Combat Action Medal to Senior Airman Alex Eudy's shirt during an informal ceremony at the hospital here Feb. 3. Airman Eudy also received The Purple Heart for injuries he received during his deployment in Afghanistan. An improvised explosive device destroyed the vehicle he and five other U.S. military members were traveling in Jan. 23. All six survived the attack. Airman Eudy, a special operations weatherman in the 10th Combat Weather Squadron at Hurlburt Field, FL, is on the mend and in good spirits after extensive surgery to his lower legs. (U.S. Air Force photo by Chief Master Sgt. Ty Foster)

Memorial held for fallen EOD Airman

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Airmen remember their fallen comrade, Tech. Sgt. Anthony Capra, during a memorial service April 12, here. Tech. Sgt. Anthony Capra, was a 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician, who died in support of combat operations April 9. Sergeant Capra was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star, first Oak Leaf Cluster, for his heroic actions during his deployment. According to his medal citation, Sergeant Capra?s actions ensured the safety and freedom of movement for more than 41,000 coalition forces, multi-national contractors and local nationals. He contributed to the recovery and destruction of more than 24,000 pieces of ordnance weighing more than 26,000 pounds. Sergeant Capra was deployed from Indian Head Naval Ordnance Station, Md., Detachment 63. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Julianne Showalter.)

?A turn for the good?

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Maj. Michael Walters, an Airman filling an in-lieu-of position for the Army, plays with an Afghan child during a volunteer community relations trip to the Dar ul Aman displaced persons camp. The camp is located on the outskirts of Kabul and hosts more than 100 families living in a bombed out apartment high-rise. The VCR trips allow servicemembers to team up with international food organizations to deliver rice, tea and clothing among other goods.

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.

Ramp revamp

SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq -- Tech. Sgt. Freddie Garrette pours freshly mixed concrete into a 100 square foot spall repair area Oct. 6 while Tech. Sgt. Jeff Jones, center, smoothes the edges and Senior Airman Wilson Quinante brushes the surface of a smoothed section to give it an anti-skid surface. The 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Heavy Equipment Operations “Dirt Boys” repair damaged surface areas on the airfield here each Saturday morning. The team gets an early start, often working before sunrise, to beat the daytime high temperatures, which helps ensure a proper mixture cure time and a stronger slab. The team must also work quickly to limit the amount of time airfield operations are affected while repairs are done. Sather AB is the busiest airfield in Iraq, averaging 4,000 transient aircraft activities each month. Sergeant Garrette is deployed from the Tennessee Air National Guard. Sergeant Jones is deployed from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Airman Quinante is deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (Staff Sgt. Jennifer Lindsey)

Ramp revamp

SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq -- Senior Airman Wilson Quinante brushes over newly poured concrete to even out the surface and give it a rough finish for anti-skid purposes, as Tech. Sgt. Jeff Jones uses a 2-by-4-inch board as a scree to push forward and smooth the mixture in the ramp area for repair. The 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Heavy Equipment Operations “Dirt Boys” repair damaged surface areas on the airfield here each Saturday morning. The team gets an early start, often working before sunrise, to beat the daytime high temperatures, which helps ensure a proper mixture cure time and a stronger slab. The team must also work quickly to limit the amount of time airfield operations are affected while repairs are done. Sather AB is the busiest airfield in Iraq, averaging 4,000 transient aircraft activities each month. Airman Quinante is deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (Staff Sgt. Jennifer Lindsey)