Load crew of year

Senior Airman Melissa Higa, of the 96th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Red, helps move the AIM-120 into place during the 2012 Loadcrew of the Year competition Jan. 18 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The best of the best maintainers from AMU Red and Blue battled for the title of this yearly competition. The Red Team was timed and judged for accuracy of their weapons load of an F-15, while the Blue Team was evaluated on an F-16. Although the Blue Team finished first, the competition is still being judged. The winners will be announced at the 96th Maintenance Group annual awards banquet in March. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Load crew of year

Staff Sgt. Spencer Merritt, of the 96th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Blue, gives the thumbs up to begin lifting the AIM-120 during the 2012 Loadcrew of the Year competition Jan. 18 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The best of the best maintainers from AMU Red and Blue battled for the title of this yearly competition. The Blue Team was timed and judged for accuracy of their weapons load of an F-16, while the Red Team was evaluated on an F-15. Although the Blue Team finished first, the competition is still being judged. The winners will be announced at the 96th Maintenance Group annual awards banquet in March. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Load crew of year

Senior Airman Arin Harper, of the 96th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Red, prepares the wing of an F-15 for a weapons load during the 2012 Loadcrew of the Year competition Jan. 18 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The best of the best maintainers from AMU Red and Blue battled for the title of this yearly competition. The Red Team was timed and judged for accuracy of their weapons load of an F-15, while the Blue Team was evaluated on an F-16. Although the Blue Team finished first, the competition is still being judged. The winners will be announced at the 96th Maintenance Group annual awards banquet in March. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Load crew of year

Staff Sgt. Jacob Holst, of the 96th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Red, evaluates the wing an F-15 during the 2012 Loadcrew of the Year competition Jan. 18 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The best of the best maintainers from AMU Red and Blue battled for the title of this yearly competition. The Red Team was timed and judged for accuracy of their weapons load of an F-15, while the Blue Team was evaluated on an F-16. Although the Blue Team finished first, the competition is still being judged. The winners will be announced at the 96th Maintenance Group annual awards banquet in March. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Load crew of the year

Senior Airmen Kevin Hawkins and Tyler Marking, of the 96th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Blue, examine the fins and wings to be placed on the AIM-120 during the 2012 Loadcrew of the Year competition Jan. 18 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The best of the best maintainers from AMU Red and Blue battled for the title of this yearly competition. The Blue Team was timed and judged for accuracy of their weapons load of an F-16, while the Red Team was evaluated on an F-15. Although the Blue Team finished first, the competition is still being judged. The winners will be announced at the 96th Maintenance Group annual awards banquet in March. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Year-long hair growth

Brian Mitchell, the Air Force Research Laboratory marketing representative, measures Kurt Burgess, the AFRL security manager for munitions structure, for hair and beard growth at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 21. Burgess raised money by accepting a challenge to not cut his hair or shave for a year. He raised $5,000 for the effort and donated the money to the Wounded Warrior project. When Burgess started, he was clean shaven and bald. Upon completion, his hair measured six and a half inches and his and beard measured seven inches. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kevin Gaddie)