Air Force Reservist enjoys hometown pride in Iowa

ADAIR, Iowa -- Maj. Gen. Linda S. Hemminger, grand marshall of the Annual Jesse James Parade, waves to her neighbors in Adair, Iowa, July 22, 2006. General Hemminger handed out pens and pencils as she represented her job in the Air Force Reserve as a mobilization assistant to the Assistant Surgeon General for Nursing Services and the Assistant Surgeon General for Health Care Operations. She went through the parade a second time, handing out candy as a registered nurse with the Cass County Memorial Hospital, Home Care/Hospice, Atlantic, Iowa. She spends about half of her time working at the Pentagon and half of her time working for the hospice. "I have lived in this community for 25 years," the general said. "Being a Citizen Airman is a huge support for the military. We can't be full time but we bring so much from our civilian jobs and represent the communities we live in." (U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt Jolene Bottor)

Patriot 06

Senior Airman James Young (left), 442nd Medical Squadron, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.; Senior Airman Richard Danford (center), 138th Medical Group, Oklahoma Air National Guard; and Tech. Sgt. Christopher E. Miller, 442nd MDS, perform an X-ray during Expeditionary Medical Support System training at Fort McCoy, Wis., as part of Patriot 06. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Chance Babin)

IRR Muster

Senior Master Sgt. Janet Riley (right) assists Renee Mariscal as she and other members of the Individual Ready Reserve update their civilian employment information during a muster exercise held at the Air Reserve Personnel Center in Denver July 20, 2006. IRRs are Air Force members who have served on active duty but still have a military service obligation to the Air Force. Annually, ARPC orders IRRs to report to an Air Force base, usually within 150 miles of their residence. Upon arrival, their records are updated, and they receive a basic medical screening and several briefings. This is a routine process to allow ARPC to look at the activation process, not to initiate activation. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Cheresa D. Theiral)

Panjshir PRT medics visit remote Afghan district

Maj. Kurt Workmaster checks the blood pressure of an elder in the Paryan District on July 16. Three medics from the Panjshir PRT treated more than 200 patients during a Medical Civic Action Program, or MEDCAP, mission that was coordinated by the Panjshir director of health. Major Workmaster is the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team physician assistant. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. John Cumper)

Outstanding Airman

Senior Airman Eric J. Pena, an Air Force Reserve combat arms instructor at the 349th Air Mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., is one of the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2006. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Outstanding Airman

Senior Airman Eric J. Pena, from the 349th Air Mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., mans a turret gun during a convoy operation in Baghdad in February 2005. An Air Force reservist, Airman Pena was selected as one of the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Security forces get life-saving training

Airmen from the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron load a simulated wounded comrade into an ambulance during a combat life saver exercise at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 15, while other security forces guard against hostile forces. (US Air Force photo/Maj. David Kurle)

Security Forces get life-saving training

Tech. Sgt. Robert Taverna simulates a wounded Airman in a security forces combat life saver exercise at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 15. It's the job of his squad mates, including Staff Sgt. Thomas McMahon (left) to drag the litter he is on to a waiting ambulance. Both sergeants are deployed to the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron from the Air Force Reserve's 514th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. (US Air Force photo/Maj David Kurle)

Asian Pacific American Heritage Week

Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Robert "Lance" Chu, mobilization assistant to the Assistant Surgeon General for Healthcare Operations at Bolling Air Force Base, Wash. D.C., speaks at the military awards luncheon at the Federal Asian Pacific American Council's national conference in Hawaii May 10. (U.S. Air Force photo/Bo Joyner)

Reservist gets F-22 pilot training slot

NAVAL AIR STATION JOINT RESERVE BASE, Texas -- Maj. Randy Cason, performs a preflight inspection on a F-16 Fighting Falcon here before takeoff. Major Cason is assigned to 10th Air Force and is the first Air Force Reservist to be selected to attend F-22 pilot training. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Master Sgt. Bill L. Goben Jr.)

Patriot Defender MOUT training

Reserve security forces students practice tactical movements at the St. Elijah MOUT facility, Fort Hood, Texas, during the Patriot Defender exercise April 30 to May 13. (U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt. Dustin Doyle)

Patriot Defender Convoy

Reserve security forces troops operate the lead vehicle in a convoy practical during the Patriot Defender exercise at Camp Swift, Texas, April 30 to May 13. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jonathan Jones)

Sewing for servicemembers

Elizabeth Jones, left, spouse of Lt. Col Kurt Jones, 709th Airlift Squadron, and Tanya Rutland, founder of the 512th Airlift Wing Spouses Group and wife of 512th Airlift Wing Commander Col. Ronald A. Rutland, spent May 15 ripping the seams out of shorts and sewing in Velcro and snaps to make it easier for injured servicemembers to slip on the shorts over medical devices such as braces and fixators. The project is part of Sew Much Comfort, a non-profit organization that provides adapted clothing to seriously injured servicemembers who have fought in the war on terror.

Getting mom up to speed

Senior Airman Kris Winder talks with his mother, Marcia Smith about the Air Force Reserve Command's 12 Outstanding Airman of the Year awards banquet inside the headquarters' Heritage Hall April 19. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jason Tudor)

Reserve aircrew helps fight war on drugs

Staff Sgts. William Henke (front) and J.J. Hoffman check C-17 Globemaster III maintenance forms and weights and balances before takeoff from a Saint Lucia airport on Sunday, April 9, 2006. The crew transported Reserve civil engineers who are building an operations center and barracks for the police force in support of Saint Lucia's counter-drug operations. Sergeant Hoffman is a loadmaster with the 300th Airlift Squadron and Sergeant Henke is a flying crew chief with the 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Both units are out of Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Larry A. Simmons)

Reserve aircrew helps fight war on drugs

Master Sgt. Shawn Delp signals the driver to line up cargo for loading in preparation for a mission to Saint Lucia Friday, April 7, 2006. The aircrew was delivering construction materials and Reserve civil engineers who are building an operations center and barracks for the police force in support of Saint Lucia's counter-drug operations. Sergeant Delp is with the 300th Airlift Squadron at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Larry A. Simmons)

Restless Heart heads off on Patriotic World Tour

ROBINS Air Force Base, GA -- April 5, 2006 -- Members of the country music group Restless Heart sign autographs and visit with patrons at the Robins AFB Main Exchange. The group and other guest artists depart today on a 16-day around-the-world tour to visit and perform for troops at eight locations in Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific regions. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Ken Hackman)

Lee Greenwood leads Patriotic World Tour

ROBINS Air Force Base, GA -- April 5, 2006 -- Lee Greenwood, internationally renowned recording artist, best known for his hit, "God Bless the U.S.A.," signs autographs and visits with patrons at the Robins AFB Main Exchange. Mr. Greenwood and other performers depart today on a 16-day, around-the-world tour. They will visit and perform for troops at eight locations in Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific regions. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Ken Hackman)

17th Annual International women in Aviation conference

On Saturday March 25, 2006 during the closing banquet of the 17th annual International women in Aviation Conference, Major General USAFR (retired) Betty Mullis was among the five inducted into the WAI Pioneer Hall of Fame. The hall of fame was established in 1992 to honor women who have made significant contributions as pioneers or inovators. Photo by TSgt Lucia Hopkins (RELEASED)

Maj. Gen. Mullis

Retired Maj. Gen. Betty Mullis addresses the audience in her speech during the Women in Aviation, International Annual Conference, March 24 in Nashville, Tenn.

Tiger Team

Unguarded communications in public are the most common OPSEC violations. All it takes is one unguarded discussion of times, locations or numbers, and the enemy can start piecing things together for a deadly attack. (Courtesy photo illustration)

PERSCO in AOR

Senior Master Sgt. Gary Yonchak, 379th PERSCO superintendent and first sergeant, oversees the PERSCO team in Southwest Asia. Sergeant Yonchak is a reservist with the 910th Mission Support Flight based at Youngstown Air Reserve Base, Ohio. (Photo by Maj. Ann P. Knabe)

C-130 operations in the AOR

Tech. Sgt. Kristy Decker, 746th Expeditionary Air Squadron loadmaster, prepares to lock pallets onto the C-130 aircraft floor. Sergeant Decker is a reservist from the 302nd Airlift Wing based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. With nearly two decades of flying under her belt, the Colorado Springs Air Force reservist is serving her first tour of duty serving with the 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron based here. To date, the loadmaster has flown into Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa more than 20 times. (U.S. Air Force photo by Maj. Ann P. Knabe)

C-130 operations in the AOR

Master Sgt. Thomas Freeman, 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron loadmaster, peers out the window with night vision goggles during a flight into Iraq. Sergeant Freeman is a reservist from the 302nd Airlift Wing based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. U.S. Air Foroce photo by Maj. Ann P. Knabe, 379 Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs