‘Lucky’ Airman goes from ‘jumping on grapes’ to Presidential Ball

Staff Sgt. Ivanka Vrechkov (right), poses with her father Alexi Stefanov, brother Petko Stefanov and mother Rusanka Stefanova in Varna, Bulgaria. Vrechkov, a Knowledge Operations Manager assigned to the Air Force Reserve Policy and Integration Office in the Pentagon, landed two spots at the President's Inauguration Military Ball Jan. 21. Vrechkov, a naturalized American citizen, feels very lucky to be attending this historic event. “I came from a little village in Bulgaria and now I’m going to be at a party with the President of the United States – the greatest nation on earth. It feels surreal.” (Courtesy photo)

‘Lucky’ Airman goes from ‘jumping on grapes’ to Presidential Ball

Staff Sgt. Ivanka Vrechkov poses with her grandparents, Pene Stefanov and Ruska Stefanova in Varna, Bulgaria. Vrechkov, a Knowledge Operations Manager assigned to the Air Force Reserve Policy and Integration Office in the Pentagon, landed two spots at the President's Inauguration Military Ball Jan. 21. Vrechkov, a naturalized American citizen, feels very lucky to be attending this historic event. “I came from a little village in Bulgaria and now I’m going to be at a party with the President of the United States – the greatest nation on earth. It feels surreal.” (Courtesy photo)

Reservists to get help with travel vouchers

Air Force Reserve Command is adding resources and changing business practices to make travel voucher processing easier for reservists. Throughout FY13 the command will increase the number of Defense Travel System travel technicians to assist reservists with their travel vouchers. (U.S. Air Force graphic)

Obama Signs $633 Billion Defense Authorization Act

President Barack Obama signed the $633 billion fiscal 2013 National Defense Authorization Act into law Jan. 3. The legislation, which cleared Congress last month, authorizes the department to act in any number of instances. The act allows the department to institute pay raises, bonuses and incentive pay for personnel. It includes a 1.7 percent pay raise for military personnel, and contains $527.5 billion for DOD's base budget, $88.5 billion for overseas contingency operations and $17.8 billion for national security programs in the Energy Department and Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. (U.S. Air Force graphic)

AFRC Band

The Band of the U.S. Air Force Reserve hosted a music clinic for young musicians at North Cobb High School Dec. 12, 2012 during their holiday tour throughout Georgia. The clinic provided students with different performance and delivery techniques, ways to listen while rehearsing a piece in a small group, and the requirements for being an Air Force musician. (U.S. Air Force photo/Chandra Brown)

AFRC Band

Tech. Sgt. David Vittetoe, percussionist, Band of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, speaks to North Cobb High School Band students on ways to better their skills when playing percussion during a music clinic on Dec. 12, 2012. The clinic provided students with different performance and delivery techniques, ways to listen while rehearsing a piece in a small group, and the requirements for being an Air Force musician. (U.S. Air Force photo/Chandra Brown)