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Defense first, Airmen always

Features

  • AF Reservist loses house to tornado, dog gains wings

    Senior Airman Drew Baker and his family thought they had lost everything - including their dog -- when a killer tornado tore through the small Arkansas community of Vilonia the night of April 27. But through a minor miracle, 'Batman' survived.When you name your pet for a super hero, does it take on

  • Reservists raise money for Kyrgyz orphans

    Security Forces' reservists from California filled some of their free time during a recent overseas deployment by volunteering at an orphanage.The dozen or so members of the 940th Security Forces Squadron at Beale AFB were assigned to the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyz Republic. An orphanage near

  • Former 970th pilot wins Boston Marathon division

    When Pat Rupel crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon last year, he planned on it being his last. The weather had been perfect for long-distance running with light winds and temperatures hanging in the 50s.Rupel, a recently retired lieutenant colonel with the 970th Airborne Air Control

  • Reserve family enjoys Yellow Ribbon together

    When 10-year-old Isabella first learned her daddy was deploying, she said she was really upset about it. But, after attending her first Yellow Ribbon Program event, she learned to not stress as much and think about the positive.Now, with her family at their second Yellow Ribbon training

  • 934th Reservist tackles challenges in a different uniform

    American football has often kept women on the sidelines, but that is slowly changing as the Minnesota professional women's football team, the Minnesota Vixens, of the Independent Women's Football League prepares to open their 16th season. Tech. Sergeant Nicolette Shegstad, 934th Force Support

  • Dogs help veterans cope with PTSD, trauma

    Though she was home, Capt. Mary McGriff felt no comfort. She was alone but anxious, quiet but uneasy. She felt no safety behind locked doors. The doctor's words rang fresh in her mind, behind splintered memories of her 2005 deployment to Iraq. "I thought being diagnosed with PTSD was a kiss of

  • Yellow Ribbon resources help family through deployment, tragedy

    Michelle Lutz's world stopped revolving the day her husband and best friend, Chief Master Sgt. Rich Lutz, left for a deployment. "I didn't want him gone for six months. It's very difficult being a single parent," said Michelle.The two met nearly 15 years ago when she saw Rich playing pool at a

  • Following the tune of hope: An Airman's journey

    Hope. It's a key virtue that can give people the drive to help them push through troubled times. Hope can propel them to strive to excel and achieve goals that may feel like nothing more than dreams. Many of these dreams became a reality for one young Airman, who overcame many difficulties in her

  • Ironman Tri-athlete Kicks Off Westover Strong Campaign

    A local Ironman competitor and mother of three children told reservists on the January A UTA about her successful style of athleticism and time management.Michelle Fitzell is a physical therapist at Bay State Hospital in Springfield. This past August, she completed her first Ironman competition in

  • Speaker encourages deployers to turn negatives into positives

    Pre- and post-deployment Airmen attending Yellow Ribbon Program training events often hear an inspirational message from a speaker who desires to have reservists "come, share and plan to leave with something.""I hear what I am saying when I'm telling people to be positive," said Ryspodii "Sporty"