CCAF graduates honored at ceremony

  • Published
  • By Ryan Stark
  • Nucleus writer
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  A ceremony honoring 268 Kirtland Airmen who recently graduated from the Community College of the Air Force took place Thursday at the Mountain View Club, and there were smiles all around.

The Kirtland event recognized 130 Airmen who got one or more degrees from CCAF in October 2014 and 138 who completed their courses in April. Certificates were handed to the graduates by 377th Air Base Wing Vice Commander Col. Lance Kawane and Chief Master Sgt. Brion Blais, command chief master sergeant for the wing and the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center.

Tech. Sgt. Nathan Bolander of the 58th Special Operations Wing said he's proud of what he has accomplished.

"It feels great," he said. "As a supervisor and a non-commissioned officer, it's good to have that foundation of education, because it's hard to say to someone working for me 'It's important to get an education' if I haven't done it myself."

Kawane said the CCAF graduates embody the professionalism of Kirtland's enlisted Airmen.

"I take so much pride in our enlisted corps," he said. "They are leaders and subject-matter experts, and they serve to define the culture of an entire service."

The keynote speaker at the ceremony was Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Khan, the maintenance superintendent for the 898th Munitions Squadron at Kirtland. Khan, who is a CCAF graduate, earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Maryland and his master's degree at Texas A and M.

"Education is how you're going to end up living the American dream," Khan told the graduates. "In today's Air Force, we're asking our young Airmen to do more and they've got to get an education. It's not easy with all the challenges we face every day. It's hard, but anyone can do it."

Staff Sgt. Jacob Alsteen, Tech. Sgt. Michael Brooks, Tech. Sgt. Charles Davis, Staff Sgt. McKenzie Harrop, Tech. Sgt. Destiny Perez and Staff Sgt. Margueriete Pinnix were recognized for having been selected to receiving Pitsenbarger Awards -- a $400 scholarship from the Air Force Association for enlisted CCAF graduates with plans to pursue a bachelor's degree.

Staff Sgt. Christa Heptig received a $1,000 First Command Financial Services Scholarship. She was chosen from a pool of 17 applicants at Kirtland.

The 268 graduates this year exceeds the 198 who were honored last year.

CCAF is part of the Air Force's Air University. Established in 1972, it offers two-year associate of applied science degrees in 68 areas of study to active-duty Airmen, and members of the National Guard and Reserves.

For more about CCAF, visit au.af. mil or call the Kirtland Education Center at 846-1730.