Commander’s Corner: Recognizing AF 60th Anniversary participants Published Dec. 20, 2007 By Col. Robert E. Suminsby Jr. 377th Air Base Wing commander KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico -- We're at mid-December and close to wrapping up 2007, and concluding the chapter of a year-long celebration, commemorating 60 years of the U.S. Air Force. There have been a lot of events tied to that tribute, a lot of attention paid to just how far this service has come in just 60 years. In the words of the Airman's Creed, we are the nation's "sword and shield, its sentry and avenger." We have a lot to be proud of, and it's altogether fitting to show that pride to the communities in which we live. While there were 60th Anniversary activities worldwide, I don't think there are many bases--or any states for that matter--that commemorated the Air Force's 60th anything like what we did here in New Mexico. The celebration we put on, a state-wide acknowledgment involving all three New Mexico bases, was really something special. Those of you who made it happen know exactly what I'm talking about. It was a huge effort. To give credit where credit it is due, Brig. Gen. David Goldfein, the commander of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman AFB, was the one who came up with the idea of joining forces across the state and getting the Air Force the recognition it deserved. Having the idea is a great thing, but it takes an awful lot of work to make it all happen. My vice commander, Col. Mohsen Parhizkar, can tell you exactly how much work it takes since he was in charge of implementing that vision. I observed that monumental effort going on and thought to myself, 'there's a lot of work going into this; this is really going to be a class act.' And it really was. As one of the people who didn't have to do the actual work, but got to enjoy the fruits of those efforts, I'd like to thank everyone who made this memorable celebration possible. This past Friday, I had the privilege of handing out quite a few decorations, Team Kirtland coins, and thank-you letters to those hard-working individuals. I've often said that we've gotten so good at what we do that we've become almost invisible, and that people take airpower for granted. It's just there when you need it. Air superiority is sometimes regarded as an American birthright. When soldiers on the battlefield need firepower on target, it's there, with remarkable precision. When we need to know where the enemy is and what he's doing, we've got assets in the air and in space that provide that kind of intelligence. All those miracles don't just happen. They happen because Airmen make them happen. We have to remind people of that from time to time, and many of you were crucial in taking that story to the community and reminding people what it is that the Air Force does for America. Thanks for everything that you do! Those recognized for their participation: Senior Airman Daryl L. Ables Master Sgt. Harold W. Anderson Master Sgt. Richard D. Anderson Airman 1st Class Stefano Angelucci Master Sgt. Keith Baber Airman 1st Class Michael Bartelheim Master Sgt. Chris A. Batchelar Tech. Sgt. Robert W. Bean Senior Airman Kevin T. Bemrich Master Sgt. Joe H. Benavides Todd R. Berenger Anita E. Bergman Lt. Col. John Bernhart 1st Lt. Amy Bishop Capt. Kevin J. Bishop Staff Sgt. Robert J. Black Airman Alexander L. Blackburn Eva D. Blaylock 2nd Lt. Klayton Bobsein David Bragg Airman Jordin C. Buttenob Vivian Byers Yolanda Callens 2nd Lt. Jacqueline D. Carlow Dennis L. Carlson Lt. Col. Alexander E. Carothers Master Sgt. Comer L. Carter Mary Casaus 2nd Lt. Israel Cerda Master Sgt. Delbert A. Champ Tech. Sgt. John P. Chilcote Senior Master Sgt. Ramon Colon-Lopez 2nd Lt. Jeremy A. Conrad 2nd Lt. Scott C. Cook Master Sgt. Michael T. Davenport Tech. Sgt. Tracy Debbs 2nd Lt. John E. Demello Airman 1st Class Holly N. Diehl Gregory M. Duffield Capt. Kevin J. Eberhart Staff Sgt. Anna D. Ellis Senior Master Sgt. Gary W. Engler Lt. Col. Cynthia LH. Fisher Lt. Col. Jeffrey B. Freeman Staff Sgt. Tyler Fritz Staff Sgt. Christopher Frost Airman 1st Class Christopher Gadson Dolores D. Garcia Greg Garcia Staff Sgt. Michael E. Garcia 2nd Lt. Joel C. Gentz Airman 1st Class James L. Gibson Master Sgt. Elaine R. Gonzales Lisa A. Gonzales 1st Lt. Amber L. Goodwin Tech. Sgt. Sean C. Gray 2nd Lt. Chana M. Greene Capt. Aaron S. Gwin Master Sgt. Quincy D. Harper Edward C. Harrison Jamie M. Harrison Laura Hasanoeddin Maj. Ronald E. Henderson Maj. Tiaa Henderson Capt. Gerome Hernandez Jacqueline Pennington Staff Sgt. Wayne Jarrett Capt. James Jensen Tech. Sgt. Nathan R. Jensen Senior Airman Sabrina S. Jernigan 2nd Lt. John T. Kauzlaric Richard Kehl Maj. Matthew D. Keihl Capt. Frank J. Klimas Master Sgt. Wendy Lalande Tech. Sgt. Jay D. Lane Tech. Sgt. Christopher Langston Senior Airman Jason Lawson Florisca LeBlanc Staff Sgt. Lewlyn E. Lippert Capt. Joseph J. Lopez Staff Sgt. Christopher Lucero Master Sgt. Eric E. Lyke Chief Master Sgt. Richard Maffucci 1st Lt. Christopher L. Martagon Tech. Sgt. Carl H. Martin Charlie H. Martinez Elizabeth Martinez 1st Lt. Gerald D. Martinez Airman 1st Class Thomas Mathis Senior Master Sgt. Christina E. Maxwell Tech. Sgt. Christopher J. McCrady 1st Lt. Brandon S. McKinnon Senior Airman Reuben Medina Senior Airman Eric R. Minthorn 2nd Lt. Patrick D. Montag Hodges Montanna Capt. Myrna B. Montminy Ken C. Moore Senior Master Sgt. Cheryl M. Moore Airman 1st Class Joshua N. Moreno Staff Sgt. Emily Nelson Master Sgt. David W. Nichols Tech. Sgt. Cory M. Norman Master Sgt. Mark Norris 2nd Lt. William J. Palm Tech. Sgt. Nathan B. Pardo Gary J. Park Rudy Perez Master Sgt. Mark Peters Staff Sgt. Tasha Pitts Staff Sgt. Amber J. Poe Tech. Sgt. Todd M. Popovic Tech. Sgt. Anthony A. Proctor Master Sgt. John H. Proellochs Lt. Col. Shahnaz M. Punjani Karim S. Qassim Maj. Daniel Queen Joquin Quintana Tech. Sgt. Francis X. Reilly Staff Sgt. Michael Reno Tech. Sgt. Christopher Richards Staff Sgt. Michael S. Richards 1st Lt. Jamie N. Riggins Staff Sgt. Jamie N. Rodriguez Lt. Col. Ronald K. Roeseberg Sheila N. Rupp Master Sgt. Adam J. Ryan Michele L. Sager James R. Sanchez Ed Sandoval Tech. Sgt. Kenneth L. Santos Heidi L. Sather 2nd Lt. Matthew J. Schlittler Master Sgt. Ryan W. Schultz 1st Lt. Curtis J. Schwarz Lt. Col. John Seamon Master Sgt. Fiafia T. Seau Senior Airman Gregory Seeley Maj Wendy S. Senter 2nd Lt Salvatore A. Sferrazza Dave Sheffield Master Sgt. James R. Shrum Capt. Jeffrey D. Simmons Airman 1st Class Nathan T. Simonson Bridget R. Skinner Airman 1st Class Garrett R. Smith Genie M. Smith 2nd Lt. Russell D. Smyth Master Sgt. Mariana G. Sobolewski Maj. Nguyen Son Jillian K. Speake Capt. Jacqueline M. Stingl Gerald C. Stratton Senior Airman Nikia D. Sylvester Tech. Sgt. Edward Tarala Maj. Don R. Thomas Staff Sgt. Robert J. Thomas Kimberly J. Tiley Capt. Gerald J. Tiller 1st Lt. Stephanie R. Tillman Maj. Michelle R. Tirado Son Trinh Maj. Mark J. VanderKinter Capt. Mark F. Vanweezendonk Ronald E. Webb Staff Sgt. Ryan A. Wehrman 2nd Lt. Shane T. Williams Airman 1st Class David Wilson Steven D. Wilson Airman 1st Class William Worcester Dana Wright Master Sgt. Nathan R. Zinn