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  • Airmen Learn Life Lessons From Sleight of Hand

    When a first sergeant shows a coin to his Airmen at roll call, they usually expect him to present it to someone under his command to be recognized for their exemplary service. So when this first sergeant made a coin disappear, it was unlike anything they had seen before. And when he lit a candle on

  • Vehicle Maintainers

    This shop sits on the hill, out of sight and out of mind from most of the airmen below. However, the airmen inside are responsible for keeping every single vehicle moving. The 117th Vehicle Maintenance Flight refers to themselves as "Vehicle Maintainers."With the sun beating down on a mid-June

  • Honoring Fallen Bay of Pigs Airmen 55 Years Later

    It was a warm and sunny afternoon in late April in Birmingham, Alabama. As I approached the grave site at Forrest Hills Cemetery near the airport, I could hear a bagpipe playing in the background. I looked for the grave marker that read "1st Lt. Pete Ray" where a wreath laying ceremony was about to

  • DTS Travel Voucher Tips

    During the course of a career in the military it is likely a National Guardsman will be required to travel for military duty.  Receiving orders for annual tour, conferences or military training schools are among the reasons why it may be necessary for an Airman to receive temporary duty, TDY,

  • A Military Family Tree

    Most people have heard the statement that the military is like family. For some, the family is military. The generational presence in the armed forces is more common than you might expect.The desire to serve goes beyond simple genetics. It's a way of life that is experienced from birth and becomes a

  • Base Legal Services On The Rise

    As more Air National Guard members are called to serve abroad, the need for legal assistance becomes more of a top priority for airmen and their families.Traditional guardsman Capt. Matthew Davis, Assistant Staff Judge Advocate at the 117th Air Refueling Wing in Birmingham, Alabama has seen a huge

  • Command Post Critical To Mission Success

    The 117th Air Refueling Wing Command Post is the central point of action for on base operations and mission requirements.  Command Post controllers communicate and interact with all facets of operations and receive orders directly from Air Force command organizations."Anything of significance that

  • Incentive Flight Creates Opportunity For Spouses

    Alabama Air National Guard spouses made lifelong memories during two incentive flights involving the 117th Air Refueling Wing and the 187th Fighter Wing on January 9 and 10, 2016.More than 30 spouses, from both wings, flew in a KC-135R Stratotanker as it refueled F-16C Fighting Falcons from the 187