Features

Phoenix Spouses assist other Air Force spouses in times of need
December 12, 2007 — Things always seem to happen when an active-duty member is deployed. And this statement became a reality for Mindy McCormick in March while her husband, Staff Sgt. Kevin McCormick, a 437th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, was deployed. Mrs. McCormick had just been diagnosed with eight cancerous tumors in her lymph nodes that had to be removed... MORE

Do your contributions to CFC really help?
October 17, 2007 — Does this sound familiar to you? Here we go again. It seems that at the end of every summer there is always this big push by the Air Force to donate to the Combined Federal Campaign. How do I know what I contribute each year really helps someone? These comments may have come from our friends, or even our fellow Airmen. However, when Maj. Evan East,... MORE

Maj. Evan East, 437th Airlift Wing, deputy director for AFSO 21, and his wife, Cristina, their children (from left) Charleyna, 10, Caitlyn, 10, Eran, 12, and Corey, 9. (Courtesy photo)

Commander’s family brings home the hardware
October 17, 2007 — Through a Governor's Proclamation, Governor Mark Sanford declared September 29 as Tae Kwon Do day in the state of South Carolina. In recognition of this, the 17th Annual Tae Kwon Do Governor's Cup was held in Greenville, S.C., hosted by Grand Master Bill Huggins and his Tae Kwon Do Academy. Schools from across the state competed in Forms and... MORE

Maj. George Unsinger, 437th Maintenance Squadron commander, and his children, Ryan, 8, and Katie, 5, bring home awards from the 17th Annual Tae Kwon Do Governor?s Cup which was held in Greenville, S.C., Sept. 29. (Courtesy photo)

Know how to help a friend
October 12, 2007 — It is not uncommon for someone to find out that a co-worker they are close to is involved in an abusive relationship. Your friend might reveal their partner is physically harming them, or subjecting them to a constant pattern of emotional abuse. What can you do to help? First of all, listen to them without judging. Victims of maltreatment often... MORE

Top 3: a way for Airmen to give back
October 10, 2007 — One-hundred sixty-two Airmen have found a way to give back to the local community and the enlisted force in the same way ... but how did they do it? The Charleston AFB Top 3 Association is a group of Senior NCOs devoted to helping Charleston's enlisted force. The Top 3 is an Air Force-wide organization. Members of the base's Top 3 participate in... MORE

Master Sgt. Art Cormier, 437th Aerial Port Squadron, and Top 3 members picks up trash along the side of Cross-County Road Saturday as part of the Top 3's Adopt-a-Highway Program. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Paul Kilgallon)

A prime example of a cherished life
October 10, 2007 — If anyone understands the value of making the most out of what they've got, Leon Baldwin does. Legally blind and relying on a prosthetic leg, Mr. Baldwin has certainly faced some difficult consequences throughout the years. However, his realness, friendly demeanor and playful wit paint nothing less than an image of happiness, self-assurance and... MORE

Airmen keep Soldiers, Marines in the fight
October 3, 2007 — Army Sgt. Scott Boomershire injured his ankle kicking down doors in Iraq. However, it's up to Airmen here, stationed hundreds of miles from the infantryman's unit in Baghdad, to help Sergeant Boomershire get the medical care he needs to put him back in the fight. Members of the 386th Expeditionary Medical Group's Contingency Aeromedical Staging... MORE

Senior Airman Elle Liza Marie Franz conducts a vital check on Army patient Sgt. Scott Boomershire at the Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility Sept. 24 in Southwest Asia. The CASF is a 24-hour medical holding and staging facility, which averages about 300 patients per month. Airman Franz is a 386th Expeditionary Medical Group medical technician. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Tia Schroeder)

Munitions flight is the bomb
September 19, 2007 — Despite all rumors, the fenced-in area behind the softball fields is not, and never has been a minimum-security prison. The area is on the other hand, a high-security area storing nine million dollars worth of ammunition and munitions. The 437th Maintenance Squadron Munitions Flight is responsible for the accountability, requisitioning, receiving,... MORE

Staff Sgt. Sam Kunz, 437th Maintenance Squadron munitions systems craftsman hammers lids on wooden boxes containing countermeasure flares for the C-17 in the Charleston AFB, S.C. munitions bay Sept. 11. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nicholas Pilch)

Charleston AFB privileged to host renowned lecturer
September 12, 2007 — Team Charleston had the rare opportunity to hear from a man who witnessed history first-hand as a trusted advisor to the Kennedy Administration. Dr. Dan Fenn, educator and community leader, enlightened Charleston AFB Sept. 6 during an open lecture at the Charleston Club. His behind-the-scenes narratives as a staff assistant to President John... MORE

Capt. Jeremy Kahoe, 17th Airlift Squadron pilot, shows Doctor Dan Fenn Jr., lecturer for the South Carolina Executive Institute, the flight deck of a C-17 during his visit to the base Sept. 6. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Sam Hymas)

Nondestructive inspection section keeps C-17s in the air
September 5, 2007 — With maintenance being the backbone of Charleston AFB's mission, there are many vertebrae keeping that backbone strong. One of those areas is a team of precise and chemistry-friendly Airmen who support the maintainers and help keep Charleston's 51 C-17s in the air. The nondestructive inspection section performs nondestructive inspections both... MORE

Senior Airman Alton Lee, 437th Maintenance Squadron nondestructive inspection specialist, inspects main landing gear bolts from a C-17 using a magnetic particle inspection process Wednesday at the NDI lab on Charleston AFB. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nicholas Pilch)