The Order of the Sword

The Order of the Sword is the highest honor Air Force noncommissioned officers can give to an individual who has made significant contributions to the enlisted corps. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ben Strasser)

The Order of the Sword

General Donald Hoffman, his wife Jacki and Air Force Materiel Command CMSGT Eric Jaren pass through a Cordon of drawn swords at the induction ceremony held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on 30 March 2012. The Order of the Sword is the highest honor Air Force noncommissioned officers can give to an individual who has made significant contributions to the enlisted corps. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ben Strasser)

The Order of the Sword

Gen. Donald Hoffman, Air Force Materiel Command commander (left), is joined by the Order of the Sword sergeant at arms Master Sgt. Eric Price and AFMC Command Chief Master Sgt. Eric Jaren during the presentation of the general’s personal sword at a March 30, 2012, induction ceremony held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The Order of the Sword is the highest honor Air Force noncommissioned officers can give to an individual who has made significant contributions to the enlisted corps. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ben Strasser)

AFMC 2012 Anniversary Book

AFMC 2012 Anniversary Book

Tattoo 2010

A parachute jumper with an American Flag is featured as part of the opening ceremonies for Freedom’s Call Tattoo 2010. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Jim Palmer)

Security Professional Education Development

Mr. William Davidson, Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force and Air Force Senior Security Official was the distinguished guest speaker at the first ever DoD Security Professional Education Development (SPēD) certification ceremony April 19 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ben Strasser)

AETC civic leaders tour Wright-Patterson

Gen. Stephen Lorenz, Lt. Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger, and Brig. Gen. Walter Givhan welcome civic leader Walter Miller Sept. 7, 2010 to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Mr. Miller, president of the Polygon Group based in Memphis, Tenn., was one of 21 civic leaders across the nation to observe Air Force missions performed by Wright-Patt Airmen and civilian employees. General Lorenz is Air Education & Training Command commander, General Wolfenbarger, Air Force Materiel Command vice commander and General Givhan Air Force Institute of Technology commandant (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Amanda Duncan)

Helicopter in my pocket

Park Ranger Bob Petersen demonstrates an early flying toy which inspired the Wright Brothers interest in building a flying machine to the Kahler family of Dayton during the Huffman Prairie Aero Carnival Aug. 21, 2010 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The event was sponsored by the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, with support from the Air Force. Ms. Judy Kahler works for Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command Contracting. (U.S. Air Force photo/Derek Kaufman)

AFMC Tattoo 2010

Master Sgt. Shawn Stanley, vocalist with the Air Force Band of Flight, prepares for a solo during the sixth annual Air Force Materiel Command Tattoo June 25, 2010 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The Air Force Band of Flight, along with the six-person southwest Ohio band, This Side Up, and featured rock band .38 Special performed for more than 75,000 people from neighboring communities. (U.S. Air Force/Ben Strasser)

AFMC Tattoo 2010

Warrior Airmen are honored and the Air Force Band of Flight was featured during the Air Force Materiel Command Tattoo June 25 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. An estimated crowd in excess of 75,000 attended the sixth annual free public event. (U.S. Air Force/Ben Strasser)

Air Force Materiel Command Tattoo 2010

Gen. Donald Hoffman presents Ralph Hoehn with the Distinguished Flying Cross at the Air Force Materiel Command Freedom's Call Tattoo on June 25 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. During World War II, then Lieutenant Hoehn, a member of the 491st Bombardment Group, piloted B-24 Liberators for 35 missions in the skies over Europe. The sixth annual Tattoo attracted more than 75,000 people for an evening of music, military ceremony, aircraft flyovers and fireworks. General Hoffman is AFMC commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ben Strasser)

Air Force Materiel Command Tattoo 2010

Dayton's WHIO evening television news co-anchor James Brown narrates during Air Force Materiel Command's sixth annual Tattoo June 25, 2010 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The free event honored veterans of the Korean War and attracted more than 75,000 people for an evening of music, military ceremony, aircraft flyovers and fireworks. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ben Strasser)

Air Force Materiel Command Tattoo 2010

A B-52 Stratofortress performs a flyover of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force June 25, 2010 during Air Force Materiel Command's sixth annual Tattoo. The free event attracted more than 75,000 people to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio for an evening of music, military ceremony, aircraft flyovers and fireworks. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ben Strasser)

Air Force Materiel Command Tattoo 2010

A World War II B-17 Flying Fortress flys over the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force June 25, 2010 during Air Force Materiel Command's sixth annual Tattoo. The free event attracted more than 75,000 people to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio for an evening of music, military ceremony, aircraft flyovers and fireworks. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ben Strasser)

Korean War Veterans to be honored at 2010 Tattoo

James Snyder, a Korean War veteran, recalled having “one-and-a-half hours” of notice that a war had broken out and he was heading there. He and four other veterans will be honored for their service at the 6th Annual Freedom's Call Tattoo.

Veterans honored at Tattoo

Sam Morgan, a Xenia resident and Korean War veteran, received his draft notice in 1951. He was assigned to the Third Marine Division’s motor transport battalion as a company clerk and spent most of his enlistment at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He will be honored along with four others at the 6th Annual Freedom's Call Tattoo at WPAFB.

Korean War Veterans to be honored at Tattoo

Bernie DeLong, a Korean War Veteran, entered the Army Reserve in 1948. In 1950, switched to the Air Force to fly fighters and “rise above the fray.” He flew F-84Ds and Gs in Korea starting in April 1953 and completed 69 air-to-ground missions by July when the armistice was signed. Mr. DeLong and four other Korean War Veterans will be honored for their service during the 2010 Freedom’s Call Tattoo June 25, on the grounds of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

Conference focuses on DoD acquisition workforce

Mr. Gary Bliss is joined by senior Air Force leaders for a 3-star panel discussion during the DoD Acquisition Insight Conference April 20, 2010 at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. The conference, sponsored by the Defense Acquisition University, focused on challenges faced by the Department of Defense acquisition workforce. Mr. Bliss is director of the Pentagon’s Performance Assessment and Root Cause Analysis office. Also pictured are Lt. Gen. Ted Bowlds, Electronic Systems Center commander, Lt. Gen Tom Owen, Aeronautical Systems Center commander, Lt. Gen. Marc Rogers, Inspector General of the Air Force, and Lt. Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger, Air Force Materiel Command vice commander. (DoD photo/Erica Kobren)

Conference focuses on DoD acquisition workforce

Dr. Ashton Carter, the Pentagon’s top acquisition official, speaks to more than 700 military and civilian acquisition officials during the DoD Acquisition Insight Conference April 20, 2010 held at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. The conference, sponsored by the Defense Acquisition University, focused on challenges faced by the Department of Defense acquisition workforce. Dr. Carter is Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. (DoD photo/Erica Kobren)

Conference focuses on DoD acquisition workforce

Dr. Ashton Carter, the Pentagon’s top acquisition official, speaks to more than 700 military and civilian acquisition officials and defense industry partners during the DoD Acquisition Insight Conference April 20, 2010 at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. The conference, sponsored by the Defense Acquisition University, focused on challenges faced by the Department of Defense acquisition workforce. Dr. Carter is Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. (DoD photo/Erica Kobren)

A General tour

Maj. Gen. Kathleen Close, Director, Logistics and Sustainment, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, greets 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron Expeditionary Theater Distribution Center Airmen at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, Feb. 7, 2010. General Close visited the Transit Center as part of a trip through the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility to acquire feedback directly from the warfighter about the test and sustainment support AFMC is contributing to the fight. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Carolyn Viss/released)

USAF School of Aerospace Medicine's DIMO unit carries training worldwide

U. S. Air Force instructors with the Defense Institute for Medical Operations based at Brooks City-Base, Texas, train local first responders on proper litter carry skills in Kingston, Jamaica. (Air Force photo)

X-51A

An X-51A WaveRider hypersonic flight test vehicle is uploaded to an Air Force Flight Test Center B-52 for fit testing at Edwards Air Force Base on July 17, 2009. Four scramjet-powered Waveriders were built for the Air Force. The Air Force Research Laboratory, DARPA, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, and Boeing are partners on the X-51A technology demonstrator program. (U.S. Air Force photo/Chad Bellay)

X-51A mated to B-52 for fit test

The X-51A WaveRider hypersonic flight test vehicle was uploaded to an Air Force Flight Test Center B-52 for fit testing at Edwards Air Force Base on July 17. Two B-52 flights, one captive carriage and one dress rehearsal, are planned this fall prior to the X-51's first hypersonic scramjet flight over the Pacific Ocean scheduled in December. The Air Force Research Laboratory, DARPA, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, and Boeing are partnering on the X-51A technology demonstrator program. (U.S. Air Force photo/Chad Bellay)