The Air Force released the latest volume in its Portraits in Courage series, honoring 20 airmen who displayed bravery and determination in the face of especially challenging or dangerous situations. “These exceptional airmen persisted through extraordinary circumstances, confronted unforeseen dangers, and surmounted seemingly impossible challenges, all to accomplish their missions, and often saving the lives of others in the process,” reads an Aug. 19 service release. Click here to visit the Portraits in Courage website, or click on the hyperlinks to the individual airmen below for their stories.
Lt. Col. Karl Ingeman, 555th Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy;
Capt. Barry Crawford, 104th FS, Warfield ANG Base, Baltimore;
Capt. Jennifer Curtis, 75th Medical Operations Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah;
Capt. Darrel Deleon, 1st Space Operations Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo.;
Capt. Blake Luttrell, 21st Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Field, N.C.;
MSgt. Angela Blue, 355th Medical Operations Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.;
MSgt. Christopher Uriarte, 212th Rescue Squadron, JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska;
MSgt. Kevin Wallace, 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, Britain;
TSgt. Tavis Delaney, 116th Air Support Operations Squadron, Camp Murray, Wash.;
TSgt. David Perez, 377th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.;
TSgt. Scott Saenz, 375th Civil Engineer Squadron, Scott AFB, Ill.;
TSgt. Matthew Schwartz, 90th CES, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.;
SSgt. Trevor Brewer, 48th Security Forces Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, Britain;
SSgt. Christopher Jarrell, 81st SFS, Keesler AFB, Miss.;
SSgt. Kyle Klapperich, 23rd STS, Hurlburt Field, Fla.;
SSgt. Jeffery Salazar, 22nd STS, JB Lewis-McChord, Wash.;
SSgt. Vanessa Salzl Bibb, 59th Medical Wing, JB San Antonio, Tex.;
SSgt. Travis Sanford, 10th Combat Weather Squadron, Hurlburt Field;
SSgt. Ben Seekell, 4th SFS, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.; and
SrA. Veronica Cox, 33rd RQS, Kadena AB, Japan.
(Washington, D.C., report by TSgt. Shawn J. Jones)