COMMANDER’S CORNER: SAINT PATRICK’S DAY - PAGE 2 Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Vol. 62 No. 11
Seeing Double: Twins serve Air Force together By Robb Lingley 21st Space Wing Public Affairs
(U.S. Air Force photo by Robb Lingley)
CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN AIR FORCE STATION, Colo. — Tech. Sgt. Christopher Engelke (Center), 721st Civil Engineer Squadron 1st Air Force regional dispatch center superintendent, his wife Jenna-Brie Engelke and twin brother 1st Lt. Cody Engelke (Right), 18th Space Control Squadron deputy commander of training embrace after Chris’s reenlistment at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station Mar. 8, 2018. Chris reenlisted for six more years that will bring him to 20 years of active duty service.
CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN AIR FORCE STATION, Colo. — It’s quite possible, if you’re at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station in the near future, that you’ll come across identical twins working for the 721st Civil Engineer Squadron. You may think you’ve seen one of them but it could be the other. The twins were born Sept. 1, 1982 and Chris Engelke, 721st Civil Engineer Squadron 1st Air Force regional dispatch center superintendent was born first, one minute ahead of his brother. They’re both highly competitive with each other and love sports and academics. Coincidentally they were born on the same day that Air Force Space Command opened at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. “I absolutely love being in the Air Force,” said Chris. “Personally I think it’s great having the structure above you to make sure your taken care of, but at the same time you’re developed and you’re doing it voluntarily 100 percent of the time for the national needs. It’s a humbling experience.” Chris and 1st Lt.Cody Engelke,
18th Space Control Squadron deputy commander of training previously served together in South Korea, but at different Air Force bases, and for a short period of time they served at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, where Cody pinned on staff sergeant joining Chris with the same rank. “That was fun for the commander, having twins, both staff sergeants, both in the same unit,” said Cody. Cody flew in from Vandenburg Air Force Base, California, to be the presiding officer at Chris’ reenlistment March 8, 2018. “I’d gone back and forth about reenlisting at my last assignment in Ramstein, Germany,” Chris said. “I finally figured it was best to just do it where I have the best job in the Air Force here at CMAFS.” Chris was coming up for his date of separation on March 23. In order to get to 20 years of service he needed to be within 30 days of his date of separation to do a six year reenlistment. If he had done his reenlistment a month earlier it would have timed him out at 19 years active duty and he would have to reenlist again to reach See Twins page 8
Reserve Aerial Port named Air Transport Activity of the Year 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — The 302nd Airlift Wing’s 39th Aerial Port Squadron has been awarded the Air Reserve Component Air Transportation Activity of the Year in 2017 for outstanding contributions to the success of Air Force and Department of Defense missions. Throughout the award period, the Reserve Citizen Airmen of 39th APS impacted various missions on a worldwide scale. Throughout the award period, they played key roles in the wing’s Modular Airborne Firefighting System mission, excelled in the areas of airdrop, passenger and cargo processing along with taking a leadership role within the Air Force Reserve Command’s aerial port community by hosting refresher courses and a leadership event. “I was really proud of my Airmen when I heard about the award announcement,” said Maj. Emily Barry, the 39th APS commander. “Last year, they did an outstanding job here and while they were deployed elsewhere.” “I’ve been in the Air Force for 13 years and I’ve never seen a more hard-working group or better attitudes. They really earned this award.”
(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Frank Casciotta)
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — A 39th Aerial Port Squadron reservist secures netting around a cargo shipment during annual tour training at Travis Air Force Base, California, July 2017. The 39th APS was recently awarded the Air Reserve Component Air Transportation Activity of the Year in 2017 for outstanding contributions to the success of the Air Force and Department of Defense missions.
INSIDE News Briefs Classifieds Crossword
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Members return home
Putting thoughts into words
Women’s Day
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