Team V member joins SNCOs after being STEP promoted

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Michael Worden, the 30th Launch Group training manager, is promoted to master sergeant by Lt. Gen. Larry James, the 14th Air Force commander, and Chief Master Sgt. James MacKinley, the 14th AF command chief. (Courtesy photo)

Team V encouraged to avoid Lompoc Gate

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Amanda Andrews, a gate guard with Chenega Integrated Systems, performs a vehicle inspection at the Lompoc Gate on Tuesday. Security forces and 30th Space Wing leadership are asking Team V members to avoid using the Lompoc Gate for non-commercial base access, due to increased commercial traffic at the gate. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jonathan Olds)

Cookie Express

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Members of the Vandenberg Spouses club prepare packages of cookies to be delivered to unaccompanied Airmen who reside in the dorms. The event, which is called “Cookie Express”, will distribute more than 290 bags containing a dozen cookies each to Vandenberg Airmen. This is the 22nd year the “Cookie Express” has be operational. (Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Heather Shaw)

North Star

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Senior Airman Christopher Wilson of the 381st Training Squadron helps tie down a tent during the North Star Exercise here Dec. 11.(U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christopher Hubenthal)

2008 at a glance

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- An Atlas V stands on Space Launch Complex-3 during its mobile servicing tower rollback on March 12. This was the first Atlas V launched from Vandenberg and the west coast, as well as the first launch of the year. This milestone for Team Vandenberg was the product of the combined efforts of the 30th Space Wing, the National Reconnaissance Office, United Launch Alliance, the Space and Missile Systems Center, the Aerospace Corporation and more. SLC-3 was significantly modified to get ready for the next generation of space launch vehicles. The pad received significant upgrades to accommodate the larger and more powerful booster. The tower was made taller, the overhang was extended with a much bigger crane, and the entire pad deck was reconfigured. The pad also featured a brand new fixed launch platform. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Satran)

Marine excercise

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit evacuate civilians during a simulated non-combatant evacuation operation Sunday. An MEU in recent events successfully pulled out American citizens during a conflict in Lebanon. The team’s effort in Lebanon has increased the awareness of the military to be ready for the need of non-combatant evacuations in foreign countries when they become unsafe for Americans and our allies. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Matthew Plew)

OKC

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The 392nd Training Squadron wins the Vandenberg 2008 Intramural Football Championship. ( U.S Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Antoinette Lyons)

OKC

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE Calif. -- Airman 1st Class Dallas Cole prays with Ana Ventura from Santa Maria at Operation Kids Christmas held at the Pacific Coast Club. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Antoinette Lyons)

Vandenberg at a Glance

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- Vandenberg firefighters scrub and rinse possible contamination off of airman at the decontamination station during an exercise at Cocheo Park. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Antoinette Lyons)

Vandenberg at a Glance

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- Senior Airman Patrick Mckee and Senior Airman Samiel McIntyre read the results from a litmus paper testing strip during an intial assesment at a RECON exercise in Cocheo Park. (U S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Antoinette Lyons)

MISSILE DEFENSE EXERCISE

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- A Missile Defense Agency (MDA) interceptor missile is successfully launched on Dec. 5, at 12:21 p.m. from North Vandenberg. The launch was part of an exercise and flight test involving the intercept of an intercontinental ballistic missile by a ground-based interceptor missile designed to protect the United States against a limited long-range ballistic missile attack. (U.S Air Force Photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Lee)

Vandenberg Airman joins Armed Forces Inaugural Committee

WASHINGTON -- Senior Airman Mendoza is a member of the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee preparing for the 56th Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Vandenberg at a glance

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Tech. Sgt. Chad Smith sings the National Anthem before an Allan Hancock football game Nov. 8. The game honored military members by allowing free entry anda tri-tip dinner. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christopher Hubenthal)

Vandenberg firefighters conduct controlled burn

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Firefighters from the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron watch the wind direction during a controlled burn to help enlarge the habitat for an endangered species of Western Snowy Plovers here Nov. 6. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Satran)

Vandenberg firefighters controlled burn

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Firefighters from the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron watches for wind direction during a controlled burn to help enlarge the habitat for an endangered species of Western Snowy Plovers here Nov. 6. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Satran)

Vandenberg firefighters conduct controlled burn

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Firefighters from the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron watch the direction of a fire during a controlled burn to help enlarge the habitat for an endangered species of Western Snowy Plovers here Nov. 6. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Satran)

Vandenberg firefighters conduct controlled burn

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A firefighter from the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron protects himself from the smoke during a controlled burn to help enlarge the habitat for an endangered species of Western Snowy Plovers here Nov. 6. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Satran)

Vandenberg firefighters conduct controlled burn

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Firefighter from the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron extinguishes some of the fire during a controlled burn to help enlarge the habitat for an endangered species of Western Snowy Plovers here Nov. 6. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Antoinette Lyons)

Awards luncheon

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Col. David Buck, 30th Space Wing commander, speaks at the 3rd Quarter Awards Luncheon on Oct.30. Quarterly awards highlight outstanding performers on Vandenberg. (U.S. Air Force photo / Senior Airman Nicole Roberts)

It's a roof job

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Contractors continue work on the new base gym last Monday. The new facility is scheduled to be completed during the spring of next year. (U.S. Air Force photo / Airman 1st Class Antoinette Lyons)

Vandenberg graduates 89 Airmen from CCAF

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Col. Steven Winters, 30th Space Wing vice commander, congratulates Airmen after they recieve their Community College of the Air Force diploma. For those Airmen interested in achieving their CCAF degree, the base education center here is scheduled to host a CCAF counseling session in the student lounge Oct. 2, beginning at 1 p.m. (U.S. Air Force photo / Airman 1st Class Andrew Satran)

Run to Remember

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Vandenberg's Run to Remember offers base personnel the opportunity to honor a fallen servicemember by running a mile in their memory. Participants have donated a certain amount per mile to charities dedicated to supporting wounded warriors. (Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Raymond Hoy)

Pillar Point

PILLAR POINT, Calif.-- A Volunteer works to remove invasive vegetaion at Vandenberg's most northern site on Oct. 28. The project was headed by the 30th Civil Engineering Squadron to help maintain the environment. (Air Force photo / Senior Airman Christopher Hubenthal)

Vandenberg at a glance Oct. 30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.--Bernardo Jamrabo begins his third mile for "A Run to Remeber" on October 29. Bernardo is a retiree and all together he plans on running ten miles for ten fallen military members. (Air Force photo/Senior Airman Nicole Roberts)