Child care provider goes above, beyond

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Sean Pitts reads a book to children in the care of Windy Pitts at her home on Sept. 6. Mrs. Pitts, who was recently named the 2007 Family Child Care Provider of the Year for Vandenberg, runs a full spectrum day care program from her home. Her program includes school fundamentals, arts and crafts, and field trips for the six children in her care. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman First Class Ashley Reed)

Golf tourney raises $2,500+ to help with 60th Anniv. ball

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Hawkman watches 30th Space Wing Commander Col. Steve Tanous tee off at the first hole during the 60th anniversary golf tournament at Marshallia Ranch Golf Course on Sept. 6. Thirty-Five teams of members from Vandenberg and the local community participated in the tournament to raise money for the 60th anniversary Air Force Ball, which generated over $2,500 to off-set ticket costs for the upcoming event to be held Sept. 22 at the Pacific Coast Club. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Matthew Plew)

chief

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- AFSPC Command Chief Master Sgt. Michael Sullivan speaks with ALS students about the importance of leadership as an NCO supervising today's Airman, Wednesday August 29, 2007. The chief's visit reflected his focus on developing Airmen as leaders, which is one of the priorities of the Air Force Chief of Staff. (U.S. Air Force photograph/Airman 1st Class Matthew Plew)

Base stampedes to support Texas Blowout Barbecue

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Airman 1st Class Ryan Dane, 30 Medical Operations Squadron, admires the vehicles on display during the Texas Blowout Barbecue on Aug. 24. The event raised more than $18,000 for the 48th annual Operation Kids Christmas event, a celebration which provides more than 200 under privileged children with Christmas presents and a holiday dinner gift certificate. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Thomas)

Base stampedes to support Texas Blowout Barbecue

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- 2nd Lt. Angelique Mahdi, 392 Training Squadron, paints the face of 2nd Lt. Shampei Fujimura, 392nd Training Squadron, during the Texas Blowout Barbecue on Aug. 24. The event raised more than $18,000 for the 48th annual Operation Kids Christmas event, a celebration which provides more than 200 under privileged children with Christmas presents and a holiday dinner gift certificate. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Thomas)

Youth soccer season begins with opening ceremony

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Children play a practice game following the youth soccer opening ceremony at the youth soccer field on Aug. 24. The youth soccer opening ceremony kicked off the two-month season for children ages 5 to 14 with games on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Thomas)

Youth soccer season begins with opening ceremony

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Children participating in the youth soccer program show their team spirit by running around the field during the youth soccer opening ceremony at the youth soccer field on Aug. 24. The youth soccer opening ceremony kicked off the two-month season for children ages 5 to 14 with games on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Thomas)

Youth soccer season begins with opening ceremony

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Cheerleaders perform a cheer during the youth soccer opening ceremony at the youth soccer field on Aug. 24. The youth soccer opening ceremony kicked off the two-month season for children ages 5 to 14 with games on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Thomas)

Base turns out to support Texas Blowout Barbecue

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Motor entheusiasts check out dozens of show-room quality vehicles during the Texas Blowout Barbecue on Aug. 24. The event raised more than $18,000 for the 48th annual Operation Kids Christmas event, a celebration which provides more than 200 underpriveledged children with Christmas presents and a holiday dinner gift certificate. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Eric Chin)

Base turns out to support Texas Blowout Barbecue

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Hundreds of Airmen and their families turned out for the Texas Blowout Barbecue at Cocheo Park on Aug. 24. The event raised more than $18,000 for the 48th annual Operation Kids Christmas event, a celebration which provides more than 200 underpriveledged children with Christmas presents and a holiday dinner gift certificate. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Eric Chin)

Base turns out to support Texas Blowout Barbecue

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Team NRO prepares to launch their "road pie" payload several hundred yards for the cow chip toss during the Texas Blowout Barbecue on Aug. 24. VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Lt. Col. Mark Danehy, 148th Space Operations Squadron commander, competes for the traveling trophy in the cow chip toss during the Texas Blowout Barbecue on Aug. 24. The event raised more than $18,000 for the 48th annual Operation Kids Christmas event, a celebration which provides more than 200 underpriveledged children with Christmas presents and a holiday dinner gift certificate. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Eric Chin)

Base turns out to support Texas Blowout Barbecue

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Lt. Col. Mark Danehy, 148th Space Operations Squadron commander, competes for the traveling trophy in the cow chip toss during the Texas Blowout Barbecue on Aug. 24. The event raised more than $18,000 for the 48th annual Operation Kids Christmas event, a celebration which provides more than 200 underpriveledged children with Christmas presents and a holiday dinner gift certificate. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Eric Chin)

North Star prepares Vandenberg Airmen for deployment

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Staff Sgt. Kaohilii Romualdo and Staff Sgt. Christopher Basinger, 30th Civil Engineer Squadron, look over the Airman's Manual during the North Star exercise on Aug. 23. North Star is designed to teach Airmen the combat skills needed while deployed. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Thomas)

North Star prepares Vandenberg Airmen for deployment

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Airmen participating in a North Star exercise learn how to field strip the M-16 rifle on Aug. 23. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Thomas)

North Star prepares Vandenberg Airmen for deployment

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Senior Airman Tommy Thongkham, 30th Civil Engineer Squadron, waits for the next scenario to begin during North Star on Aug. 23. North Star is designed to teach Airmen the combat skills needed while deployed. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Christian Thomas)

AOR receives first Operation Warrior Comfort shipment

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Deployed first sergeants receive the first Operation Warrior Comfort packages to arrive at the Contingency Air Staging Facility, or CSAF, which cares for sick and wounded Airmen and Soldiers transiting through on their way to Germany for care. The donations from Vandenberg will provide some of the wounded troops with clothes since most of them arrive to the CASF with nothing but the clothes on their backs. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo)

Vandenberg welcomes Airmen returning from 6-month deployment

Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. -- Members of the 30th Security Forces Squadron, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., shake hands of fellow members after thier return home from a deployment on August 22, 2007. The 25 Airman, who compose of 2 teams, return from a six-month deployment at Al Udied, Qatar. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Jonathan Olds)

Vandenberg welcomes Airmen returning from 6-month deployment

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Tech. Sgt. Michael Fries, 30th Security Forces Squadron, hugs his wife, Debra, as he returns home from a deployment on Aug. 22. The 25 Airman, who compose 2 teams, returned from a six-month deployment at Al Udied, Qatar. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Jonathan Olds)

Vandenberg hosts education fair

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.--The Vandenberg education center hosted an education fair that allowed members of team Vandenberg to find out more about educational and career oppurtunities. Senior Airman Shaun Cooper used the fair as a chance to see how he can better himself through high education.(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Wesley Carter)

30th Security Forces Homecoming

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Staff Sgt Michael Hall, 30th Security Forces Squadron, embraces his daughters, Riley, Taryn, and Ashton upon returning from deployment on Aug. 22. Two teams composed of 25 Airmen returned from a six-month deployment to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt Angelique Perez)

TORO, TORO! Airman fights the bulls in Santa Barbara

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- During the Santa Barbara 2007 Fiesta Rodeo on Aug. 4, Capt. Jeremy Sparks draws a bull's attention so the fallen rider can move to safety. As a professional bull fighter, Captain Sparks antagonizes bulls while dodging attacks, scoring points the closer he gets to the bull. He served as a a missileer with the 321st Missile Squadron at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., and now teaches ROTC at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyo. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Eric Chin)

76th Helicopter Squadron takes fini-flight, wet down

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Celebrating the final flight of the 76th Helicopter Squadron, Airmen jump into a pool of bubble bath and green sea dye on July 31. The 76th HS is set to inactivate during a ceremony at the hangar Aug. 2, bringing a 49-year era of helicopters at Vandenberg to a close. The 76th came into existence at Vandenberg in May 1993 as a Rescue Flight and changed to a Helicopter Squadron in October 2005. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Adam Guy)

Across oceans

Carolina Garcia of Santa Maria, Calif., talks to her new husband Senior Airman Carlos Moreno, 30th Space Wing Security Forces Squadron. The couple were married minutes earlier via video teleconference here on May 26. The satellite wedding was a first of its kind at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Moreno is currently deployed to Afghanistan supporting the war on terror. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott Seyer)

Pure joy

Carolina Garcia of Santa Maria, Calif., sheds a tear of joy while talking to her new husband Senior Airman Carlos Moreno, 30th Space Wing Security Forces Squadron. The couple were married minutes earlier via video teleconference here on May 26. The satellite wedding was a first of its kind at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Moreno is currently deployed to Afghanistan supporting the war on terror. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott Seyer)