Grissom Airmen earn CCAF degrees

Not only are many of the Air Force’s enlisted members able to call themselves graduates of basic military training, they can also call themselves Community College of the Air Force graduates.

This holds true as 60 Airmen assigned to the 434^th Air Refueling Wing recently earned their CCAF degrees in their chosen career field.

To commemorate their accomplishments, Grissom held a graduation ceremony in Gus Grissom Hall here Dec. 2.

"You have to be ready for the next step," said Col. Larry Shaw, 434th Air Refueling Wing commander. "When life gives you the opportunity, you want to be ready to take the next step [with your education]."

Below are the names of those earning their associates in applied science degrees in the following area of study.

Aerospace ground equipment technology:

Staff Sgt. Jesse Leslie, 434^th Maintenance Squadron

Staff Sgt. Theresa Daniel, 434^th MXS

Staff Sgt. Damon Spradlin, 434^th MXS

Senior Airman Brian Wright, 434^th MXS

Aviation maintenance technology:

Master Sgt. David Bryant, 434^th MXS

Master Sgt. Franklin Willis, 434^th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

Master Sgt. Jared Richmond, 434^th MXS

Tech. Sgt. Alina Palmer, 434^th AMXS

Tech. Sgt. Cameren Hinton, 434^th MXS

Staff Sgt. Adam Kee, 434^th MXS

Staff Sgt. Austin Sands, 434^th MXS

Staff Sgt. Marco Thompson,

Staff Sgt. Samuel Richmond, 434^th AMXS

Senior Airman Connor Odonnell, 434^th AMXS

Senior Airman Steven Hungness, 434^th MXS

Aircrew safety systems technology:

Tech. Sgt. Corey Maston, 434^th Operations Support Squadron

Aviation management:

Master Sgt. Kellin Hardin, 434^th OSS

Avionic systems technology:

Master Sgt. Russell Smith, 434^th AMXS

Staff Sgt. Alfredo Aguilar, 434^th AMXS

Staff Sgt. Anthony Bitner, 434^th AMXS

Staff Sgt. Tirapong Kusub, 434^th AMXS

Bioenvironmental engineering technology:

Tech. Sgt. Lee Echtle, 434^th Aerospace Medicine Squadron

Business administration:

Tech. Sgt. Darius Smith, 72^nd Air Refueling Squadron

Staff Sgt. Christopher Miller, 434^th Operations Group

Construction technology:

Master Sgt. Jose Hernandez, 434^th Civil Engineer Squadrom

Criminal justice:

Tech. Sgt. Nevada Carr, 434^th Security Forces Squadron

Staff Sgt. Adam Kern, 434^th SFS

Electronic systems technology:

Staff Sgt. Timothy Jones, 434^th Communications Squadron

Emergency management:

Staff Sgt. Jesse Crow, 434^th ARW

Staff Sgt. Dominic Zaffino, 434^th ARW

Entomology:

Senior Master Sgt. Douglas Schmidt, 434^th CES

Explosive ordinance disposal:

Staff Sgt. Trenton Hawk, 434^th CES

Master Sgt. Benjamin Wagner, 434^th CES

Fire Science:

Master Sgt. Jeffrey Schlageter, 434^th CES

Tech Sgt. Bradley Rodriguez, 434^th CES

Staff Sgt. Eric Berger, 434^th CES

Health care management:

Senior Master Sgt. Leslie Nance, 434^th AMDS

Staff Sgt. Amy Kreft, 434^th AMDS

Human resource management:

Master Sgt. Jarred Gentile, 434^th Force Support Squadron

Tech. Sgt. Erica Van Matre, 434^th Mission Support Group

Human services:

Tech. Sgt. Daniel Huff, 434^th FSS

Information systems technology:

Senior Master Sgt. Mark Copp, 434^th OSS

Master Sgt. Sean Stump, 434^th CS

Staff Sgt. Joshua Reeder, 434^th CS

Logistics:

Senior Master Sgt. Zachary Gaumer, 434^th Logistics Readiness Squadron

Tech. Sgt. Jesse Vanengelenhoven, 434^th LRS

Tech. Sgt. Justin Lindstrom, 434^th LRS

Staff Sgt. Jessica Hales, 434^th LRS

Staff Sgt. Joshua Dickson, 434^th LRS

Senior Airman Adrian Bituin, 434^th LRS

Maintenance production management:

Tech. Sgt. Lasheda Brooks, 434^th Maintenance Group

Staff Sgt. Kenneth Garcia, 434^th MXG

Mechanical and electrical technology:

Tech Sgt. Gabriel Struss, 434^th CES

Staff Sgt. Joshua Escobedo, 434^th CES

Staff Sgt. Zachary Munsell, 434^th CES

Metals technology:

Staff Sgt. Mark Beveridge,

Nondestructive testing technology

Staff Sgt. Janette Arnold, 434^th Maintenance Group

Practical nursing technology:

Master Sgt. Christopher Sewell, 434^th AMDS

Transportation:

Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Connelly, 49^th Aerial Port Squadron

Master Sgt. William Archer, 434^th LRS

"It's not only a degree that will help you, but it shows a commitment to your personal and professional development," said Chief Master Sgt. Wesley Marion, 434th Air Refueling Wing command chief.

The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. The Citizen Airmen from the Hoosier Wing routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission.

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