Combined Federal Campaign seeks increased donation and participation

Master Sgt. Rodney Huffman, 45th Space Communications Squadron, and Maj. Shana Figueroa, 5th Space Launch Squadron Atlas V Flight Commander, kicked off the 2011 Combined Federal Campaign during the Sports Week picnic and closing ceremony Oct. 7. The campaign, in its 50th year, runs through Nov. 4, and has a local goal of raising $205,000 while making 100-percent face-to-face contact with all members eligible to donate: military personnel, federal civilian and postal employees, and contractors. (U.S. Air Force photo/Matthew Jurgens)

An unexpected hero

Staff Sgt. Brandon Lape, 45th Security Forces Squadron, his wife, Senior Airman Deborah Lape, 920th Rescue Wing, and their son Christian, 6. Sergeant Lape is credited with saving a man from a burning vehicle and Airman Lape cleared away onlookers just before the car exploded.

Adventure Race in Traverse

Maj. Dave Ashley, 5th Space Launch Squadron director of operations, traverses a rock face during competition. He is one of thousands of people who compete in adventure races, held in national and state parks throughout the United States. “You have to use your brain to plot your route and to know what equipment you are going to use and when,” said Ashley, who has earned first place male soloist as ranked by Checkpoint Tracker Adventure Racing, a national ranking association. (Photo courtesy of Maj. Dave Ashley)

Mountain Biker/Adventure Race Maj. David Ashley

Maj. Dave Ashley, 5th Space Launch Squadron director of operations, kayaks an adventure race. Skills needed to complete the extreme sport's 50- to 200-plus-mile races may also include orienteering (land navigation with a map and compass only, no GPS), cross country running, canoeing, swimming, traversing on ropes, rock climbing and rappelling. Not only must participants be proficient in these areas, but they complete these tasks in environments with severe elevation changes, unforgiving terrain and extreme weather conditions. (Photo courtesy of Maj. Dave Ashley)

Brig. Gen. Anthony Cotton, 45th Space Wing commander, coins Tim McCall, 45th Space Communications Squadron, for his part in saving the life of Wingman Mike Knight

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Brig. Gen. Anthony Cotton, 45th Space Wing commander, coins Tim McCall, 45th Space Communications Squadron, while, from left, Lt Col. Pamela Woolley, 45 SCS commander, and co-workers Mike Knight and Joe Joscak look on. General Cotton presented commander's coins to Joscak and McCall for saving Knight's life, Joscak, 45 SCS Chief of Client Services, dispatched McCall to Knight's apartment after he failed to report to work and didn't respond to phone calls Aug. 15. Knowing Knight has Type 1 diabetes, they persuaded an apartment manager to open his door, and McCall found Knight in a diabetic coma, before calling emergency responders.

45th Space Wing Vice Commander Col. Rory Welch, 45th Mission Support Group Commander Loretta Kelemen and 45th Security Forces Squadron Commander Maj. John Newton recently cut the ribbon on the new Security Forces building at Cape Canaveral Air Force Stati

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. -- 45th Space Wing Vice Commander Col. Rory Welch, 45th Mission Support Group Commander Loretta Kelemen and 45th Security Forces Squadron Commander Maj. John Newton recently cut the ribbon on the new Security Forces building here. The newly completed facility is mission ready and replaces an aging building in the Cape Industrial Area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Julie Dayringer)