SAN ANGELO, Texas -- The Goodfellow community celebrated the Air Force’s 70th birthday and honored the traditions of old during the Air Force Ball, located at the McNease Convention Center Sept. 15.
The festivities started off with the social hour. The honor guard opened with the posting of the colors and Patriotic Blue sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The toasts recognized our flag, the President of the United States and several more. Once the toasts were completed, everyone was quiet for the Prisoners of War / Missing in Action ceremony.
Honor Guard set up the POW/MIA table in remembrance of those lost or missing brothers and sisters in arms. All elements of the table have a meaning, to include the white table cloth draped over the table to the wine glass left upside down. The master of ceremony explained each item and their meanings concluding with a toast.
A video showcased the advances of the Air Force throughout its 70 years and the achievements of Goodfellow Air Force Base.
Honors of cutting the Air Force cake went to the oldest and the youngest attendees. The oldest member was Retired Col. Charlie Powell, while the youngest was Airman Hannah Guthrie, 315th student.
“It is a genuine honor,” said Guthrie. “Honestly, it leaves me speechless, and as young as I am, all I want to do is learn more about the Air Force and grow in the Air Force.”
Retired Lt. Gen. Ronnie Hawkins Jr. was the guest speaker and shared his experiences that helped form his view of an Air Force to be proud of. Hawkins spoke on the importance of the Oath of Enlistment and how remembering our traditions and protocol helps to build a better Air Force.
“If you think of this as a job, you need to get out,” said Hawkins. “People expect more out of us and deserve more. After all, we are here to defend them.”
The ball showcased many of the Air Force traditions, ranging from POW/ MIA ceremonies to celebrating old and new generations with the cake cutting. Each celebration serves as a foundation towards building a stronger future by remembering the past.
“Tradition is everything and we continue to hold that tradition and that is what these types of events do,” said Master Sgt. Anthony Vigil, 17th Training Support Squadron.