Goodfellow holds Air Force Ball Published Sept. 16, 2008 By Senior Airman Stephen Musal 17th Training Wing Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Angelo State University's C.J. Davidson Conference Center was the place to be Friday night as the men and women of Goodfellow Air Force Base celebrated the Air Force's 61st birthday. In addition to commemorating the Air Force's creation on Sept. 18, 1947, the 2008 Air Force Ball's theme, "Celebrating Milestones," celebrated three important events in Air Force history. The Woman's Integration Act was passed June 12, 1948, and allowed the integration of women into the armed forces. On July 26, 1948, the armed forces were officially integrated racially, ending years of racial segregation. Ten years later, on Oct. 1, 1958, the intelligence training mission began on Goodfellow. The Air Force Ball began with the Posting of the Colors, with "The Star-Spangled Banner" sung by the volunteers of the 17th Training Group White Rope Choir. Toasts to the Flag of the United States of America, to the President of the United States, to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the chief master sergeant of the Air Force were followed with a toast "to our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen who are deployed around the world defending freedom and upholding democracy." The culmination of the Prisoner of War / Missing in Action ceremony was the setting of a table in remembrance of POW/MIAs. Service caps and other ceremonial items were placed on the table along with a binder containing the names of the missing to remind the attendees to "Never forget." A video celebrating the milestones and the Air Force's birthday was then played. A copy of the video is available at http://www.goodfellow.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-080912-055.wmv. The cake is traditionally cut by the oldest and youngest Airmen in attendance. This year's cake cutters were Chaplain (Lt. Col.) James Ludwikoski, 17th Training Wing chaplain, and Airman Basic Sarah Miklance, a technical training student. Dr. John Garrett, 17th Training Wing Historian, was the guest speaker, offering historical background for the three events celebrated in the ball's theme. Dr. Garrett departed San Angelo Saturday for a three-year assignment in Germany. The event ended with the reciting of the Airman's Creed and the singing of the Air Force Song. Dancing followed well into the evening. "We took a lot of pride in the ceremonial events," said Capt. Brian Copper, 17th Security Forces Squadron, who headed up the Air Force Ball committee. "We wanted to make this a fun, festive environment while centering on the celebration of the Air Force and its Airmen, young and old. Everything, from the choir and the entertainment to the cake-cutting and the theme, came together toward that end."
