CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - Air Commandos from the 522nd Special Operations squadron returning from a deployment to Afghanistan were welcomed home recently by 27th Special Operations Wing leadership, family and friends during Operation Homecoming at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.

Navarre High School recently announced that the Raider Battalion Cadets of the Month for September are Junior Cadet Hannah Osborne and Senior Cadet Julianne Desalle.

Captain Matthew Coughlin, Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Whiting Field (NASWF), provided the Santa Rosa Board of County Commissioners with an update at its committee meeting Sept. 23. Commissioner Don Salter stated that on a quarterly basis Coughlin would be providing the county with reports on activities involving NASWF and the Department of Defense.

Friday the 13th was a lucky day for five sailors at Whiting Field, who traded their first class petty officer uniforms for those of a Navy Chief for the first time.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - A proud Air Force father surprised his son on September 17 for his birthday. 

HURLBURT FIELD - Acting Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning spoke with more than 500 Air Commandos about the future of special operations last Monday and Tuesday at an all-call during his two-day visit to Hurlburt Field.

A total of 2,996 small American flags lined the front lawn around the flag poles at Navarre High School last Wednesday, in remembrance of the 2,996 people that lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks 12 years ago.

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE - After months of preparation the weapons troop standardization load crew, or SLC, from the 33rd Maintenance Group performed the first munitions load verification on the F-35A Lightning II at Eglin Air Force base in late August.