July 7, 2017

“… We had to make our own fun…”

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — “I grew up in Rotorua, New Zealand, and lived there until I was 19 years old. My three brothers and I were always outside playing with our neighbors. On a normal day we would eat breakfast at seven, be out with our friends by eight and not come home until our dad whistled for dinner. We lived in a rural area, with a football field-sized yard. We

April 27, 2017

"... The passing rate is about seven percent..."

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — "I began my military career in the Army, working in infantry, and loved it. I earned a lot of respect being the only private (PV1) in my unit to be airborne-qualified and to have my expert infantry badge. To earn the badge, I completed and passed a week’s worth of testing, ranging from day and night land navigation to a 12-mile ruck in under three

Jan. 30, 2017

“…I really missed the military…”

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — After a two-year break-in-service, Airman 1st Class Rachel A. Davis enlisted in the Air Force Reserve.   Davis originally enlisted in the Navy in 2010 and served as an aviation boatswains mate handler on the USS Carl Vinson.   “I was in charge of all moving parts on the flight deck,” Davis said.   Her duties included making sure aircraft were

Dec. 23, 2016

"… My family has a kind of weird holiday tradition..."

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — “My family has a kind of weird holiday tradition that dates back to my great-grandmother. It’s a dish called boeuf à la mode, which is pork and beef cooked in a Crock-pot for three days, with pumpkin pie spices. My dad makes it every year out of tradition; it’s not that anybody really likes it. I grew up with it, but I never knew anyone else who

Oct. 28, 2016

Motivated by movies

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — Senior Airman Victoria Leznik enlisted in the Air Force Reserve about two years ago, after thinking it wasn’t a possibility for her. “I never thought I was capable of joining the military because I wasn’t a citizen,” Leznik said.  Leznik was born in Russia then moved to a refugee camp in Germany with her family when she was a toddler. Fourteen

Oct. 21, 2016

Five years, 158 days: One Airman’s journey to citizenship

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — Five years and 158 days after moving to the United States, Airman Aris D. Soltani became a citizen. Soltani raised his right hand and recited the Oath of Allegiance Oct. 11, 2016, at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Sacramento, California. “I don’t think I’ve ever really been so proud of myself,” said Soltani, a 940th

Sept. 16, 2016

Beale Reserve wing stands up historic CE squadron

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — Lt. Col. Bradley G. King assumed command of the 940th Civil Engineer Squadron from presiding officer Col. Roderick T. Grunwald, 940th Mission Support Group commander, on Sept. 11, 2016, at Beale Air Force Base, California. The 940 CES provides reserve emergency response and firefighting capabilities to augment the base civil engineering mission.

July 8, 2016

PROSUPER: "Best Air Force class I've taken"

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California — Twenty-eight reserve maintainers were certified as production superintendents on June 25, 2016 at Beale Air Force Base, California. In order to prepare for the air refueling mission, which the 940th returned to earlier this year, reservists throughout the wing have been attending training like this course. The wing is resuming a role it performed