Bicycles to Afghanistan

Alaska Air National Guardsman Master Sgt. Jon Molt keeps on eye on the pallet of bicycles as Master Sgt. William Yudiskas drives the forklift and as Master Sgt. Stephen Gordon directs the pallet toward the ramp of a C-130 Hercules on December 8, 2009. The Guardsmen are from the 176th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Alaska Air National Guard, Anchorage, Alaska. The twenty-three refurbished bikes will be airlifted by the Alaska Air National Guard?s144th Airlift Squadron, to Afghanistan to be given to disadvantaged children. (Alaska Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Shannon Oleson)

Bicycles to Afghanistan

(Left to right) Alaska Air Guardsmen Staff Sgt. Woody Miller, Senior Airman John Darnall, Senior Airman Ryan Pierce and Tech. Sgt. Summer Rehak from the 176th Logistics Readiness Squadron pulls a top net over a pallet of refurbished bicycles on December 6, 2009. The bikes will be airlifted by the Alaska Air National Guard?s144th Airlift Squadron, to Afghanistan to be given to disadvantaged children. (Alaska Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Shannon Oleson)

Arctic Rescue Pavehawk Style

KULIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Alaska -- The flight engineer with the 210th Rescue Squadron prepares for a simulated hoist extraction during a nighttime training flight on an HH-60G Pavehawk Nov. 5. Kulis Air National Guard rescue squadrons conduct training missions five days a week around the Alaska airspace. Most rescue training operations occur during the nighttime hours which help guardsmen become more efficient and increase survivability in combat. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Cynthia Spalding)

Arctic Rescue Pavehawk Style

KULIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Alaska --Lt. Col. William Sullivan prepares for night time training operations in an HH-60G Pavehawk before takeoff Nov. 5. Most rescue training operations occur during the nighttime hours which help guardsmen become more efficient and increase survivability in combat. Sullivan is the chief of standardization/evaluation from Pacific Air Forces Headquarters Hickam AFB, Hawaii. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Cynthia Spalding)

Operation Santa Claus 2009: St. George Island

KBRJ's morning disk jocky DeAnna hauls a load of Christmas gifts for the kids at the St. George School. DeAnna volunteered to travel to St. George to serve as master of ceremonies for the Operation Santa Claus visit. U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. John Callahan.

Operation Santa Claus 2009: St. George Island

Till Lekanof, age 1, gets a spoonful of ice cream from Grandpa Ted while his mother, Chelsea, looks on. The ice cream was donated by the Tastee-Freez restaurant in Anchorage, which has a long history of supporting Operation Santa Claus and other military programs in Alaska. U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. John Callahan.