By Senior Airman Rhonda Smith / Published May 18, 2021
The Honorable John Roth, acting secretary of the Air Force, center left, and Lt. Gen. James Hecker, Air University commander and president, center right, stand with recipients of the 2021 Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Awards, May 11, 2021, at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. The award is presented annually to Air University faculty, staff and students who have displayed exemplary leadership, character and ethical behavior that distinguished them from their peers. Award recipients pictured are (left-right): Master Sgt. Charles Simper, Cadet Wing Commander Kierenne Eadie, U.S. Space Force Maj. Kyle Keith, Maj. Tamara Merritt, Jason Womack and Tech. Sgt. Daniel Keeling. Master Sgt. Jaime Matekaitis was not available to receive the award in person. (U.S. Air Force photo by William Birchfield)
COLORADO SPRINGS • VFW Post 101 in Colorado Springs commemorated its 101st Anniversary with the ceremonial pinning of two horses.
The horses, owned by Ginger Patrick of Florissant, were officially inducted in the VFW Post April 20 due to their involvement with veterans’ activities.
VFW Post 101, at 702 S. Tejon St., is the oldest post in Colorado Springs and originally was stationed in Old Colorado City until moving to its current location in 1969. The Post was chartered on April 20, 1920 under Commander James W. Gowdy and post was named for Lt. Marion L. Willis, who was killed in France during WWI while assigned to the 356th Infantry Division. Willis, a native of Kansas, moved to Colorado Springs sometime before the war. He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery.