Deployment is family affair for 3 siblings

Captain Menjivar

Farewell to family

Capt. William Clark kisses wife Shelley as 3-year-old daughter Tallulah waits her turn. He and nine other members of the 81st Surgical Operations Squadron departed Keesler Sept. 12 to begin a 120-day deployment to South-west Asia to care for U.S. and coalition forces and other patients. (U.S. Air Force photo by Steve Pivnick)

Airman recounts events of his first week as member of this elite unit at Keesler

Airman Salanitri makes sure his honor guard uniform looks perfect.

Honor Guard Series

Airman Salinitri

Post it

From left, Navy Petty Officers 1st Class Marcus Warren, Kimberly Rawlins, Jason Couch and Lerome Snaer set posts to relocate the Mississippi Medal of Honor Walkway from Naval Station Pascagoula to the Mississippi Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Ocean Springs. The project was undertaken by area Sailors recently selected for promotion to chief petty officer. The walkway was dedicated Tuesday during a ceremony honoring those who died during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Petty Officer Warren is from the Naval Oceanography Antisubmarine Center at Stennis Space Center in Hancock County. Petty Officers Rawlings and Couch are assigned to the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit, and Petty Officer Snaer works for the Center for Information Dominance learning site, both at Keesler. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kemberly Groue)

Team Keesler takes a break at end of summer celebration

Staff Sgt. Vincent Struglinski, 338th TRS, devours the free barbecue ribs provided at the picnic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kemberly Groue)

Team Keesler takes a break at end of summer celebration

Senior Master Sgt. Lori Orslene, left, 2nd Air Force, stocks an ice-filled canoe with bottled water as Staff Sgt. Jesus Gutierrez, 81st Contracting Squadron, helps himself to a cold drink. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kemberly Groue)

Team Keesler takes a break at end of summer celebration

Senior Master Sgt. Stuart Hedgeman, left, 81st Communications Squadron, and Chaplain (Capt.) Jeremy Gorline grill hot dogs and ribs at the picnic. Sergeant Hedgeman is a member of Top III and Chaplain Gorline belongs to the company grade officers council which volunteered to help with food preparation. Corporate sponsors included Abita Springs, Allegiant Air, Barry’s U-Pull-It Auto Parts, Coca-Cola, D’Iberville Equipment Rental and Sales, Gulf Islands Water Park, Kim Beck Kia, MILES, Mississippi Sea Wolves, New Orleans Saints, Sea World Orlando, University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles and Universal Studios Orlando. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kemberly Groue)

Team Keesler takes a break at end of summer celebration

Master Sgt. Andrew Weldon, 332nd TRS, slides out a block while playing Jenga. Other games were offered at the picnic, and several drawings were held for door prizes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kemberly Groue)

Back in business

Maj. (Dr.) Andrea McMurphy performs an ear examination on “patient” Staff Sgt. Kimberley Mitchell in the newly reopened ear, nose and throat clinic. The clinic began seeing patients Aug. 27 for the first time since Hurricane Katrina swamped the Keesler Medical Center basement, where ENT was and is again located. Patients are seen only on referral by primary care managers. Office hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. working Fridays. Major McMurphy, chief of the 81st Surgical Operations Squadron’s otolaryngology element, came to Keesler from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., at the end of July. Sergeant Mitchell is an ENT technician. (U.S. Air Force photo by Steve Pivnick)

AETC team evaluates Keesler’s best during exercises

Airman Basic Charlie Lawson, 338th Training Squadron, portrays an accident victim during the MARE. In the scenario, a truck carrying tear gas collided with a truck carrying herbicide near the marina. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kemberly Groue)

AETC team evaluates Keesler’s best during exercises

Fire inspector Ernest Snyder, 81st Civil Engineer Squad-ron, takes notes while David Mounsey, an inspector general team member from Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, evaluates Keesler’s performance during a major accident response exercise Aug. 21. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kemberly Groue)