Faces of the Force

Senior Airman Dalton Chambers with the 71st Rescue Generation Squadron at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., saved the life of a gunshot victim. While on leave working at his family’s racetrack, Chambers responded quickly to a gunshot sound and found a man with a serious leg wound. Utilizing his Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) training, he stabilized the victim and controlled bleeding. “The training I received kicked in, and I just did what needed to be done to save his life,” said Chambers. This wasn’t the first time Chambers had acted promptly to save someone; he assisted a fellow Airman suffering from heatstroke during a physical training session while on duty.

Tech. Sgt. Dakota Luknis, an aeromedical evacuation technician with the 911th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and ER nurse in Warren, Ohio, rescued a family from a house fire in Kent, Ohio. Luknis received an urgent call from a friend about a nearby house fire. He hurried to the site, and discovered flames engulfing a house. Despite the smoke and chaos, Luknis and his friends guided the trapped family to safety, encouraging them to jump from the roof to escape the spreading fire. They successfully caught two adults and two children who jumped. “Luknis has a high sense of integrity and an innate willingness to help others,” said Lt. Col. Adam Foster, director of operations for the 911th AES. 

Staff Sgt. Rockwood Bullard, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with the 434th Civil Engineer Squadron, dedicated over 270 hours to mentoring a local youth robotics team in Indiana. Bullard had previously participated in FIRST Robotics program (a nonprofit organization that mentors children through robotics) when he was in high school, and mentored students after graduating. He resumed after joining the Air Force Reserve, volunteering as a mechanical mentor for Kokomo High School’s robotics team with about 20 students. Bullard guided the team through machine shop tasks and techniques. The team placed 11th out of 75 teams at the state level, and 33rd in their division at the global championship sponsored by the DAF in Houston. 

Master Sgt. Patrick Pineda is the first enlisted Guardian to teach at the U.S. Air Force Academy, with a decade of experience as an intelligence analyst in both the Air Force and Space Force. His recent master’s degree in strategic intelligence focusing on Russian studies directed his path to academia. Pineda’s course focuses on joint force doctrine, strategic theory and service branch roles, providing cadets with insights into national security operations and U.S. government power execution across conflict spectrums. “We strive for cadets to understand that the world that we are entering is not the same as the last 20 years,” said Pineda. 

First Lt. Natalie Nicks of the 645th Cyberspace Squadron led her team, the Mississippi Panthers, to win the 2024 Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC) Championship. In her second season as an outside receiver, Nicks contributed 195 yards on 11 catches, three touchdowns, and led the league with two non-kick conversions. Nicks joined the WNFC two years ago. During the 2024 season, she overcame the challenge of training remotely while stationed at Patrick Space Force Base, Fla. As an Active-duty officer, she advises her peers to pursue passions outside of work, adding that balancing the two keeps her sharp. “Being the senior team member in sports has influenced my career and given me a teamwork mindset,” said Nicks.  

Senior Airman Spencer Sciarrone of the 31st Force Support Squadron has launched a run club in Italy, inviting fellow Airmen and local folks to run together. What initially began as his personal quest to broaden connections while being deployed overseas, has now evolved into Bodhi Bean’s Run Club at Aviano Air Base, Italy, named after Sciarrone’s 1-year-old son. The club offers a fresh way to meet people and encourages running with intention. For Sciarrone, running is a vital routine that helps him process thoughts and emotions. “Running has been instrumental in helping me overcome various challenges in my life,” said Sciarrone. 

Senior Master Sgt. Alejandra Rosales, an operations superintendent from the 147th Combat Communications Squadron, San Diego, was selected as the Air National Guard’s 2024 Outstanding Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year. In addition to her steadfast 19-year career as an Airman, Rosales provided mission-critical support to the forward-staging base in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, during Operation Oaken Soundstage. The mission enabled the successful evacuation of 87 people, including 72 U.S. diplomats, from the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum amid a conflict in Sudan. She recalled that the mission demanded full engagement in a joint mindset and collaboration. 

Staff Sgt. Michael Ryan Pribhdas, a flight and operational medical technician with the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, has embarked on a determined journey toward the Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program (NECP). Pribhdas has always dreamed of becoming a nurse. When he first applied for the NECP program in 2022, he did not make the cut. The next year, he applied again, only to learn he again failed. But he persevered, and the third time was the charm; in his 10th year of service, he was finally accepted to the BSN program at the University of Nevada. “Never give up on your dreams and goals, it’s never too late to start,” said Pribhdas.