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New Hampshire ANG Airman 1st Class Sokthearrith Dong of the 157th Operations Group, who’s also a patrol supervisor with a local police department, saved a man’s life at his gym. Upon arriving at the gym, Dong found the man had collapsed from a heart attack. Utilizing his training, he administered CPR and used an automated external defibrillator (AED) until emergency responders arrived. The man survived. Dong credited his training in both the military and police force. Dong said, “You hear all the time it’s not just doing the right thing but stepping up when no one is watching.”
Tech. Sgt. Chase Molden of the 94th Security Forces Squadron has embarked on a unique self-funding project: creating comic books to help hospitalized children understand their medical conditions. Beyond his duties in the Air Force Reserve and his civilian job as an insurance adjuster, he has been creating comic books for five years featuring superheroes to simplify medical concepts. This initiative garnered interest from several health care entities. Molden envisions expanding his comic series to address broader health issues, potentially reaching a collegiate audience in the future.
On April 30, 2023, Senior Airman Travis Spong of the 35th Force Support Squadron at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, witnessed a severe car accident while driving. Spong rushed out to help the critically injured Qatari man with a severed leg. Drawing from his Tactical Combat Casualty Care course, Spong fashioned his belt as a tourniquet, effectively stemming the flow of blood from the severed leg. He then stabilized the victim’s neck to prevent further injury and kept the man conscious until emergency services arrived. Spong was awarded the 2024 USO Service Member of the Year and the Air and Space Commendation Medal.
On April 25, 2024, Capt. Bryon Adams Jr. of the Intelligence division (A2) at 1st Air Force, was commuting to work when he witnessed a catastrophic car accident on the DuPont Bridge near St. Andrew’s Bay in Florida. Without hesitation, Adams rushed to the overturned SUV, crawling through shattered glass, and extracted a mother and her three children, including an infant, one by one. He directed another motorist to call 911 while ensuring the family’s safety. According to Adams, no one was seriously injured. “It’s just something that any of us would have done in that situation,” said Adams.
Senior Master Sgt. Ashley Young of the Ohio National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing Medical Group, inspired by her experience during COVID-19 as an operating room nurse, pursued a master’s in public health to further serve her community. She works with the Ryan White Program at the University of Toledo Medical Center, offering comprehensive HIV/AIDS care. Young also provides medical aid to underprivileged communities through the 180th FW Medical Group’s Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) missions. In her recent IRT mission, Young and her fellow Airmen helped tornado-affected communities.
Master Sgt. Garey Diefenderfer from the 167th Airlift Wing earned the highest level of recognition in military marksmanship—twice. He was honored with the distinguished badges in both rifle and pistol shooting, the ultimate achievement for a service shooter. To attain these, one must accumulate points through qualifying matches. Diefenderfer began shooting at age 6 and continued to excel throughout his military career, earning various accolades including the USAF Excellence in Competition Distinguished Rifle Badge. Despite facing open-heart surgery, Diefenderfer now aims to inspire others to pursue marksmanship.
In 2021, Lt. Col. Reinier Villanueva, 15th Wing chief of safety discovered a lump in his throat, later diagnosed as thyroid cancer in 2023. Villanueva underwent surgery to remove his thyroid gland, but doctors discovered that the cancer had progressed to Stage 2. With unwavering support from his family, he underwent radiation. Despite the challenges of balancing family life and military duty during treatment, he made a swift recovery and returned to work. He highlighted the team support within the Air Force. “I want Airmen to be vulnerable and feel comfortable sharing their struggles,” he said.
When an EF2 tornado struck her hometown in West Virginia, Senior Master Sgt. Maranda Jordan of the 911th Maintenance Group, sprang into action, organizing relief efforts and volunteers through social media. She rallied support for families affected by the disaster. After two days of effort, Jordan and her fellow local volunteers helped remove more than six dump trucks’ worth of debris and provided aid to affected families. Jordan credited her grandfather’s charitable activities for prioritizing helping those in need. “I just want to get the word out there. There is still more to do,” she said.
Master Sgt. Vanessa Oswalt of the 179th Cyberspace Wing has made significant contributions to the development of girls’ wrestling in Ohio. Noticing a lack of growth in female wrestling in her home town, in 2019 she helped initiate efforts to sanction girls’ wrestling at Olentangy Orange High School. Despite starting from scratch, the team won the State Championship in 2023/24. Her dedication to creating opportunities for female athletes led her to advocate for sanctioning girls’ wrestling in Ohio. She continues to inspire others through her involvement in an upcoming documentary series named “WrestleHER.”
Tatsuya Hara, chief of civilian defense at Yokota Air Base’s 374th Security Forces Squadron, has been named the Air Force Outstanding Security Forces Flight-level Civilian Supervisor of the Year. During his 30-year tenure, Hara played a crucial role as a security expert for events such as the Friendship Festival, which invites over a hundred thousand members of the general public to the base. Hara volunteers extensively, organizing various events for local schools and contributing to the community. His leadership and volunteer work have earned him respect from colleagues and recognition from the service.