Nellis rescue squadron earns helicopter maintenance honors

Dick Benoit

Thursday, Nov. 8, 2001 | 9:20 a.m.

Headquarters Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va. has recognized the wrench benders of the 66th Rescue Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base with the command's 2001 Maintenance Effectiveness award.

The award honors every specialist in the unit from airframe, hydraulic and engine mechanics to communications, electronics and weapons specialists, quality assurance inspectors and others.

According to Staff Sgt. Jim Bianchi, a Nellis spokesman, the award comes as a result of the maintainers successfully supporting an 80 percent mission capable rate, the best in the command, and more than 2,100 sorties and 4,400 flying hours at Nellis, as well as deployments of the unit's HH60G rescue helicopters to Operation Northern Watch in Turkey and 10 deployments to other stateside locations. A sortie is one take-off, mission and landing by one aircraft.

In Brief

* Ben Lawton, Clark High School class of 1998, has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He is the son of Robert Lawton Jr. of Las Vegas and Chris Lawton of Las Vegas.

* Anthony Cambe, the son of Tina Cambe of Las Vegas, has also graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Lawton and Cambe studied the Air Force mission, organization and customs, and earned credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

* Army Pvt. Daniel Allen, Durango High School class of 1999, recently graduated from the automated logistical specialist advanced individual training course at Fort Lee, Va. Allen, the son of Bettie and Charles Allen of Las Vegas, was trained to receive, store, issue, ship and account for subsistence supplies.

* Airman 1st Class Kyle Spencer, Durango High School class of 2001, recently completed aerospace ground equipment mechanic training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. He learned to inspect, maintain and repair of aircraft ground equipment. He is the son of Peggy Snodgrass of Las Vegas.

* Airman 1st Class Eleanor Willis, the daughter of Marissa Santos of Las Vegas, recently reported for duty at Dover Air Force Base, Del., as an air transportation apprentice assigned to the 436th Ariel Port Squadron.

* Capt. Diana Duncan, the daughter of Clifford Brink of Las Vegas, recently reported for duty at Yokota Air Base, Japan, as an Air Force operating room staff nurse assigned to the 374th Medical Operations Squadron

* Christopher Hawk, Western High School class of 1997, recently graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, S.C. He is the son of Herbert Hawk of Las Vegas.