Air Rescue Association honors Nellis instructor

Dick Benoit

Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001 | 8:28 a.m.

A Nellis Air Force Base officer has been awarded the prestigious Richard T. Kight Award For Outstanding Achievement, presented annually by the Air Rescue Association.

Maj. Randy Nelson was honored for his professional skill and leadership as a helicopter instructor pilot and assistant director of operations for the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron. Nelson supervises the operational requirements for the squadron and ensures completion of higher headquarters-directed tests for six different aircraft divisions.

He also gives a pilot's feedback on the development and validation of computer software and hardware, weapons and tactics used by combat search and rescue helicopter units.

The award is in memory of Brig. Gen. Richard T. Kight, who in the 1940s developed and implemented many of the concepts, equipment and procedures of air and sea rescue of that era. He died in June.

Nelson's reputation in combat rescue lies in his "strategic, big-picture thought that makes him the go-to man for rescue issues," association officials said. They added that rescue and recovery officials with Air Combat Command, Nellis' higher headquarters, frequently consulted with the major on long-range and critical rescue issues.

The award was presented to Nelson last month at the association's 26th annual reunion at the Golden Nugget. He was presented a personal plaque and the bronze Rescue Angel trophy, which will remain on display at 422nd headquarters during the coming year.

The Air Rescue Association is a group of more than 3,500 active and retired air rescue personnel whose goal is to keep alive the spirit of air rescue.

In brief

* Charles Rhoden Jr., a 2000 Valley High School graduate, has graduated from the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker, Ala., and has been appointed to the rank of warrant officer 1.

Rhoden, the son of Lana J. Rhoden of Las Vegas, completed a six-week course in a rigorous, high-stressed environment. He received classes in leadership skills, Army customs, doctrine, tradition, and tactics, drill and ceremonies, professional ethics, physical training, time-stress-people management skills, and a variety of other military academic subjects.

Warrant officers operate, maintain, administer and manage equipment, support activities or technical systems throughout their Army career.

* Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Lisa Kent, who recently accompanied the Nevada Guard's 1864th Transportation Co. to Egypt as a public affairs specialist, was promoted to her new rank on Sept. 10. The five-year veteran of the Nevada Guard is an Oregon native and 1981 graduate of the University of Utah. She has worked for several years in Las Vegas in the film production field and is owner/operator of Kent Productions.

* Airman Brandon Foy, the son of William and Linda Foy of Las Vegas, recently completed the aircraft electrical and environmental systems apprentice course at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.

* Airman 1st Class Jason Owenby, the son of Karen Hodess of Las Vegas, also recently completed the aircraft electrical and environmental systems training at Sheppard. Foy and Owenby learned operations and trouble shooting of aircraft electro-environmental systems, subsystems, components, wiring, and soldering and use of test equipment.

* Airman 1st Class Lakeisha Tapplin, a 2001 graduate of Rancho High School, recently graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The new airman, daughter of Michael and Ladonna Tapplin of Las Vegas, studied the Air Force mission, organization, customs and human relations, earning credits toward an associate's degree through the Community College of the Air Force.