Through Airmen's Eyes

Tech. Sgt. Christopher McDaniel explains an important section of the inprocessing sheet to a visiting member at Forward Operating Base Smart, Afghanistan, Dec. 17,2012. McDaniel is a vehicle operator who was thrust into the head personnel position due to mission needs. The Detroit, Mich. native occasionally has opportunities to return to his combat trucker roots when mission dictates. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Patrice Clarke)

Engineering research psychologist receives Harold Brown Award

Dr. Mark Draper acknowledges his family who watched him receive the 2012 Harold Brown Awards from Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley during a Pentagon ceremony Dec. 17, 2012. Donley presented Draper the award for his significant achievement in research and development. As a leader and international authority on user interfaces and supervisory control optimization for remotely piloted aircraft, Draper's accomplishments have been directed at improvements to RPA operator interfaces and future warfighting capabilities. Draper is a senior engineering research psychologist with the Air Force Research Laboratory's 711th Human Performance Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)

Inter-American Air Forces Academy

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Janeth Cubeddu and Chilean Army Sgt. Segundo Claudio Lopez Ramirez discuss similarities and differences in hierarchies and structure between U.S. and Chilean military services at the Inter-American Air Forces Academy in Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, TX, Dec. 5, 2012. (Photo by Robin Creswell)

Inter-American Air Forces Academy

Staff Sgt. Jaime Torres, USAF instructor at the Inter-American Air Forces Academy, prepares students for their final exam in the International Logistics course, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, TX, Dec. 7, 2012. Thirteen partner nation students from Colombia, Dominican Republic, Panama, Ecuador, and Uruguay attended the International Logistics course during the last semester of 2012. The International Logistics course focuses on joint logistics principals, security cooperation and foreign military sales. (US Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. Marleah Miller)

Patches for a little hero

Arnold Engineering Development Center fire department personnel put their crew patches together on a black background for a high resolution photograph used to make a poster to provide moral support to Mark Kelly Olson, a 10-year-old boy battling cancer at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo by Rick Goodfriend)

True Hero receives honors

Mark Kelly Olson, the 10-year-old son of Aerospace Testing Alliance operations controller Mark Olson, dons a customized fire helmet he received from the Arnold Air Force Base Fire Department, showing his honorary title as a “true hero,” at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. Arnold Engineering Development Complex Fire Department Chief Daryle Lopes and Fire Chief Kip Luttrell spearheaded the effort to rally moral support for Mark since learning that he had been diagnosed with very high risk acute lymphocytic leukemia earlier in the year. (Photo provided)

Special Operations Tryouts

An Air Force "Battlefield Airman" recruiting team conducts qualification tryouts. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Special Operations Tryouts

An Air Force Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) mentors an applicant. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Tears in photo

Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, right, speaks Tech. Sgt. Joshua Strang about Strang's award-winning photograph at the Art in Embassies best in show awards ceremony at the Pentagon, Nov 30, 2012. Strang is an instructor at the Defense Information School at Ft. Meade, Md. (DOD phoo/Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo)

Winning shot and smiles II

Pentagon Press Secretary George E. Little, left, hands over the "Best in Show" photography award to Tech. Sgt. Francisco V. Govea II, during the Art in Embassies best in show awards ceremony at the Pentagon, Nov 30, 2012. Govea is stationed at March Air Force Base, Calif.

AF doctor uses cutting edge device

Lt. Col. (Dr.) Jeremy Cannon, right, and Dr. Jeremy Pamplin place a patient on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, in September 2012 at San Antonio Military Medical Center in Texas. ECMO is a heart-lung bypass system that circulates blood through an external artificial lung and sends it back into the patient’s bloodstream. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research)

Hero Summit Panel

Patti Walker, left, wife of retired Army 1st Sgt. Kevin Walker and Wounded Warrior Program advocate on Fort Riley, Kan., talks to ABC News correspondent Deborah Roberts during a Hero Summit panel titled, “The Other Side of Sacrifice: Military Families” in Washington, D.C., Nov. 15, 2012. Other panel members included, from left to right, Bill Norwood, father of Marine Corps Sgt. Byron Norwood, who was killed in action; retired Air Force Maj. Lori Bell, wife of an active-duty Airman and founder and president of the National Association of Military Moms and Spouses; Kim Ruocco, widow of Marine Corps Maj. John Ruocco and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors national director of postvention programs. (Defense Department photo/Bradley Cantor

Armed Forces Classic

University of Connecticut players sign autographs for service members after the game against Michigan State during the Armed Forces Classic basketball game at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Nov. 10, 2012. Connecticut overcame Michigan 66-62. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Wayne Clark)

Armed Forces Classic

University of Connecticut players celebrate their victory over Michigan State during the Armed Forces Classic basketball at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Nov. 10, 2012. Connecticut overcame Michigan 66-62. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Wayne Clark)

Armed Forces Classic

Service members watch the Armed Forces Classic basketball game between the Michigan State Spartans and University of Connecticut Huskies at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Nov. 10, 2012. The Huskies overcame the Spartans 66-62. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Wayne Clark)

Armed Forces Classic

University of Connecticut player Ryan Boatright dunks the ball against the Michigan State Spartans during t the Armed Forces Classic basketball game at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Nov. 10, 2012. Connecticut overcame Michigan 66-62. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Wayne Clark)

Chief discusses PTSD issues

Chief Master Sgt. Richard Simonsen works as the senior enlisted advisor on Joint Base Anacostia- Bolling in Washington D.C. He lives with Post Tramatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) a condition he endured from a deployment to Afghanistan last year. Yoko, his service dog, helps him with his day to day activities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christina Brownlow)

Chief discusses PTSD issues

Chief Master Sgt. Richard Simonsen works as the senior enlisted leader at Joint Base Anacostia- Bolling in Washington D.C. Simonsen speaks to Airmen about his daily struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and how to seek help. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christina Brownlow)

Cheney Award 2011

Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry Spencer presents the 2011 Cheney Award to Capt. Kenneth Green during a ceremony at the Pentagon on Nov. 1, 2012. Established in 1927, the Cheney Award is awarded to Airmen for an act of valor, extreme fortitude or self-sacrifice in a humanitarian interest, performed with an aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Michael J. Pausic)

Deputy SecDef

Capt. Mike Hostetler, right, shows Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter the cockpit of a B-52 bomber at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., Nov. 2, 2012. (DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo)

Deputy SecDef

Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter speaks to Airmen at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., Nov 2, 2012. Carter thanked them for their hard and dedicated work. (DoD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo)

Lew Award

Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry Spencer presents the Gen. Lew Allen Jr. Award to Master Sgt. Christopher Davis during a ceremony in the Pentagon on Oct. 31, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Steve Boley)

Wizards salute the military

Shelvin Mack, Washington Wizards point guard, serves Airmen from the 79th Medical Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md., during the 3rd Annual Salute to the Stars luncheon at in Washington, D.C., Oct. 22, 2012. During the luncheon the service members and their families were served a complementary four course meal. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Nichelle Anderson)

Wizards salute the military

Jordan Crawford, Washington Wizards shooting guard, signs autographs and interacts with Airmen from the 79th Medical Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md., during the 3rd Annual Salute to the Stars luncheon in Washington, D.C., Oct. 22, 2012. The event aimed at giving back to those who make sacrifices for our country, showing the admiration the team has for service members and their families. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nichelle Anderson)