Basic training couple graduate with honors

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Matthew McGovern
  • Defense Media Activity-San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO (AFNS) --  More than 780 Airmen waited to hear if they were among the 10 percent announced as honor graduates from Basic Military Training Oct. 24 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. 

Airmen 1st Class Melissa and Steven Lafollette, married only four months before basic training, were excited to hear their names announced as honor graduates. 

"I felt very dignified and proud -- like I did something very special because only 70 out of almost 800 graduates got the name honor graduate," Airman Steven Lafollette said.
"I was pretty confident that I was going to get honor graduate."

His wife wasn't so sure. 

"I was a little more surprised. I was the last person they called," Airman Melissa Lafollette said. 

The couple will travel together back to Portland, Maine, to serve in the Air National
Guard's 243rd Engineering Installation Squadron. While off duty, they will be continuing their education. 

"We're very long-term-oriented planners," Airman Steven Lafollette said. "She just finished her bachelor's in social science, and I'll be finishing up my bachelor's in criminal justice." 

Their prior education didn't help the fact that they missed each other during basic training. 

"Being separated was the hardest part of basic training, she is my best friend so its very difficult not to have that person around me, especially when you can see them in passing and you can't talk to them," Airman Steven Lafollette said. 

During the graduation ceremony, the two were coined and congratulated by Col. Edward Westermann, the commander of Air Force Basic Military Training from the 737th Training Group. 

"Airmen Steve and Melissa LaFollette were a great team long before they joined the Air Force and I'm proud to have them join our team -- the greatest Air Force in the world. Their individual commitment to excellence should serve as an inspiration to all our warrior Airmen." 

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