Altus Air Force Base Commentaries

97th LRS Airmen run to honor fallen members of ‘Port Dawg’ community

Senior Airman Amanda Lutek — Tue, 26 May 2026 19:21:00 GMT

Every year during National Transportation Week, Aerial Port Airmen across the Air Force come together for a tradition that means far more than physical fitness or competition. The Port Dawg Memorial Run is a solemn opportunity for the Air Transportation community to honor the lives and legacies of fellow “Port Dawgs” who passed away during the previous year.

Altus AFB: Where America’s Mobility Power Is Forged

Mark Sutherland — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:35:00 GMT

In early April, I spent two days at Altus Air Force Base as part of my role as a Civic Leader with Air Mobility Command. I flew in aboard a C-17 Globemaster from Vance Air Force Base to Altus—an experience that, in itself, underscored the very mission this base exists to support.

Raising the Roof: Leadership to hold the house together

Senior Master Sgt. Kristopher Mack — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:32:00 GMT

When I hear “Raising the Roof,” I think of a celebration or maybe that dance where everyone’s hands go up. But in the military, especially among the enlisted ranks, when you make Master Sergeant—or E-7, you get a stripe that we call a “roof.” Many of us think that once we earn that stripe, we’ve finally made it. But honestly, that’s just the beginning. The real work of leading others truly kicks in at the Senior Non-Commissioned Officer level.

From Cleveland to Yellowstone National Park to the U.S. Air Force

Airman 1st Class Lauren Torres — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 17:30:00 GMT

Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, I often felt like the world was too big and too difficult to navigate. There were days when I felt like I was suffocating in my own life. My family was always struggling financially, and there was constant tension in the air. Screaming arguments, uncertainty about the future, and a sense that something was always just out of reach. I wasn’t sure who I was, but I was sure of one thing: I couldn’t stay in that city any longer.

More than just a game

Tech. Sgt. Steven Durbin — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 15:00:00 GMT

For most people, slow-pitch softball is just a game. For those that share a love for it, it’s about community.

Honoring the Past, Defending the Future: A Grandfather’s Influence on Service

Staff Sgt. Cody Dowell — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 14:00:00 GMT

The term “patriot” refers to someone who deeply loves their country and is willing to support and defend it actively. It traces its origins to the Greek word patrios, meaning “of one’s father,” and came into English through the French word patriote, which means “fellow countryman” or “compatriot.”

Breaking through the wall: my marathon experience

Airman 1st Class Jonah Bliss — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 21:19:00 GMT

Twenty-two miles in… just a few more to go, I thought to myself. I can barely run anymore. My legs are screaming in pain, and my feet feel like they’re being torn apart with each step. Why did I sign up for this? Every fiber of my body is begging me to stop, but I have to remember why I’m here. I’m running the Air Force Marathon for a reason. I’ve come too far to quit now. I can finish this - I will finish this. I just have to survive the pain a little longer.

97 MXS present new landing gear fixture to Travis AFB

Todd Dennison — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 19:25:00 GMT

Between February 24 and March 3, 2024, John Hatchell, 97th Maintenance Squadron Fabrication Flight chief, and Lesley Wathen, 97th MXS Fabrication Flight sheet metalworker lead, visited Travis Air Force Base, California to present a C-17 Globemaster III outboard main landing gear (MLG) fixture developed by the 97th Fabrication Flight.

What is the Air Force Family

Senior Master Sgt. Derek Thompson — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 12:34:00 GMT

We hear it all the time, especially from the chain of command: the Air Force is a family. But what does that actually mean? On Nov. 6, 2023, my life changed forever, and I discovered precisely what it means to call the Air Force my family.

Judge Advocate: Just Ask

1st Lt. Catherine Grimm — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 16:20:00 GMT

The world of law can be difficult to understand, interpret, or simply remember. For Airmen, family members, and retirees, the Altus Air Force Base legal office, also known as the judge advocate, is a great resource when legal questions come up regarding official business or personal legal issues.

97 AMW command team ‘Debriefs’ with new podcast

Senior Airman Trenton Jancze — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 19:11:00 GMT

Today consumers take in their information in many forms including television, articles, and online videos. The up and coming trend in podcasts, however, has made it easier to listen on the go. At the beginning of 2022, the 97th Air Mobility Wing command team at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, hopped on this trend and created their own podcast, ‘The Debrief’.

Serving with pride; what Honor Guard means to me

Senior Airman Ashleigh Chambers — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 20:28:00 GMT

The Altus Air Force Base Blue Knights Honor Guard's mission is to provide military funeral honors for Airmen past and present of the United States Air Force. The we also provide Color Guard support throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas servicing a 37,000 square mile area of responsibility.

Cyber Security Awareness Month: protecting yourself and others

97th Communications Squadron — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 20:49:00 GMT

In this day and age, it is almost impossible to live without the internet. Despite cybersecurity professionals’ best efforts, cyber attacks have only increased over the years.

97 CES ‘Dirt Boyz’ remember fallen wingman

Staff Sgt. Ryan Uhing — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 20:34:00 GMT

On April 4, 2022, the Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, community tragically lost Airman First Class Keith A. Francis, a 97th Civil Engineer Squadron Pavement and Equipment Flight apprentice, when he was involved in a vehicle accident while traveling to Vernon, Texas.

Commentary: Be aware of Mississippi Kite presence on AAFB

Mr. Adam Kohler — Tue, 17 May 2022 19:15:00 GMT

With the return of spring, Mississippi Kites will soon return to the area. These birds use the central and southern Great Plains during the spring and summer months as breeding grounds, before returning to warmer climates for the fall and winter.

AAFB Airmen pave way for future engineers

Judy Mott — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 22:12:53 GMT

In support of that program and as part of the Altus AFB Science Technology Engineering and Math Council, Airmen from the 97th Civil Engineer Squadron paid a visit to Frederick High School robotics students to share information on their engineering tracks and journeys. For more than an hour, 30 high school robotics students had one-on-one time with engineers who shared their stories, answered questions, and gave advice.

Boom Operator Symposium returns to Altus

By the 54th Air Refueling Squadron — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 21:40:00 GMT

After last year’s event was canceled due to the coronavirus, boom operators from across the globe once again gathered at Altus AFB for the 41st Annual Boom Operator Symposium on September 17 – 18, 2021.

Arming local teachers, police against PSB

Judy Mott — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 04:00:00 GMT

It’s a topic no one wants to talk about, but that doesn’t make the discussion any less necessary. It’s PSB, or Problematic Sexual Behavior, and educators face it quite often in their jobs. Problematic sexual behavior in youth is defined as behavior that involves using sexual or private body parts in an inappropriate or harmful way to the individual or individuals impacted by the behavior.

A run to remember: 97 AMW honors fallen “Port Dawgs”

Senior Master Sgt. Adrian Holguin — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 21:18:00 GMT

My name is Adrian, but most people know me as Senior Master Sgt. Holguin, the 97th Logistics Readiness Squadron Aerial Operations Flight superintendent. I have been a part of the Port Dawg Memorial Run planning committee since its inception in 2013.

Data as a weapon system: the foundation of tomorrow’s training squadron

Lt. Col. Matt Tarnowski — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 18:21:00 GMT

Launching a new database may not be as exciting as launching a new aircraft. However, when systems fail, aircraft cannot launch and the mission is impeded. That’s because today, our aircraft depend on zeros and ones as much as the jet fuel in the tanks. The student training mission at Altus Air Force Base revolves around a single critical component: the data. Behind every student’s training line number are hundreds of data points that verify the 97th Air Mobility Wing’s ability to deliver exceptionally trained Airmen to project combat power around the globe.