News

Celebrating the Air Force's 61st birthday

  • Published
  • By Capt. Kristen Westby
  • 37th Flying Training Squadron
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  The 2008 Air Force Ball is quickly approaching! In less than two weeks, the Air Force will celebrate its 61st birthday Sept. 18 and Columbus AFB will commemorate the event at the Trotter Convention Center in downtown Columbus.

This year's theme is 'Honoring our Past, Forging our Future'.

Major Gen. Mike Gould will be joining us from Scott AFB, Ill. General Gould is currently the Director of Operations and Plans at USTRANSCOM, but he spent his early years as a T-38 FAIP at Williams AFB, Ariz.

For dinner, there will be a choice of Cajun chicken breast, sautéed catfish with a lemon cream sauce or vegetarian spinach-mushroom lasagna.

The Catdaddies, featuring the 14th Civil Engineering Squadron's very own Bobby Shannon, will be performing at the ball. The Catdaddies were featured at this year's Fireworks on the Water and will be on hand to provide a little something for everyone.

For our guests over 21, we will be providing a complimentary demi-bottle of Cabernet/Franc with a customized Columbus AFB Ball label.

An added bonus for the evening will be the unveiling of the book, "A History of Columbus Air Force Base." Connie Lisowski, 14th Flying Training Wing historian, has put countless hours into recording and preserving the experiences and events which have shaped our base. She will be attending the event to answer questions and provide insight about her new book.

For those of you with children, the Child Development Center has moved their "Parent's Night Out" to Sept. 18 to accommodate the event. Please contact them directly for more information at 434-2479.

Admission for this occasion requires mess dress/semi-formal attire and a ticket price of $30. Festivities will begin with a social hour at 6 p.m. and dinner will be at 7 p.m.

Tickets are on sale now, but they are limited and going fast. Please contact your unit representative to purchase one. The unit representatives are as follows: 2nd Lt. Adam Rudd, 14th Wing Staff Agency; Capt. Richard McElhaney, 14th Operations Group; 1st Lt. Steve Payne, 14th Mission Support Group; and Airman 1st Class Jennifer Callahan, 14th Medical Group.