AFRL names 11 community-chosen military award winners Published June 16, 2014 By Airman Emily E. Amyotte 460th Space Wing Public Affairs BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The Aurora Chamber of Commerce's Defense Council honored 11 military members from the Aurora metro area on June 13 during the 38th Annual Armed Forces Recognition Luncheon at the Doubletree Hotel in Denver. More than 600 business people, community leaders and military members were on hand to honor the recipients. "This luncheon is our way of recognizing the members of the Armed Forces--Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard--throughout Northern Colorado including the Denver-Aurora area," said Lisa Buckley, Defense Council Chair with American Automation. "They make a great contribution to our community and to our nation." The keynote speaker was Kelly Sullivan Loughren, the granddaughter of Albert Sullivan, one of the five Sullivan brothers who died while serving together on a Navy ship in World War II and were the inspiration for the blockbuster hit, Saving Private Ryan. Master of Ceremony duties was performed by KEZW Radio personality Rick Crandall, an Air Force veteran and founder of the Colorado Freedom Memorial Foundation. The awardees in each service and component category included the following: Active-duty Air Force Senior Airman Robert L. Duchesne III, 460th Space Wing Operations Group Air Force Reserve Staff Sgt. Iris B. Morales, Air Reserve Personnel Center Active-duty Army Spc. Kara B. Davis, 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Lacy L. McDonald, HQ, 2nd Battalion, Pacific Division, 75th Training Command Active-duty Navy CTT1 Joshua G. Veit, Navy Information Operations Command-Colorado Navy Reserve PO Travis Stultz, Office of Navy Intelligence, Colorado Active-duty Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Kyle Halland, Company A, Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion, Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado Marine Corps Reserve Lance Cpl. Cesar Loera, Jr., Combat Logistics Battalion 453 Coast Guard IS3 Peter W. Ingeman, Coast Guard Cryptologic Unit, ADF-C Colorado Army National Guard Sgt. Julia E. Tallant, 217th Space Company, Colorado Army National Guard Colorado Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Curtis Hansen, 233rd Security Forces Squadron Also, George Peck with the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, was awarded the Bob Cardenas Award for his support of the military in the region.