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.