Perhaps the biggest challenge of any deployment is the separation from family and friends and missing those momentous occasions in life such as a son's first word, a daughter's high school graduation, a 20-year wedding anniversary or family reunion.

While a military member's time downrange can't be cut short so they can attend these milestone events, thanks to modern day conveniences such as wireless Internet and Web cameras, these special moments can at least be seen and heard from afar. 

This was the case for one U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel deployed here and her 22-year old son whom she swore into the U.S. Air Force June 13 during his Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps graduation from Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wash.

Lt. Col. Maureen Carroll, 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron commander and teary-eyed mother of three, was bursting with pride as she told her eldest son, Alek Krallman, to raise his right hand and repeat after her the commissioning oath of office.

"It was pretty great how it all came together," said Carroll. "I wish I could have been there in person, but this was the next best thing. He has worked really hard to achieve his goals and I am very proud of him."

With Carroll deployed, her son knew it wasn't going to be easy coordinating his mother swearing him in from across the globe, but he couldn't think of anyone he'd rather have administer the oath.

"I wanted my mom to commission me because she's a great example of an excellent leader," said Krallman. "Everyone I talk to who works with or knows her says great things. She also encouraged me the most to become an officer and I knew it would honor her as well because I wouldn't have gone to college if it wasn't for her."

Just before it was time for the lieutenant to take the stage, both mother and son had their laptops up and connected to one another using a software application program known as "Skype", which allows users to video conference through the Internet. Carroll used the base's free wireless Internet service while at the base chapel to watch her son's ceremony - from taking the oath of office to seeing him present parent pins to his father and stepfather.

"I'll present you with yours next time I see you mom," he said into the Web camera at the ceremony.

The colonel said she is very thankful for the modern day conveniences many deployers have these days such as wireless internet.

"It definitely helps," she said. "It's nice to be able to see your family and know that you don't have to miss out on such special moments as this." 

Carroll's son, who will attend pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, this September, said he knew the Air Force was the right choice for him from an early age. 

"I've wanted to fly for as long as I can remember and I knew the Air Force would give me a good chance at doing that," said the lieutenant, who was born at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. "I decided to do ROTC because I wanted to go to Central Washington University and they had a good ROTC program here."

As with any parent, Carroll, while excited that her son chose to follow in her footsteps and join the military, still worries about her son.

"Well, I know my Air Force won't be his Air Force," she said. "It has changed so much since I've been in and I'm sure it will continue to change. My biggest concern is the pace of operations. I see our young folks working so hard to maintain that pace; it throws the rest of life out of balance sometimes. My hope is that he can maintain the balance and be successful. It's a rewarding life in many ways to serve our nation, with opportunities that never cease." 

With a long Air Force career ahead of him, and a mother who already has 30 years (15 years enlisted and 15 years commissioned) of service, the lieutenant said he cherishes any words of wisdom she provides.

"My mom has told me lots of things, the main pieces of advice being to always do my best and work hard; listen to my NCO's as they have more experience and know what needs to be done; and to learn from others," he said.

Krallman remains optimistic as he looks to the future and the journey he is about to embark on in the U.S. Air Force.

"I'm looking forward most to flying, protecting my family and friends, and being with my friends who are also serving," he said. "I have friends who enlisted right out of high school in every branch. They protected me while I was going to school and now it is my turn to allow them the opportunities they have given me." One of his best friends from high school, who had joined the Marine Corps, was there to give Krallman his first salute. 

Carroll has about a month left in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility before redeploying to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. and said she hopes to reunite with her son sometime in the future, before he heads off to pilot training. Until then, instant messaging, phone calls and video conferencing with her son and the rest of her family will get her through her remaining time in the AOR.

"I appreciate the programs we have in place and look forward to every 'Skype' date I have with my family," she said, "especially with my grandson. Young ones grow up so fast."     

This isn't good news for spouses looking to pursue a four-year degree through the MyCAA program.

Read more here.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. - Staff Sgt. Shaun Meadows, 22nd Special Tactics Squadron, the first Active Duty double amputee in Air Force history to successfully perform a personnel drop, will lead members of his unit's command element as they parachute onto McChord Field as part of the 22^nd Special Tactics Squadron change of command ceremony June 16, 10 a.m.

During the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron change of command ceremony Lt. Col. Michael J. Flatten will assume command from Lt. Col. Bryan H. Cannady. Cannady assumed command of the 22nd STS June 2008 and will be reassigned to Joint Staff in Washington, D.C.  Flatten, a Texas A&M graduate comes to JBLM from his most recent assignment with the Headquarters, Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlbert Field, Fla.

Background on SSgt. Shaun Meadows -

Meadows made Air Force history this Monday, as the first active duty Airman and double amputee, by successfully performing a parachute jump as part of a 40 member C-17 personnel drop at JBLM McChord Field.  Monday's jump was a practice exercise for Wednesday's ceremony, and was Meadows' first jump since his injury. Wednesday's jump will be his last jump before he separates from the Air Force.

Meadows lost both of his legs in late July 2008 during a combat reconnaissance patrol in Afghanistan when he was hit by an improvised explosive device.

(446th AW PA) — Reservists traveling northbound on Interstate 5 will not be able to take Exit 125 June 5-6 to access McChord Field for the unit training assembly weekend.

Construction planned by the Washington State Department of Transportation calls for the closure of Exit 125 at Bridgeport Way for northbound travelers.

Alternate gates for reservists include the Housing Gate in the morning only both days, and the North Gate for both morning and afternoon commutes.  Security Forces Reservists will be manning both gates. 

Reservists may also check the status of the construction closure at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic    

Air Force Times posted an interesting story about the debate on whether or not to allow airmen to put more patches on their airman battle uniforms besides just the name and career field badges. While working over at McChord Field I often heard this argument, with most siding with allowing the patches. What does everyone out there think?

Here is the link to the Air Force Times story.

The 62nd Airlift Wing will welcome members from the Air Mobility Command Inspector General Team and the Air Force Inspection Agency as they arrive Tuesday, to conduct the 62nd AW's Nuclear Surety Inspection.

The teams will evaluate the five areas of the wing's Nuclear Surety Program throughout the inspection: management and administration; the Personnel Reliability Program; tools, test, tiedown and handling equipment; safety; and logistics movement, acccording to Tom Thompson, 62nd AW nuclear surety manager.

Management and administration will look at wing, group and squadron leadership involvement in the program. The personnel reliability program area will focus on the 4th Airlift Squadron, the 62nd Medical Squadron, and the 62nd Force Support Squadron. Tools, test, tiedown and handling equipment will examine tiedown devices and chains, maintained by the 62nd Aerial Port Squadron.

Safety will focus on compliance with nuclear safety standards and the nuclear surety managers' management of the program. The logistics movement area will evaluate the wing's ability to execute Prime Nuclear Airlift Force missions, including the 4th Airlift Squadron flying the mission, the 62nd Maintenance Group selecting and preparing the aircraft, and the command post's role in monitoring mission movements, Thompson said.

"Our goal is to leave the inspectors with the sense that we're leading the Air Force in strengthening the nuclear enterprise," said Maj. Casey Collier, 62nd AW nuclear security manager. "We're aiming for five out of five ‘outstanding' ratings in the major graded areas, and I believe we're ready to achieve that."

The 62nd AW's Nuclear Surety Program has won an Air Mobility Command and Air Force Safety Award 11 of the last 12 years.

"As long as nuclear weapons exist, the United States must sustain a safe, secure and effective nuclear arsenal - to maintain strategic stability with other major powers, deter potential adversaries, and reassure our allies and partners of our security commitments to them," said Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

The administrative phase of the inspection is scheduled for Tuesday to June 7.

ABC News' Martha Raddatz recently became the first journalist to fly aboard an Air Force F-15 fighter jet on a combat mission over Afghanistan.    

Read the story here.

Airmen from the 8th Airlift Squadron, which left for a 120-day deployment April 22, are getting settled into their mission. Here is a report on their progress, written by a public affairs airman deployed from JBLM.

If you see a handful of C-17 Globemaster IIIs filling the sky today, don't worry, it's all part of a special mission at McChord Field.

A large formation of C-17s took off this morning to train for their strategic airdrop mission. Seven C-17s will began taking off at about 10 a.m. and will fly throughout the local area.

Along with active-duty and reserve airmen from the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings, airmen from the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron and soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord are participating in the training exercise, according to McChord Field public affairs.

At different points in the training exercise, aircrews will air drop heavy equipment and personnel. C-17 Globemaster III transporters must be able to meet the Army's goal of airdropping a brigade's worth of troops and equipment within 30 minutes.   The strategic brigade airdrop capability resides only in the C-17 community, according to PA.

Boeing C-17 line workers began a strike just past midnight today at Long Beach's largest private employer, grinding production to a halt on one of the world's leading cargo jets, the Long Beach Press Telegram reported today.

The walkout comes nearly a week after talks broke down on negotiations for a labor contract covering some 1,700 workers responsible for assembly of the jumbo-size airlifter, according to the paper.

For more on the story, click here.