News

Jan. 24, 2020
180th Fighter Wing’s 2019 NCO of the Year: Tech. Sgt. Megan Torres

Assigned to the 180th Fighter Wing’s Medical Group as a health services technician, Torres is responsible for assisting with the wing’s overall healthcare administration program in health, fitness and diet standards.Her duties include ensuring the training of wing medical administrators and
Jan. 24, 2020
Never Stop Talking: Airman Reflects on Struggle with Depression and Suicide

“I struggle with depression.”Master Sgt. Crystal Carper, a first sergeant assigned to the Ohio National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing, shares her story of battling depression and suicide.
Jan. 24, 2020
Who let the Air Force in? Airman First to Compete in Army Hand-to-Hand Combatives Tournament

For the first time in its 19-year history, the Ohio Army National Guard Combatives Tournament opened registration to allow Airmen to compete in the hand-to-hand combat skills competition. This year’s double-elimination tournament, featuring six weight classes, took place at the Maj. Gen. Robert S.
Jan. 24, 2020
Under Pressure: Providing critical care when it matters most

While other children watched Sesame Street or Lamb Chop’s Play-Along, Kaitlyn Newkirk watched shows about emergency room trauma surgeons. Even as young as three years old, her dad would find her standing in their living room, entranced by the events unfolding before her.
Jan. 24, 2020
National Nurses Week: Capt. Stephanie Smiddy

A cancer diagnosis can leave patients reeling, frightened and uncertain of the future, especially when it is an aggressive form of cancer or one that doesn’t respond to traditional treatments. This is the state many patients are in when the first meet Capt. Stephanie Smiddy, the infection control
Jan. 24, 2020
A Teacher at Heart: Airman Educates and Advocates for Youth and Airmen

Growing up in a home where education was valued, 1st Lt. Ashley Chapa, assigned to the Ohio National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing, intended to make teaching a career, but it was her dream to serve her country that came first.
Jan. 24, 2020
One Big Happy Family: 180th Fighter Wing Siblings Serve Side-by-Side

The Guard Family is a well-known phrase throughout the Air National Guard, highlighting the close-knit relationships built while serving as members of the Air National Guard, often times serving entire 30-year careers with the same unit.
Jan. 24, 2020
Working the Line Between Life and Death

Part of preparing a jet for flight is making sure the pilot is equipped with all the necessary supplies needed for any situation. From packing emergency items like parachutes and survival kits to maintaining regularly used items like flight helmets and oxygen masks, the attention to detail provided
Jan. 22, 2020
Snow Worries: Civil Engineers Keep 180FW Mission-Ready

Late in January, a polar vortex struck the Midwest, causing the temperature to plummet as low as 10 below zero. High winds made the temperature outside feel as cold as 35 below zero. Anyone outside with skin exposed to the elements became susceptible to frostbite within minutes. As snow began to
Jan. 22, 2020
Beyond Endurance: Keeping Airmen Safe in the Most Inhospitable Place on Earth

In 1914, when the ill-fated crew of the ship Endurance attempted the first land crossing of Antarctica, Sir Ernest Shackleton wrote, “We were helpless intruders in a strange world, our lives dependent upon the play of grim elementary forces that made a mock of our puny efforts.”More than 100 years