Latest news with #AirNationalGuard
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Suzan Catherine Stage Suzan Stage was born Suzan Catherine
Jun. 4—Suzan Catherine Stage Suzan Stage was born Suzan Catherine Schiwart in Reno, Nevada in early 1965. She passed away on May 28, 2025. Suzan was the third of three children to Elmer "Tex" and Caroline Schiwart. She was ten years younger than her sister Cherrie, and eleven younger than her brother Steve. She graduated from Reed High School in Sparks, Nevada, a suburb of Reno, in 1983, following her father and brother into the military, joining the Nevada Air National Guard later that year. She went through Air Force Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio before transitioning to Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas for her Technical Training. Having participated in church choirs through her childhood, Suzan volunteered to sing in the Special Activities Choir during her technical training. It was in choir that she met her future husband, Michael Stage. They dated for the duration of his technical training, when he left for his first assignment in England. When Suzan completed her training, she returned to Reno to begin her career with the Air National Guard. The two maintained a long-distance relationship for two years. He would call every week, and twice used his leave to travel to Reno rather than visit his family in San Diego. Suzan also flew to England to visit Michael once over the winter vacation in 1985. Suzan moved from Reno to Mesa, Arizona in 1986 when Michael transferred from England to Williams Air Force Base in the eastern region of Phoenix, joining the Arizona Air National Guard. It was only a year later they decided to marry, the ceremony taking place in Reno with family and friends in attendance. The couple had returned to Arizona, and bought their first house in Tempe in 1989. Suzan was then pregnant with their son Thomas in 1990, when Michael was reassigned to Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico. Suzan transferred to the Air National Guard for that state, and Thomas was born at Cannon Air Force Base. After the first Gulf War, the Air Force went through a large drawdown, and Michael left active duty and joined Suzan in the Air National Guard in 1992. The couple remained in Clovis until 1996, before moving to Albuquerque. They both eventually obtained full-time positions at the guard unit at Kirtland Air Force Base. Suzan completed many combat deployments during her military career, including Kuwait, Turkey, northern Italy, and eventually capping her 31-years with a six-month deployment to Afghanistan. Upon leaving uniformed service, Suzan continued her career by joining the U.S. Forest Service. In 2019, Suzan was diagnosed with Stage-3 Ovarian Cancer. After a hysterectomy and two rounds of chemotherapy, the doctors proclaimed that she was in remission. Nine months later, the cancer had returned, sending her through more chemotherapy. Though they had initially given her about four years to live from the initial diagnosis, Suzan fought the deadly disease for over five years. She and Mike traveled for a month to Europe, the southern states to see family and friends, took a Nile River cruise to see pyramids and temples, and spent a week in the Hawaiian Islands with friends, the highlight of which was snorkeling at night with manta rays. After an aborted clinical trial at MD Andersen in Houston, she was sent home into hospice. Nine days later she died surrounded by family and friends who had come from around the country. She is survived by her husband Mike, son Tom, and brother Steve. She was adored and loved by those who knew her. Her smile was contagious, and never more so than when performing Star Wars cosplay for the local Rebel Legion and 501st Legion. She has become one with The Force and is deeply missed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Quonset Point home to world's only C-130J flight simulator
NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — Did you know that Rhode Island is home to an exclusive aircraft simulator that attracts pilots from around the world? The Weapons Systems Trainer-Reconfigurable, situated within the Quonset Point Air National Guard Base, provides intensive training for pilots learning to fly C-130Js, which are described as the military's most utilized transport aircrafts. 'We're really thankful to have the only C-130J electric simulator in the Air National Guard right here in Rhode Island,' said Col. Adam Wiggins, commander of the 143rd Airlift Wing. Wiggins told 12 News the flight simulator trains pilots how to navigate various weather and combat conditions. It also provides training for loadmasters on how to communicate effectively with the cockpit. Since it is the only flight simulator for this type of aircraft in the world, Wiggins said it is a popular training tool for pilots learning how to operate these specialized aircrafts. Wiggins couldn't show 12 News the flight simulator because the building it's in requires security clearance. But he said the one-of-a-kind training tool attracts pilots from around the country and the world. 'We recently trained the [Royal] New Zealand Airforce to receive their own C-130Js,' Wiggins said, adding that the Ocean State plays a key role in connecting the United States with its foreign military partners. The Rhode Island Air National Guard owns eight C-130Js, which Wiggins described as the 'pride and joys' of Quonset Point. Wiggins said the C-130J is versatile and utilized for a variety of missions. Those missions, he explained, include delivering 'cargo, passengers, equipment, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.' Staff Sgt. Samuel Miller showed 12 News around one of Quonset Point's C-130Js. Miller, who is a trained loadmaster, said his job is to keep tabs on the aircraft's inventory, which can range from supplies and food to weapons, ammunition and even combat vehicles. 'We are the authority in the back of the aircraft,' Miller explained. 'We must know exactly what is coming on the plane.' SEE ALSO: How the Coast Guard prepares for dangerous rescue missions Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Gizmodo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Gizmodo
Lousiana House Passes Legislation to Fight Weather-Controlling ‘Chemtrails'
Tinfoil hats are back out amongst Louisiana legislators. Last week, lawmakers in the House passed a bill to ban 'chemtrails' in the state. What are those, exactly? Oh, you know. The white lines left behind by aircraft that conspiracists insist are chemicals released by the government or other agencies for potentially nefarious purposes. People's primary concern with chemtrails used to center around using chemicals to control people. Lately, though, conspiracists have honed in on chemtrails as part of a plot to control the weather. Louisiana's Senate Bill 46 aims to solve that by prohibiting the intentional dispersement of chemicals for the 'express purpose of modifying weather, temperature, climate, or sunlight.' As of now, there aren't any actual fines involved with the ban. However, the bill would require the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to record chemtrail sightings and send data to the state's Air National Guard. Thankfully, lawmakers were thoughtful enough to include exceptions to the ban for specific activities like firefighting. While defending the bill, Rep. Kimberly Landry Coates told fellow lawmakers that 'multiple people. Multiple groups, contractors,' are involved with the conspiracy. When asked by Rep. Candace Newell (D) what chemicals Coates has evidence of, she responded, 'Barium. There is a few, some with long words that I can't pronounce.' Unfortunately for forward-thinking lawmakers like Coates, chemtrails have long been debunked as a bogus conspiracy theory. In 2016, a survey of leading atmospheric scientists 'categorically rejected the existence of a secret spraying program.' Instead, these white streaks are simply contrails formed when emissions from aircraft engines interact with water vapor at high altitudes. Basically, as the Environmental Protection Agency summarized, contrails happen under certain conditions 'for the same reason that we can see our breath on a cold day.' Chemtrail conspiracies have existed for decades. However, MAGA enthusiasts helped drive its resurgence and give it further credibility in official discourse. Last August, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. responded to a tweet about a 'chemtrail pilot whistleblower', writing, 'We are going to stop this crime.' And during a town hall interview with Dr. Phill in April, Kennedy responded to a woman's comment about chemtrails by pushing blame onto another agency and vowing to do everything in his power to stop them. In addition to Louisiana, lawmakers in several other states, including Florida and Pennsylvania, introduced legislation targeting chemicals and geoengineering. Although it may seem silly, these laws may hinder efforts to address climate change. While defending SB46, Coates specifically accused the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of sending chemicals into clouds to reflect sunlight and cool the Earth. 'Wild and wacky ideas, with no basis in truth, are being raised and argued as if they were true — often with little or no media push-back,' Mark Shanahan, a professor at University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, told Newsweek. 'The president sets the tone and so far, Donald Trump has encouraged and enabled the circus of craziness. While US government is more about ratings than effectiveness, this disconnect from reality is set to continue.' SB46 passed Louisiana's House with a vote of 58-32.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Veterans' park visitors honor the fallen
SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO) — Picnickers and bicyclists aren't the only ones drawn to city parks on the first holiday of the summer. Memorial Day was filled with emotion among the visitors to Veterans' Memorial Park. Allen Johnson of Gregory, SD is visiting his daughter in Sioux Falls. It was important to him to make a stop at the Veterans' Memorial Park. Sanford Sports Complex impacting youth sports 'Something to remember the day and what it means,' Johnson said. Johnson served as an army pay clerk in Vietnam from 1967 to 1969. 'Never saw any actual action of any kind other than watching out my tent across the bay and watching the helicopters shoot tracers into the hillside,' Johnson said. Johnson's older brother, Ronnie, served in Vietnam at the same time. He lost his life during a body recovery mission. 'Booby trap got him. We didn't really know for sure for years, until a guy came through from Chicago moving to New Mexico that was with him and got wounded at the same time, told us that story,' Johnson said. Johnson's thoughts are with his late brother on this Memorial Day. 'I miss him. I think about him. He's buried out at the cemetery by Gregory there. I go out several times a year, just to stop by,' Johnson said. Jim Dyer of Sioux Falls also paid a Memorial Day visit to the park. He served in the South Dakota Air National Guard from 1978 to 1982. 'I was a security police officer in the air guard. So, mine was during peacetime, so I didn't have anything exciting in my life. But it was fun to serve,' Dyer said. Military service also runs in Dyer's family. 'My brother, he was in the Marines for 8-9 years. He also served in the air guards for several years and he did a tour overseas in Iraq,' Dyer said. Dyer is here to pay tribute to brother Chris, who's life was also cut short. 'When he was in the Marines, he spent time down in Camp Lejeune. He got that tainted water and he ended up dying of cancer. Once he was diagnosed, he got about five extra years,' Dyer said. So many of the people who come to this park have ties to the military. And they're grateful that there's a place in the heart of Sioux Falls to pay their respects to those who have served their country. 'Everybody should be visiting a military site. Everybody, whether you served, or not, just to pay those respects for those who did and those who never came home,' Dyer said. Veterans' Memorial Park is located near Terrace Park in north-central Sioux Falls. It's open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Flyovers taking to Oregon, Washington skies for Memorial Day
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Take a look up at the skies this Memorial Day when F-15 Eagle fighter jets will fly across parts of northwest Oregon and southwest Washington. The Oregon Military Department says they are planning 17 different flyovers on Monday, beginning at 9:14 a.m. over the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Gresham. What's open and closed on Memorial Day? 'It's an incredible honor to fly for the Air National Guard on Memorial Day, paying tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom,' said Maj. Graham Johnson, one of the two flyover pilots. These jets will be flying at close to 1000 feet up in the air at speeds of 400 miles per hour. Full schedule below: 9:14 a.m. Forest Lawn Cemetery, Gresham, Ore. 9:30 a.m. Veterans Memorial, Springfield, Ore. 10:13 a.m. Mt. View Cemetery, Oregon City, Ore. 10:15 a.m. Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, Ore. 10:18 a.m. Adams Memorial Cemetery, Molalla, Ore. 10:25 a.m. Timber Linn Memorial Park, Albany, Ore. 10:33 a.m. Depoe Bay, Ore. 10:55 a.m. Dallas Cemetery, Dallas, Ore. 10:58 a.m. Restlawn Memory Gardens, Salem, Ore. 11:00 a.m. WWII Memorial, Salem, Ore. 11:05 a.m. Calvary Cemetery, Mt. Angel, Ore. 11:06 a.m. Belle Passi Cemetery, Woodburn, Ore. 11:11 a.m. Veterans Memorial Park, Beaverton, Ore. 11:15 a.m. Fir Lawn Memorial Park, Hillsboro, Ore. 11:16 a.m. Forest View Cemetery, Forest Grove, Ore. 11:19 a.m. Vernonia Memorial Cemetery, Vernonia, Ore. 11:28 a.m. Fort Vancouver, Vancouver, Wash. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
