Details

Published: 24 July 2014

Hits: 3562

PHOTO: Air Force Staff Sgt. Phillip Burns II prepares Monterey chicken July 17, 2014, on Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Burns garnished his plate with sweet peas and mushroom sauce. MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – He can bust down a burning door and save lives from a flaming inferno, and if the kitchen survives, he might whip up some elegant blackened salmon, too. He is a 23rd Civil Engineer Squadron fire inspector. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Ryan Callaghan On duty, Air Force Staff Sgt. Phillip Burns II is a fire inspector with the 23rd Civil Engineer Squadron. On duty, he ensures fire code compliance across the base. Off duty, the 33-year-old staff sergeant does almost everything he can to fulfill his appetite for good cooking: teaching youth cooking classes, competing in cook-offs, cooking for friends, and even working as a chef at a local restaurant. Burns has been cooking for "15 years strong, at five different bases and through six deployments," he said. "I cook on a regular basis, and I always try to challenge myself with whatever I'm cooking."

Burns' interest in cooking is fueled by a desire to improve, he said, sparked by a fellow airman's badgering. "It was because one day I was told that I couldn't cook, and it went from there," he said. "I brought [leftovers] to work to eat. … I tried to warm lasagna up in a skillet. Everybody laughed and said, 'Burns, you don't know how to cook at all. This is horrible. You can't do this with a skillet.' From then on, we were always challenging each other to cook better." Eric Mortensen, the 23rd CES assistant fire chief, said Burns simply enjoys taking on a new venture. "He's very interested in expanding his horizons, and he's very adventurous," Mortensen said. "This is just one more thing. He's passionate about everything he does. Burns has jumped into cooking. He also did some gardening with no background in that, either. He grew some stuff, grew it very large, and entered it into a farmers market fair.

Read more: Meet Your Military: Firefighter Feeds Burning Passion for Food

Details

Published: 23 July 2014

Hits: 2342

PHOTO: Army Pfc. Paul Ieti poses with some of his “little fans” on Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., after his performance on the NBC program “America’s Got Talent.” HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD, Ga. – When 21-year-old Army Pfc. Paul Ieti was in Afghanistan, he and a friend made a video of him singing “Stay” by Rihanna. And like a million young dreamers before, they posted it on YouTube. He credits a strong family bond, faith and his friends with keeping him grounded as his singing career rises. Courtesy photo The video went viral, and has since been viewed by more than a million people worldwide. He never expected the video would have such an impact. He also never expected that the producers from “America’s Got Talent” would invite him to sing on the popular NBC television variety show.

Ieti wowed the crowd and judges with a performance that has made him a very popular guy right now. Ieti -- assigned to Company A, 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade -- is still in the competition, with a very real opportunity to win a million dollars. The combination of fame and potential for fortune has a way of making normal people go a little crazy. The streets of celebrity are paved with young stars who couldn’t handle the pitfalls that money and success can bring. But what is apparent to most who meet Ieti is just how humble and grounded the young singer has remained.

The singing soldier remains true to his family, his faith, and his true friends, which he said helps to keep him grounded through this exciting period in his life. Ieti said he’s never understood why people change after making it to celebrity status. “I’m still going to be Paul Ieti, the normal-but-hyperactive guy I’ve been,” he said. “I know my talent is God-given, and I just want to share it with the world.” Ieti also gives credit to his mother and father for giving him the right perspective about his newfound fame and that he wants to share his success with them. “Both of my parents have told me that no matter how far I get or how famous I get, I need to remember where I’m from and to stay humble,” he said.

Read more: Meet Your Military: Soldier Stays Grounded While His Stardom Rises

Details

Published: 22 July 2014

Hits: 3077

PHOTO: Air Force Senior Airman Devin Litton uses a sewing machine at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., July 18, 2014. MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. – The “chuka chuka chukka” sounds from a needle punching through fabric cease momentarily. The Air Force enlisted man working the sewing machine wipes the sweat off his brow and dives right back into his passion. As an aircrew flight equipment journeyman, Litton must apply his sewing skills to repair life rafts and other emergency equipment. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Air Force Senior Airman Devin Litton, 22nd Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment journeyman, has spent hundreds of hours developing his sewing skills since he was introduced to the needle and thread. When he was waiting in the recruiter’s office three years ago, he said, he did not expect running a sewing machine to be part of his job description. “When I first learned to sew in technical school, I really found myself enjoying it,” Litton said. “I thought it was one of the coolest things, and it’s [become] such a useful and lucrative hobby ever since.” Sewing is a craft that requires precision, patience and discipline. It’s a skill used frequently by aircrew flight equipment airmen like Litton, who does not use it for making quilts.