Col. Roger G. Brooks has retired from the U.S. Air Force after 25 years of military service. Prior to retiring, he was chief of the Logistics Readiness Division assigned to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

He supervised 60 service members who provided support to more than 170 special operations aircraft. Col. Brooks directed global logistics support for deployed command forces.

He served a year in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as commander of the 755th Expeditionary Support Squadron, and the senior mentor to the commanding general of the Afghan National Army Logistics Command.

His major decorations include four Bronze Star Medals, four Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the NATO Medal and numerous military ribbon and service awards.

Col. Brooks is the son of Peggy A. Brooks of Cleveland, Tenn. He is a graduate of Bradley Central High School, and received a bachelor's degree and commission of second lieutenant through the Air Force ROTC program from Middle Tennessee State University. He earned a master's degree in 1989 from the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio.

Bratton completes apprentice course

Air Force Airman Richard L. Bratton graduated from the Utilities Systems Apprentice Course at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas.

The course trains students in water processing, analysis, operating principles of water treatment plants, maintenance of water and waste water, fire suppression and backflow prevention systems and components; and maintenance and repair of water supply, waste, and natural gas systems.

He is the son of Richard L. and Tanya R. Bratton of Ringgold, Ga., and a graduate of Ringgold High School.

Basic training graduates

Fort Jackson

Army National Guard Pvt. Magee A. Whitaker, son of Kent Whitaker and Jamie Simpson, graduate of Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School; Army National Guard Pvt. Christen A. Parker, daughter of Chris and Christy Parker of Dalton, Ga., graduate of Whitfield County Career Academy; Army Pvt. Daniel A. Shomaker, son of Robert and Kimberly Shomaker, graduate of McCallie School; Army Pvt. Kevin A. Farmer, son of Tina Griffin of Athens, Tenn., graduate of Meigs County High School.

Army Pvt. Charles E. Barksdale, son of Charles Barksdale of Trenton, Ga., graduate of Chattooga High School; Army National Guard Pfc. Dali M. Velazquez, daughter of Virgenmina Velazquez of Chatsworth, Ga., graduate of Murray County High School; Army Pvt. Robert W. Johnson, a graduate of Sequoyah High School.

Army National Guard Pfc. Johan T. Dunkel, son of Kathy Andres of Dunlap, Tenn.; Army Reserve Pfc. Wayne A. Jones III, son of Wayne Jones II and Linda Jones, graduate of Hixson High School; and Army Reserve Pvt. Justin A. Brown, son of Sheila Harwood and Scott Brown, graduate of Hamilton County High School.

Fort Sill

Army Pvt. Tyler W. Middleton, son of Carla Middleton of Ringgold, Ga., and Paul Cooper of LaFayette, Ga., graduate of LaFayette High School; Army Reserve Pfc. Phuoc Q. Tran, son of Lang and Dung Tran, graduate of Hixson High School; Army Pfc. Nicholas H. Dorman, son of Cheri Dorman of Cleveland, Tenn.; Army Pfc. Eddie W. Stevens, a graduate of Dade County High School.

Lackland Air Force Base

Air Force Airman 1st Class Porshia J. Arnett, daughter of Gerald Crutcher, graduate of Red Bank High School; Air Force Airman Lindsey J. Leek, daughter of Tammy Leek of Cleveland, Tenn., graduate of Bradley Central High School; Air Force Airman Anthony W. Shults, son of Jayne Morgan, graduate of Hixson High School; Air Force Airman Hank S. Tittsworth, son of Cynthia Crofts of Athens, Tenn., graduate of McMinn County High School.

Air Force Airman Richard L. Bratton, son of Tanya Bratton of Ringgold, Ga., graduate of Ringgold High School; Air Force Airman Michael R. Bonhomme, son of Steve Bonhomme of Cleveland, Tenn., graduate of Bradley Central High School; Air Force Airman David A. Boley, son of Frances Boley, graduate of Calvary Christian School; Air Force Airman Stephen G. Hamby, son of Mike Hamby of Chatsworth, Ga., and Paula Gallman of Dalton, Ga., graduate of Dalton High School.

Air Force Airman Justin M. Shackleford, son of Sherri and John Shackleford, graduate of Ooltewah High School; Air Force Airman Kyle A. Kirchem, son of Steve Kirchem of Cleveland, Tenn., graduate of Cleveland High School; Army Pvt. James E. Cummings, son of James E. Cummings Sr. of Knoxville and Regina Swafford of Dayton, Tenn., graduate of Hixson High School; Air Force Airman Susan L. Clark, daughter of William Clark.

Meyer honored for support

The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves recognized Dr. Gail M. Meyer, UC Foundation Professor and head of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, for her outstanding support during one of her faculty member's deployment to Iraq.

She was presented with the Patriot Award, intended specifically for the recognition of supervisors. Patriot Award nominations come from National Guard and Reserve members or their families.

Dr. Meyer maintained communication with Dr. Manuel Santiago, providing words of encouragement and motivation. She also contacted his family members to exchange information and words of support.

"It was an honor to support Dr. Santiago, and we are delighted to have him back in our department. We are proud of all our faculty, staff and students who serve our country," Dr. Meyer said.

Farinash commissioned

Joseph D. Farinash has been commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force after completing the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program and graduating with a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He is the son of Jerry and Christie Farinash and a graduate of Boyd-Buchanan School.