Wisconsin Air National Guard Senior Master Sgt. Ryan Brown, a 1984 graduate of Platteville High School, received an award from the Air Force.

Every year the U.S. Air Force recognizes its best aircraft maintenance officer and a senior noncommissioned officer who are directly involved in sortie generation at the base level with the General Lew Allen Jr. Trophy. This award is a tribute to Gen. Allen’s focus on attention to detail and technical expertise, attributes reflected in the nominees honored. 

The 2015 recipients from the Air National Guard 115th Fighter Wing, based at Truax Field in Madison, were Brown and First Lt. Brian Wyman, who went on to compete at the Air National Guard level. In unprecedented fashion, both Wyman and Brown were selected as the 2015 General Lew Allen Jr. Trophy winners for the entire Air National Guard, representing more than 20,000 aircraft maintenance professionals as the best in their profession. 

Brown lives outside of De Forest. Wyman lives in Lodi.

Iowa–Grant senior to enlist in Army: Iowa–Grant High School senior Benjamin O. Amend has joined the U.S. Army under the Delayed Training Program. 

Amend, the son of Jennifer Amend of Livingston, and grandson of Joy Bickford of Montfort, will report to Fort Jackson, S.C., for basic training July 12 after he graduates from Iowa–Grant.

The program gives young men and women the opportunity to delay reporting for basic military training for up to 270 days.

An enlistment gives many new soldiers the option to learn a new skill, serve their country, and become eligible to receive more than $37,440 toward a college education and $50,000 for repayment of qualifying college loans.

After completion of basic military training, most soldiers receive advanced individual training in their career job specialty prior to being assigned to their permanent duty station.