SSgt. Ryan Strecker is the Network Systems Operations Supervisor for the 28th Communications Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base. He is a supervisor, trainer, and mentor for network operations technicians, and a subject matter expert on technical and programming solutions for network hardware and software that supports communication infrastructure across Ellsworth Air Force Base.

SSgt Strecker hails from Highlands Ranch, Colorado. On his recent deployment lasting from 31 July 2021 to 28 January 2022, SSgt Strecker was given a high priority taskers that assisted in the standup of the 609th Air Operation Center’s airlift coordination cell at Al Udeid, Qatar. He established direct lines of communication between tactical air controllers at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul Airport, the Air Operation Center, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s headquarters in Shape, Belgium.

Joining him tonight are his fellow Raiders from Ellsworth.

TSgt. Dustin Hicks is the 28th Bomb Wing Weapons Safety Manager for Ellsworth Air Force Base. He manages the Bomb Wing’s weapons safety program for a $334 million munitions stockpile, 11 units, the base’s B-1 fleet and 4,300 base personnel. He develops local explosive site plans for Ellsworth AFB, preserving the safety of base resources and personnel while ensuring the ability of the base to complete its mission of providing superior air power.

TSgt Hicks hails from Delta, Ohio. He was deployed 25 Mar 21 – 24 Oct 21 to Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a Weapons Safety Manager. Directly participated in Operation ALLIES REFUGE. He has deployed six times to five different countries. His military awards include the Air and Space Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Air and Space Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters and the Humanitarian Service Medal for his participation in OAR.

Joining him tonight are his fellow Raiders from Ellsworth.

TSgt. Laurenz Blanco-Arboleda is the Senior Watch Supervisor for the 28th Operations Support Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base. He oversees six military and civilian Air Traffic Controllers, ensuring safe and expeditious air traffic services in support of the 28th Bomb Wing’s mission of providing combat airpower – anytime, anywhere.

Laurenz hails from Kodiak, Alaska. He served as the Air Traffic Control liaison at several locations that included Israel and Germany as Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the European Altitude Reservation Facility coordinating and securing essential airspace for various DoD missions throughout Europe, Africa, and the Mediterranean. His keen sense for multi-cultural partnerships also stands out as president of the Ellsworth Asian Pacific American Association.

Joining him tonight are his wife, Emily Blanco-Arboleda, and many of his fellow Gryphons from the 28th O-S-S.

SSgt. Mark Bunz hails from Omaha, Nebraska and is the Fabrication Flight Programs Manager & Aircraft Structural Maintenance Shift Leader for the 28th Maintenance Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base. Mark tracks training, ensures data integrity of aircraft maintenance jobs, and tracks Quality Assurance trends for 3 maintenance shops, totaling 70 personnel.

Additionally, he leads the Aircraft Structural Maintenance teams that maintain the structural integrity of the base’s B-1 fleet; where he’s led several major repairs on B-1 aircraft that are typically accomplished at a higher level repair station, bringing increased Maintenance capability to Ellsworth Air Force Base.

Joining him tonight are many of his fellow maintainers.

Capt. Joseph C. Smith Jr. is from St. Augustine, Florida and is a Physician Assistant for the 28th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base. Smith performs primary medical care and clinical duties as an independent health care provider assigned to a primary care team. Smith manages the medical care for seven squadrons and supports more than 1,000 service members. His pursuit of excellence in care has helped the 28th Bomb Wing exceed readiness goals and be able to provide long-range strike, anytime, anywhere.

Captain Smith is joined tonight by his wife, Katie, and sons, Brayden and Kaiden.

Mr. David Darling is the Additive Manufacturing Site Manager for the 28th Maintenance Group at Ellsworth Air Force Base. He directs daily and long-term aircraft restoration priorities utilizing emerging technologies such as Cold Spray (solid state process where you accelerate metallic particles on to a substrate to Mach 3), 3D printing (reverse engineer non-procurable components), and metallurgical analysis for the purpose of restoring aviation and non-aviation components to OEM specifications. The facility is a partnership with South Dakota School of Mines, Arbegast Materials Processing and Joining Laboratory.

He has developed 47 unique aviation and countless non-aviation repairs to include the first ever on aircraft restoration utilizing cold spray technology saving the Air Force over $5 million dollars.
Mr. Darling hails from Meshoppen, Pennsylvania. He retired after 26 years of active duty Air Force, and has been currently running the AM Facility for over 6 years.

Joining him tonight are his wife Stacey Darling, daughters Taylor Wiley and Alexis Cochran, and son Jaxon Darling.

Mrs. Kimberly Graves is a key spouse for the 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base. As a key spouse, Mrs. Graves acts as a liaison between civilian spouses and squadron leadership by facilitating concerns, needs, or problems that may arise during deployments, PCSing,
TDYs, and more.

Mrs. Graves recently organized, designed and researched an Air Force wide spouse history project that was displayed at the 2022 Ellsworth Air Show. Furthermore, she has contributed to countless projects and events that increased the quality of life for our Raider families.

Mrs. Graves hails from San Antonio, Texas. She has been serving as a key spouse for 6 years.

Mrs. Graves is joined tonight by her husband TSgt. Philip Graves, her three children Andrew,
JohnDavid and Liberty Graves, and her parents David and Beverly Mitchell.

Sgt. 1st Class Christina Sihrer serves as a supply NCO assigned to Joint Forces Headquarters in Rapid City. She is from Redfield and has 24 years of service in the South Dakota Army National Guard.

Sihrer provided outstanding support this past year maintaining the automated supply system of accounting of Joint Forces Headquarters supplies and equipment.

Sihrer has also deployed overseas in support of humanitarian operations in Haiti in 2010 and in Suriname in 2008 as well as multiple engineer projects in Germany and the United Kingdom in 2000 and 2014 respectively.

Warrant Officer One Ben English serves as a helicopter pilot with Detachment 1, Company B, 1/112th Aviation Regiment stationed in Rapid City. He is from Rapid City and has six years of service in the South Dakota Army National Guard.

English provided outstanding support this past year aiding with search and rescue and areal security operations.

English is also a combat veteran and served in Kuwait and Iraq in 2018 with the 935th Aviation Support Battalion, providing helicopter maintenance support for U.S. Army rotary aircraft operating throughout the Middle East.

Beth Walker is the wife of Chief Warrant Officer 5 Wayne Walker, the South Dakota National Guard State Command Chief Warrant Officer. Beth has provided outstanding support for her husband, his unit, and his service in the South Dakota Army National Guard.

Due to the nature and frequency of the travel and training of her husband’s unit, Amanda demonstrated unwavering commitment to her soldier and the unit, as well as supported Detachment 5 Company C 2nd of the 641 Aviation Regiment families while leading their family readiness group through three deployments. Beth has provided countless hours of support by providing encouragement, volunteering for event support, gifting food, and making phone calls to other families and spouses.

Staci Burchett is the Executive Assistant to the Adjutant General of the South Dakota Army National Guard. She is from Rapid City and has 29 years of civil service.

She was Active Duty Airforce for 11 years and received numerous awards for her service including the Armed Forces Service medalBurchette’s outstanding performance, work ethic and dedication to duty is of the highest caliber among the SDARNG’s civilian employees. Her demonstrated performance for the Adjutant General’s Office has been invaluable.

Spc. Leighton Weber serves as a musician with the 147th Army Band in Mitchell. He is from Piedmont and has 1 year of service in the South Dakota Army National Guard.
Weber provided outstanding support this past year as the lead guitar player for Drive On, which is a small group comprised of select members of the 147th Army Band. The group plays for many events around the state including most recently a traveling Vietnam War Memorial.

Weber is a recent graduate from Rapid City Christian Highschool where he was active with the Love Inc. charity. He is a member of four different bands and plays shows all over South Dakota.

Staff Sergeant Dan Allard serves as a healthcare specialist with Medical Command in Rapid City. He is from Rapid City and has 14 years of service in the South Dakota Army National Guard.

On top of being a Periodic Health Assessment Medic and CPR Instructor, He tracks all the members of the South Dakota National Guard’s immunization records. Allard provided outstanding support this past year responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, he provided case management for all South Dakota National Guard members that tested positive for the virus as well as developing policies and procedures to protect the Guard force from the pandemic.

Staff Sgt. Brianna Haffner serves as a Flight Operations Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge with Company C, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment in Rapid City. She is from Black Hawk and has 12 years of service in the South Dakota Army National Guard.

Haffner provided outstanding support this past year by conducting training and coordination between teams for the operations section in the 189th. She also prepares schedules, trainings and counselings as well as preparing equipment to preform missions, tracking flights via radio contact or online tracking device, and coordination of specialized equipment.
Over her career, Haffner served on a number of state active duty missions supporting the state of South Dakota, which include multiple fire and medivac responses.

Haffner is also a combat veteran and served in Syria with Company C, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment – earning the Army Commendation Medal for her service.