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Team Shaw celebrates 70th Air Force birthday

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Ashley Maldonado
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Military and community members attended the 2017 Air Force ball in Hangar 1200 here, Sept. 23.

The Air Force ball is a formal celebration of the Air Force’s “birthday” -- Sept. 18, 1947 -- when it officially became a separate service from the Army.

“Despite [the event] being in an aircraft hangar typically used for turning jets, months of preparation allowed us to transform it from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan and enabled everyone to experience a very pleasant evening as they wined and dined to the festivities,” said Capt. Aaron Blackburn, Shaw 2017 Air Force Ball sub-committee leader.

Not only does this year mark the 70th anniversary of the Air Force, but also the 76th anniversary of Shaw AFB, originally named Shaw Field.

“I’m very excited for our future, and I’m very proud of our past,” said Maj. Gen. Scott Zobrist, 9th Air Force commander and guest speaker. “I’m excited for the future, because I know the team assembled here today is going to take not just the 20th Fighter Wing and all the other mission partners to the next level, but they’re going to take us into the future as well.”

“I’m proud of being an Airman,” Zobrist said. “I’m a proud member of the joint team. … Happy birthday, Air Force!”