First to 5,000
Lt. Col. Timothy Schepper, 28th Operations Group senior evaluator, embraces his wife, Tania, after his return flight from Southwest Asia at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., July 15, 2013. Of the 5,000 hours Schepper has flown throughout his 22-year career, 1,300 were combat hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zachary Hada/Released)