WHERE ARE THEY NOW? ...

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Via e-mail --  ... A HAPPY ENDING
I was going through my old papers and came across the Torch magazine with an article about Christy Niit, my daughter ("Shooter Built from Scratch," March 2002, page 12). Christy's last name is now Gardner as she married another Airman when she was stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, N.C., for two years. She and her husband then spent four years stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy, where my grandson was born.

She spent a total of six years on active duty, which included a deployment to Qatar and another one to Balad, Iraq.

Christy separated from the active-duty Air Force in 2007 and joined the Air National Guard at Berry Field in Nashville, Tenn. She is a staff sergeant working in the 118th Logistics Readiness Squadron Individual Equipment Element, and her husband, Daniel, is a staff sergeant in the 118th Maintenance Squadron Fuels Cell Shop. They have two children -- 6-year-old Aiden and 11-month-old Audrey.

I am so proud of the decisions Christy has made with her life.

Just thought you might want to know what happens to those who you write about in your magazine.

Ellen Niit
Reseda, Calif.

... A SAD ENDING
I served in the Air Force from January 2000 to October 2007. My basic military training flight was featured in the May 2000 issue of Torch ("Awakening the Warrior," page 2) on the obstacle course at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Sadly, I just found out that one of my fellow Airmen from that flight, Paul Maidman, was killed last year in Las Vegas by a drunk driver. Paul was still in the service, stationed at Nellis AFB, Nev. I am going to send a copy of that magazine to Paul's family. I am sure his parents will appreciate having the extra memorabilia from their son's career.

Christopher Stone
Selma, Texas