BEAUFORT, S.C. - The Vigilant Guard exercise taking place this week in Beaufort County, S.C., reinforces that all incidents are local, and for one local father and his daughter, the exercise has given their family some much cherished time together.
Airman 1st Class Sarah Colwell says she was inspired to join the military because of her father's service in the Marine Corps and the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. The 22-year old joined the U.S. Air Force three years ago as a military police officer and completed her first tour of duty in Iraq in September 2007.
Because of her roots to Beaufort, Colwell was asked by her commander, Maj. Shannon Smith of the 75th Security Forces Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, to represent the Air Force's military police community at Vigilant Guard.
Colwell's father, James who serves as the assistant fire chief for the city of Beaufort says he couldn't be more proud of his daughter and her service to the country during this time of war.
"I'm in the evening of my firefighting career serving the citizens of Beaufort -- so to be able to go out serving with my daughter -- in support of Vigilant Guard means a lot to us and her mother, Brenda, my bride for the past 25 years," said Colwell.
Airman 1st Class Colwell's duties at Hill Air Base prevent her from flying home as often as she and her family would like but she says she is hopeful her next assignment will be at Charleston Air Force Base.
"I'm just glad to be home helping serve the people of the town I grew up in," said Colwell.