First Knight Published Sept. 8, 2009 16th Space Control Squadron PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Tech. Sgt. David Bruce was selected for this week's First Knight award. This award is designed to recognize outstanding Airmen each week for the work they do every day. Name: Tech. Sgt. David Bruce Unit: 16th Space Control Squadron Duty Title: Defensive Counter Space Maintenance noncommissioned officer Hometown: Polk City, Fla. Time in Service: 12 years Hobbies: Family time, football, gaming Favorite Music: Country and hard rock Last good book read: "A Feast for Crows" by George R.R. Martin How has joining the Air Force impacted your life? It has definitely impacted my life in ways that I would never have been able to experience back home. I've been able to travel to places and do things only seen in movies. I've learned technical skills that people I grew up with could never begin to understand. If you were Chief of Staff of the Air Force for one day, how would you change the Air Force? I would try to find a way to streamline the fielding of cutting-edge technology. While we currently have mechanisms in place to field equipment, by the time most of it reaches the field, it's already obsolete. We need to be able to give our troops the equipment to keep ahead of adversaries who do not have such limitations. What's your favorite thing about being in the Air Force? I enjoy working with such a diverse and dedicated group of people. What do you like most about being an Airman? What I like most are the opportunities we are afforded to learn such a wide variety of missions and work with some of the world's most unique equipment. Why selected: "Tech. Sgt. Bruce prepared the squadron for the IG inspection by reinvigorating our Unit Control Center processes, our shelter-in-place procedures and handling multiple facility maintenance issues. He's recently deployed in support of Operation Silent Sentry and is charged with maintaining a critical counterspace system that has been forward deployed for several years and is suffering in the extreme weather conditions. The harsh environment and aging equipment has kept him busy, to say the least. Additionally, Sergeant Bruce volunteers on weekends assisting in Project Sanctuary, a local program geared for families to reconnect post-deployment over a weekend in an event structured mountain resort environment." - Maj. Chad Riden, 16 SPCS Operations Officer