Wright Flight recognition

KANSAS CITY -- Gloria Eurotas, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Kansas City Neighborhood Alliance, reads the inscription on the Spirit of Partnership Award, which was presented to Col. Dewayne Burgess, 442nd Maintenance Group commander, in recognition of his service in Kansas City through the Wright Flight program for youth at a ceremony here Jan. 20. Wright Flight is a youth-mentoring program designed to foster development of youth using aviation history as its core theme. The program is supported by volunteers from the 442nd Fighter Wing, an Air Force Reserve unit based at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. Col Burgess was only the fifth recipient of the award since its inception in 2003. "Wright Flight has been a huge success in some of our neighborhood schools," Ms. Eurotas said. "The award was to rcognize Colonel Burgess for his leadership role in making Wright Flight the success that it is." Colonel Burgess will retire from the Air Force Reserve Mar. 4 after 33 years of service. (Courtesy photo by DeWayne Bright)