Caitlin Elizabeth Ann O'Neil-McKeown

2007 Fillmore High School Graduate Caitlin Elizabeth Ann O'Neil-McKeown, 20 years old, is now serving in the United States Air Force. Caitlin also attended Piru Elementary and Fillmore Middle school. While growing up she was active in 4-H, FFA, Art Club and the Mentor Program. She enlisted in the United States Air Force on February 10, 2009 for a 4 year enlistment.

Caitlin is the daughter of Stephen McKeown and Lori Schnieder of Fillmore. Her siblings are; Erica Stout (37) of Germany whose husband Shannon is a Sergeant First Class stationed there with the Army, Michael McKeown (31) of Fillmore, Aimee McKeown (28) of Fillmore, Patrick Wing (28) of Arizona, Morgan McKeown (24) of Arizona, Erin McKeown (22) of Fillmore, Brian McKeown (18) of Fillmore, Ian McKeown (17) of Fillmore, Sean McKeown (16) of Fillmore and Paige McKeown (7) of Fillmore. Caitlin's paternal grandmother is the late Joan McKeown and her maternal grandparents Leori Schnieder and Alvin Schnieder of Oklahoma. Brothers Micheal McKeown served in the United States Air Force and Patrick Wing in the United States Marines. Caitlin's brother-in-law Curtis Kniffen is a Senior Airman with the Air Force stationed in Arizona.

Caitlin is an Airman station at Fort George G. Meade, located near Baltimore, Maryland. Fort Meade is one of the largest joint service centers in the United States. Airman O'Neil-McKeown is attending Technical School there with the only Air Force detachment, Detachment 2336, at Fort Meade. Airman O'Neil-McKeown is training to be a Combat Photographer/ Public Affairs. After training she will be assigned to Hurlburt Field, Florida at the end of January 2010 with the Air Force Special Operations Command. Airman O'Neil-McKeown has been awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Air Force Training Ribbon.

Combat Photographers are proving that a picture is truly worth a thousand words in fighting the war on terrorism. Their images tell the military story to the American public, our children, their children, and beyond. Military photographers have had a tremendous impact on history and document the horrors of war. The men and women of the U.S. military are considered heroes in the eyes of most Americans, and military photographers have played a role in that view. The images they create educate, motivate and inspire confidence in the U.S. Air Force and its role in the defense of freedom.

Those of us here at home thank United States Air Force Airman Caitlin Elizabeth Ann O'Neil-McKeown for her service and for the sacrifices she and her family has made and those sacrifices they will make in the future to keep the United States strong. We also wish her a long a successful career with the United States Air Force. United States Air Force Airman Caitlin Elizabeth Ann O'Neil-McKeown is truly an American Hero.