DAR Focus on our military: Couple recognized for service in the United States Air Force

Cassie Bone enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in October 1998. Her father had previously served as a Marine and her sister served in the Army. After three years of college, Bone joined the Air Force. She trained to be a flight medic at Brook Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Staff Sergeant Bone’s tours of duty were served at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma; Lakenheath Air Force Base in England; Laughlin Air Force Base in Val Verde County, Texas; and Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado. She was deployed to Kuwait — and when her husband, Robert, was also deployed there — the Bones were the only married couple serving together in that country. They were provided a separate room by the U.S. Air Force.

Cassie Bone was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal and multiple other ribbons.

She attended Mineral Area College on the GI Bill and earned two associate degrees in general education and radiology technology.

Master Sergeant Robert Bone met his future wife when both were serving in an honor guard at a funeral. Cassie Bone said she phoned her family to tell them she had met the man she was going to marry. Married 22 years, the Bones have two children together — Bridget, born in England in 2003, and Jonathon, born in Colorado in 2007. The family moved to Farmington in 2008, where they both are presently social security claims specialists.

Working together and supporting each other is an important memory to Mrs. Bone. She said all the active duty moms in her squadron would put the kids in strollers in the middle of physical training (PT) and take turns watching them. When Jonathon was six weeks old and her husband was deployed in Qatar, her fellow medics helped her and her in-laws move into base housing.

Cassie Bone is one of the few female members of Farmington’s Veterans of Foreign Wars. She recalled that, when she first joined, an older gentleman said to her, “Honey, we are having a meeting now, and it’s time for the wives to go into the other room.” As she pushed down on her service cap, Bone replied, “I was in a war zone two years ago and pushed on. Where were you?” He promptly apologized!

Robert Bone enlisted in the service of the Air Force in September 1986. Even though the needs of the military come first, he was pleased he got to pick and choose his area of work in the airfield operations. Bone’s duty stations were Vance Air Force Base, where he was twice stationed; Howard Air Force Base in Panama; Lakenheath Air Force Base; Laughlin Air Force Base and Buckley Air Force Base. His deployments were in Turkey, Qatar, and Kuwait.

Bone was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (twice), the Joint Service Achievement Medal and multiple other medals and ribbons.

On the GI Bill, he received two degrees in business administration and management, where he learned how to run an airfield.

Mr. Bone has two important pieces of advice: “When in the service, don’t raise your hand to volunteer!” and “Take advantage of each situation.” He said previous military service also offers veterans several advantages in their civilian careers. According to Bone, serving in the military gives preference for certain federal jobs and can count in retirement benefits.

After serving 22 years in the Air Force, he and his wife, who served eight years in the Air Force, moved back to his family’s roots in Farmington. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bone are employed as social security claims specialists.

Robert has four children: Zachary, Jesecca, Bridget and Jonathon — three of which were born on different continents.

The Bones are active members of the Farmington VFW and express their gratitude for lifelong retired military friends with whom they frequently gather.