Star Struck Published Feb. 9, 2009 By Staff Sgt. Aileen Carter Nellis Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Nellis Airmen, family and friends gathered at the Thunderbird hangar to celebrate the promotion of the United States Air Force Warfare Center's vice-commander, Col. Kevin McLaughlin, to brigadier general Feb. 6 The presiding officer of this event was Lt. Gen. William L. Shelton, chief of warfighting integration and chief information officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, who knew then 2nd Lt. McLaughlin at his first assignment at Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Colo. "If you laid our values side-by-side, you'll see a lot of similarities," General Shelton said. "We were together at the same orientation, same real estate, very similar kinds of career - but he's done it better. But there are three things about him: character, he's a man of action and a man of courage." The promotion ceremony was marked by memories of General McLaughlin's accomplishments throughout his career. The one star rank insignia was a gift from Col. Ed Wilson, commander of the Space Development and Test Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., and was flown aboard a space shuttle in honor of its previous commander, then Colonel McLaughlin. Mrs. Victoria McLaughlin, General McLaughlin's wife, pinned General McLaughlin's stars. His children, Meredith, Andrew, William and Bryson changed out his epaulets to reflect the new rank. Retired Lt. Col. Marshall Patterson, who commissioned then 2nd Lt. McLaughlin, was present to give the Oath of Office to Gen. McLaughlin. "The Airmen [I've had a chance to work with] - they are the fuel and power of our organization," General McLaughlin said. "We get it done because we have the best people in the world." Brig. Gen. McLaughlin came to Nellis in April of last year with his family from Kirtland Air Force Base, where he was the commander of the Space Development and Test Wing and the Operationally Responsive Space Office director.
