ARPC Command Chief celebrates 28 years of AF service

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Beth Anschutz
  • Air Reserve Personnel Center Public Affairs
Chief Master Sgt. Ruthe Flores, Air Reserve Personnel Center command chief, retired during a ceremony here Oct. 27.

Members of Air Reserve Personnel Center joined Flores’ friends, family and colleagues to celebrate the chief’s 28-years of service to the Air Force.

Flores was born in Encarnacion, Paraguay, and graduated Air Force Basic Military Training in 1988 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. She was naturalized as a U.S. citizen during her first enlistment in Limestone, Maine, in 1990. The chief has served as a personalist in various statuses. She served 13 years in the regular Air Force, two years as an Individual Reservist, three years as a traditional reservist and lastly as an Active Guard Reservist.

Col. Ellen Moore, ARPC commander, officiated the retirement ceremony and shared the sentiment of all members of the center as they say goodbye and good luck to the chief.

“Chief Flores is always taking care of others,” Moore said. “She should always be proud of the work she’s done here and I know she cherishes all of you. Everyone is in her heart and I know she will keep that with her always.”

Flores thanked her family, everyone in attendance and the leadership of ARPC. She gave a special charge to the Airmen of ARPC.

“To my senior NCOs, you guys are the glue that holds ARPC together. Keep doing what you are doing,” Flores said. “To my Airmen and NCOs, you are the future. Take it by the horns and get it done.”

Flores also thanked the civilian Airmen of ARPC.

“Thank you to all of you for the smiles and how much you have taken care of me and ARPC,” she said.

Flores and her family are headed to Florida to begin the next chapter of the Flores family story. Chief Master Sgt. Jeanette Masters will take the reigns as ARPC Command Chief in January 2017.