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Promotion ceremony ends with marriage proposal

  • Published
  • By Joe B. Wiles
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Beth Lewis knew she was attending a wing recognition ceremony June 30 to "tack" on her boyfriend's new Senior Airman stripes; however, she didn't know newly promoted Senior Airman Joshua Saville was going to propose marriage in front of an auditorium filled with people.

When Airman Saville was called to the stage by Col. Richard Murphy, 71st Flying Training Wing vice commander, he brought Ms. Lewis, and his supervisor, Tech. Sgt. Patrick Colclasure, along with him to tack on his new rank.

As soon as Ms. Lewis wacked him on the stripes taped to his shoulder, Airman Saville dropped to one knee, pulled out a small box with a ring inside and asked her to marry him.

"I wanted to do something romantic -- in a place where it would be harder for her to say no," Airman Saville said..

Apparently, his plan worked. "All she could get out was, 'Yes,'" he said.

Airman Saville is an air traffic controller with the 71st Operations Support Squadron here. He and Ms. Lewis grew up together in Meriden, Kan. 

He and Ms. Lewis have been dating for three and a half years. No marriage date has been set at this time.