Andrew Ace Eggleston (English), a dedicated member of the United States Air Force, on November 7th, 2025 was honored with a prestigious award that recognized his outstanding service and commitment to his excellence: the Quilt of Valor Award.

 “Most significantly, I’d say that learning to always put service before self is one of the Air Force’s core values and one of the hardest to follow,” Eggleston said. 

The values taught in the airforce are varied from Mr. Eggleston’s childhood – instead of trying to stand out, he had to be a part of a team. The airforce made Eggleston and his peers work together by building up a team mentality.

“Growing up, we’re encouraged to be individuals so we can stand out, but in the military we have to be unified so the whole force can work together to accomplish the mission,” Eggleston said. “There were times during my enlistment when a few people made selfish choices that didn’t represent the Air Force’s values, and our entire unit had to take responsibility for the actions of just a few.”

These experiences shaped Mr Eggleston which helps understands leadership and putting airforce values into his day to day life and during his teachingings. 

“It’s a reminder that, even after being separated from the Air Force for 12 years, my service mattered to our society,” Eggleston said. “Regardless of what I did or what I achieved, that time means more than I expected to both me and my community.”

That sense of lasting impact also comes from the habits and qualities developed during service like situational awareness and self-discipline which are essential for succeeding in the Air Force and supporting fellow airmen.

“Situational awareness and self-discipline are probably the two most important qualities to be successful in the Air Force,” Mr. Eggleston said. “Knowing what’s happening around you helps you respond to changes, and having good self-discipline keeps you ready for anything. The people you work with should be able to count on you to stay physically and mentally prepared at all times.”

These qualities weren’t just ideas he talked about—they were skills he depended on during some of the most serious and emotional duties he ever had to perform in the Air Force.

“While I was in the Air Force, I served as a member of our Base Honor Guard,” Mr. Eggleston said. “During that time, I performed duties at two active-duty funerals and several other ceremonies. Those moments were the most stressful and meaningful because it was important to honor the memories of my fellow Airmen and the sacrifices they made in the line of duty.”

These experiences gave him a deeper appreciation for the ways communities recognize and honor service members.

“Communities have found really unique ways of honoring our veterans,” Mr. Eggleston said. “I’d only seen one Quilts of Valor ceremony before receiving one myself, so I was not expecting to be nominated.”