Earns Air Force wings

Second Lt. Auriele Nelle Fain, daughter of Bruce and Patty Marler Fain of Billings, Mont., and granddaughter of Martin Marler of Colfax, has graduated from the United States Air Force Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus Air Force Base in Columbus, Miss. Fain received her wings from her father who also served in the Air Force as a helicopter pilot. He wore on his lapel the wings of his father, a highly decorated B-25 pilot in World War II.

Auriele graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with academic honors in 2012 with a degree in political science and Japanese. Fain also competed for the Fighting Falcons in cross country and track, where she was a two-year team captain in both sports, a Mountain West conference champion in indoor track and an eight-time academic all-conference athlete.

She is assigned to United States Air Force Special Operations and will continue specialized training in AC-130 Stinger Aircraft at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.