Born: 1957 (circa), Thailand (assumed)
Died: NA
Country most active: United States
Also known as: NA
The following is republished from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This piece falls under under public domain, as copyright does not apply to “any work of the U.S. Government” where “a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties” (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105).
Amerophan “Ame” Callahan was 14 years old and living in Thailand when an Air Force Veteran adopted her. Six years later, Callahan enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. She chose the Air Force because it was the branch that her adoptive family had experience with. She also felt the need to give back to her new country.
Callahan enlisted in the Air Force as an avionics instrument specialist for C-130 aircraft. A Desert Storm veteran, while she was stationed in Arizona, she deployed to Bahrain to support the joint service Operation Rugged Nautilus. As a first sergeant, she was responsible for the health, morale, and welfare of over 650 active duty personnel and their dependents.
Callahan’s career in the Air Force allowed her to serve all over the world, including in Guam, Iceland, Australia, England, the Middle East, Japan and Korea.
Callahan retired from the Air Force after 24 years of service with the rank of chief master sergeant. She earned numerous awards and decorations including a Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal and Air Force Achievement Medal.
Callahan currently serves as the executive director for field programs for the National Cemetery Administration (NCA). In her role, she provides unified leadership of two major customer facing business lines for the NCA, Memorial Products Service and the National Cemetery Scheduling Office covering first notice of death, eligibility determinations, burial scheduling, headstones, markers and medallions; the Presidential Memorial Certificates program; two primary call centers and all related processes. Leading a team of almost 200 dedicated employees, Callahan helps ensure that “No Veteran Ever Dies.”