Sam Spooner’s Challenge Coins
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Air Force Communications coin. Side A shown. Spooner has a background in communications work.
<picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34458_29a.rev.1529429310.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34458_29a.rev.1529429310.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34458_29a.rev.1529429310.jpg" width="740" height="724" alt="Air Force Communications coin. Side A shown. Spooner has a background in communications work." data-max-w="1113" data-max-h="1089" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture>
Air Force Communications coin. Side A shown. Spooner has a background in communications work.
<picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34459_29b.rev.1529429311.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34459_29b.rev.1529429311.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34459_29b.rev.1529429311.jpg" width="740" height="690" alt="Air Force Communications coin. Side B shown." data-max-w="1061" data-max-h="989" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture>
Air Force Communications coin. Side B shown.
<picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34460_36a.rev.1529429311.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34460_36a.rev.1529429311.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34460_36a.rev.1529429311.jpg" width="740" height="745" alt="364th Training Squad The Golden Knights Coin. Side A pictured." data-max-w="1097" data-max-h="1105" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture>
364th Training Squad “The Golden Knights” Coin. Side A pictured.
<picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34461_36b.rev.1529429311.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34461_36b.rev.1529429311.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34461_36b.rev.1529429311.jpg" width="740" height="722" alt="364th Training Squad Coin. Side B pictured. Spooner oversaw this unit, and these coins were given to those who showed outstanding perform..." data-max-w="1169" data-max-h="1141" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture>
364th Training Squad Coin. Side B pictured. Spooner oversaw this unit, and these coins were given to those who showed outstanding performance. Several designs were submitted by squad members, but because of the nod to their nickname, “The Golden Knights,” this was the design chosen.
<picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34462_52a.jpg.rev.1529429311.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34462_52a.jpg.rev.1529429311.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34462_52a.jpg.rev.1529429311.jpg" width="740" height="725" alt="Operation Northern Watch Coin. Side A pictured. Spooner was in Turkey at the time of this operation." data-max-w="1177" data-max-h="1153" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture>
Operation Northern Watch Coin. Side A pictured. Spooner was in Turkey at the time of this operation.
<picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34463_52b.rev.1529429311.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34463_52b.rev.1529429311.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34463_52b.rev.1529429311.jpg" width="740" height="682" alt="Operation Northern Watch Coin. Side B pictured." data-max-w="1169" data-max-h="1077" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture>
Operation Northern Watch Coin. Side B pictured.
<picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34464_75a.rev.1529429312.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34464_75a.rev.1529429312.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34464_75a.rev.1529429312.jpg" width="740" height="1113" alt="17th Security Squadron Coin. Side A pictured. Spooner worked with this squadron on different projects. Coin also functions as a bottle op..." data-max-w="1165" data-max-h="1753" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture>
17th Security Squadron Coin. Side A pictured. Spooner worked with this squadron on different projects. Coin also functions as a bottle opener.
<picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34465_75b.rev.1529429312.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34465_75b.rev.1529429312.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34465_75b.rev.1529429312.jpg" width="740" height="1177" alt="17th Security Squadron Coin. Side B pictured." data-max-w="1029" data-max-h="1637" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture>
17th Security Squadron Coin. Side B pictured.
<picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34466_87a.rev.1529429312.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34466_87a.rev.1529429312.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34466_87a.rev.1529429312.jpg" width="740" height="974" alt="111th Military Intelligence Brigade Coin. Side A pictured. This coin was gifted to Spooner by an Army man he worked with. He hadn't expec..." data-max-w="1317" data-max-h="1733" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture>
111th Military Intelligence Brigade Coin. Side A pictured. This coin was gifted to Spooner by an Army man he worked with. He hadn’t expected to receive the coin.
<picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34467_87b.rev.1529429312.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34467_87b.rev.1529429312.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34467_87b.rev.1529429312.jpg" width="740" height="990" alt="111th Military Intelligence Brigade Coin. Side B pictured." data-max-w="1245" data-max-h="1665" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture>
111th Military Intelligence Brigade Coin. Side B pictured.
<picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34468_90a.rev.1529429312.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34468_90a.rev.1529429312.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34468_90a.rev.1529429312.jpg" width="740" height="924" alt="Coin from the Command Chief at Goodfellow. Side A pictured." data-max-w="1333" data-max-h="1665" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture>
Coin from the Command Chief at Goodfellow. Side A pictured.
<picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34469_90b.rev.1529429312.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34469_90b.rev.1529429312.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/257/width/740/34469_90b.rev.1529429312.jpg" width="740" height="1034" alt="Coin from the Command Chief at Goodfellow. Side B pictured. The side reads, I am an American Airman." data-max-w="1169" data-max-h="1633" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture>
Coin from the Command Chief at Goodfellow. Side B pictured. The side reads, "I am an American Airman."
This collection includes scans of five of Sam Spooner’s many challenge coins. Both sides are pictured.
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Sam Spooner
Air Force
Lieutenant Colonel
Served in: Iraq WarSam Spooner served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years. In 2009 he retired at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas. Mr. Spooner now works for Angelo State University.