AAMF

Major Philip D. Ambard was born 4 April 1967 at Caracas, Capital District in Venezuela where he lived until age 12. Arriving in the United States speaking no English, he faced many challenges but overcame them through perseverance and hard work. In 1985, Maj. Ambard’s mother filed his Petition for Naturalization and subsequently joined the United States Air Force to speed the process up. Maj. Ambard instead committed his life to a career of service. Enlisting as an Airman First Class, he commissioned as an officer in 2000. In 2003, he began teaching at the US Air Force Academy Department of Foreign Languages in Colorado Springs where he became an assistant professor.

In 2011, Maj. Ambard was serving a tour of duty with the NATO Air Training Command in Kabul, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Sadly, on the morning of 27 April 2011, a helicopter pilot for the Afghan Air Force pulled a pistol from his flight suit and opened fire, resulting in Maj. Ambard, seven other service members, and one civilian contractor being killed in the line of duty.

Major Philip D. Ambard was survived by his wife, Linda, and his children, Alex, Major Timothy Ambard, Patrick, and Lieutenant Colonel Emily Short.

Thank you, sir.