Velez, a Havelock native, returned to his hometown to serve at the air station where he grew up watching military aircraft take off and land. As an aviation operations clerk, he is responsible for processing flight plans, tracking airfield operations, and maintaining critical flight records, helping to ensure mission readiness aboard MCAS Cherry Point. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Dillon Anderson) - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Angel Velez IV, an aviation operations clerk with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, stands at his desk during an interview at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, Aug. 6, 2026. Velez, a Havelock native, returned to his hometown to serve at the air station where he grew up watching military aircraft take off and land. As an aviation operations clerk, he is responsible for processing flight plans, tracking airfield operations, and maintaining critical flight records, helping to ensure mission readiness aboard MCAS Cherry Point. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Dillon Anderson)