Laughlin AFB Honors Top Airmen, Community Partners at Wings of XLence Luncheon

Senior Airman Diego Padilla received the Wings of XLence certificate from two of the base's most senior figures on March 13, when Laughlin Air Force Base held its quarterly recognition luncheon honoring outstanding performers across the 47th Flying Training Wing.

Col. Tyler Ellison, the 47th Flying Training Wing commander, and Eddie Amezuca, president of the Del Rio Military Affairs Association, jointly presented the certificate to Padilla, a dental assistant with the Laughlin Operational Medical Readiness Squadron. He was named the top performer from the Laughlin Medical Group, a distinction that placed him at the center of the event's most visible moment.

The luncheon brought together members of the 47th Flying Training Wing, the Del Rio Military Affairs Association, and Team XL personnel. The partnership between Laughlin AFB and the Del Rio Military Affairs Association was on display in the ceremony itself: Amezuca stood alongside Col. Ellison at the presentation, a visual underscoring of the civil-military relationship that the event is designed to reinforce.

Laughlin AFB's Instagram channel described the event as the quarterly Wings of XLence Luncheon, framing it as a recurring program rather than a one-time occasion. The luncheon's format, pairing formal recognition with the presence of community partners, reflects a deliberate effort to connect the base's internal performance culture with its broader ties to Del Rio.

Airman 1st Class Darryl Keith documented the ceremony, with photos posted to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service on March 17. The gallery captured seven images from the event, including the certificate presentation to Padilla.

The full list of awardees recognized across other squadrons and units was not released in official materials available at publication time.