U.S. Airmen from the 501st Combat Support Wing participate in a Ready Airmen Training capstone event at RAF Croughton, England, June 6, 2025. The training included Tactical Combat Casualty Care, CBRN response procedures, and security force maneuvers in a simulated contested environment. The capstone was designed to enhance multi-capable readiness across the wing.
Tech. Sgt. Erik Stauffer, 420th Air Base Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge (NCOIC) of radio frequency transmissions, and his wife, Sophie Stauffer, pose for a photo. The couple met during the 2022 Royal International Air Tattoo (Courtesy photo)
When Technical Sergeant Erik Stauffer supported the 2022 Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), the world’s largest military airshow, he didn’t expect an introduction to lead to marriage.
Stauffer, the 420th Air Base Squadron (ABS) noncommissioned officer in charge (NCOIC) of radio frequency transmissions at RAF Fairford, joined the RIAT communications team and met Sophie, a longtime British volunteer since 2003.
“Our boss said, ‘This is Erik. He’s single.’ Then introduced Sophie the same way,” Stauffer said. “It was definitely a setup.”
They spent long hours working in the summer heat and quickly connected.
“It was ridiculously hot,” Sophie said. “We were on the same jobs, hanging out a lot. Then on...
