Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Lt. Col. Rich Operhall shows off a portion of his collection of more than 15,000 patches. Operhall began collecting patches in junior high and his collection fuels his passion of Air Force history and heritage. Operhall is the commander of the 76th Space Control Squadron.130904-F-PB776-003
                        
                        
                        Lt. Col. Rich Operhall shows off a portion of his collection of more than 15,000 patches. Operhall began collecting patches in junior high and his collection fuels his passion of Air Force history and heritage. Operhall is the commander of the 76th Space Control Squadron.
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        A portion of Lt. Col. Rich Operhall’s collection of more than 15,000 patches are on display in his office at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Operhall began collecting patches in junior high. Openhall is the commander of the 76th Space Control Squadron.130904-F-PB776-004
                        
                        
                        A portion of Lt. Col. Rich Operhall’s collection of more than 15,000 patches are on display in his office at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Operhall began collecting patches in junior high. Openhall is the commander of the 76th Space Control Squadron.
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Commander patches together 15,000 piece careerPublished Sept. 11, 2013
                    
                    By Staff Sgt. J. Aaron Breeden
                    
                    
                    21st Space Wing Public Affairs
            **PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) --**(This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)For nearly three decades, Lt. Col. Rich Operhall, the commander of the 76th Space Control Squadron here, has fueled his love of Air Force history and heritage by collecting patches -- A lot of them.At last count, he had more than 15,000 patches.The son of a three-war Air Force veteran, Operhall said his love of the Air Force began in second grade. He recalled childhood memories of drawing planes and being fascinated by the flying world."In junior high school I had a friend ... and he discovered that by writing to Air Force bases, to public affairs offices and other places, they would send him stuff," Operhall said. "He showed me how to do it and I started writing to different public affairs offices for the various wings and bases and they started sending me stuff."I'd get fact sheets and pictures and base guides and occasionally they'd send stickers and things from the various units," he said. "And for a small kid, this treasure trove of free stuff was great!"Operhall said it was a response he received from the now defunct Bitburg Air Base in Germany that began his patch collection."The Bitburg public affairs office sent me a stack of patches," Operhall recalled. "I was like, 'Oh, this is cool.' So, as part of my request when I would write to the different bases, I started asking for patches."While Operhall's initial requests were sometimes denied, he still persisted."If I would get turned down, I would subsequently write to the individual units and try to get patches from them," Operhall said. "And low and behold, after writing to them, the next thing you know I've got 100 patches and then 200 patches and it started growing and growing from there."His collection continued into his teenage years, as well as his interest in the Air Force."I joined the Civil Air Patrol when I was 13 and that actually fueled (my collection) even more because we'd go visit Air Force bases and literally, I would go around bumming patches from people at the different units, including some of the aircrew," the collector said. "The nice thing is when you're a young kid, people tend to give you stuff."Over the years, as Operhall's collection grew, so did the responses to his inquiries. Some of the more memorable letters he received were from James Doolittle III and also a former Thunderbird who returned a letter on Thunderbird stationary.For Operhall, however, this passion is more than simply collecting patches. It is about the stories behind the patches and the people who make the units' stories come to life."The patches fuel for me a passion for Air Force history connected to our heritage, and although it's a short heritage, it's a pretty distinguished heritage," he said. "The patches tie us back to our history, to the people who came before us, to all of the giants and to all of the little people ... who make the Air Force work day-to-day. And that's really what all of this stuff represents. It's about Airmen, it's about people."unit history 



history 



collector 



TAE 



through airmen's eyes 



patches Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF Kendall visits Bangor ANG Base
                    
                    Vice President Harris congratulates USAFA Class of ‘24
                    
                    Senate confirms Melissa Dalton as next Under Secretary of the Air Force
                    
                    ‘One Team, One Fight’: SecAF visits Keesler AFB
                    
                    SecAF Kendall experiences VISTA of future flight test at Edwards AFBInnovation
                AFSFC reaches final phase of fielding Model Defender gear
                    
                    Around the Air Force: PCS Allowances, Air Task Forces, All-Volunteer Force
                    
                    AFIMSC focuses I-WEPTAC topics on GPC solutions
                    
                    Optimizing AI, Air University hosts Artificial Intelligence Symposium
                    
                    AFIMSC tools deliver data-driven solutions across DAFMAJCOM News
                AFMC to expand AcqDemo workforce
                    
                    AFMC empowers small businesses for Air Force reoptimization
                    
                    Acquisition Instructor Course Class 25A open for nominations
                    
                    Air Guard leaders host 2024 Wing Leader Conference
                    
                    Referral bonuses aim to help fill mission-critical vacancies
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil