Lieutenant Colonel Roberta M. Halbleib Williams retired August 5, 2006 from the 184th Air Refueling Wing of the Kansas Air National Guard after 27 years of service to her country. Daughter of Roberta and Eleanor Halbleib she was born in Hays and raised on a farm in Trego County. She attended school in McCracken and graduated in May 1976. Following high school she attended Wichita State University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She started her military career February 1979 attending basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, continued her military education at Shepard AFB, Texas in the School Aerospace Medical Service Specialist. Following completion of her degree in nursing she was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United Air Force Nurse Corps. On June 1, 2000, she was appointed Chief Nurse Executive. During her military career she received the Outstanding Unit Award, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Air Force Longevity Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal. She and her husband, MSgt James Williams, retired, currently reside in Derby. Their son Robert James is attending college at WSU in the Department of Engineering. LTC Williams works at Wesley Medical Center in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.