'Treasure Hunters' meet Air Force leaders

by Tech. Sgt. Cohen A. Young

A team made up of Air Force Academy grads that recently competed on a reality-television show visited the Pentagon Sept. 7 and met with senior Air Force leaders. They also toured the Air Force Memorial site here.

Husband and wife, Matt and Brooke Rillos, and their best friend, Matt Zitzlsperger, spoke of their experience on the popular show "Treasure Hunters" with Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. T. Michael Moseley. The three were known as "Team Air Force" on the scavenger hunt-style show.

The team members were given small gifts of appreciation by Secretary Wynne and General Moseley for representing the Air Force in a positive manner.

"You guys stood out as being just decent Americans," General Moseley said.

Mr. Rillos said that it was important to maintain a good image for the team. As former Air Force members, they didn't want to feed into the negative comments like some of their competitors.

"We knew we were representing past, present and future Air Force members and it was an honor," Mr. Rillos said.

All three graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2000.

The team finished second in the contest with nine other teams in which they traveled all over the world to historically significant locations. These locations contained clues to puzzles that the teams had to decipher to avoid being eliminated from the competition. The competition lasted three and a half weeks. Their previous military training helped them through their adventures, Mr. Zitzlsperger said.

Secretary Wynne said that his sister-in-law hooked him on the show. The show also was popular in General Moseley's home. Jennie Moseley, the general's wife, gave a gift to Mrs. Rillos, who is six months pregnant.

"We would have never gotten to meet Secretary Wynne and General Moseley if we were still in (the service), so this is an honor," Mrs. Rillos said. "It was amazing to be treated like that. Being on TV, people who are fans feel as though they know you."

All three said the visit to the Pentagon was something special for them.

"Being here today and getting a chance to visit the Pentagon and to meet the secretary of the Air Force and the chief of staff is something that I will never forget," Mr. Zitzlsperger said. "Also getting the chance to view the new Air Force Memorial is a great experience. Being able to see it and touch it before it's completed is amazing."

Source: U.S. Department of State

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