Col. Stephen L. Meltsner, USAF and CT Air National Guard, Ret., 73, of West Hartford, died Dec. 27. He was the husband of Jessica Meltsner. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, Adam Meltsner and his wife Erin, their daughters, Cassidy and Kaitlyn; two sisters; and his nieces and nephews, and their children. He served in the U.S. Air Force in 1966, during the Vietnam War, where he spent two years as a fighter and bomber weapons loader. He then joined the Connecticut Air National Guard, from which he retired in 1999 with the rank of Colonel. He was the recipient of the Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, USAF Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal, to name a few. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General by order of the Governor of Connecticut in October 2010.