News

Maintenance fulltime job for these Reservists

  • Published
  • By Capt. Jennifer Gerhardt
  • 446th Airlift Wing
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Traditional Reservists work one weekend a month. However, for more than 20 Airmen in the 446th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, there is nothing traditional about their work schedule. Most have volunteered to serve full-time for the last two years.
“Our AMXS people repair, launch and do basically whatever it takes to get these planes to the theater to support C-17 operations,” said Lt. Col. Jerry Thayer, 446th AMXS commander. “We’ve had a definite impact on the mission and have really stepped up to the plate to do a great job.”
Reasons vary from Reservist to Reservist on why they volunteered to work on a full-time basis.
“I volunteered to serve on all the orders I’ve been put on and have not been disappointed,” said Staff Sgt. Steven Means. “I enjoy spending a lot of time overseas and being deployed. I have always wanted to see the world and it’s even better to have the military pay for it.”
Master Sgt. Mark Hewitt had separated from active duty in 1987 when his enlistment was up. A few years later, when he tried to return to active duty, he was rejected. Instead, he did the next best thing. He joined the Reserve and was activated in January 2002. When he was deactivated, he volunteered to keep working.
“I was activated shortly after 9/11,” said Sergeant Hewitt. “I wanted to serve my country and be a part of the bigger picture.”
Tech. Sgt. Mark Reinke started out in the Army National Guard as a wheeled vehicle and generator mechanic. He found his love for aviation in November 1984 when he toured a C-141 and a C-130. He joined the Reserve and the aerospace repair shop.
“I just liked being in the Reserve and going active never entered my mind,” said Sergeant Reinke. “I had the best of both worlds; working on airplanes, doing man-days, working with the active duty and still being a civilian. As a kid, my father moved around a lot and I didn’t like it. So why put my sons through something I didn’t like?”
Sergeant Reinke was activated February 2002 to 2003, worked man-days, was activated again, then became an Air Reserve Technician in April 2004.
“”Every time something comes up, I volunteer to go,” said Sergeant Reinke. “I probably won’t quit until they tell me I can’t go anymore. I enjoy what I do and each time you go out to a TDY or deployment, you are learning something new. Besides, maintenance is in the blood and there is no better home than the flight line. How else could I get the chance to serve, work the jets, and get to travel?”
Even though they enjoy the work, each Reservist had to leave something behind in their civilian life.
“I went into the Reserve straight out of high school, and when Operation Enduring Freedom kicked off I volunteered and served two years of mobilization orders,” said Sergeant Means, who was activated during his second year of college and just recently re-turned to school. “Then I served another year of MPA orders (man days).”
Sergeant Hewitt left more than one thing behind.
“In 2002, I was set to take over my family’s restaurant, but then I sold it when I became activated,” said Sergeant Hewitt. “At the time, I had mixed feelings about it, but I’m glad I went this route.”
Another unique aspect of Sergeant Hewitt’s service is that he commutes from Oregon. During the week, he stays in billeting, but travels home on the weekends to see his wife and three children who are 5, 3 and 2 years old.
“When my kids were younger, I would put them to bed and then leave. Now that they are older, I can tell them that I have to go fix a plane and they understand that. My wife is also very supportive,” said Sergeant Hewitt. “She understands why I’m doing this.”
Sergeant Reinke has also had to leave family behind.
“I came home after being gone for nine months and turned around to leave again for another deployment on my wife’s birthday,” said Sergeant Reinke. “Luckily, my wife is very supportive and she says I can keep going until I get tired of it.”
While each Reservist loves what he or she is doing, each is also looking toward the future.
“I have a couple options on my plate, but the idea I am currently leaning toward is working through the summer and then taking a few classes to finish off my degree,” said Sergeant Means.
Sergeant Hewitt plans to keep working at McChord for another year and then revert back to being a traditional Reservist.
“My wife and I talked it over and we decided I could do one more year,” said Sergeant Hewitt. “Her birthday is in May and that’s when I’ll go back to being a traditional Reservist.”
Sergeant Reinke also has hopes for the future.
“I have one child who is considering joining the military,” said Sergeant Reinke, who has a long lineage of military family members dating back to the civil war. “I kind of hope he joins. It would be continuing the family tradition.”
Speaking of traditions, you can forget about calling these Reservists “traditional,” at least for another year.