Snapshots from time at Travis remain for officer

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Benjamin Retzinger
  • 660th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  My stay at Travis Air Force Base is coming to a close and I must admit I am at a loss for words.  I don't have words to describe the people I have met, friends I have made and experiences I have lived.

For the past three years, I have had the distinct privilege to serve with the finest Airmen in the most amazing community this great country has to offer. I have seen, heard, felt and shared in the greatest of triumphs and sorrows of tragic loss.  My engineering education has sorely equipped me to encapsulate all those images and emotions into words for you today. I simply ask that you humor me a bit as I share a few images.

I recently enjoyed the distinct pleasure of walking in a local parade, something I had not done since college.  It was truly an honor.  The sights, sounds and smells were so vivid, clear and piercing.  There was a feeling of genuine appreciation from our community.

The image of parents encouraging their small children to stand and applaud as our small group of Airmen walked by is something I will not forget.  It was honest gratitude for what we in uniform represent and the core values we hold sacred.  It was a feeling of acknowledgment for more than our wing mission statement or the economic impact of Travis.

The image of every flyable aircraft at Travis taking off in rapid succession during the 2013 Freedom Launch is another highlight of my time here. The dedicated planning and preparation for that 30-minute airpower demonstration touched every unit on base in some fashion.  There are photos of the launch all around base. They are beautiful, lasting reminders of what Travis is capable of when called upon.  The photos are static, sterile and silent.  I will remember the sounds of the beautiful airpower symphony, the smell of burning jet fuel and flurry of people making it all happen.

Unfortunately, not all events were joyous.  I will never forget the full chapel memorial ceremony for fallen Airmen.  The soft sobs of family, career highlights recollected by comrades fighting through tears and emotion, the heartfelt emotions shared by all calibrating a life cut tragically short.

Real people, real events, real memories, all took place right here at Travis.  The base historian keeps a phenomenal collection of stories that collectively piece together Travis' legacy.  You cannot hear the aircraft, cheers or tears in the pictures he keeps.  One cannot smell the fuel or the barbecue from the historian's video archive.  Everyone's time here is short. Don't miss out on everything this special sliver of California has to offer.  Venture out, experience it all with every sensory tool you have and be thankful for the grateful appreciation this community provides each of us.