Thanks to those at heart of Airmen

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. David O'Hara
  • 621st Contingency Response Wing
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  As I've gone through 27 years of service in the U.S. Air Force, there are many things that I have placed in my memory banks.  But over the years, the ones that stick with me the most are the memories of the sacrifices my family has made supporting my service.

I first thought of this back in December of 2010, we were in the process of yet another move.  We had lived in an off base apartment waiting for base housing and had finally received the call. We had a house, 111 Peterson court right here at Travis Air Force Base. And so the move began, my family was working hard to set up all the furniture in our new home. As I'm "supervising" the process, that's what chiefs do, we supervise, I walked into my daughter's room where she's sitting on the floor methodically placing her things on a shelf. I immediately thought about the number of moves my little girl has made over the years. 

How many times has she moved her room, her home, lost her friends, changed schools, started over? So I start calculating, my children have changed schools 6 times in their lives, not including college.

When you're looking from the eyes of a child, changes like these are a significant sacrifice. Yet still, it's not that much when talking about our military families. Our children live their lives and tolerate situations most American kids couldn't even imagine, and they do it without complaint. This is their normal. I wonder if I've thanked my children enough for the sacrifices they've made supporting my service?  I hope they realize they're the "Heart" of this Airman.

Later that same day, still acting as manager of the moving process, still a chief ya know, I walk into the area my spouse is working and I see her methodically setting things in the general areas they'll need to be when she directs placement at a later date. This is when her and I change roles, she becomes the chief, and I the "Yes Man." As I look at her, I start thinking about the sacrifices she's made in her life supporting my career.

During our 21 years of marriage, we've been separated 931 days and counting.  All these separations were due to temporary duty and deployments supporting the Air Force mission. That's just over two and a half years. During these times, this wife and mother kept everything running smoothly at home enabling me to focus on the mission at hand, and she did all these things on 50 percent manning. She, not me, dealt with the drama of changing schools, report cards, first dates, proms, sporting events, break-ups, anything and everything you can think of, and just like my kids, did it all without complaint. This is her normal. And while I'm standing there, watching her and thinking of all this I wonder, have I thanked her enough for the sacrifices she's made for my career, my service in the Air Force?  I hope she realizes she is the "Heart" of this Airman.

These are my memories, and they are significant to our citizens who have never had to deal with such sacrifices. But, they begin to appear insignificant when compared to the many Airmen who have spent way more time than I separated from their families while executing their mission. 

They're all around us. In the commissary, Base Exchange, members of the Maintenance Group, Mission Support Group, Medical Group, Operations Group, Wing Staff Agency, our Reserve partners, and yes, the Contingency Response Wing, they're our Airmen.  And it takes a great deal of "Heart" to execute our missions. So what is an Airman's heart?  I believe the "Heart" of every Airman lies in the chest of that person who supports their service.  It may be mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, an aunt or an uncle, a brother or sister, husband, wife, son or daughter. Whoever it is, they're there. They're the beating heart that keeps our Airmen going, executing the mission and ensuring the rights and freedoms we enjoy in this awesome nation.

So today I ask you, turn to your "Heart," whoever they are, and thank them for their service, their sacrifices, without which your service would be completely unsuccessful. I'll be thanking my family again today and making sure they know they are the "Heart" of this Airman.