Modern Airman making history

  • Published
  • By Col. John Flournoy
  • 349th Air Mobility Wing commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  First, let me express my heartfelt appreciation to our Team Travis warriors for continuously answering the nation's call to serve. Over the past six months in command I've had the pleasure of meeting so many of you, and in our short conversations, I am reminded of the tremendous sacrifices you and your families are making in order to serve the Air Force and this great country.

Let's go back in time. Put yourself in the shoes of Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, commander of the 20th Regiment of Infantry, Maine volunteers, and the citizen soldiers who joined that Union regiment the summer of 1862.

Many historians believe the Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the Civil War in favor of the Union army. Colonel Chamberlain and the men of the 20th Maine are revered by many as the heroes of the Battle of Gettysburg. They courageously fought for, and held, the far left Union battle line, thwarting Confederate attempts to take possession of Little Round Top. The gallant efforts of the 20th Maine made history that day as the ones who saved the Union and made possible the way of life we enjoy today.

The members of the 20th Maine came from a variety of backgrounds. Colonel Chamberlain was a professor of rhetoric at Bowdoin College before joining the regiment. His regiment was made up of farmers, shop clerks, woodsmen and seamen. They all joined for different reasons. Chamberlain said, "Some of us volunteered to fight for the union. Some came in mainly because they were bored at home and this looked like it might be fun. Some came because we were ashamed not to. Many of us came ... because it was the right thing to do."

The 60th and 349th Air Mobility Wings and the 615th Contingency Response Wing all have long proud traditions of volunteering to join, coming from the same diverse backgrounds and for the exact same reasons. You are teachers, students, police officers, electricians, airline crewmembers, firefighters and any number of other individuals representing your occupations. You can be proud knowing the sacrifices you make today are changing the face of history. The strength of our democratic way of life is evident in the fact that the members of today's armed forces serve as guardians of the same freedoms won with the Civil War.

Colonel Chamberlain stated it best prior to going into battle at Gettysburg: "This is a different kind of army. If you look at history you'll see men fight for land, or because the king makes them, or just because they like killing. We are an army going out to set other men free."

The battle against terrorism is no different. If we don't win this battle then our way of life as we know it will never be the same. As Colonel Chamberlain was proud of the citizens of Maine who joined in that fight for freedom, so are your leaders of Team Travis, your families, and the members of your communities proud that each of you has chosen to join us. Only through your tireless efforts and tremendous dedication will we be able to complete our mission, "To Fly, Fight and Win in Air, Space and Cyberspace." Team Travis remains "Trusted as America's first choice for total global mobility."