The fields of friendly strife

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt Geneva Croxton
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Col. Raymond Kozak, 349th Air Mobility Wing commander at Travis Air Force Base, California, threw the first pitch at University of California Davis, to signify the beginning of the final game of a three-game series between UC Davis and the U.S. Air Force Academy.

During the game, the U.S. Air Force Academy players learned about strife, resilience, being a good teammate and, most importantly, winning. 

While some are months away, and some are years away, from earning the commission of second lieutenant in the Air Force, they have already learned lessons which will benefit them the most in their future as brothers in arms.   

"Baseball, growing up and through my four years at the Air Force Academy, taught me a lot," Kozak said.  I would say that without the structure and workouts we have now, I wouldn't be as active, but there was more to it than just learning how to plan a good workout."

As a former captain and member of the team, Kozak gained valuable insight which has garnered his success in the Air Force.

"The enduring lesson for me is that teamwork is what sports is all about, and that teamwork is what the Air Force is all about, whether you are a maintainer, logistician, nurse, crew chief or chef," Kozak added.       

Lt. Col. David Lyons, Air Force fellow at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy also attributes his success in the Air Force as an Airman, pilot and leader, to Air Force baseball. 

"My experiences between the white lines and in Air Force athletic programs are undoubtedly what prepared me for success in life," Lyons said.  "No matter how many years I continue down this path, it is always going to be Air Force baseball that prepared me for success.  I believe this is larger than my career though. Lessons I learned between the white lines helped me focus my success as a father and a husband." 

The day Lyons came to realize the gravity of what Air Force baseball taught him the night of March 21, 2003, at an air base in Southwest Asia as the third aircraft in the formation of four F-16 Fighting Falcons during the first airstrike of the Shock and Awe campaign. 

"We were at the end of the runway getting armed by our weapons maintainers, and there was a nervous, anxious feeling in my stomach," Lyons said.  "Some of it was driven from fear, some is driven by the unknown that night.  My wingmen and I had heard what President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld had said, and knew we were going to combat and that it would be different from anything we had experienced."

As Lyons prepared for takeoff, his anxiety grew.  

"I was definitely anxious about the mission," Lyons said.  "Then all of a sudden, something snapped in my nugget and I went, 'holy cow,' I've been here before. From that point on a complete confidence and calm swept over me. 

"That feeling was from experiencing those exact same feelings before, the exact same feelings I got when I pitched on a Friday night and Coach Kazlausky sent me out to the mound," he continued.

Retired Maj. Michael Kazlausky, Academy baseball team coach, knows that the hard work he sees from his players on the diamond will help them in the future as leaders in our Air Force. 

"Our core values in the Air Force are to fly, fight and win, and we do that here between the white lines" Kazlausky said.  "I know when I see my players work hard on the field, they are training themselves to work hard in combat."

Gen. Douglas MacArthur, supreme allied commander in the Southwest Pacific Area during World War II, retired from the Army more than 60 years ago, but left behind words of wisdom for members and alumni of the U.S. Air Force and the Academy baseball team. 

"On the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that on other days, on other fields will bear the fruits of victory," he said.