News>Dedication recognizes Airmen who deliver under fire
Photos
Staff Sgt. Brian Hanson watches his 2-year-old son, Christopher, check out the tire of a convoy gun truck shortly before it was dedicated as a static display at the Air Force Enlisted Heritage Hall July 23 at Maxwell Air Force Base's Gunter Annex, Ala. Sergeant Hanson, assigned to the 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the supervisor of the shop that recently volunteered off-duty time to fabricate the vehicle. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Lee Roberts)
Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley and his assistant, Senior Master Sgt. Jerry Tapia, inspect a convoy gun truck shortly before it was dedicated as a static display at the Air Force Enlisted Heritage Hall July 23 at Maxwell Air Force Base's Gunter Annex, Ala. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Lee Roberts)
Chief Master Sgt. Malcolm "Mac" McVicar (at the podium), director of the U.S. Air Force Enlisted Heritage Hall Research Institute, addresses distinguished guests and attendees of the Senior Enlisted Leader Summit during an Air Force Convoy Gun Truck Dedication July 23 at the museum. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Lee Roberts)
Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley speaks during a ceremony July 23 to dedicate an Air Force convoy gun truck that was decommissioned after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack in Iraq that made the vehicle inoperable. The chief and 300 other senior enlisted leaders at the Senior Enlisted Leader Summit attended the event. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Lee Roberts)
Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley coins Chief Master Sgt. Tony Killion, Air Force careerfield manager for vehicle operations at the Pentagon, following the ceremony July 23 to dedicate an Air Force gun truck to the Air Force Enlisted Heritage Hall at Maxwell Air Force Base's Gunter Annex, Ala. The truck was decommissioned after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack in Iraq that made the vehicle inoperable. Both chiefs are currently attending the Senior Enlisted Leader Summit. Chief Killion was recognized for prior convoy duty in Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Lee Roberts)
This Air Force Gun Truck was dedicated July 23 at the Air Force Enlisted Heritage Hall, Maxwell Air Force Base's Gunter Annex, Ala. The vehicle was decommissioned after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack in Iraq that made the vehicle inoperable. A group of Airmen assigned to the 1 Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron donated more than 1,000 hours of their free time to fabricate the vehicle. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Lee Roberts)
7/24/2007 - MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFPN) -- Senior Enlisted Leader Summit participants and officials recognized the perseverance of Airmen on convoy duty at the Air Force Convoy Gun Truck Dedication at the Air Force Enlisted Heritage Hall July 23 at Maxwell Air Force Base's Gunter Annex, Ala.
More than 350 people in attendance dedicated a static display in front of the museum of an Air Force convoy gun truck that was left inoperable from an improvised explosive device attack in 2005.
Vehicle operators, maintainers and security forces deliver supplies on convoy missions along some of the most dangerous routes in the world. For these Airmen, every foot traveled is treacherous, even lethal under fire.
"Their mission is non traditional," said Chief Master Sgt. Malcolm McVicar, the director of the Air Force Enlisted Heritage Hall, while describing these Airmen who make vital deliveries of equipment and provisions.
"Today our Airmen provide security in Iraq to ensure desperately needed supplies get to those men and women who need them the most, Chief McVicar said. "They are often attacked with small arms fire or improvised explosive devices, and even in the presence of danger, these men and women continue to serve and perform their mission admirably."
Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley recognized the sacrifices Airmen make hauling truck loads of supplies.
"At this very moment, we have Airmen in harm's way who are driving convoys," Chief McKinley said. "And we pray for them that they will return safely back home."
For Chief Master Sgt. Tony Killion, the Air Force career field manager for vehicle operations at the Pentagon, this static display is largely overdue.
"This is one of the few static displays for folks not in the flying business," Chief Killion said following the dedication. "This is a big thing for our career field."
A convoy veteran himself, Chief Killion said five Airmen have paid the ultimate price.
"It is unfortunate -- the loss of any Airman is too many," he said. "The number of missions and the number of miles a single detachment travels in a typical six-month rotation, five million miles, is significant. The amount of casualties we take versus the amount of time we spend on the road is a great testament to their training, awareness and leadership at all levels."
Chief McVicar recognized Master Sgt. Matt Wickham who, while serving in Iraq in 2005, proposed releasing the truck to the heritage hall. The chief also spoke of other services, individuals and a commercial trucking company that were involved with the receipt and transport of the vehicle from Iraq to Alabama, at no additional cost to the government.
In April 2007, 10 members of the 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., volunteered to strip, paint and reseal the truck so it could be put on permanent display at Gunter Annex.
Altogether, these Airmen donated more than 1,000 volunteer hours. They saved the heritage hall $20,000 it would have cost to fabricate the truck commercially.
"It was actually something a lot of us wanted to do. A lot of us have been on convoys," said Staff Sgt. Brian Hanson, a shop supervisor from the 1st SOLRS.
