Forum: Introduce Yourself

Last edited by Arctus on Jul 11, 2006 - 10:33 AM; edited 1 time in total

Hello all,
My name is Erik Burney aka Arctus. I retired last June as a MSgt after just under 21 years as a Life Support troop (20 years, 11 months and 8 days but who's counting).

I went to Lackland on 23 July 84--30 days to the day I graduated from high school. After tech school at Chanute I went to Holloman and the 479th Tactical Training Wing and four squadrons of AT-38B's. Back in the days of Air Divisions, Holloman was home to the 833rd AD with two wings:The 49th Tactical Fighter Wing and the 479th. I was NOT psyched about going over to training side...I wanted to work fighters!!!

The 479th turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It was a Wing shop--28 military and 5 civilians and we supported 4 squadrons. 125 jets, 150 IP's and upwards of 200 students on any given day. The 479th's mission was LIFT or Lead-in Fighter Training. Every new fighter pilot the AF produced went through that program. The advantage for me was volume, volume, volume.

I was there 6 1/2 years. In that time Life Support underwent some major transitions. I was a new 5-level when the USAF converted to the 12/P mask and the 55/P helmet. I personally built from scratch over 200 55/P helmets and 2/3 of those had to have the edgeroll sewn on by hand. Because of the steady influx of new students from ATC I got lots and lots of practice fitting equipment, much more than had I been assigned to a "real" fighter shop. I conservatively estimate that I personally performed well over 10,000 g-suit fits and 7000 helmet and mask fits in my career with over half of all those while at Holloman. It was, however, NOT an assembly line type shop. TAC standards were high and our shop's standards were higher. For most pilots a fit was a onetime affair but each student got individual attention until his gear fit correctly and as comfortably as possible.

In July of 1991 I arrived at Elmendorf and the 90th Fighter Squadron's F-15E's. (I know this is a Viper site but LS is not an airframe specific AFSC).
The 90th wasn't really a squadron when I arrived, we didn't even have a building. The 3rd Wing had just relocated from the PI and was in the earliest stages of converting from F-4's to Strike Eagles. We had one jet--a loaner from Seymour-Johnson so the maintainers could get qual'd, and except for the SQ/CC and an acting exec, we had no pilots or WSO's. They were all at Luke getting re-trained. To borrow a NAVY phrase--I'm proud to be a Plank Owner in the 90th in Alaska.

Alaska was a dream come true for me and I knew this is where I would retire when the time came. I spent just under 8 years at Elmo and PCA'd a few times. While there I spent time in the OSS training shop, the 517th AS (C-130G/H) and the 54th Fighter Squadron. I actually spent most of my time in the 54th and was lucky to be part of another AF first. My boss, Steve Readman and I help build the worlds first operational NVG program in the F-15 community, and we did it with no help from PACAF. The 44th at Kadena had dropped the ball and the PACAF DO MGen McBroom gave it to us. 22 sets of ANVS-9C's with no parts no test sets, and no guidance other than "Make it happen". Our Weapons Officer took the lead and by the 2nd winter we had guy's flying no-sh*t BFM at night. Many of the procedures for NVG maintenance and preflight that Steve and I came up with are still in use.

I left Elmo in December 98 and went to Washington DC for a special duty assignment. I tried my hand at being an Enlisted Aide. I sucked at it and returned to Life Support in May 99. Since this was an out-of-cycle assignment my orders were "hand-massaged". ACC was the Command of entitlement for loose bodies at the time so I knew I was probably going back to fighters. The assignments guy at Randolph gave me a list of choices: Dyess, Nellis, Beale, Mountain Home and Minot. The decision was easy--Dyess and Minot? No way! Vegas? Nice place to go TDY--Don't want to live there. Beale? The U-2 SEI is a blackhole for LS..so Mountain Home it would be.

I called and talked to my new Superintendent, Kevin O'Neal. He asked me about my experience and my preferences. I knew Mountain Home had a composite wing and right off I told him he could put me anywhere but F-16's(lol). Kevin then proceeded to tell me that not only was I going to the 389th, but that they hadn't had an NCOIC in over a year and that the shop was AFU...his exact words were "They're doing the best they can just to keep their noses above water" As it turned out my time in the 389th was the highlight of my career. I had a good group of guys who needed training and someone to take up for them. It took a while to gel as a team, and a lot of hard work to rebuild that shop but we did it. I PCS'd to Eielson in Jan 02 and that March, Kevin O'Neal who had PCS'd up to the ACC staff came back to do a SAV. The 389th was rated the best shop on base. I was so proud of my guys--they kicked a$$!!

I arrived at Eielson a newly minted MSgt and new Wing Superintendent. As luck would have it "the trend continued". My predessor had been fired and one of the shop NCOICs had been pressed into service as the acting Super. He was a great guy and very knowlegable but he was a TSgt and did'nt carry the title Superintendent. He had ZEE-RO support from commanders and so nobody listened to him. He was only supposed to hold down the fort for a "few months" until a new Super arrived. 2 years later I showed up.

Dwayne had documented everything so I knew EXACTLY how deep of a hole I had inherited. More work, more pissing matches with Colonels and Chiefs and more remedial training. I always had one goal at every job I held in my career--to leave it better than I found it. I did that at Eielson although we hadn't accomplished as much as I wanted to. The irony of being a Superintendent in Life Support is you actually have less power to make changes than you had as an NCOIC. I decided that I did not want to leave Alaska again so I decided to retire. I handed the reigns off to a good friend and outstanding Life Supporter, Ebby Bryce and said my goodbyes.

I had a good career and enjoyed my job. I took great pride in being a part of the team that put jets in the air.

Cheers!!

F-16.net Sponsor

Hi Erik,

Glad to have you on the site! Quite a career you've had, and I agree - there are worse locations to be working than Alaska Smile

stefaan

Weclome to the forum Erik!

Welcome, looking forward to hearing more of your stories!

Forum: Introduce Yourself

Hello from the far north!