Here we go! I just first want to introduce
myself. My name is Lee Watros; I’m 40 years old as of the start of
this writing. Today, 31 July 2017 marks 21 years in the United
States Air Force. To me, that’s crazy to think about. I
joined as a 19 year old kid who thought he would have a degree after that first
four year enlistment and get out of the way. Off to do bigger and
better things you know? Little did I know at the time, but I
wouldn’t take a single college class that first four years! Sure, I
accumulated quite a few college credits through professional military schools
and by testing out of college classes, but what an adventure I started 21 years
ago! I am currently a Senior Master Sergeant assigned as the Fuels
Superintendent at Nellis AFB just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada.
This is my story, one that I can pass on to my
children and hopefully grandchildren as I get older. I want to give
my perspective on particular locations, situations, and experiences I’ve had
through my military career. As much as I can, I am going to start at
the beginning and attempt to rack my brain for details. Along the
way, I’ll dig through old performance reports and newspaper clippings that I
have been in from time to time to aid my memory. For this first
taste of my life, I just wanted to give a quick synopsis of where I’ve been
throughout the years. From this, you will have an idea of what I’m
going to talk about next! Please enjoy and as we start, I will leave
you with this. I have enjoyed every single place I have
been. I now have the ability and pleasure to mold younger guys and
gals into great adults. Hopefully they will look back and if nothing
more, remember there were people who cared. I will attempt to name
names and stories about people who cared about me throughout my
career. So as I said, here we go!
Initial Training and
Assignments
Boarded a bus in Traverse City, Michigan – 30 July
1996
Boarded a plane in Detroit, Michigan; landed in San
Antonio, Texas – 31 July 1996
The Journey Starts – Lackland Air Force Base, San
Antonio, Texas – 31 July – 16 Sept 1996
Tech School – Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls,
Texas – 17 Sept – 4 Nov 1996
Recruiters Assistance Program/Leave – Traverse City,
Michigan - 5 Nov – 26 Nov 1996
1st Assignment – Seymour Johnson AFB,
Goldsboro, North Carolina – 27 Nov 1996 to 21 May 2000
2nd Assignment – Aviano Air Base,
Aviano, Italy – 22 May 2000 to 7 May 2004
3rd Assignment – Grand Forks AFB,
Grand Forks, North Dakota – 8 May 2004 to 23 May 2009
4th Assignment – Eielson AFB,
Fairbanks, Alaska – 24 May 2009 to 4 June 2013
5th Assignment – Seymour Johnson AFB,
Goldsboro, North Carolina – 5 June 2013 to 5 Oct 2015
6th Assignment – Daegu AB, Daegu,
South Korea – 6 Oct 2015 to 22 Nov 2016
7th Assignment – Nellis AFB, Las
Vegas, Nevada – 23 Nov 2016 to 31 Oct 2019 (RETIRED)
Major Deployments
1- Prince Sultan AB, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia – 1998 for
129 days supporting Operation Southern Watch
2 - Prince Sultan AB, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia –
2002/2003 for 147 days supporting Operation Southern Watch
3 - Diego Garcia AB, British Indian Ocean Territory –
2005 for 138 days supporting Operation Enduring Freedom
4 - Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan – 2008 for 124 days
supporting Operation Enduring Freedom
5 - Ali AB (Talil), Nasiriyah, Iraq – 2010 for 198
days supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom
6 - Isa AB, Manama, Bahrain – 2012 for 180 days
supporting Operation Enduring Freedom
7 - Al Udeid AB, Qatar - 2018/2019 for 192 days
supporting Operation Operations Inherent Resolve and Freedom's Sentinel
Temporary Duty
Locations
Eglin AFB, Valparaiso, Florida – 1997 for 18 days
Lakenheath AB, Suffolk, United Kingdom – 2000 for 9
days
Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas – 2000 for 16 days
Pentagon, Washington DC – 2001 for 6 days
Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas – 2002 for 15 days
Veric, Norcross, Georgia – 2004 for 19 days
Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Michigan –
2006 for 6 days
Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas – 2006 for 27 days
Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Michigan –
2006 for 5 days
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Trenton, New Jersey–
2007 for 8 days
Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Mississippi – 2007 for 47 days
Veric, Norcross, Georgia – 2010 for 7 days
Misawa AB, Japan – 2011 for 13 days
Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas – 2013 for 21 days
Pope AFB, North Carolina – 2014 for 2 days
Gwang Ju AB, South Korea – 2015 for 12 days
Gwang Ju AB, South Korea – 2015 for 2 days
Osan AB, Pyongtaek City, South Korea – 2015 for 2 days
Suwon AB, South Korea – 2015 for 2 days
Gwang Ju AB, South Korea – 2016 for 3 days
Suwon AB, South Korea – 2016 for 1 day
Suwon/Gwang Ju AB, South Korea – 2016 for 6 days
Gwang Ju AB, South Korea – 2016 for 3 days
Gwang Ju AB, South Korea – 2016 for 3 days
Gwang Ju AB, South Korea – 2016 for 2 days
Gwang Ju AB, South Korea – 2016 for 5 days
Suwon AB, South Korea – 2016 for 3 days
Gwang Ju AB, South Korea – 2016 for 4 days
Suwon AB, South Korea – 2016 for 4 days
Osan AB, Pyongtaek City, South Korea – 2016 for 4 days
Suwon AB, South Korea – 2016 for 3 days
Gwang Ju AB, South Korea – 2016 for 4 days
Total # of Deployments/TDYs - 39
Total Days Deployed/TDY - 1390
Total Days Deployed/TDY in a foreign country - 1176
No comments:
Post a Comment