STORY BEHIND THE PLAQUE
Service Reflections of Capt Rockford Willett, U.S. Air Force (1980-1992)

My oldest brother served in the Army from 1964 – 1967 and survived a tour in Vietnam as a combat medic. I figured if he could do that and come back alive, I could do better in the US Air Force. I was married for about 18 months, quit a full-time job to “go back to school,” hated going back to school, and got a job as a “courtesy clerk” at Kroger. Although I had a lot of experience in stage lighting, no jobs were panning out for me in that area. Then I remembered my brother’s experience with the Army and decided to visit an Air Force recruiter and see what it was all about. I still remember the recruiter – TSGT Steiger.

I scored well on the ASVAB and could’ve had any job, but I was influenced by my recruiter (TSgt Steiger) to apply for aircraft maintenance on the B-52. That job came with three guarantees: Rank (A1C), Job (Aircraft Maintenance Specialist), and a base right next to my hometown of Dallas TX (Carswell AFB). Being a young married man I went for the “sure thing.”

I spent 5 years on the flight line at Carswell. During that time my supervisors recognized that I was a hard worker and gave me the opportunity to compete for Senior Airman Below-The-Zone. MSgt George Whetstine encouraged me and coached me, and I was successful, sewing on that SrA patch 6 months early! I made E-4 Sgt a year later. Then I heard about a program called Operation Bootstrap.

It was a TDY for people that had one year or less to finish a college degree. If selected, you were sent TDY to finish that degree. MSgt Whetstine went to bat for me and I was awarded the opportunity. I finished my BA in Communications at the University of Texas at Arlington, while keeping my rank, pay, and most importantly, my base housing!

A few months later I applied and was accepted for Flight Engineer school at Altus AFB, OK. However, my oldest child developed Type 1 Diabetes. I couldn’t leave my wife to take care of that child alone so I dropped out and went back to the flight line. I decided to study hard for the next promotion test and scored high enough to make the cutoff. I sewed on SSgt in Oct. ’84.

A few months went by and MSgt Whetstine encouraged me to apply for Officer Training School. I had to take the AFOQT (Air Force Officer Qualifying Test) twice to get qualifying scores. I got recommendations from my supervisors, sent in the application and was accepted in May of 1985.

I completed OTS in October ’85 and was chosen to be an aircraft maintenance officer. My family and I headed for technical school at Chanute AFB, IL, then we were assigned to my first duty station as a 2Lt at Williams AFB, Phoenix, in May of 1986.

I served two years as a maintenance officer and really did not like it. However, I had a talent for photography and made friends in the base PA office, taking pictures for the base newspaper. The Deputy PAO told me she would be leaving soon for another assignment and her replacement hadn’t been chosen. She encouraged me to apply for cross training to Public Affairs and fill her position at Willy.

By this time I had pinned on 1Lt, and my supervisors supported my cross training. I left the aircraft maintenance field for Public Affairs in May of ’88. I attended the Public Affairs Officer Course at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, IN and returned to Willy as a fully qualified PAO in Oct. of ’88. (Seems like everything good for me happened in May and October!)

I made Captain in Oct. ’89 and was sent on a 6 month TDY to Panama. I was right in the middle of Operation Just Cause – the US Invasion of Panama – and had an intense, exciting time dealing with news media. I even came under a brief round of mortar fire! YIKES!

My TDY ended in April ’90 and I returned to Willy. Then 4 months later I got my own PA “shop” at Laughlin AFB, TX. We moved to Del Rio, TX on Aug. ’90.

That was my last assignment in the Air Force. In the spring of ’92, the Bush administration started a drawdown of forces and I was informed that I had a 75% chance of being involuntarily separated. I chose the Special Separation Benefit (again, a sure thing) and left the Air Force in Dec. 1992.

A 6 month TDY to Panama put me in the middle of Operation Just Cause, the US Invasion of Panama. This assignment would be the closest that I would get to combat. The invasion started during the night of Dec. 19, 1989. I was issued a .45 pistol with 20 rounds of ammo and was supposed to be a “media escort” along with Army Maj. Bill Mattox. Bill and I met the DOD Media Pool at Howard AFB the next morning, escorted the media members to a CH-47 and flew across the canal to Ft. Clayton for briefings at the Southern Command Network HQ. When we landed, I stayed with the CH-47 and helped the 2-man tech crew offload their equipment.

The CH-47 left and I remained with the tech crew, waiting on ground transportation. While waiting, we came under mortar fire! I’ll always remember the slight “whistling noise” I heard, thinking it was some kind of aircraft, looking up, and then BOOM! A mortar round struck the ground about 50 yards away! All three of us hit the ground very quickly. At that moment, the ground transportation arrived and 2 haggard looking Army sergeants climbed out of the truck and walked toward us with quizzical looks on their faces. I lifted my head and was in the middle of asking “Wasn’t that a mortar round….?” when I heard that “whistling noise” again. I yelled “Get down!” and then a second round hit, also about 50 yards away. I never saw two men hit the ground faster!

They got up and started to load the equipment into the truck and I said “@#$% the equipment! Take cover in that building over there!” That was the end of the 2-round mortar barrage and that is the closest I have ever been to being in combat. It was close enough!

Being the Chief of Public Affairs at Laughlin AFB is my fondest memory. My only boss was the wing commander, and that is both a privilege and a scary notion! We had good relations with the Del Rio community and I was recognized and respected by the city’s leaders. My family and I felt a warm connection to both the base and the city of Del Rio.

My least favorite job was as an aircraft maintenance officer at Williams AFB. There were so many details to keep up with – none of which were in my control. If something went wrong – a failed QA eval, some obscure aircraft part breaking, or deviations from the flight schedule – I caught hell for it! It didn’t help that I didn’t get along with the Col. in charge of maintenance – known as the DCM (Deputy Commander for Maintenance). But, one good thing about the military is that if you don’t get along with someone, eventually a positive change comes around. That positive change happened for me when the DCM retired and was replaced by a new DCM who was much more reasonable – but no less demanding. That man approved my cross-training into Public Affairs, something for which he said I have “an innate talent.”

Competing and winning the rank of SrA through BTZ. That showed me that with a little encouragement and some hard work I could advance quicker than some of the guys around me. Graduating from college under the Operation Bootstrap program. I was the first person in my family to get a degree and the USAF helped make that happen. Sewing on SSGT had a big impact on me. Everybody knows that E-5 is the first enlisted rank you actually have to work for and I felt a great sense of accomplishment, pride, and confidence when I put on those chevrons.

Graduating from OTS. To have served as an enlisted man, and then to be promoted to an officer was a tremendous feeling of accomplishment for both me and my family. Serving as a PA officer. I showed the wing commander that I could implement and complete projects in an excellent manner and that I could also screw up royally, but learn from my mistakes and survive! I also made good friends in the surrounding communities.

Separating from the USAF. There are times when I regret it because I know I could have accomplished much, much more. However, civilian life has been good and of course has it’s own set of struggles. But I am still married to my sweetheart since May of 1978, my kids are all grown up with their own lives, and I am proud to be a US Military Veteran.

There are many things I am proud of; some of them benefited me personally, and others benefited the unit where I worked.

From a personal standpoint, getting SrA below-the-zone was the event on which all my other achievements are based. MSgt Whetstine gave me that boost of confidence when he helped me prepare for the BTZ board and it has stayed with me ever since – even today! I discovered that if I prepared well enough, I could handle anything!

Next is graduating from OTS. I struggled during that program, having to go into “remedial physical conditioning” because I didn’t pass the first physical fitness test, and going through “remedial academics” because I didn’t pass the first academic test. But my flight commander, Capt. Ed Burgess told me that he saw a determination come over me that made him want to support my efforts. With his encouragement and pushing, I felt like a Phoenix rising from the ashes when I finally graduated.

Another time for which I am proud is serving during Operation: Just Cause. I was picked to be the media air transport liaison (an unofficial title) because of my aircraft maintenance experience. I learned both the good side and the bad side of the news media – for example, they love it when you make a plan that facilitates their need to report things, but they really hate the word “NO!” I received a Joint Service Achievement Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal – and that’s one, not everybody gets!

Finally, one of my greatest achievements happened while assigned as PAO of Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, Texas. One of our biggest jobs was publishing the base newspaper, and it was an arduous task. We had to rely on using the Del Rio News-Herald’s equipment to produce and layout camera-ready copy. But a friend who worked in IT on base told me about a concept called “desktop publishing.” We could get a desktop computer and printer, use a desktop publishing program called Aldus Pagemaker, and produce the camera-ready copy and layout for the paper right in our own office. Now, remember, this was 1991 when Windows 3.1 was released! I asked my IT friend to get more details and cost information for me and I planned to present it to the wing commander (Col. Don Cook – later became Gen. Cook!) as soon as possible. The opportunity came when I accompanied the wing king to a community relations event. On the way back to base I told him I could vastly improve the production quality of the base newspaper, cut down the production time by 2/3rds, and do it for less than $10K. He said “OK. I’ve got some money!” The rest is history. That was my legacy to Laughlin AFB Public Affairs – setting up their first desktop publishing system.

The Joint Service Achievement medal because of where I was serving when I earned it during Operation Just Cause. Also, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. Having that medal authorizes me to wear the uniform on appropriate occasions, such as my son graduating from BMT.

MSgt George Whetstine, because he saw some potential in me. His encouragement made me get out of my comfort zone and attempt challenges that uncovered strengths and character that I didn’t even know I had.

Major (retired) Bill Predeau – we went through OTS together in the same flight when it was held at Medina Annex in San Antonio. We stay in touch through social media and TWS.

Captain Jeff Romanczuk (separated). We were “roomies” at OTS and still keep in touch through social media. A smart guy, he helped me through some academic struggles at OTS and we’ve been friends ever since.

SMSgt (retired) Wade Blackford. We were good friends while serving as aircraft maintenance technicians on B-52s at Carswell AFB. One evening at work, I dared him to make an “unauthorized transmission” insulting a senior NCO over the job control radio. Told him I’d buy him a steak dinner if he did it…. and he did! Along with my wife, I took Wade and his girlfriend to Steak and Ale! We keep in touch through TWS.

Major (retired) Mary Feltault. We were “co-captains” at 82 FTW, Williams AFB/PA after I returned from TDY in Panama. She took over the shop after I left for Laughlin AFB. I’d like to get in touch with her.

Major (retired) Linda Britt. She was the Chief PAO at Willy and warmly welcomed me into my new career. She taught me so much and told me I was better at the job than I thought I was! Would like to contact her too.

Colonel (retired) Bill Grosvenor. He was the first wing commander for whom I was the PAO at Laughlin AFB. A really smart and caring man, he was a constant encouragement for me in my first assignment as PAO. I lost touch with him when he left Laughlin for Randolph AFB in ’91.

General Don Cook. He followed Col Grosvenor and was Col Cook when I worked for him as PAO at Laughlin AFB. I kept in touch with him by email and watching news articles in AFA Magazine and saw him go from Col all the way to 4-stars! He even provided a good job reference for me after I got out of the USAF. We met up again when he was a guest speaker at an AFA dinner at Ft. Worth in 2004. I’ve lost touch with him but would like to contact him again.

Army Major Bill Mattox. When I was TDY in Panama, he and I were selected as “media escorts” during Operation: Just Cause. He was also very sympathetic to my sadness at being separated from my family at Christmas. During the invasion, Bill and I were discussing some things and he kept nodding off in the middle of a sentence because he went a couple of days without sleeping. The SouthCom chief PAO, Col Sconyers, had to order Bill to get some rest! We wrote letters back and forth for a while but I haven’t’ heard from him for years and would like to get in touch again.

BGen (retired) Art Haubold. Art and I were captains assigned to PAO in Panama. I was TDY for 6 months, but he was “permanent party” for one year or so. He was a really sharp guy and I admired his wisdom, but one night he made me so mad I threatened to shoot him! I fixed the air conditioner on his car instead……it’s a long story. We keep in touch through email, and he provided a good job reference for me once.

While serving as Deputy PAO at Willy, I joined with 5 other officers in a comedy routine commonly known as “The Thunder Chickens.” We all put on flight suits and helmets, glued wings and a tail to the helmets, and walked around in formation imitating the aerial demo team everyone knows as The Thunderbirds.

We performed this routine as entertainment during a lunch held for a civic leader group that was touring Willy from Peterson AFB, Colorado. The group included the 3-star general in charge of US Space Command.

Since part of my PAO job was writing articles for the base newspaper, I found a job as a technical writer after leaving the Air Force. I’ve been doing that ever since.

The Air Force Association. My wife and I attended a banquet sponsored by our local chapter and discovered that the guest speaker who is now a 4-Star General, was a former wing commander, I worked for at Laughlin AFB. We were also privileged to sit with the current commander (at that time) of Laughlin AFB. The benefit is being connected with current personnel and keeping in touch with former colleagues.

The varied and vast experience in my three different Air Force career fields gave me the confidence to persevere in the face of adversity. That strength has helped me survive two lay-offs.

Use this time in the military to challenge yourself and exceed even your own expectations. Work hard, be recognized as someone who achieves, and your seniors and leaders will help you succeed. Also, if you’re not satisfied in your current career field, use your talents and passion to look for other opportunities within the Air Force.

I have maintained contact with good friends that I met in the Air Force. I’m also proud to display my “ribbon rack” and let everyone see my life in the USAF.