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2 March 25, 2016 www.aerotechnews.com/marcharb
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BEACON Women’s History Month Spotlight:
THE 0DLQWDLQHUUHÀHFWVRQGHFDGHVRIVHUYLFH
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by Maj. Marnee A.C. Losurdo She joined the 403rd Maintenance Group 86$LU)RUFHSKRWR0DM0DUQHH$&/RVXUGR
452 AMW Public Affairs UG:LQJ3XEOLF$IIDLUV in 1997, serving as an information manager
QG6WUHHW%OGJ in the commander’s support staff. She was 0DVWHU6JW.DWKHULQH:KHHORFNUG
0DUFK$5%&$ KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. hired as an Air Reserve Technician in 2002, 0DLQWHQDQFH*URXSHQJLQHPDQDJHU
DPZSDZRUNÀRZ#XVDIPLO -- In 1979, Margaret Thatcher was elected a full-time civil service employee who is conducts an inventory verifying the serial
as the United Kingdom’s prime minister required to serve as an Air Force reservist QXPEHURQD&-6XSHU+HUFXOHV
ID[ and 63 Americans were taken hostage in the in the same unit. She quickly became the DLUFUDIWSURSHOOHU)HEDW.HHVOHU
SKRQH American Embassy in Tehran, Iran. It was NCOIC of the commander support staff. $LU)RUFH%DVH0LVVLVVLSSL
the year Michael Jackson released his first
&200$1'(5 solo album “Off the Wall,” ESPN launched In 2010 she had an opportunity to aircraft out there is my office.”
%ULJ*HQ5XVVHOO$0XQF\ on cable television, a Sony Walkman cost progress in her career, so she retrained Like many people, she has encountered
$200, and a gallon of gas cost $0.86. as an engine mechanic and was hired as
&+,()2)38%/,&$))$,56 an ART in the 403rd Propulsion Flight as challenges throughout her career, but, she
Capt. Perry Covington This is also the year that Master Sgt. the engine manager in the 403rd Mainte- said it’s a good career option for women.
Kathy Wheelock joined the Air Force. nance Squadron.
&+,()2)23(5$7,216 “It’s seems like the military is still a
0V/LQGD:HO] March is Women’s History Month and She is responsible for tracking all the man’s world, so as women we need to take
the theme this year is “Working to Form a inspections for the C-130J Super Hercu- this challenge seriously, and we need to take
%($&21(',725 More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in les engines and propellers on 20 aircraft pride in what we do and prove ourselves as
0U6HDQ'DWK Public Service and Government.” Wheelock assigned to the 403rd Wing, which entails valuable military members, because it is a
is one of many women in the 403rd Wing 91 propellers and 83 engines. She tracks rewarding career,” she said.
$0:(',725,$/67$)) and Air Force Reserve accomplishing the 1,760 serial controlled items that consist
Master Sgt. Megan Crusher mission daily, setting the example through of more than 3,500 inspections. After 25 years, Wheelock has risen
Staff Sgt. Osmin Suguitan their service. through the ranks and is a senior NCO and a
6HQLRU$LUPDQ.HYLQ0LWWHUKRO]HU The aircraft has inspections that are due leader in her group. She has earned several
6HQLRU$LUPDQ-RVHSK'DQJLGDQJ When Wheelock joined the Air Force, hourly, monthly and annually. She coordi- awards and decorations, various levels of Air
Senior Airman Russell McMillan she told her recruiter she wanted to do nates with the production superintendents, Force recognition, and associates degrees in
something fun and exciting. plans and scheduling personnel, and her Information Resources Management and
7KH %HDFRQ LV SXEOLVKHG E\ boss, Senior Master Sgt. Eric H. Johnson Aircraft Maintenance Technology from the
$HURWHFK1HZVDQG5HYLHZ$HUR- “And, that’s how I got into law enforce- III, to ensure the aircraft are available for Community College of the Air Force.
WHFKLVDSULYDWH¿UPLQQRZD\FRQ- ment,” she said. their mission at all times.
QHFWHGZLWKWKH86$LU)RUFHXQ- She attributes her success to her family
GHUH[FOXVLYHZULWWHQFRQWUDFWZLWK According to the Air Force Personnel Johnson, the 403rd Propulsion Flight (her father, an Air Force retiree and her two
WKH QG$LU 0RELOLW\ :LQJ 7KLV Center, 19 percent of the Air Force is com- chief, said the 403 MXG is lucky to have brothers, Army retirees), and followed in
civilian enterprise Air Force news- prised of women. When Wheelock served Wheelock. their paths.
SDSHULVDQDXWKRUL]HGSXEOLFDWLRQ in active duty during 1980s that figure was
for employees and members of around 11 percent, according to a 1982 Mil- The flight benefits from her experience “They were supportive of me joining the
86PLOLWDU\VHUYLFHVUHWLUHHVDQG itary Manpower Task Force report. as a security forces member, NCOIC of the military,” she said.
family members. Contents are not Command Support Staff, and as an ART,
QHFHVVDULO\ WKH RI¿FLDO YLHZV RI “It was a challenge to enter a nearly-all he said. Her husband, their three children and two
RUHQGRUVHGE\WKH86*RYHUQ- male career field,” she said. “It was hard to grandchildren are also very supportive of
PHQWWKH'HSDUWPHQWRI'HIHQVH break into a man’s world of law enforce- “If Kathy can’t figure it out she normally her career.
RUWKH'HSDUWPHQWRIWKH$LU)RUFH ment, so I had to prove myself; both as a fe- can point you in the right direction,” John-
male military member and as a law enforce- son said. “The word(s) no and never’ are not “Just the other day I thanked them for
The appearance of advertis- ment specialist.” in her vocabulary; it’s always yes, and let’s supporting me because some children
LQJ LQ WKLV QHZVSDSHU LQFOXGLQJ figure out a way to do it.” are embarrassed that their mother wears
LQVHUWVRUVXSSOHPHQWVGRHVQRW She proved she could hold her own when ‘combat boots,’” she said, joking. In a
constitute endorsement of the it came to some ‘interesting’ situations, and On a daily basis Wheelock spends most serious tone, she added, “My husband
SURGXFWV RU VHUYLFHV E\ WKH 'H- she became known to be ‘good cop.’ of her time tracking, managing and schedul- and children are proud of me and what I
SDUWPHQWRI'HIHQVHWKH'HSDUW- ing inspections, and other non-maintenance have accomplished.”
ment of the Air Force or Aerotech During her seven years of active duty managerial duties that keep the unit run-
1HZVDQG5HYLHZ,QF service, Wheelock married a fellow law ning. However, she added, “If I had to do Since 1979, some things have changed.
enforcement member, Keith Wheelock as- some wrench-turning, I could do that also Michael Jackson and Margaret Thatcher
(YHU\WKLQJ DGYHUWLVHG LQ WKLV signed to the K-9 section. since I am a fully qualified mechanic.” have passed away, ESPN is still on cable, gas
newspaper shall be made avail- is about $1.50, for now, not many people use
DEOHIRUSXUFKDVHXVHRUSDWURQ The couple was stationed at Ramstein Air Wheelock loves her job and is proud to a Walkman today, unless they really want to,
DJHZLWKRXWUHJDUGWRUDFHFRORU Force Base, Germany, with two children and serve, she said, adding that one of her big- and all combat jobs are now open to women.
UHOLJLRQVH[QDWLRQDORULJLQDJH conflicting work schedules, she decided to gest career highlights was deploying in sup- Some things have not changed. The U.S. Air
PDULWDO VWDWXV SK\VLFDO KDQGL- separate from active duty in 1986. port of Operations Iraqi Freedom and En- Force remains ready to combat its enemies
FDS SROLWLFDO DI¿OLDWLRQ RU DQ\ during Freedom and Joint Task Force Horn foreign and domestic, and Wheelock is still
other non-merit factor of the pur- “We were both worried about not get- of Africa in 2009. here to serve her country and mentor the
FKDVHUXVHURUSDWURQ ting a joint spouse assignment,” she said. “I next generation of Airmen.
hated leaving the service, but had to do what She wants her unit members to realize the
(GLWRULDOFRQWHQWLVHGLWHGSUH- was right for my family.” important role they play in the accomplish-
pared and provided by the staff ing the mission, she said.
RI WKH QG $LU 0RELOLW\ :LQJ In 1995 her husband was stationed at
3XEOLF$IIDLUV RI¿FH DW 0DUFK$LU Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, as a “Sometimes, some people in mainte-
5HVHUYH %DVH $OO SKRWRJUDSKV K-9 law enforcement specialist and retired nance get caught up in the day-to-day tasks
LQWKH%HDFRQDUH$LU)RUFHSKR- as a master sergeant in 2003. and don’t see how we make a difference. I
tos unless otherwise stated. For remind them that what they do is important
DGYHUWLVLQJ FRQWDFW$HURWHFK GL- “I missed serving; I loved wearing the to the big picture. I tell the mechanics to tell
UHFWO\DW uniform, and being part of the Air Force people I am a C-130J mechanic, and that the
team,” said Wheelock. “So, I was glad
Aerotech News and Review to get to come back and serve in the Air
(DVW$YH.6XLWH Force Reserve.”
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