Page 5 - Nellis, Creech and NTTR Bullseye 11-13-15

BULLSEYE
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Guardian Angel retires after 41 years of service
By Airman 1st Class Jake Carter
99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. —
The year is 1974. The Vietnam War is on
its way to an end after almost 15 years of Retired Chief Master Sgt. Paul Koester, 58th Rescue Squadron chief enlisted manager, gives
fighting. The U.S.Air Force was trying to
give America the upper hand.
Also in 1974, a young man named
Paul Koester decided that he wanted to
join the world’s greatest Air Force.
Originally from Colorado Springs,
Colorado, Koester planned on serving
four years as a jet engine mechanic and
that would be it. But during basic train-
ing, that thought would never become
reality.
While in basic training, individuals
from Pararescue came to Koester and
fellow trainees to see if they would be
interested in becoming a Pararescue
Airmen. He took physical training tests
which included swimming to see if he
was cut out for the job. After barely mak-
ing it through, it was on to the training
pipeline for the young Airman.
“Back then, the pipeline was a year-
and-a-half, now it is two-and-a-half
(years). All the schools they are going to
throw at you jump, dive, weapons tactics
and survival to make sure you are fully
prepared,” Koester said. “That has not
changed one bit, if anything it has gotten
better. They do a great job of weeding
out the people who aren’t cut for the job
Retired Chief Master Sgt. Paul Koester, 58th Rescue Squadron chief enlisted manager, shadows an Airmanparticipating in a training
scenario Oct. 22 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. At the time of his retirement, Koester was the oldest enlisted member actively serving in
the Air Force, as well as the longest serving Pararescue Airman in history.
Feature
guidance on how to take down a target to Airmen stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.,
Oct. 22. Koester retired Oct. 31 after serving 41 years in the Air Force.
and what comes out of that school house;
those guys are ready for the pipeline.”
After successfully completing his
training, Koester was sent to Elmendorf
Air Force Base, Alaska to start his career sas, before he met his wife, Stacey.
as part of the 71st Aerospace Rescue and
Recovery Squadron. After serving over
four years at Elmendorf AFB, he was
5November 13, 2015
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at the time,” Koester said. “I made the
decision to leave active duty and join the
Air National Guard. I wanted to finish
graduate school, I wanted to live a nor-
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jake Carter mal life and settle down. We moved to
Annapolis, Maryland, started our family,
and I maintained my career by working
weekends in the Guard.”
From 1987 to 2003, Koester served at
credited with saving over 75 lives. Francis S. Gabreski ANG base in New
For the next six years from 1980 to York where he was a part of the 102nd
Rescue Squadron.
1986, Koester served at McClellan AFB,
California, and Little Rock AFB, Arkan- “I had a few deployments from 1997
to 2002, and of course in that time 9/11
hit,” Koester said. “It was a game changer
“I was in the Air Force for almost 10 for everybody. Our team responded to
years before I met Stacey when I was the World Trade Center; we were some
stationed at Pope (AFB, North Carolina) of the first guys on the ground and we
spent about 26 hours there.”
With the collapse of the World Trade
Center, Koester and his team worked
tirelessly trying to find anyone who
survived the building collapse. Koester
and his team were credited with pulling
out the last survivor that dreadful day in
New York City.
“After 9/11, I came back home and
I had to drive past the Pentagon going
back to Annapolis,” Koester said. “Three
weeks later to the day, we were over on
the Kuwait/Iraq border doing Operation
Southern Watch. After that I came back
home and said it’s time for a change.”
After returning home from his deploy-
ment, Koester and his family wondered
what would happen next. With 9/11 kick
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jake Carter starting the war on terror, Koester either
was on duty with the Guard or at his part
time job — until deciding to return to
active duty.
“I called up the career field manager at
the Pentagon and said ‘I think it’s a good
time to come back in (to active duty),’”
Koester said. “Thirty days later, we had
orders to Nellis in March of 2003. In
2005, I deployed to Afghanistan and have
been going back ever since.”
When coming back to active duty,
Koester came to Nellis AFB, where he
was a part of the 58th Rescue Squadron,
and concluded his long career in 2015.
With Koester’s now at 41 years of
service, he notice Airmen that he works
with on a daily basis can be considered
his kids.
“At my age, most of the Airmen that I
deploy with are younger than my kids,”
Koester said. “So that is kind of different;
and you look at them like they are your
own kids, extremely professional at what
they do and great guys to deploy with.
Some probably look at me as a father
figure and I’m fine with that.”
With his combined service years total-
ing 41, Koester says the biggest challenge
he has faced is balancing his two families.
“You’ve got your wife and kids at
home that hear a little bit about it, see it
________ See RETIRES, on page 6