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May 2016 NEWS Thunderbolt
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Eglin Airman selected by Welsh for unique commissioning program

by Senior Airman bers from the enlisted tier to attend an Senior Air- The school of choice must be associated
ANDREA POSEY accredited college while on active-duty man Markese or affiliated with a ROTC program for
status. Program participants are re- Buckholtz, the accountability and administrative over-
33rd Fighter Wing Public Affairs quired to complete a degree within three 58th Fighter sight.
years before attending Officer Training Squadron
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — School to earn their commission. aviation re- Buckholtz’s supervisor, Master Sgt.
(This feature is part of the “Through source man- Latoya Cleveland, the 58th FS superin-
Airmen’s Eyes” series. These stories focus Last year, Buckholtz represented his ager, takes tendent, said his character, work ethic
on individual Airmen, highlighting their career field when Welsh visited the 33rd a call March and exemplary records made him a per-
Air Force story.) Fighter Wing, which gave him the op- 30 at Eglin fect candidate for the program.
portunity to share with the general his Air Force
An Airman’s cell phone rings, but he desire to commission and his struggle to Base, Florida. “Senior Airman Buckholtz is a stel-
doesn’t answer because for him personal find the right program. Throughout lar Airman who truly embodies the Air
calls can wait until after work. It rings the morning, Force’s core values,” Cleveland said. “I
again; he lets it go to voicemail. On Buckholtz have no doubt that the next chapter of his
the third call he finally answers and is coordinates life will further mold him into becoming
shocked to discover Air Force Chief of flights with pi- a phenomenal Airman.”
Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III on the line. lots to begin
the sorties More than a year since his first talk
During the call, Senior Airman Markese for the F-35A with the general, Buckholtz is on track
Buckholtz, the 58th Fighter Squadron Courtesy photo Lightning II. to become an officer.
aviation resource manager, learned he
would become an officer through the The two-year Airman explained that he In August, he and his family will move
Senior Leader Enlisted Commissioning was looking for a program that would al- to Prescott, Arizona, where he’ll begin
Program, putting him on track to become low him to keep his wife and two children classes at Embry Riddle Aeronautical
a “Mustang,” an enlisted member who financially stable while he commissioned. University, where he previously received
commissions into the officer corps. an associate’s degree.
Welsh recommended Buckholtz investi-
“(Gen. Welsh) asked me if I still wanted gate the Air Force’s newest commission- Although he admits the idea of moving
to be an officer and a pilot, and I imme- ing program as an alternative solution. west with his family is nerve-racking, the
diately answered, ‘yes sir,’” Buckholtz soon-to-be Mustang said he is ultimately
said. “He explained to me that I was his To be competitive for SLECP, an indi- excited to start the program.
nomination (for the program) and that he vidual must be enlisted and a U.S. citizen
wanted me to keep exceling as I moved between the ages of 18 and 35. They “It feels amazing and almost unreal,”
forward in the Air Force.” must also have completed 24 semester Buckholtz said. “I hope this program
hours by the end of the selection window. will allow me to fly the mighty F-35
SLECP is an Air Force program de- (Lightning II) one day. However, no mat-
signed to provide the opportunity for ter what happens down the line, I will
senior leaders to select exceptional mem- be excited to serve as an officer in the
United States Air Force.”

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