Page 4 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt 9-18-15

Sept. 18, 2015 SPOTLIGHT Thunderbolt
http://www.luke.af.mil
4 www.aerotechnews.com/lukeafb

Retiree still serving after 40 years ALS graduates 32 in class 15-6

6WRU\DQGSKRWRE\$LUPDQ rate pilot after my enlistment,” Goehring said. “In The 56th Fighter Wing Airman Davis, Todd Duncan, Joshua
PEDRO MOTA ,ZDVDFFHSWHGIRU1DY\ÁLJKWWUDLQLQJDQG Leadership School graduated Holmes, Luke Smith, Jared
earned my pilot’s wings. My new mission as an 31 senior airmen and one staff Williams and Rick Williams
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs RIÀFHUZDVLQWKHSDWUROVTXDGURQGXULQJWKH&ROG sergeant Sept. 2 from class 15-6.
:DUKXQWLQJVXEPDULQHVLQD32ULRQDLUFUDIWµ The graduates are senior airmen WK(TXLSPHQW
Serving 24 unless otherwise noted. Maintenance
years in the +HVSHQWWKHQH[W\HDUVÁ\LQJDOORYHUWKH 6TXDGURQ
Navy, Clay North Atlantic Ocean in 10-hour patrols each The award winners are:
Goehring has time his team was sent out. John L. Levitow Award: Dylan William Gannon and Jimmy
seen things 6FRÀHOGWK$HURVSDFH0HGL- Mares
most can only “We were given basic information on where a cine Squadron
dream of. submarine would be,” he said. “It was like look- Distinguished graduates: Brit- 56th Civil Engineer
When first ing for a needle in a haystack. The grid we were tany Miller, 607th Air Control 6TXDGURQ
meeting given could be 50 by 100 miles and could take Squadron and Jovita Dela Cruz,
Goehring, one two to three hours to arrive there. We spent four 56th Force Support Squadron Trevor Anderson and
will find an to six hours on station trying to detect magnetic Commandant’s Award: Brit- Christopher Jacobson
ROG VRXO ÀOOHG anomalies from submarines.” tany Miller, 607th ACS
with experi- Academic Achievement 56th Security Forces
ence, but with Once a submarine was detected, it would be Award: Brittany Miller, 607th 6TXDGURQ
still a sense of localized while its course and speed were moni- ACS
&OD\*RHKULQJ tored, Goehring said. Joshua Guthrie and Josef
Physical training Shaffer
boyish charm. ´7RÀQGDQGWUDFNWKHVXEVZDVRXUPLVVLRQµ Fire Breather: Adrian Cook,
He has his wits about him and is a polite indi- he said. “We were authorized to drop bombs on 56th SFS 56th Logistics
vidual with good manners, but his discussion the subs from time to time. Our teamwork was Other graduates are: 5HDGLQHVV6TXDGURQ
might quickly draw one’s attention away from what got us through the rough times.”
his personality to his story. WK2SHUDWLRQV Joseph Bagnasco, Alan
After retiring with 24 years in service, Goeh- 6XSSRUW6TXDGURQ Diefendorf and Joseph Kosut
He began his journey by enlisting in the Navy ULQJ ZDQWHG WR FRQWLQXH Á\LQJ DQG JRW D MRE
teaching pilots for Lufthansa, Europe’s largest George Baylon, Christopher 56th Medical Support
in 1962. DLUOLQH IRU WHQ \HDUV +H WKHQ VSHQW ÀYH \HDUV Fulker, Justin Kellner, 6TXDGURQ
picking up and dropping off medical patients in Alexander Ramos and Heston
“I was part of a reconnaissance squadron in an air ambulance. Turner Justin Irvin

Japan before Vietnam started,” Goehring said. “Flying with the air ambulance team reminded
PH YHU\ PXFK RI WKH 3 RSHUDWLRQV LQ D ZD\µ
“When Vietnam started in 1965 I was deployed Goehring said. “Helping patients get the medical
attention they needed made me really enjoy the
WR WKH 3KLOLSSLQHV DQG EHFDPH D FUHZ PHPEHU ODVWÀYH\HDUVRIÁ\LQJµ

under the sky warriors.” $IWHU\HDUVRIÁ\LQJKHGHFLGHGWRPRYHRQ
to other things. He took some time to relax and
The sky warriors had attack and tanker air- thought about what he would do next. 607th ACS 56th Aerospace
0HGLFLQH6TXDGURQ
SODQHVZKLFKZHUHPRGLÀHGIRUHOHFWURQLFFRXQWHU “I started volunteering at a hospital in North Gibraun Christensen
3KRHQL[DQGDOVRGLGDFRXSOHWKLQJVDWFKXUFKµ Takiah Christensen
measures. he said. “But my favorite volunteer opportunity 56th Component
is with Sky Harbor Airport. ‘Navigator,’ is what Maintenance 944th Logistics
“At that time I was an electronics aviation they call us. We direct passengers where they 6TXDGURQ 5HDGLQHVV6TXDGURQ
need to go, to eat and to reclaim lost baggage —
technician,” he said. “We would look for all types anything to assist. I’m always going to be around Chase Frazee and Jonan Torres Staff Sgt. Scott Gobble
aircraft, I can’t get it out of my blood.”
of enemy radars, tune into their frequency, ana-

lyze it from the air, record it onto tapes and take

them back to our squadron for further analysis.”

After completing four years in the enlisted

ranks, Goehring went home to Missouri to con- 56th Aircraft 161st Security Forces

tinue his studies. He also got married and left 0DLQWHQDQFH6TXDGURQ 6TXDGURQ

for New Mexico.

“I wanted to be a commercial, charter or corpo- Nathanael Burgess, Maurice Ricardo Balmaceda

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