Road to Retire

Master Sgt. Shelby Gobel shares a smile with fellow planning commission members during a meeting in his hometown of Sedgwick, Kan. Sergeant Gobel is scheduled to retire from the Air Force Reserve on Aug. 9, more than two years after a motorcycle accident almost killed him. He joined the planning commission while recovering and waiting for decisions about his future with his civilian employer and his position with the 931st Civil Engineer Squadron. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. Jason Schaap)

Motorcycle crash survivor to retire during August UTA

Published Aug. 6, 2008

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- Master Sgt. Shelby Gobel was six days short of retirement requirements when his motorcycle crashed into a deer just over two years ago. He barely survived, but the crash claimed his hope for serving at least five more years with the 931st Air Refueling Group's Civil Engineer Squadron. After a lot of patience and help from his fellow CES Airmen, Sergeant Gobel is scheduled to retire during the August Unit Training Assembly.

If You Go
What: Retirement ceremony
Who: Master Sgt. Shelby Gobel, 931st Civil Engineer Squadron
When: 3 p.m. on Aug. 9
Where: Auditorium of building 1185 (931st AMXS building) at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.

Click here to read about Sergeant Gobel's road to recovery in a story written a year after his accident.