MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --
1. What is your official job title?
I am the occupational safety manager for the 931st Air Refueling Wing.
2. What is your hometown?
I grew up poor in Bayshore, New York, then my teen years in Sayville, New York. However, I consider Augusta, Kansas, to be my new hometown.
3. What is your civilian job (are you an ART, TR or AGR)?
I am an air reserve technician (ART.)
4. Why did you join the AF?
I grew up with movies including "Saving Private Ryan" and "Black Hawk Down." Like the characters in these films, I wanted to save lives and do stuff you can only read about. Growing up, the veterans that I had the privilege to speak to seemed like super heroes to me.
5. What are your goals? (i.e. personal, school)
I would like to own my dream car (a Shelby Mustang) and travel the world. A more personal goal that I have is to become volunteer at church. Professionally, I am also pursuing a Bachelor Of Science and I plan on obtaining a masters in safety. I also want to become a Certified Safety a Health Official (CSP), and an authorized Occupational Safety and health Administration (OSHA outreach trainer.) I would also like to provide more educational opportunities to the 931 ARW.
6. What are your hobbies?
My hobbies include spending time with family and whatever my wife tells me. We enjoy home improvement and homesteading. My wife collects chickens and ducks as if they were "Pokémon" characters...She is trying to collect them all. I also enjoy everything mechanical from trains, planes, boats, tractors, automobiles etc. I am also a volunteer firefighter and enjoy the small part I make to help save life and property. My wife says I have too many hobbies, so I rotate through them.
7. How do you contribute to the 931st mission?
I oversee the occupational safety program for the 931 ARW, ensuring the Wing meets Air Force Reserve Command, Department of the Air Force, Department of Defense, and Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations requirements. I do this by educating, training and assessing units and their members.
8. What challenges do you face?
Safety requirements can be infinite and confusing. Presenting these requirements in bite size pieces to member can sometimes be difficult. I want to make the DAF more user friendly. There aren’t enough hours in the day for everything I would like to do.
9. What's your favorite part of the mission?
My favorite part is that I get to interact and meet Airmen at all levels across the DAF. We have many exceptional Airmen in our wing that I have had the privilege to meet because of safety. I also enjoy finding solutions to problems and helping others do the same.