Photo By Tech. Sgt. Michael Means | U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Michael Martin, 380th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron...... read more read more
Subscribe
UNDISCLOSED LOCATION – Going through Air Force Basic Military Training can be a memorable experience. But do you think after 21 years you could recognize someone from your flight?
Two airmen assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron thought they recognized each other but weren’t quite sure how.
When Senior Master Sgt. Michael Martin, 380 EAMXS lead production superintendent, deployed from Kadena Air Base, Japan, saw his new commander he thought he looked familiar but couldn’t quite figure out where he knew him from.
“We discovered we were both at Hill at the same time and assumed that must be it,” said Lt. Col. Davis Goode, 380 EAMXS commander, deployed from Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
Martin decided to read Goode’s biography and discovered they went through basic training at the same time.
“I asked him if he was in flight 1701 and it was at that moment we remembered a picture we had taken together in the Basic Training yearbook,” said Martin. “Life is a funny journey and you never know what God has planned for you.”
“Amazingly, Mike had a collection of career pictures with him, one of which happened to have us seated together in the day room 21 years ago,” said Goode. “It was unbelievable.”
In basic training Goode said he remembers Martin's sense of humor and that he always lightened the mood.
“My outlook was not nearly as positive as Mike's at that time, so he was a great influence, “ said Goode.
Martin say he always smiled even in basic because after growing up poor he knew we would get three hot meals a day, a cot to sleep on and a paycheck every two weeks.
“The truth of the matter is that I love my job and have always tried to have a positive attitude at home and deployed,” said Martin. “This has been a great deployment so far and I love working with all of the people… that work with me daily.”
After Goode served his initial enlistment he separated in 1996, with the intention of attending Air Force ROTC at the University of Georgia and commissioning as an aircraft maintenance officer.
“I was blessed that everything worked out as planned, and I've since served in a number of aircraft maintenance, munitions, and acquisitions positions both operationally and on staff,” said Goode.
Since graduating from basic training in April 1992 Goode hasn’t had the fortune of running into anyone from his flight until now, he said.
“I never thought we would be working together after so long and the irony is surreal,” said Martin. “This is definitely a welcome surprise for this deployment. It is great working together after so many years and several old stories have brought a smile to my face.”
“I work very hard to remember where I came from, and I know I owe everything to the Airmen, NCOs, and Senior NCOs that I worked with as a young enlisted member, as well as those that have carried me on their shoulders as an officer,” said Goode. “Command is a privilege, and doing so with the support of great Airmen like Senior Master Sgt. Mike Martin is the greatest privilege of all.”
| Date Taken: | 11.29.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 11.30.2013 00:36 |
| Story ID: | 117557 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 96 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Basic Training buddies reunite after 21 years, by TSgt Michael Means, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT