Photo By Master Sgt. Raymond Drumsta | A New York Army National Guard C12 aircraft he piloted on his traditional military...... read more read more
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LATHAM, N.Y. -- New York Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 5 Robert Wold capped his over 40-year military career under a rainbow -- literally -- at the Army Aviation Support Facility here on Dec. 21.
That shimmering, multi-colored arc formed as Wold -- a master Army aviator with over 6,000 flight hours in helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. -- completed his traditional military "final flight" and taxied his C-12 airplane back through jets of water sprayed by Albany Airport crash trucks.
Though Wold expressed mixed feelings about the end of his career, he pointed to another rainbow – his family, who were there to greet him with hugs and smiles after his final flight.
"It’s bittersweet,” he reflected. “I think back on all the times that the mission took me away from them, and now it’s bringing me back home to them. That’s the way it should be.”
Wold served much of his career in the New York Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division, known as the "Rainbow Division".
Traditionally friends, family and well-wishers turn out to congratulate a military pilot making his last flight after a long career.
That makes the event more special, Wold said.
“It means a whole lot to have all your co-workers, your friends and family there to share in that last military flight. Every time we fly, it takes an entire team to get the aircraft airborne and to do the mission,” he said.
A retirement ceremony for Wold will be held on Dec. 29.
Born and raised in Somerset, Wisconsin, Wold joined the U.S. Army in 1975 as a medium helicopter repairman.
In March of 1980 he attended Warrant Officer Candidate School and graduated from flight school in January of 1981. While on active-duty, Wold served with the 25th Infantry Division, 1st Cavalry Division, 11th ACR, and the 24th Infantry Division.
Wold joined the New York Army National Guard in 1989 and served with the 1st Squadron 101st Cavalry, the 1st Battalion 142 Attack Helicopter Battalion, the 3rd Battalion 142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion and Joint Forces Headquarters (JFHQ) here.
He also served as a maintenance test flight examiner, and his duties included training and evaluating maintenance test pilots and advising the state aviation officer on logistical issues.
In 2008/ 2009, Wold deployed to Iraq where he served as the Task Force Jester aviation maintenance officer responsible for 55 UH-60 Blackhawk and seven AH-64 Apache attack helicopters. The task force was organized around the New York Army National Guard’s 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation.
In 2010, Wold was named to the position of command chief warrant officer, where he was responsible for recruiting warrant officers to fill the 286 positions in the New York Army National Guard, and overseeing warrant officer training.
During his tenure the New York National Guard responded to Tropical Storms Irene and Lee in 2011 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Charles Rodda, the state standardization instructor pilot, spoke to Wold’s other achievements as the command chief warrant officer -- and as a mentor to other pilots.
“He helped a lot of young warrant officers become successful in that job also,” Rodda said. “He’s going to be missed.”
His final flight reminded him of his past flying experiences and all the troops, from Army aircraft mechanics to flight-operations personnel – who support Army aviation missions, Wold said.
“I think it’s a really quick flash of the hundreds of flights that occurred previously, and all the people that made it possible,” he said.
Wold and his wife Cheryl plan to retire in Wisconsin.
“It’s going to be fun…a new adventure,” Cheryl said.
| Date Taken: | 12.21.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 12.22.2016 14:35 |
| Story ID: | 218585 |
| Location: | LATHAM , NY, US |
| Hometown: | BALLSTON LAKE, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 180 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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