Buffalo native marks end of 30-year military career

06.30.2009

Courtesy Story

Air Force Special Operations Command

AIR FORCE SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND - A 1979 graduate of Southside High School in Buffalo, N.Y., retired from the United States Air Force here, June 26, after serving her country for 30 years.

More than 200 fellow Airmen gathered to honor Chief Master Sgt. Darcy Standish, the former Air Force Special Operations Command Aviation Management Branch chief, in a ceremony that served as a capstone to a selfless and productive career.

Standish, daughter of Patricia and Edward Standish, followed their footsteps and enlisted in the Air Force shortly after graduating from high school. Her parents, now deceased, "mentored me and knew I would do well," she said. "From my early teens on, I wanted to serve my country, meet new people."

When she entered basic training in October 1979 as an airman basic, she embarked on a career path in aviation resource management that led her to the pinnacle of the enlisted ladder.

Over the years, the chief served in various assignments at Air Force bases in Georgia, Texas, New York, Florida and Washington D.C.

She said the highlight of her career came at our nation's lowest moment when she was stationed at the Pentagon where she served the Air Force Career Field Manager for 1C000, Aviation Resource Management, Air Force specialty code.

As she walked up the five flights of stairs Sept. 12, 2001, the acrid smell of smoke reminded her of the previous day's attack on her workplace. Soot covered the walls. She was angry.

Then she sat down at her desk and opened her e-mails from her fellow "one Charlie ohs," as they are affectionately called.

Those heartfelt e-mails from around the world — people hoping she had survived the attack, people offering assistance on anything she needed — gave her a sense of worth and purpose she hadn't recognized until that point in her life, Standish said.

"When I was hired as the [Air Force career field manager], I thought I worked alone and had a huge plate of career field issues to work," the retired chief said.

After 9-11, she understood her role.

"It was my job to ensure 2,800 [aviation resource managers] had the best training in place, the best resources to take care of more than 50,000 aircrew and parachutist members and ensure they were prepared to fight the Global War on Terror," the former 1C0 career field manager said.

The attack served as a spark to tinder. She issued a worldwide call to aviation resource management specialists to improve career development courses, create a senior 1C0 management course, realign the career field and make more than 100 other changes to the Air Force aviation management program.

Her work did not go unnoticed.

"The one Charlie oh career field hosted an Air Force heritage event at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., to honor six pioneers," said Chief Master Sgt. Martin Austin, Aircrew Flight Equipment functional manager and fellow Operations and Training chief, stationed here with Standish. "Each of the honorees has made significant impacts on the career field."

Keesler is home to the technical training school where all aviation resource management specialists learn the skills they'll need to do their jobs.

The heritage event formally recognized recipients during a dinner and the unveiling of classrooms named in their honor. Standish was one of those six honorees.

"In her career, the work she did for their career field, for our country will resonate for generations of one Charlie ohs," Austin said.

The ever-humble Standish kept it all in perspective.

"It may be my name on the classroom door, but each and every one Charlie oh's name who helped me make a difference in our career field is in between each letter," she said.

Note: Darcy's siblings Ed, Doreen and Nancy Standish and 11 nieces and nephews live in Buffalo. Two other sisters, Norma Jean Largent and Donna Ashberry, live in Colombia, S.C., and sister lives in Moneta, Va., respectively.

• Date Taken: 06.30.2009
• Date Posted: 06.30.2009 10:07
• Story ID: 35789