101st Member Stands Out Amongst Crowd in Greenland

Photo By Airman Erick Green | U.S. Air National Guard Master Sgt. Christopher E. Currier, an air transportation supervisor at the 101st Air Refueling Wing, poses for a photo Aug. 4, 2023 at Bangor Air National Guard Base, Maine. Currier was recently selected as an augmentee for a mission in Greenland. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Erick Green)  

BANGOR, ME, UNITED STATES

08.04.2023

Story by Airman Erick Green 

101st Air Refueling Wing

MAINE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Me. (Aug. 4, 2023) -- Diligence, the constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken. Diligence is one of the many things that drives the MAINEiacs here at the 101st to be the best Airmen that we can be no matter the challenge. Whether that challenge be personal or professional, we have some of the greatest members that embody diligence to meet our mission requirements.
One of our members who has made diligence a cornerstone in their career is none other than Master Sgt. Christopher E. Currier. Currier is the Air Transportation Operations Supervisor here at the 101st. Currier has served 19 years with the Bangor Air National Guard, but before that, he also served six and a half years with the United States Marine Corps Reserve as an infantryman responsible for operating the M47 Dragon; a portable anti-tank guided missile system.
It is no secret that the 101st is interested in being a part of the missions taking place in the Arctic in order to build a solid US presence in the region. Currently, MSgt. Currier is a part of a mission in Greenland where he is proudly representing the 101st Air Refueling Wing. “We are out there in the ice caps working seven days a week, no days off,” said Currier. “We’re working with researchers and scientists from Denmark out in that area, transporting goods to them and helping support their mission.”
Given recent interest and revitalization of adversarial outposts in the arctic region, it has been a key goal for the United States and our allies to deepen coordination in the region. Ice caps in the arctic have been melting, leading to various geopolitical, economic, and environmental changes. As the Arctic ice melts due to rising temperatures, new opportunities and challenges are emerging, including for the United States. This has opened the door for not only the U.S., but the other 13 nations in NATO to come together and stake our claim to the region, ensuring it is not solely inhabited by adversarial forces.
Some of the people MSgt. Currier met in Greenland were not the typical service members we’ve come to expect working with overseas. This was new territory for Currier, but it led to some valuable experiences and the insight on some very intricate methods of study.
“Some people I met out there were actually volcanologists,” said Currier. “They’re taking samples from the ice caps that are over 120,000 years old and studying the dust and ash specks found in the ice to determine which volcano it came from, and which country this occurred in.”
Currier’s dedication, professionalism and commitment to service has been recognized and he’ll be recieving a STEP promotion from Master Sgt. to Senior Master Sgt. STEP (Stripes For Exceptional Performers) was established to recognize and promote outstanding Airmen in advance of original eligibility for promotion.
One of the main things that Currier cares about is the future of the Maine Air National Guard, and how big of a role our Drill-Status Guardsmen play in that future. “The one thing I emphasized in my interview for the promotion was to keep the DSG Airmen involved,” said Currier. “The one way I think we can do that is to get them involved in more than just training. Let them be a part of the bigger picture and the real world things that are happening right now that you’re seeing on the news. That’s how you inspire the next generation, that’s how you see the passion and enthusiasm really light up inside these younger members.”
“What I love about the Air National Guard is my career isn’t about what rank I made it to or anything like that,” said Currier. “I like to look more fondly onto where I went, who I met, and what I was a part of. I can look back at all the people that I met and call back on the memories surrounding them and really feel like I had an amazing career here at the 101st.”

• Date Taken: 08.04.2023
• Date Posted: 08.04.2023 15:14
• Story ID: 450730
• Location: BANGOR, ME, US