Get to Know 1SG Zachary Mayo

Courtesy Photo | U.S. Air Force 1st Sgt. Zachary Mayo poses for a photo. (uncredited photo)  

BIRMINGHAM, AL, UNITED STATES

04.02.2024

Story by Senior Airman Kasie Faddis 

117th Air Refueling Wing

Get to know Master Sgt. Zackary Mayo, the First Sergeant for the 117th Maintenance Squadron (MXS)!

Mayo enlisted as a flight-line crew chief in May 2013, a few days before graduating from high school. He earned a full-time position in 2016 and converted to Active-Guard Reserve in 2019. In May 2022, Mayo boarded and was selected as the first sergeant for 117 MXS and attended the First Sergeant Academy in October to November 2023.

“I really didn’t have my eyes set on being a first sergeant, honestly. When the job came open for MXS, I knew it was a different squadron even though it was in the same building. A friend of mine told me that I would be good at this job, then I got to thinking about it and slept on it for a few days,” said Mayo. “I came back and decided that I was going to put in for it because I knew it would allow me to grow and be a new challenge for me. When I boarded, I didn’t really think I had a good shot at it, but I felt like I boarded well, and I was selected. It was definitely out of my comfort zone.”

Mayo said he was dual hatting as a crew chief and covering the duties of a first sergeant during his time between selection for the first sergeant position and graduating from the academy.

“As a crew chief you kind of grow up fast, in a sense because, even as an airman first class or senior airman, you have to be able to tell a colonel that they cannot take an airplane to fly when it is broken,” Mayo said. “With having that experience to talk to leadership at a young age, I think it helped grow me to be a better leader.”

Mayo said his favorite aspects of the job are doing the promotions for maintenance, going out to visit any member or their family who may be sick and building relationships with people in the unit. He said he spends time each week building those relationships with the members of maintenance, getting to know everyone and their common interests.

“You work off the clock and as a first sergeant, your schedule can vary at times because you may have to go out in the middle of the night to take care of people. Showing members that we are a family at this unit, I think that goes a long way,” Mayo said. “It makes me feel good and I know it is appreciated by the member and their families.”

“It is good to find things in common with everyone that I talk to, and I can usually talk to someone that is young because I guess I am still kind of young. Being able to relate to young airmen, but I am kind of an old head as far as music or anything of that nature, so I can still hold a good conversation with someone who is much older than me and relate to them as well,” Mayo said. “I consider myself to be a pretty good people person and a good listener. All of our first sergeants are open to having conversations with anyone regardless of what squadron they belong to. Being a first sergeant can be challenging, yet very rewarding, and I encourage everyone to not be afraid to step out of their comfort zone to make a difference for the better.”

• Date Taken: 04.02.2024
• Date Posted: 05.05.2024 14:25
• Story ID: 467982
• Location: BIRMINGHAM, AL, US