HRDC brings Airmen together to build relationships

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  • 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
ATLANTA --  Twelve Liberty Wing Airmen traveled to Atlanta to share experiences and learn from the nearly 350 reservists who attended the Air Force Reserve Command's Human Resource Development Council Conference Oct. 25-27.

The HRDC's mission includes ensuring fair and equitable treatment for all members, creating an environment that optimizes the contributions of a diverse workforce, and advising the commander of all matters pertaining to human resources.

Chief Master Sgt. Dwight Badgett, AFRC command chief master sergeant, said the HRDC mission is of the utmost importance to AFRC leadership.

"I want to make sure Airmen understand the impact of HRDC at the command levels, as well as back at their home base," he said. "We need HRDC involvement in everything that touches an Airman's life - from the first day an individual enters the military until the end of the person's career."

"When most people think of the HRDC, they think diversity, but it's so much more than that. It's about taking care of our people," said Col. Michael T. Fitzhenry, 512th Airlift Wing vice commander and chair of the wing's HRDC. "The council also focuses on recruiting and retention, force development, mentoring, recognition, community outreach, assignments and promotion opportunities."

The conference highlighted many of these areas by providing sessions on career progression, mentoring and feedback. In addition, there were several key note speakers who talked to the audience about their unique perspectives and experiences.

Maj. Sean Gustafson, the first reservist selected to fly as a Thunderbird pilot, told the audience, "If you can dream it, do it."

The major said the distinctions between the Air Force Reserve and the regular Air Force have changed in recent years.

"The lines between Reserve and active-duty are beginning to fade," he said.

His selection as a pilot on the Air Force aerial demonstration team is one indication of change. Reservists continually prove they are an asset to the active-duty force by being hand-picked for positions normally reserved for Airmen in the Air Force.

The crowd stood when Herbert Heilbrun talked about flying in World War II with the Tuskegee Airmen.

"I've given over 70 talks, but speaking to you all is very special...I think you know why, I have a kinship with you," he said.

Mr. Heilbrun, who is white, told the audience how thankful he is to the Tuskegee Airmen who fought for their country, even when their country didn't always fight for them.

Mr. Heilbrun and John Leahr were 21 when they fought in World War II. Mr. Heilbrun was an Army Air Forces B-17 bomber pilot and Mr. Leahr, a Tuskegee Airman, flew the P-51 fighter.

"Johnny ... and I led parallel but separate lives," he said. "I was taught things that I didn't know about racism, indignities and injustices. He enriched my life and ignited a few candles."

Mr. Heilbrun went on to tell a story of how he flew with Mr. Leahr during World War II but never met the man until some 50 years later. As fate would have it, he had actually met his friend many years earlier when he was in grade school.

He recounted a story about growing up and going to grade school in Cincinnati, Ohio, with only one black child in his class - his Tuskegee Airman friend, Johnny. Mr. Heilbrun pointed to his old class photo and smiled.

"We were standing beside each other," he said. "It was meant to be."

Mr. Heilbrun's final remarks hit home with anyone who has experienced the loss of a friend defending America's freedom.

"Please keep all of our Airmen in your thoughts," he said. "The greatest privilege of my life was to represent my country in aerial combat. The heroes who laid down their lives must never be forgotten."

Another highlight of the event was listening to the experiences of Women Airforce Service Pilots Bernice Haydu, Helen Wyatt Snapp and Anna "Marty" Wyall. During World War II, more than 25,000 women applied to be a part of this program and fewer than 1,900 were selected to fly American military aircraft.

Prior to being accepted into the program, the women pilots had to have a pilot's license. They were trained at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. They had to complete the same training courses as male Army Air Corps pilots, and many of the women went on to specialized flight training.

"We all feared the same thing; we all had the fear of washing out. The fear was with us throughout the whole program," said Ms. Haydu, who added that her most memorable experience was getting her "wings." "There was no formal mentoring back then, but we did have mentors; we had each other."

After receiving their wings, the women pilots, who served in a civilian status, were stationed at 120 air bases across the United States and performed a variety of missions to relieve the male pilots for combat. In all, 38 WASP fliers lost their lives.

Senior Airman Christine King, 712th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron C-17 crewchief, said listening to the women fliers was her favorite part of the conference.

"I could relate to them," said Airman King, who originally joined the Air Force in 1987 and was one of three women who worked as a C-141B Starlifter crewchief for the 437th Aircraft Generation Squadron, Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. She separated from the Air Force in 1994, but joined the 512th AW in August 2009, because she missed the camaraderie and patriotism of the Air Force, she said.

Capt. Bernadine Ford, an HRDC event planner from Headquarters AFRC A1, was pleased about the large turnout at the conference.

"This conference has allowed Airmen to come together, experience several mentoring opportunities, allowing for peer interactions with some of AFRC's highest levels of leadership," she said. "The conference rejuvenates our force by allowing Airmen to see diversity, which allows for professional development through educating our force about our heritage and recognizing each other's achievements."

Airmen at all levels found the HRDC to be a beneficial part of their careers.

Staff Sgt. Marina Buie was a conference briefer from Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass., and is president of the 439th Airlift Wing's "Rising Six" council, a group dedicated to being the voice of all Airmen on her base. She credits wing leadership to the success of the group. She said it best when she linked leadership to the success of all programs linked to HRDC.

"We simply can't do it without our command chiefs and commanders," she said.

For HRDC newcomer Airman King, attending the command's HRDC conference was a learning experience.

"I wanted to gain more knowledge, and I've realized we are in good hands as far as senior leadership goes. They are aware of what we're going through at the lowest levels and are working on some of these issues," she said.

Colonel Fitzhenry expressed that any wing Airman can be a part of the 512th AW HRDC.

"The more people who participate, the more we can do," said the colonel. "Everybody has a bright idea; so, we need to hear from our Airmen, so we know what their concerns are and what ideas they may have to address these concerns. We also need to know how we can help them with their career progression. I encourage unit members to attend not only to develop their leadership skills but also to enhance their career and the careers of their fellow Airmen. The HRDC helps all of us."

The next 512th AW HRDC meeting is Nov. 7 at 9 a.m. in Building 260.

(Tech. Sgt. Kelly Ogden, Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs, and Capt. Marnee A.C. Losurdo, 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this article)