End of an era: Reservist, Vietnam veteran retires

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Veronica A. Aceveda
  • 512th Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  After nearly 30-years of service and four career fields, one 512th Airlift Wing reservist will end his career where it first started. 

From Newark, Del., at the age of 19, Master Sgt. Charles Cordivano V., 326th Airlift Squadron aviation resource manager, enlisted into the regular Air Force on Jan. 2, 1969. As a radar technician, he attended technical training at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. 

"I wanted to travel, move away from home," said Sergeant Cordivano. "So, my first duty assignment choice was Europe and my second was the west coast." 

He received orders for Dover AFB in the fall of 1969. He said he stayed in the barracks with community bathrooms, and the base was a lot different back then. The first types of aircraft he worked on here were C-133s, C-124s and C-141s. 

After a couple of years at Dover AFB, he served about a year in the Vietnam theater. Assigned to Thailand, he spent a couple of months in Korea and spent the remainder of the year flying over the Gulf of Tonkin in EC-121s. 

He said that particular aircraft was the early version of AWACS with about four radars on board. His job was to maintain those radars and repair them when needed. 

"About twice a week, we would fly 12-hour circle missions from Thailand to the gulf region," said Sergeant Cordivano who was a buck sergeant at the time. "We were continuously scanning the horizon letting our fighter jets know where enemy aircraft were." 

While Sergeant Cordivano said he seldom talks about his time there, he does believe he's the last Vietnam veteran in the wing who supported the military's effort abroad, which earned him the Vietnam Service Medal with one device. 

"Back then, it wasn't about the person. You weren't respected for being over there," he said. "It was more like you went and supported something that most Americans didn't believe in. 

"Nowadays, there's a lot more public support for servicemembers," he said. "Americans may not support the cause, but they stand by our troops." 

Following his overseas tour and return to the U.S., Sergeant Cordivano's enlistment came to an end Jan. 1, 1973. 

As a civilian, Sergeant Cordivano, known as Chuck, worked various retail management positions and started a family; he had two sons. 

He said, he knew Gary Auld, who's currently a chief master sergeant and the flight engineer superintendent for the 709th AS. It was Chief Auld who played a part in him joining the Air Force Reserve in June 1985. 

"Chuck has always been one to get the job done; regardless of whose job it is, how long it takes, or how much work is involved," said Chief Auld.

As a staff sergeant, he became a C-5 loadmaster for the 326th AS, where he only worked a couple of years before he cross trained to become a flight engineer. 

"It gave me the challenge I was looking for," said Sergeant Cordivano. "I liked learning about the different systems onboard and more about the airplane itself and how it operates." 

For eight years, Sergeant Cordivano spent a lot of time in the air and away from home, many times at the sacrifice of missing important events for his sons, Charles and Edward. 

So, in 1996, having raised his sons to adulthood, Sergeant Cordivano received custody of his three-month old granddaughter Samantha. As he became a full-time, single parent, the opportunity to become an Air Reserve Technician with the 512th Operations Support Flight became available. 

He served as the supervisor of the 512th AW Operations Center for six years. He transferred back to the 326th AS with the arrival of the C-17 in 2007. 

"Master Sgt. Cordivano has been a key player in our operational support staff for many years," said Lt. Col. Craig LaFave. "Without his critical skills, our aircrew would not have made it downrange to deliver the goods. He will be missed."

In all, Sergeant Cordivano has more than 29 years of military service, and he's working to the very last moment possible. His 60th birthday is Nov. 10.
"It's not like I didn't know it was coming, but retiring is still a bittersweet moment," he said. "It'll be great to not have to work, and I'll get to collect all of my money right away. 

But, there are so many people I'm going to miss. It's more like family here instead of fellow workers, and it always has been."

As for his retirement plans, Sergeant Cordivano said he will stay in the area for a while and play a lot of golf. After it warms up, he said he might even look for a job on a golf course or in a pro shop to keep himself busy, in addition to rearing his granddaughter through her teenage years. 

And, after having served the Air Force and Air Force Reserve in the '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s and '00s, Sergeant Cordivano's parting words to those he leaves behind is, "Keep your wings level, your tanks full, and enjoy life."