442nd helps take care of Barksdale Airmen

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Wesle Wright
  • 442 Fighter Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  One of 442nd Fighter Wing Commander Brig. Gen. Eric S. Overturf's priorities for 2013 is To Develop and Care for Airmen and Their Families.

To prepare for the closure of the 917th Fighter Group at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., 442nd Force Support Squadron Commander Joe Walter recently traveled there to help Airmen utilize options to find new jobs.

"From a military, personnel perspective, I went down there to make sure members of the unit had all the tools they need to find new jobs," Walter said. "The positions are going to come off the books on Sept. 30, and a lot of things have to happen between now and then."

Walter said taking care of Airmen is an integral part of his job.

"It's very, very important," he said. "I think it's one of the vital things you can do for a unit, taking care of people who are entering, and taking care of people who are leaving. To me, this is a big statement about how we take care of our Airmen."

Maj. Todd Riddle, 442nd FW chief combat readiness officer and former Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program coordinator, agreed that caring for Airmen and their families comes first.

"The main motivation for our involvement is the personnel," he said. "Those are 442nd people attached to the fighter group at Barksdale. We want to make sure all those people, with their skill sets and value they have to the Air Force, have jobs, opportunities and are cared for."

Riddle said taking care of the four A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and associated equipment Whiteman will gaining will be the next step.

"The aircraft are obviously very critical," he said. "Also, we will be making sure the equipment ends up where it needs to within the Reserve, and making the best use or allocation of that."

As Walter continues his efforts to provide tools to the Airmen and families of the 917th FG transition, and as Riddle charts out how the gaining aircraft fit in, the men and women of Barksdale AFB can know their people, aircraft and equipment are not forgotten in these difficult times.