Services Flight serves MacDill

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Susan Walthour
  • 442nd Services Flight
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The 442nd Services Flight took to the road April 5, as 21 of its members of traveled to MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., to perform annual training there for two weeks.

Working with their counterparts in the 6th Services Squadron, the 442nd Services reservists rotated through several Services areas around the base.

"Our people were able to see and contribute on how the job can get done with different experiences and teams,'' said Master Sgt. Travis Stickels, 442nd SVF NCOIC. "You had contractors, active duty and our reserve unit all working together."

One focal point for the deployment was the MacDill Inn where the Whiteman troops worked with the lodging front desk staff helping provide 24 hour check-in and check-out service. Other 442nd Services members working in lodging assisted with inventories and worked with lodging maintenance department. One laborious task included changing all the door locks on three buildings.

Services members working in MacDill's 348-seat Diner's Reef dining facility were able to jump in and backfill positions in the storeroom. This was no small task as the facility, whose customers include the 6th Air Mobility Wing's mission partners, USCENTCOM and USSOCOM, annually serves about 262,000 meals .

During the deployment, most members took the opportunity to attend some classes at MacDill's fitness center. Members of the Services team also trained in mortuary affairs and readiness.

They also rotated through the base's honor guard where they attained a better understanding of the purpose of the honor guard. The honor guard provides military funeral honors to all active duty, retired and veteran members.

The honor guard's area of responsibility is extensive and comprises a large geographic area throughout much of the west coast of Florida. It includes the Tampa and St. Petersburg area, south to Naples and Miami, and north to Brooksville and Leesburg. Several 442nd members also participated in some of the funeral honors at Florida National Cemetery, in nearby Bushnell, Fla., the most frequently visited site for the base's honor guard.

In addition to normal duty assignments, the 442nd Services members tried out their green thumbs and volunteered to work with the outdoor recreation department, helping to plant more than 100 trees in the family camping area on base.

Besides performing their military duties, some of the reservists volunteered to work with a Habitat for Humanity effort.

In the old family housing area on base, soon be torn down and replaced with new houeses, they removed items that would benefit the local Habitat for Humanity organization.

Master Sgt. Ed Updyke and Tech. Sgt. Eddie Norton volunteered time to help remove stoves, water heaters and ceiling fans along with other electrical fixtures, cabinets and vanities that would be taken out of the 25 units and resold to benefit the Hillsborough Habitat for Humanity in the Tampa area.

Their efforts were not a surprise to Sergeant Stickels.

"It really doesn't surprise me that Master Sgt. Updyke and Tech. Sgt. Norton were the first ones to raise their hand to support the Habitat," Sergeant Stickels said. "That's just how they are; they're always looking out for others and are always willing to lend a hand, especially for a great cause like this."

Officials at Habitat for Humanity were grateful for the support.

"The donated items will help us but even more than having those items, it was so great to work with Airman volunteers who came out to help us," said Marty Ziakgrat with Hillsborough Habitat for Humanity.