The man with two careers

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Emily F. Alley
  • 442d Fighter Wing
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  The sun had barely risen at Moody Air Force Base the morning of January 11. A stream of runners trickled over the finish line of their fitness test run as giant red numbers ticked off a large timer.

Chief Master Sgt. Ken Koyles sprinted across the finish line.

"That's it!" Koyles exclaimed, as he pulled off his blue numbered jersey. "That's the last fitness test I'll ever need!"

But then he turned around and saw one runner was left. Koyles jogged back onto the road and finished the run with the Airman.

It's not his first final PT test.

Koyles retired from the active duty Air Force at the 509th Bomb Wing, out of Whiteman Air Force Base, as a technical sergeant in 1997.

He lived as a civilian until September 11, 2001. That day, his brother was a firefighter in New York City.

"He got the call after the second plane hit to go to the World Trade Center," said Koyles. "He was in the basement when the building fell."

Koyles' brother survived- as part of the only fire truck of NYC firefighters who lived- and described the experience, "The building started to shake, there was a rumbling noise, guys started running and yelling 'get out' and then the lights went out."

"I remember taking about five or six strides towards the entrance were we came in and was either tripped or thrown through the air," David Koyles wrote. "I remember grabbing onto my helmet, which I constantly lose at jobs, putting my hands over my head, and laying on the carpet of the lobby."

"As long as it took that building to collapse, that's how long I lay there waiting. And then the noise stopped and the vibration stopped and it was just darkness and unbreathable air from the dust."

The firefighter used his flashlight to find his way through the dust and rubble to get out of the building. He crawled through what he described as a crater, "I realized the darkness I was in changed to a dark shade of gray. That's when I knew I was outside."

When he found the exit, he didn't leave. He turned around and went back in.

"He crawled back in to help other people find the way out," said Chief Koyles. After a pause he added, "I don't know if I would do the same thing."

In a way, he did.  Even though he had already finished his Air Force career, Koyles decided to re-enlist.

"[September 11] was on a Tuesday," he said. "I talked to [David] on Wednesday. On Saturday, I got a letter inviting me to join the Air Force Reserves."

Koyles claimed he had already been thinking of re-enlisting, but hadn't discussed it with his wife before he got the letter.

"If I'd gotten it during the week I probably would have gone straight to the recruiter," he reflected. "It probably saved my marriage- getting it on a Saturday!" he joked.

He recalled there being a line to speak to the recruiter at the 442d Fighter Wing and Koyles waited outside the office door for his turn to interview. The applicant in front of him was a retired master sergeant. However, the recruiter could only enlist airmen.

"He was banging on the recruiter's desk, swearing at him, saying he deserved his old rank" recalled Chief Koyles. "The door was closed, but you could hear him yelling."

The retired master sergeant stormed out of the office, and Koyles walked in.

"When I handed the recruiter my letter the blood drained from his face. 'I'll tell you right now,' he told me, 'I only have up to senior airman.'"

Koyles agreed to take the rank of senior airman. However, the recruiter was impressed with Koyles' attitude and pushed through a waiver enlisting him as a technical sergeant.  When the recruiter asked what job he wanted, Koyles said he'd go wherever he was needed. When the paperwork was finalized, Koyles' son- an Army officer- enlisted him. 

He credits the success of his second Air Force career, and his ability to achieve the highest enlisted rank, to his family. Koyles' daughter, who is fluent in American Sign Language, volunteers as an interpreter during wing events. His wife is an active key spouse.

"I just help people help other people. I get the credit for the great people who surround me," said Koyles. "My wife earned my last two stripes."

As Superintendent of the 476th Fighter Group, Koyles participates in the group's PT test every UTA. His custom is to finish the run with the slowest participant. Like his brother, he doesn't want to leave them behind.