A family tradition

  • Published
  • By Capt. Shannon Mann
  • 916th Public Affairs Office
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  "I call her Sergeant Mom," chuckled the fresh-faced 20-year-old in battle dress uniform.
Master Sgt. Susan Pate takes the ribbing in stride, knowing it is actually a name, and a voice, she loves to hear. 

The 20-year-old is her son, Andy, or rather Senior Airman Andy Pate and the nickname is something she gets to hear once a month when her and her son serve together as members of the 916th Air Refueling Wing Maintenance Group. 

Sergeant Pate began her military career in 1984, but took some time off to start her family. "I missed it, she said. "I missed the camaraderie, the structure and everything that goes along with being part of the military." So she joined the National Guard, but found the five hour commute to drill wasn't a good option for her and transferred to Seymour Johnson. 

She also transferred the call to duty to her son. 

"We're a military family," said Sergeant Pate explaining the long lineage of those who have served on both sides of their family, to include Andy's father. "It was inbred in Andy from the word go." 

While Airman Pate started Junior ROTC in middle school, he said his main influence seemed to be his father. "Mom's influence didn't really impact me till I was ready to join. Mom had all the answers." 

Sergeant Pate said she was very hopeful that her son would follow in her Air Force footsteps. "I would have been worried had he joined another service, but not the Air Force," she said. 

Both became members of the 916th in 2006. Sergeant Pate works as the information manager for the 916th Maintenance Group, while Airman Pate is an electrical environmental technician for the 916th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. And although they have different jobs in different buildings, they both agree that their service in the 916th has brought them closer together. 

"I was close to retiring not too long ago," she said. "But my commander and chief encouraged me to stay telling me that my son was here now and I couldn't leave him." The ploy worked and paid off. 

"Drill weekends are time that we get to spend together," said Sergeant Pate. "We've had more heart-to-heart talks at lunch than ever before. He opens up a lot more to me now."
Airman Pate attributes that to a higher maturity level he's gained by being a part of the Air Force Reserve. "I've grown up a lot in the Air Force," he said. 

His mom has been there to participate in many of his promotions, but during the April unit training assembly he was able to repay the favor by participating in her promotion ceremony to master sergeant. Retirement doesn't seem to be on her mind anymore as she talks about possibly making chief master sergeant one day. And for the spirited, thrill-seeking 20-year-old, he knows his career options are wide-open, but thanks to mom he's certain that he'll be following in her tracks toward a long military career that spans many decades.