Junior cadet flight brings in new troop

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Matt Moorman
  • 916 ARW
Seymour Johnson AFB, NC --  Airman 1st Class Tyrone Faison Jr. knows why he’s in the Air Force Reserve. “Ever since I can remember I’ve loved airplanes,” said Faison, perched in the pilot’s chair of a KC-135 Stratotanker.

Airman Faison graduated in January from KC-135 crew chief technical school at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. He took part in a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet incentive flight during his sophomore year of high school. During this flight, in which they refueled KC-10s off the coast of New Jersey, Airman Faison was acquainted with the exciting opportunities available in the Air Force Reserve.

He liked it – so much so that he left for basic training the day after he graduated in June 2005. Airman Faison says his most memorable experience from JROTC was flying that day with the 916th. It’s something he’s kept with him during his transformation from civilian to Reserve Airman.

After four years in the Air Force JROTC at Southern Wayne High School, Faison said “when I got to basic training, there really wasn’t all that much to learn.” Faison served for a time as the color guard commander in his JROTC unit.

Faison’s desire to work with airplanes fueled his decision to join the Air Force Reserve after high school.

“I was thinking about going into the Army, actually, and being a paratrooper; but I changed my mind because I heard about the [temporary duty assignment opportunities with the 916th] and everything, how much fun they had and the nice places they go to.” He wanted to work with airplanes and he knew the Air Force Reserve was the best place for that.

Tyrone Faison Sr., a Naval Reservist, originally convinced his son to join the JROTC unit in high school. He instilled in his son a good sense of patriotic duty, about which Faison Jr. says “I always think about putting the job first, like they say: ‘service before self.’” He eventually needed no convincing to participate in JROTC.

Of his decision to be a crew chief, he said, “It seemed like a fun job – a relaxing job that I could actually like. I feel like I wouldn’t go to work saying ‘I hate to go to work.’” And when expressing his enthusiasm over his Air Force Reserve job, he said “I’d talk about the things I’ve learned – how it feels when you launch an aircraft.”

Airman Faison begins school at Wayne Community College this fall semester, where he will study aircraft systems technology. He eventually wants to become an Air Reserve Technician with the Air Force Reserve. “I want to make chief some time,” he said. He also plans on volunteering with his old JROTC unit drill team.

But for now, Airman Faison says “I just like being a crew chief.”