Total Force Airmen have new 'incentive' to excel at Peterson

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier
  • 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
For most Airmen at this southern Colorado base, getting close to a C-130 Hercules means watching one take off, land and fly over head. But for 39 Air Force Reserve and Active Duty Airmen stationed here, a 302nd Airlift Wing's Human Resources Development Council idea would change that.

The HRDC group hosted a first-of-its-kind incentive flight for both 302nd AW Reservists and Active Duty Airmen assigned to Peterson's 21st Space Wing and 52nd Airlift Squadron. The incentive flight, according to Col. Courtney Arnold, 302nd AW vice commander, is designed to recognize top performers within each organization as a way for leadership from both wings to say "thank you" for a job well done.

"This program allows us the opportunity to directly expose some of our top performers from both the Air Force Reserve and Active Duty to our airlift mission," Colonel Arnold said. "Everyone in the 302nd [AW] knows that our mission is tactical airlift, but not all of our members and friends on the Active Duty side get the opportunity to see just how the mission is actually performed. So this incentive program gives them both the same opportunity to see the mission firsthand."

The day's incentive flight included two, AF Reserve C-130H3 Hercules aircraft, on a regularly scheduled training mission that took the Airmen on a tactical mission over the Rocky Mountains. Toward the end of the flight, the Airmen witnessed a live cargo drop east of Peterson, and returned just after an hour.

While strapping herself into one of the C-130's web seats prior to takeoff, Airman 1st Class Teresa Monteon, a medical technician assigned to the 21st Medical Operations Squadron, said she was really shocked to be selected for the incentive flight.

"I've always wanted to be on one of these and have the opportunity to see an actual air drop," the San Jose, Calif., native said. "Seeing the view and the air drop was amazing. I would definitely do this again. For those who can do this, it's a great experience."

Both wings are interested in continuing future incentive flights to further recognize top performers, and both organizations are soliciting feedback from the flyers during the coming days. Future flights are just fine as far as Airman 1st Class Shaun Rothe is concerned, who has flown onboard a C-130 once before, but never with a cargo drop.

"I loved watching the ground move and the chutes open up with the load from the other plane zooming by us," said Airman Rothe, a fuels technician assigned to the 302nd Logistics Readiness Squadron. "I work on the ground around the planes, but rarely get to go into them. I know we drop stuff out of planes, but seeing it all firsthand let's you better understand how it all comes together. It was awesome."