Wisconsin Airman serves entire installation in Southwest Asia

By Master Sgt. Scott Sturkol
380th Air Expeditionary Wing

April 12, 2010 - An Airman assigned to the 115th Fighter Wing in Madison is more than halfway through a six month deployment that began in January, when he volunteered to leave his Middleton home, friends and family, and a job that he loves to gain experience as a military contractor.

Tech. Sgt. Tyson Hall's hometown motto in Middleton is the "Good Neighbor City." As a contracting officer with the 380th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron (ECONS), Southwest Asia, Hall also might be considered a "good neighbor" to the many people he supports throughout the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing.

"If you got it, we bought it," said Hall. "As a contracting officer, we appear to be a 'behind the scenes' career field within the Air Force. However, we are involved with every squadron or group on base in one way or another."

Hall said the 380th ECONS mission is separated into three areas to service the majority of base acquisitions - commodities, construction and services.

"I work within the commodities flight with three other contracting officers purchasing for all other squadrons and groups," Hall said. "We purchase items per the customer's request, while remaining within the guidelines as established, and get these items in the hands of the end users as soon as possible at a fair and reasonable price with the best quality commercially available. The workload and days are long with most guys staying here till midnight - six days on and one day off."

In a deployed environment, Hall said the majority of base purchases are directed through the contracting squadron.

"That's done to ensure a streamlined and efficient transaction for a broad range of services, supplies and construction projects," Hall said. "These purchases range from the cleaning of restrooms, providing personnel for food services, construction of living quarters and the installation of slide barriers and traffic spikes. It also includes routine purchases of office furniture, cleaning supplies, medical supplies, security equipment and a variety of other items."

Tech. Sgt. Ryan Johnson, 115th FW contracting officer and one of Hall's coworkers at Traux Field, said Hall has gained a lot of experience while working at the fighter wing despite only working there part-time as a traditional guard member.

"I believe Tech. Sgt. Hall's experience overseas is directly related to his positive attitude, eagerness to learn and his ability to catch on quickly," Johnson said.

Hall, who began his military career with the Army National Guard as a transportation specialist, said he soon realized the benefits the Air Force and the Air National Guard had to offer. Hall reenlisted to the Air National Guard in 2004 and said he enjoys his time here while being deployed. "I feel fortunate and privileged, to be located in the best squadron on base and working alongside with the best active duty contracting officers the Air Force has to offer," Hall said. "I joined the military to explore a challenge. It has always been something that has interested me since I saw my Dad's basic training yearbook when I was elementary school or heard the stories of and from my grandfather Jack Hall - a distinguished World War II veteran.

"The decision was sealed to further explore the opportunities the military had to offer when my cousin, Jon Hall, enlisted in the Marines and my best friend, Jeff Killian, was accepted at West Point," Hall said. "It is, and has been, an honor to be the third generation serving in the military and has made for some interesting and entertaining stories and experiences."

The 380th ECONS is a sub-unit of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The wing is home to the KC-10 Extender, U-2 Dragon Lady, E-3 Sentry and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The wing is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The 380th AEW supports operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.