American Legion National Security Commission tours Wisconsin Air Guard base

Date: August 30, 2010
By Senior Airman Ryan Kuntze
128th Air Refueling Wing

Forty-eight members of the American Legion's National Security Commission toured the 128th Air Refueling Wing in Milwaukee on Friday (Aug. 27) as part of their annual convention.

The American Legion members, guided by several Airmen, Soldiers and senior military leaders from throughout Wisconsin, received a tour of a KC-135R Stratotanker, F-16C Falcon, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and an Army mobile communications array.

Col. Ted Metzger, the commander of the 128th Air Refueling Wing, began the tour by explaining the wing's refueling mission and contributions to global military efforts. He further explained that the wing's Stratotankers have recently contributed to ongoing military missions in Afghanistan by performing aeromedical evacuation operations.

Metzger also described the specific challenges concerning deployments within the Air National Guard and National Guard.

"Deployments are a concern due to part-time personnel and their civilian jobs," he said. "Longer deployments can affect that member's [civilian] job status."

Elaine Schachelmayer, the 128th Air Refueling Wing Airman and Family Readiness Program manager, detailed her role in the wing's mission.

"We learned from [the Vietnam War] that no service member should have to go it alone," she said. "The Airman and Family Readiness Program is a vital component [of the wing], supported by every component and the commander of the 128th."

Brig. Gen. John E. McCoy, commander of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, addressed the Legion commission next.

"On behalf of the 10,000 military members of Wisconsin, welcome to Wisconsin and Milwaukee," he said. "We're very proud of this Wing . . . and it's a great opportunity to have you here."

Airmen from the 128th Air Refueling Wing led small groups of American Legion members onto the flightline, where several aircraft and their crews stood by to explain the nuances of the current military aerial assets on display.

During the guided tour, Patty Waltz, the American Legion human resources director, said the American Legion typically receives a tour of a military installation in the annual convention's host city.

Mike Duggan, the American Legion past deputy director for national security and a retired Army colonel, said of his time in uniform, "I wouldn't do it all again, but I'd do most of it again. And that's a credit to the service."

Following the guided tour, the American Legion members were given a locally-catered luncheon at Sijan Hall, the on-base dining facility.

During this time, service members were able to talk with American Legion members and answer any questions regarding the guided tour, military service or casual issues. The day ended with an hour-long question-and-answer session, where a panel of seven Airmen and Soldiers fielded questions from the American Legion. These questions specifically concerned any perceived difficulties of military service and personal experiences from deployments overseas.

The National Security Commission of the American Legion requested the pre-convention tour to reconnect with military members and units, said Sam Gilmore, the deputy director of the American Legion National Security and Foreign Relations Committee. Attending American Legion members will use their experiences from the tour to better promote the well-being of service members, he said.