Face of Defense: Son Follows Father’s Path to the Air Force

By Air Force Staff Sgt. J.D. Strong II, 377th Air Base Wing

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Air Force Airman 1st Class David Mapel is following in the footsteps of his father, Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Mark Mapel, as a CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft special mission aviator.

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The senior Mapel is currently the chief enlisted manager for standards and evaluations with the 1st Special Operations Group at Hurlburt Field, Fla., while David is assigned here to the 58th Training Squadron as a CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft special mission aviator student.

Special Mission Aviators

Special mission aviators cover everything from preflight inspections of aircraft systems to the placement and delivery of the aircraft’s cargo.

They have multiple integral roles, monitoring all functions for the aircraft while providing weapon defense-including the former duties of flight engineers, loadmasters and gunners.

David said he went to college and found that it wasn’t for him. He decided to join the Air Force.

“Being with the family, I saw the job, the community, everyone in it and how close everyone was in the squadron, that’s why I wanted to go for special operations,” he said.

Mark said he wanted his son to attend college, get his bachelor’s degree, and then join the Air Force as a commissioned officer. Mark earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees while remaining enlisted.

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“One of the main reasons I joined [the Air Force] and chose to do special operations was to try to make a difference in the world. … Hopefully I was able to make a little bit of difference,” Mark said.

Family History of Military Service

Mark said his father was an Army infantryman and his older brother was an Army Ranger. He also had several uncles that served in the Army and Marine Corps.

“Their service definitely impacted my decision to join and carry forward the heritage, pride in our military and pride in our country,” he said.

Mark said he is happy that his son is following in his footsteps.

“I am very proud of him … It’s easy to say it’s the proudest thing [he’s] done to date,” Mark said of his son. “I’m seriously trying to consider if there is anything else [he’s] done that’s more worthy than serving [his] country as special operations in the United States Air Force, and, honestly, in my opinion, I don’t think there is.”