Born in the military: One family’s legacy of service

by Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs7/26/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Military deployments are difficult for both the service member and the family members they leave behind. Being in a dual-military parent family doesn't make it easier, but after nearly 50 years of combined service, the current Wakefields are continuing their family's tradition."My great uncles served in the Army during WWII, my Dad was an Army mortar man, I'm an aircraft maintainer and now my son is an infantryman in the Marines," said Chief Master Sgt. Gary Wakefield, the 7th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit chief deployed from Robins Air Force Base, Ga. "As soon as my youngest graduates high school, he'll also join the Marines."For the Wakefields, the military has become a way of life that's been passed down through the generations and as if by fate, the chief found himself a wife whose family also has a strong legacy of service."My Dad spent 23 years in the Air Force as basically a security police officer," said Master Sgt. Dana Wakefield, assigned to the 94th Aeromedical Staging Squadron at Dobbins Air Reserve Base and working for the Air Force Reserve Management Group's Training Management Branch at Robins AFB. "So I grew up in the life of the military child with father gone a lot and mom struggling to keep it all together."That sentiment is nothing new for (dual-) military families with at least one member gone every 20 months or less for various deployments, temporary duty assignments and unaccompanied one year "short" tours to places like Turkey and South Korea."I'm not going lie, it has been difficult at times leaving my family as often and as long as I have throughout my career," the 25-year chief said. "But we pulled through it as a family and I believe these experiences have made us stronger."Not only was it hard for the chief, but those times dad was gone, were difficult for the family as well."All the deployments, unaccompanied tours and moving every two to four years does make you earn your pay check in very unexpected ways," Dana said, who has served for nearly 23 years herself. "I thought it would be easier for me having grown up that way, but it has been just as hard, maybe harder as I struggle to balance being a mom and serve my country in uniform as well."Dana talked about how she's felt during deployments, especially now both her husband and oldest son are deployed at the same time."In the past deployments, I have felt every dark emotion known to womankind," she said. "You become needy in ways you can't understand and you can't explain. It is a strange situation because then they come back and while your new needs start to be filled, the deployment related needs stay unmet."Dana thinks this is why many spouses suffer from various forms of stress disorders and depression."You think all is fine when they come back and then another deployment comes and bam, you get it right in the kisser and it all comes flooding back and your fears return," she said.Deployments can be tough for military families, but Dana said the blessing is knowing they are coming home."While you are missing many areas of support from your spouse, your burden will lighten when they come home, especially if both of you work on the recovery after deployment," she said. "Having my husband and my son deployed at the same time is very strange. I think I am over my initial fear and anxiety, though I do get very weak in the knees whether I am sitting down or standing up when I say, 'They are both deployed.' But then I focus on how very proud I am of both of them."Marine Pfc. Seth Wakefield, currently deployed to an undisclosed location in Africa, said it was his parents who really got him interested in the family business."I was always fascinated with the military and when Mom and Dad would sometimes come pick me up from school in their battle dress uniforms -- I thought it was so cool," Seth said. "I think anyone who has family in the military, even distant relatives, when you tell someone about it, you fill with pride."Seth is the older of the two Wakefield boys, who beat his younger brother, Gage, to the "Semper Fidelis" way of life.But how do you go from growing up Air Force to joining the Marines?"I wanted a challenge," Gage said with a smile. "When I was little and my brother and I said we were going to be Marines, Mom would say, 'Ok, if you want to make your mother cry.' Now that we are older, she is happy with my choice, although she wishes I would be a linguist or Intel."Yet, like his brother, he plans to join the infantry."It gives me a sense of nationalism and pride," said Gage. "I see from my parents that being in the military is a wonderful way of life that grants amazing opportunities for my future."Echoing his brother, Seth explained what it means to him to have such strong figures in the home."My Dad is an outstanding example for a young man to follow and I often times find myself in situations where I think of him and what he would do," said Seth. "And just like any good Marine, I often find myself paving my own path right through the hardest route then thinking, 'Shoot, I should have listened to him!' No, but I'm thankful my Dad and Mom are such great examples of outstanding military personnel."That token holds true for how the chief and Dana feel of their son's continued commitment to the family tradition of service."I'm proud of my boys," the chief said. "What they've accomplished and plan to do with their lives -- that commitment to service, like Dana and I have had, it is truly humbling to know your boys want to serve their country because you served."Dana added the military is their family business; it is passed down from father or mother to daughter or son."It is the way our family gives back to our community and our country," she said. "I am very proud of the two patriots we have raised and my hopes for them are bright and shiny just like the stars on our flag. We have a great love of our country, and as my Mom would say, 'Worts and all.'"After more deployments, permanent changes of station, TDYs, etc., Dana and the chief said they couldn't have done it without their family, friends and often times, complete strangers."I am grateful for the many Americans I meet almost every day who say, 'Thank you for your service,'" Dana said.

Maintenance chaplain makes big impact

by Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

5/23/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- With the blinding sun baking down on the hot tarmac, maintenance crews strive to keep aircraft strategically poised to support troops on the ground in the area of operations. The work isn't easy, the days are long and nerves can be frayed. That is until the maintenance group chaplain rolls up with a smile, devotion and a popsicle."It's nice to know we have the support of more than just our leadership," said Senior Airman Jonathan Donovan, a 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron C-130 Hercules crew chief deployed from Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. "He really connects with us at the most basic levels."That sentiment for Chaplain (Capt.) David Dziolek is carried across the maintenance group here, but as they say, "there's a rhyme for every reason.""He was maintenance like us, so we really feel like we can open up to him because he understands what we're going through day-in and day-out," said Airman 1st Class Paul Basirico, also a 379th EAMXS C-130 crew chief deployed from Peterson AFB.Dziolek, a Freesoil, Mich., native, began his career in 1991 when he enlisted in the Air Force as an F-15E Strike Eagle maintainer. While he had aspirations to play basketball in the NBA, he said he was needed elsewhere."The Lakers wanted me, but I had a calling to serve," he smiled.After completing technical training, Dziolek arrived at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., where he served for five years."I completed Airman Leadership School there," he said. "But I learned at Nellis a lot of what not to do and it wasn't until my next assignment I really felt like I belonged."Dziolek credits his next assignment, the former Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, for turning his life around."The Lord really got a hold of me up there," he said. "I came to him broken. But he got a hold of me through the Gospels and the Navy chaplain took me under his wing and really began to mentor me."Losing his father at 12 years old, Dziolek hadn't had a real mentor or even father figure until meeting this chaplain."He had a huge impact on me," Dziolek said. "He was one of the first to say to me, 'I believe in you.'"It was under this Navy chaplain's spiritual mentorship he began reflecting on what the future had in store."God was doing some major molding in my life," he said. "He would come to me in visions while I was reading the Bible. These were moments of clarity in my life -- I could literally see myself dressed up in a suit and tie preaching God's word."Following his calling, Dziolek left the Air Force in 2000 to pursue the higher education necessary to be a chaplain. He attained his bachelor's degree in Pastoral Ministry in 2003 from Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., joined the Air Force Reserves in 2005 and completed his master's in Divinity from the Church of God Seminary, also in Cleveland, Tenn., in 2006. From there he went active duty in 2010 as a chaplain and has since been assigned to Wilford Hall Medical Facility at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.He's served the men and women of the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group for the past six months as their chaplain. He said his experience here rekindled "some old energy and passion."These sentiments are rooted in the maintenance career field. He loves going out visiting with Airmen, because not only is he able to share God's message of salvation, he relives the things he grew to appreciate earlier in his career."I absolutely love the smell of the flightline," Dziolek said. "I love the heat baking down on you and to see those awesome planes fly."Maintenance at the core, the chaplain enjoyed reliving his youth here."I remember when the jets would break down hard and we had to troubleshoot the problem to get the aircraft back on the line," he said. "Out here you really feel connected to the mission. But now as a chaplain, I get to do some spiritual troubleshooting and help these guys with their issues -- watch them fly, spiritually."This gives Dziolek the greatest sense of accomplishment because at the end of the day, his work adds to the 379th's maintainer's spiritual readiness. But the chaplain hasn't accomplished all he has here without the guided help of his assistant, Staff Sgt. Bernard Untalan."Working with Chaplain 'DZ' I've experienced profound moments of ministry," Untalan said. "He made it a point to include me in everything he did. From our weekly devotions to simply delivering cold popsicles, I know we made a difference, but I wish we could've done more."Untalan and Dziolek both wished they could've spent more time with the crews, noting 25 or more units visited in a week just wasn't enough."We could never visit long enough," Untalan said. "As the chaplain's assistant you can really tell when your presence isn't welcome, but here, we were always welcome."Untalan feels like this had a lot to do with the chaplain's enlisted and maintenance background."You can't be mad when the chaplain walks in," said Maj. Bryan Webster, the 746th Aircraft Maintenance Unit officer in charge. "People couldn't help but smile when they saw the chaplain because he did a lot to help center us."With unit engagement as his number one priority, Dziolek made a huge impact on the maintenance group, but if you ask the chaplain, it was God working through him."To God be the glory," he said. "For all the great things he has done in my life, I'm just happy to serve."