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655th ISRG bids farewell to original member

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Weston Woodward
  • 655th ISRG Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  

The 655th Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group bid farewell to one of its original members, Master Sgt. Todd Cook, in a retirement ceremony held here April 21.

 

Cook retired after 23 years of service spanning across Active Duty, the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve from 1995 to 2018 working in the air traffic control, personnel, medical technician, education and training, intelligence mission training, and deployment and readiness career fields.

 

“I’ve had a lot of great opportunities,” said Cook during his retirement ceremony as he recounted and shared numerous stories from his career. “The Air Force has provided me with all of that.”

 

Cook was a distinguished graduate from basic training, a distinguished graduate from medical technician training, won the Commander’s Excellence Top Graduate at the Operations Intelligence Course and was named the Air Force Reserve Command Personnelist of the Year in 2006.  He also earned outstanding performer and top performer honors several times in several categories.

 

In his remarks at his retirement ceremony, Cook spent the majority of his time recognizing family members and colleagues that helped support him along the way.

 

“I don’t want to make this about me,” said Cook. “I was simply put into a position to succeed by everyone in this room.”

 

Cook spent the last six years of his career working with the 655th ISRG as the unit training manager and unit deployment manager. He was an original member of the unit and “plank holder.” Traditionally, plank holders were members of U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard ships that were on that ship’s crew when it was commissioned. Today, however, the term “plank holder” is applied to members of newly commissioned units, bases, and recommissioning crews as well.

 

Col. John D. McKaye, 655th ISRG commander, officiated the ceremony and commented that the Air Force has benefitted greatly because of Cook’s service, from his early days of enlistment, through his deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to his current status as an Air Force civilian employee. 

 

“He is well-liked, incredibly efficient,” McKaye said. “In my two years as commander here, I have never known him to not give anything less than his full ability or fail to help anyone who needed it.  This, I expect, comes as a surprise to no one who knows or has ever worked with him.”

 

The 655th Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group is dedicated to serving as the premier and most diverse ISR Group in the United States Air Force, delivering timely, reliable, accurate and actionable intelligence products enabling a decisive advantage over adversaries of the United States.  The 655th consists of a headquarters and three tenant squadrons in Ohio, and 11 geographically separated units in California, Texas, Nebraska, Virginia, Florida and Maryland.  For exciting and rewarding career opportunities with the 655th ISRG, please contact your local Air Force Reserve recruiter or call 937-257-8117.