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Enlistment highlights total force

  • Published
  • By By Tech. Sgt. Barbara S. Plante
  • 944th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, ARIZ. --  Fourteen of the 944th Fighter Wing's newest recruits stood next to a brand new F-35 Lightening II, raised their hands and took a huge step into their future by enlisting into the Air Force Reserve during a mass enlistment ceremony held on the flightline here during the October unit training assembly.

At the beginning of each recruiting year, all recruiting flights are expected to participate in a mass enlistment which highlights the collective efforts of all the recruiters and also expresses what the mission is at each location.

Senior Master Sgt. Kevin T. Bevins, Recruiting flight chief, was under the gun and had to think of a creative idea and fast. 

"I was racking my brain trying to come up with something new and different. During my travels to Luke, the recruiting service computer program known as Air Force Recruiting Information Support System - Reserve changed its name to become the Air Force Recruiting Information Support System - Total Force.  I had found my theme--Total Force. When I arrive at Luke, I learned that the wing was starting up a new unit, the 944th FW Detachment 1 Maintenance Squadron, a new Total Force F-35 maintenance unit," said Bevins. 

With the help and cooperation of numerous Reserve and Active Duty work centers, his plan came together.

"I think this is great. It shows what our military can do. It shows what a superpower America is, and I am very glad to be a part of this," said enlistee Brandon R. Shelor, a former F-16 maintainer who spent seven years on active duty, including three years here at Luke before joining the reserve. Shelor will be one of the maintainers for the new detachment, eventually working side-by-side with active-duty maintainers.

Several senior leaders from the 56th Maintenance Group stood alongside the new recruits as Col. Robert D. Whitehouse, 944th FW vice commander administered the enlistment oath.

"You are standing next to a state-of-the-art aircraft, which is just a small indication of the Total Force," said Whitehouse to the enlistees. "Luke Air Force Base has been the model of Total Force since 2000, when the 944th pilots began training alongside the 56th pilots. This is just a small indication of our capability. Active duty, Guard, and Reserve working together can make anything happen. There is no doubt in my mind, with the training you will get and the mentorship you will receive from your active duty and Reserve counterparts, you are going to lead our Air Force to greater heights, and one day you will be in like the leadership here today leading our future Air Force."