Team Osan Spotlight: SSgt Gordon Waits

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OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Name:  SSgt Gordon R. Waits Jr.

Unit:  51 MOF/MXOC

Job title:  Maintenance Operations Center Senior Controller

Job description and its impact on the overall mission:  In the Maintenance Operations Center (MOC) I am responsible for monitoring and coordinating the maintenance and flying operations of all the A-10 aircraft from the 25TH Aircraft Maintenance Unit and all of the F-16 aircraft from the 36TH Aircraft Maintenance Unit. The MOC is also the focal point for 51 MXG leadership notifications. We serve as the Commander's voice, eyes, and ears for all operations on the flight line. This level of C2 and communication is essential to applying specific airpower to deliberate operations and facilitating the generation of combat ready aircraft.

Time in the military: 8 years

Time at Osan:  1 year

DEROS:  Mar 2017

Family:  Mrs. Waits and our three wonderful children.

Hometown:  Corsicana, Texas

Hobbies:  Spending time with the family, playing guitar,

Why did you join the military?  To serve my country and learn a trade.

Where do you see yourself in 10 or 20 years?  Hopefully somewhere down in Texas...working on second career, degree completed, A&P License obtained, owner of a house, paying for kids to go to college.

What do you do for fun here?  Travel, play guitar 

What's your favorite Air Force memory or story?  My favorite memory and story of the Air Force would be the whole picture, my experience so far because like it or not your experiences shape you as a person. Every Deployment, TDY, PCS, PCA, and all the people you meet in between and their stories. I have met a lot of people throughout my career and each has his or her own story to tell, the path they took to wind up on the road their currently on, the troubles, sorrows, triumphs  and good times along the way.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?  Serving this great Nation, Making TSgt, Obtaining my CCAF

Who are your role models?  Jesus, Johnny Cash and John Wayne, also my uncle Mr. Clovis R. Stone U.S. Army who was a POW from April 1951 to September 1953 during the Korean War. After he was released he went on to become a Drill Sergeant and later retired from over 20 years of military service. After going through what those boys did and continuing his career until retirement, I find it a true testament of the pride and dedication he held for his country and himself. That serves as a consistent reminder that whatever it is you may be going though as a person that it could always be worse.