Get to know your first sergeants

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Randall Hopp
  • 4CTCS first sergeant and president, 452AMW First Sergeant's Council
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  What does a train conductor, a school teacher, a bronze star with valor recipient, an ice cream scooper, a top secret projects administrator and the owner of the best-looking mustache in the Air Force Reserve have in common? Are they contestants on a reality show or characters in a thrilling novel? No -- they are members of your 452nd Air Mobility Wing First Sergeant's Council.

As chief ice-cream scooper (and Council president), it is my duty to let you know that besides the official duties we conduct within each of our respective squadrons, we host and organize the annual awards banquet (scheduled for the February UTA), 1st Sgt's Remembrance Run (held each September) and have recently taken on the responsibility of designing and implementing the first Additional Duty 1st Sgt. Course ever held in the Air Force Reserve Command, which is schedule for January 2013.

These tasks are completed in concert with our monthly wing duties of organizing logistics and lodging for our Cactus flyers, conducting our Re-Bluing section of the newcomers briefing and providing support and acting as secretary for the Wing Advisory Council meetings.

March's First Sergeant's Council meets for an informal lunch gathering at the Back Street Café on the Friday before each UTA at noon, followed by an official meeting in the Daedaleon Room at the Hap Arnold Club at 1 p.m. Finally, we regroup for dinner at 7 p.m. at the Aces Sports Bar to kick off our official wing on-call responsibilities.

If you are interested in attending  the official First Sergeant's Council meeting, please contact me at I so I can put you on the agenda. Advanced warning, I mean 'notice,' is not required for informal sessions.

Your Council is here to support you so please stay tuned to The Beacon where I will introduce each first sergeant to you in upcoming editions.

In the meantime, if you simply cannot wait to see who blows that train whistle or who is sporting that awesome mustache -- please stop by during our Friday lunch or dinner to say hello. Your First Sergeants are making every attempt to be accessible and available to you.