Wednesday Hero: Chief Airey

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Elena

Chief Master Sergeant Paul Wesley Airey


"Chief Airey was an Airman’s Airman and one of the true pioneers for our service," said Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff. "He was a warrior, an innovator… and a leader with vision well ahead of his time. His legacy lives today in the truly professional enlisted force we have serving our nation… and for that we owe him a debt of gratitude."

Chief Airey was born in Quincy, Mass., on December 13, 1923. At age eighteen, shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December, 7, 1941, Airey quit high school to enlist in the Army Air Forces on November 16, 1942. He later earned his high school equivalency certificate through off-duty study. During World War II he flew as a B-24 radio operator and additional duty aerial gunner. On his 28th mission, then-Technical Sergeant Airey and his fellow crewmen were shot down over Vienna, Austria, captured, and held prisoner by the German air force from July 1944 to May 1945. During his time as a prisoner of war he worked tirelessly to meet the basic needs of fellow prisoners, even through a 90-day forced march.

Chief Airey held the top enlisted from April 3, 1967 to July 31, 1969. During his tenure he worked to change loan establishments charging exorbitant rates outside the air base gates and to improve low retention during the Vietnam Conflict. Chief Airey also led a team that laid the foundation for the Weighted Airman Promotion System, a system that has stood the test of time and which is still in use today. He also advocated for an Air Force-level Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy. His vision became reality when the academy opened in 1973, becoming the capstone in the development of Air Force Senior NCOs. Chief Airey retired August 1, 1970. He continued advocating for Airmen’s rights by serving on the boards of numerous Air Force and enlisted professional military organizations throughout the years. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for the Airmen Memorial Museum, a member of the Air Force Memorial Foundation and the Air University Foundation.

On the north wall of the Air Force Memorial in Washington D.C., Chief Airey’s thoughts on Airmen are immortalized, "When I think of the enlisted force, I see dedication, determination, loyalty and valor." The Air Force Association honored Airey with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.

Chief Airey passed away on March 11, 2009 at his home in Panama City, Florida

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Remember Me

I am off for Christmas. My internet will be spotty at best. And, i wanted to take a minute and bring us all to remembrance. It's good to remember.

Any Soldier

Take time this Christmas, and throughout each year, to let a soldier know they are not forgotten. Visit Any Soldier to find out how. Enjoy your holidays. And, remember, freedom is not free, just ask any soldier.

When A Soldier Comes Home

I had a really good post to load up…but my laptop just turned off and I can’t get to it. However, in it’s place, I found an awesome report on MSNBC. If you haven’t read or seen it, be prepared to cry a few tears of joy. And, make sure you watch the video! This is what it means when a soldier comes home.

11/9 Morning Report

(...be warned...today I just felt like going on a rant...I've been nice for too long...)

It’s really sad that all the MSM can do is recognize how bad some things are. You would think, somewhere along the way, they would recognize successes. Like the report 3 days ago that IED deaths are down. Some estimates say by about 50%! What does the media report? There was this NY Times article that proclaimed 2007 deadliest year for troops. It is a true statement. However, the Times blames the increase on the surge. Ground commanders say the surge has worked, to a degree. Some independent journalists are saying there has been a significant change among Iraqis that is making a difference. Michael Yon has done a good job of pointing fingers in all directions during the conflict. He was among the first to see a civil war brewing. Now, he reports that various local insurgent groups are joining the government, and American forces, to get rid of al-Qaeda. A month ago, he said something profound in his dispatch Hunting al-Qaeda:

Their end goal still includes getting us ushered out the door: something they are clear about. This means we have further common interests; we want to walk out that door just as fervently, but we don’t want to watch the house full of kids burn down behind us when we leave. Neither do they.

The question for our nation will be did we run away and let the house burn down, or did we make every effort to do right by the Iraqi people? Given the changing political winds in Washington, I suspect that will prove to be THE question that defines the next Administration and the Congress.

(…by the way, if you re not reading Michael Yon, you should be…)


Speaking of things the Liberals should have to answer for: Illegal Immigration. More specifically, they should answer for refusing to control it. 23 were found working at O’Hare Airport. Many in sensitive areas. And, yet, Liberals decry any attempt to control the problem. The claim of discrimination is absurdly placed as an overarching concern, when in fact, it really isn’t the issue in the first place. Certainly, it appears from time to time. And, it should be dealt with accordingly. However, the issue is ILLEGAL immigrants. And, frankly, I don’t see why the one is discriminating against the other.


But, then of course, they would also have to respond to the latest moves of the Liberal darling Hugo Chavez. Portrayed as the benign, loving dictator of Venezuela, his supporters re apparently pretty violent, killing two after the anti-Chavez rally the other day. Funny thing…I didn’t catch much about it in the MSM. Nor do I hear any cries of dictitorialism for his moves to consolidate and perpetuate power. But, here in the US, the Liberals are going after various conservative icons again. With their return to power, they are back after televangelists. Do I believe they live extravagantly? Yeah, they probably do. But, who said they have live in poverty? And where do you draw the line? And…more importantly…why is the line more sharply drawn for Christians and preachers than other groups?

(…now there is a question Liberals should have to answer…think they ever will?...)


And, for those that want to use Yahoo to help our troops, Any Soldier now has a Yahoo toolbar available. When you use it, it helps keep that site alive. They exist because people give to the site, as well as the troops. Do what you can. They are more than worth it.