Alabama Air National Guard member shares about job with chamber

It is not uncommon for people to not realize that the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport is also home to the 117th Air Refueling Wing, part of the Alabama Air National Guard.

Lt. Col. James Whaley, with the wing, shared more about that organization at the Nov. 8 luncheon of the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce.

The unit began in the reconnaissance field, but then shifted to refueling. They even have their motto on their planes: “No one kicks [butt] without tanker gas,” Whaley said.

There are also tenant units at the airport, including the active-unit 99th Squadron, Whaley said.

While a member of the Air National Guard, the 117th does have four enduring missions, including Operation Noble Eagle, which charges them, under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security, to monitor and defend U.S. airspace, along with a litany of other military units across the country.

Some of the unit’s missions are federal and some are led by the state, with Whaley joking it can be a challenge to know who your boss is on any given day.

The unit is also a part of history, as they wear the oldest, continuous patch in the U.S. Air Force, Whaley said.

However military operations change in the future, tankers won’t be going away, Whaley said. There will always be a need for tankers to ensure that fighters and other personnel remain properly fueled, he said.

Their job is made easier by the support of the Birmingham-area community, he said.

“It’s the support of the communities around us that let us do our job,” Whaley said.

About 3,900 personnel and families work and live at and near the base, Whaley said, and the base spends about $17.6 million annually, with money going back into the community.

The base supports numerous organizations and opportunities within the Birmingham area, including Aviation Academy with Birmingham City Schools, Dreams on Wings, which provides civilian flights for terminally-ill children, as well as recruiting students from local colleges. They also provide the Folds of Honor program, which supports the educational needs of families and spouses of fallen service members.

Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michelle Hawkins’ stepson, Bradley, also spoke to the chamber. He spoke about the impact his father, Allen, who was also in the Alabama Air National Guard, had on him.

“[My dad] was a real inspiration to me,” Hawkins said.

That led him to enter the Alabama Air National Guard as a senior in high school, where he has been ever since. Entering the Guard with plans to fly, he began learning about the maintenance of planes and now serves as crew chief of the unit, handling maintenance and inspections of the planes.

Hawkins encouraged those in attendance to challenge their children who may be considering entering the military.

“Take a step and build a legacy for their families, their children,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins noted that the Air National Guard is not just about flying planes and maintenance, but also has jobs in the fields of medicine, technology, communications and more.