May 2023 in Review

  • Published
  • By Bradley J. Clark
  • 908th Airlift Wing

The 908th Airlift Wing started the month of May having approximately 50 members of the 908th Civil Engineer Squadron return from a week of annual tour training at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, to Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, for another week of training.

The first of the month also saw the wing congratulating 22 members who promoted.

Tuesday, May 2, saw the 18-year anniversary of the wing loading and delivering more than 26,000 pounds of medical and humanitarian supplies to two orphanages in Tirane, Albania.

Wednesday, May 3, the wing highlighted the Material Management specialists Air Force Specialty Code 3S0X1 to help aide in potential recruiting efforts for the AFSC.

Then the wing welcomed five new members to its ranks on Saturday, May 6.

That same day the wing remembered the 25th anniversary of 908 AW pilot, Capt. Ken Holston immediately jumping into action as a civilian two-seater airplane crashed near him in the Burger King parking lot on Maxwell Air Force Base. He helped the pilot out of the burning plane which later earned him the Airman’s Medal for “distinguishing himself by a heroic act at the voluntary risk of his life but not involving combat.”

Later that evening, Airman and their families from throughout the wing enjoyed military appreciation night at the Montgomery Biscuits baseball game.

The second week of May saw the wing highlighting the story of Senior Airman Yosry Zaki. Born in Egypt, Zaki spent 12 years applying for a visa to come to America and has since become a U.S. citizen and is now a Senior Airman serving in the 908th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron as a flight services technician.

Wednesday May 10, saw the wing remember the 20-year anniversary of three groups of 908th Civil Engineer Squadron Airmen deploying over a six-week period to Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania where they, along with other Air Force CE units, completed a KC-135 parking apron, two helipads, and a helicopter parking area.

The third week of May saw members of the 908th public affairs office participate in the Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs Symposium, where attendees learned about topics such as new information warfare tactics, techniques, and procedures, along with new potential ways to use artificial intelligence ethically for content creation and management.

The fourth week of the month began with eight wing members attending the Gathering of Eagles dinner in Prattville, Alabama.

Tuesday, May 23, the wing reached all the way back to 1945 to remember the anniversary of the 908th Air Engineering Squadron, which would later become the 908th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, being activated in Cambrai, France.

On Wednesday, May 24, the wing highlighted Master Sgt. Kimberly Davis, the 908th Force Support Squadron personnel systems manager who has been serving in the military for nearly 15 years.

After the Memorial Day weekend, the wing then closed out the month by highlighting Master Sgt. Anthony McGill, a 908th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron MH-139 Helicopter Tiltrotor Aircraft Maintenance specialist and the 908 AW’s Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter for the fourth quarter of 2022.

02:59
VIDEO | 02:59 | Civil engineers survey their mettle, build esprit de corps during 2-week annual tour

04:09
VIDEO | 04:09 | Egyptian Born, American Proud