Photo By Sgt. John Ortiz | Command Master Chief Matthew Malenic, the detachment chief for the 70th Medium Truck...... read more read more
By Spc. John D. Ortiz
4th Sustainment Brigade
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – The parents of deployed service members can rest a little bit easier; their sons and daughters are in good hands and can rely on the senior enlisted advisor of an Air Force truck detachment to take care of the young men and women carrying out convoy operations across Iraq and Kuwait.
Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Matthew Malenic, a native of Youngstown, Ohio and the detachment chief for the70th Medium Truck Detachment, attached to the Joint Logistics Task Force 28, 4th Sustainment Brigade represents the young men and women in all that he does.
"I work for the Airmen and Soldiers and lead from the front to show I can do everything they can do," said Malenic, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, based at Yokota Air Base, Japan. "I don't want to be treated any differently than anyone else on the team. I respect them and what they do and they know I can and will do the same as them."
Malenic, a transporter by trade, has served more than 26 years in the Air Force. He is on his fourth deployment in support of the Global War on Terror and his second deployment to Kuwait performing duties as a detachment chief.
The Air Force units operate in similar ways as the Army while deployed, yet one of the major differences are the Air Force detachments: the 70th and 424th Medium Truck Detachments.
The detachments are permanently stationed here and are attached to an Army transportation battalion or a joint logistics task force. The Air Force rotates its Airmen in and out every 6-7 months with most Airmen knowing they will be returning within six months to a year.
"We pretty much run like our Army brothers," he said. "We are tooled like a truck company in the Army. The tasking picks between 150-160 people to form the detachment. As the leadership, we pull the different personalities together."
Once the detachment is assembled, the Airmen report to Camp Anderson Peters, Texas and undergo the Basic Combat Convoy Course to learn the basic fundamentals of convoy operations; an Army 101 orientation; and gun truck procedures to learn how to employ those resources when
Airmen deploy into the war fight.
Malenic said the first time he went through the pre-deployment training, it took two weeks to build unit camaraderie. The second time he went through, it took three days to start "rocking and rolling."
"We have around 32 Air Force bases represented, worldwide, in the 70th Medium Truck Detachment; around 55 percent of the Airmen are on their second deployment and 14 of the 159 Airmen are on their third deployment," he said. "The veterans take their time to mentor the younger ones who haven't deployed and share their thoughts and give those who haven't been overseas, an easier time."
"I like to be on the road and lead from the front," he said. "The last time we were here, the battalion commander had three E-9s in his formation, two in the Air Force, and an Army command sergeant major. He utilized us to go on the road and troubleshoot enlisted issues we had on forward operating bases and movement control teams."
Malenic says he loves what he does, so much in fact the Air Force will have to drag him out of service because he still enjoys the mission and watching young Soldiers and Airmen execute that mission.
"It's a rewarding and exhilarating experience watching young men and women giving 100 percent all the time and executing even when bad things happen," he said. "It's amazing how calm, cool, and collected our Airmen and Soldiers are, even when the original plan hits an improvise explosive device or complex attack."
"Working in a joint environment with my Army brothers and sisters is one of the highlights of my career. I probably have one or two more deployments in me before I retire. I look forward to it because there is no greater satisfaction than actually executing what you were trained to do over the years," he said.
Being the senior enlisted leader and the detachment chief, Malenic, said he works not for himself, but for the enlisted Airmen and Soldiers that he is charged to lead.
"It was a numbing experience pinning on my Chief Master Sergeant stripes," said Malenic. "It has always been a goal to reach the top one percent of the enlisted force."
It's not about being on top, it's about representing the force and making sure commanders and leaders understand what the total joint force needs to fulfill our nation's objectives," he said.
"It's an honor to be able to do that, sometimes its not always pretty but that's what we get paid to do," said Malenic. "We can't make E-10; the commander should respect and honor the honest
candor and feedback for letting him know what needs to be done for the enlisted force."
"I have an obligation to make sure all service members are taken care of," said Malenic. "My stripes are your stripes; I am humbled and proud to serve with such amazing men and women in the armed services."
| Date Taken: | 05.22.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2008 11:59 |
| Story ID: | 19694 |
| Location: | CAMP ARIFJAN, KW |
| Web Views: | 505 |
| Downloads: | 288 |
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