Photo By Tech. Sgt. Jason Boyd | Col. Donald Henry promoted Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Gill Jr. to the rank of Chief...... read more read more
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BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Gill Jr. has spent 28 years in the military both on active duty and in the Air National Guard. He began his career on active duty as an air traffic controller at Selfridge Air National Guard base in 1989.
Like everyone who serves, Gill had a very specific reason for joining the military. “At the time, I felt the Air Force would provide me with the best opportunities,” said Gill. “Also, I did want to serve this great nation of ours and my family has a long history of service.”
Gill left active duty in March of 1993 and joined the Pennsylvania Air National Guard in November of 1993. Early in his Guard career, he worked for Chrysler Corporation in Detroit. “I started out working on the floor and worked my way up to mid-level management,” Gill said.
He said he was only biding his time there though, waiting for an opportunity to apply for the Federal Aviation Administration. “I only wanted to be three things when I was a kid: air traffic controller, psychiatrist, or law enforcement, like my father."
After playing the waiting game, he was able to get into the FAA and moved from the Detroit area to Chicago, while commuting for his position in the Pennsylvania ANG. Many would say that is a long commute, but not for someone with Gill’s experiences: he owns a personal aircraft and flew back and forth for his drill weekends. He also believes that his time in the Guard made it easier to transition into the FAA because he was able to stay certified while waiting for his opportunity.
“My wife has been very supportive over the years. She understands the importance of what the military does,” Gill said. “Or maybe, she just tolerates it quietly.”
He now has moved back to the Detroit area and has worked for the FAA for the past 17 years. He truly enjoys both his job with the FFA and his position in the ANG. Most recently, Chief Gill has been involved in Michigan’s State Partnership Program with the country of Latvia, the European Reassurance initiative, as well as remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) integration in Europe. Stateside, Chief Gill acts as the lead liaison for the Latvian armed forces air traffic controller training initiative while supporting the 110th Air Attack Wing with expertise in airspace design, as well and procedures and policies regarding flying the MQ-9 Reaper within the National Airspace System.
Chief Gill has a wealth of knowledge in air traffic control and combat operations, and he enjoys being able to pass this on to those serving with him. “The guard has given me the chance to help create opportunities for not only myself, but others in the guard as well,” Gill said. That’s just one of the benefits.”
| Date Taken: | 02.04.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 02.05.2018 08:21 |
| Story ID: | 264616 |
| Location: | BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 492 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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