Photo By Tech. Sgt. Cesar Cordero | As a crew chief, Air Force Master Sgt. Valencia Chestnut launches and recovers her jet...... read more read more
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125 Fighter Wing, Jacksonville, Fla.—It was a Tuesday morning at the 125th Fighter Wing when Air Force Staff Sgt. Valencia "Val" Chestnut learned why the Minuteman is the symbol of the National Guard.
The break room of the crew chief shack was filled with Airmen on lunch, chit-chatting over the lighthearted daytime programming on TV. Val only took notice when the news interrupted the middle of a show. She looked up hesitantly as the local anchor delivered his copy with tears in his eyes, "…It appears as though an airplane has crashed into the World Trade Center." An eerie reverent hush fell in the break room.
Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes over US soil filled with civilian passengers and they were crashing them into buildings. These events have echoed in the consciousness of now Master Sgt. Chestnut since she first heard them nearly 20 years ago.
"It was scary and exciting at the same time, there were a whole lot of emotions. Everyone here jumped up and started getting into action; we were getting ready to fight for our country."
In the hours that followed, both of the towers fell. The death toll was nearly 3,000 people. Urban health infrastructures were scrambling to implement a response, and
Millions of people in the city of New York were being exposed to a cloud of air pollution. In the midst of an untamed future, Val's training acquired in the Florida Air National Guard, allowed her to lend comfort to her loved ones.
"When my family heard what happened, and they saw it on the news they were like 'Oh my gosh, do you have to go? Are you ok?' I told them when I decided to join the military I decided to this is what I'm here for.
It's surprising how quickly drill and instruction can give you confidence to tell your loved ones this is what we train for. We're here to protect you."
Val is a maintainer. She happily turns wrenches as a crew chief on the F-15 Eagle at the 125th Fighter Wing. And she loves her job. The Eagle is an aircraft that can spool up at a moment's notice, provided it's well maintained. It requires a dedicated team to ensure each and every bird in the hangar is mission capable. That means scrutinizing every screw, every fluid level, inspecting meters and gauges. This kind of attention to detail on a daily basis makes for rapid readiness.
Crew chiefs also guide and direct pilots step by step during the launch and recovery of the jets. The nature of the relationship between a pilot and their crew chief is so strong that not only is the pilot's name on the aircraft, but the crew chief's name is there too. Crew chiefs are the last to see their pilot off, and the first to see them when they get back.
"Everything ran smoothly. You practice and practice and practice and you get tired sometimes, but when things like this happen? Well, we knew everything we needed to do"
Two decades after 9/11, Val now leads the same training she went through that prepared her for that day. Ask anyone who works on the flight line, they know her as a trusted colleague. She's a listening ear, a shoulder to lean on and a watchful eye to correct.
"I'm a little bit older now," Val said with a contemplative smile, "I feel like I'm a mother hen, here. I make sure everyone is good. If there's a need I make sure it's accomplished. My job is to give a pilot a good plane, and if anything pops off, I'll be there for my family and for my country. I'm here for a reason. I'm ready."
Val credits this kind of positive point of view to the speed of the Florida National Guard. When the mission required a rapid response to a new terrorist threat, all hands were needed. Val's hands were no different. Troops from munitions, weapons, avionics, and, of course, crew chiefs are required to work together in a timed environment. Val saw first-hand, through tragedy, the diverse teams of maintainers working together in harmony to accomplish the mission expediently. This speed has kept her raising her hand for the last 25 years.
Val mentioned that, in the past, civilians independently formed a militia to defend the colonies during the American Revolution. Val was referencing the Minutemen. The Guardsmen of today and the Minutemen of the past both provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force to respond to imminent threats. It's no surprise that the heritage of the Minuteman standing proudly is the symbol for the National Guard. The tradition of the hero with an uncanny ability to acknowledge a duty during pain is everything the image of the Minuteman represents. By extension, it is also everything the Florida National Guard represents. Florida guard members are called upon every year to respond to global threats, humanitarian aid, and relief from natural disasters.
Val's commitment to short-term sacrifice paid off when her country needed it the most. When the country was reeling from this unprecedented attack on our home, her training and resiliency compelled her to get jets in the air at a minute's warning.
"Lack of perspective can make training mundane and monotonous, but once it's ingrained in you, it's a no-brainer and you jump right into the action. After the attacks on the World Trade Center happened, we came together like a well-oiled machine"
Val admits to not knowing what the future holds, hard as it may be for a mother hen to do. Regardless, the values and the legacy of the Minutemen lives on in Airmen like her. On September 11th Valencia Chestnut went from a relaxed position to a posture of readiness just as she was trained to do. She was and is part of a standing force, raised to suffer the slings and arrows of the enemy. Amid uncertainty one thing we can be certain of is she will be ready at a moment's notice.
| Date Taken: | 08.20.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 10.26.2021 10:17 |
| Story ID: | 408007 |
| Location: | JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 97 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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