Photo By Senior Airman Josiah Brown | Capt. Kendal Curtis, a B1-B Lancer pilot assigned to the 9th Expeditionary Bomb...... read more read more
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RAF FAIRFORD, United Kingdom– "I think the biggest thing is the ability to have empathy with the enlisted airmen that I'm leading. I've been there, done that kind of thing," said Capt. Kendal Curtis, a B-1B Lancer pilot assigned to the 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron. "Just knowing how to lead in a way I would have liked to have been led when I was enlisted is beneficial."
Curtis graduated from Officer Training School in 2017, became a pilot training instructor out of Vance Air Force Base, Okla., and was assigned to the 9th Bomb Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. However, he was enlisted for eight years before becoming an officer.
Curtis enlisted as a satellite wideband and telemetry systems airman. Over his eight years of service, he acquired extensive knowledge in wireless communication, satellites, radios and line-of-sight communication systems. This background later merged into radio frequency (RF) transmissions, expanding his expertise in all things related to RF technology.
He is currently with the 9th EBS in the European theater at Royal Air Force Fairford, United Kingdom, for a long-planned Bomber Task Force deployment.
A challenge arose when the 420th Air Base Squadron communications flight RF transmission section needed support. Drawing upon his experience, Curtis decided to assist in resolving the communication issues.
"Using knowledge that I had learned previously, enabled me to do some troubleshooting, figure out why we weren't connecting to the satellites, locate where it is, which satellite we needed, point the antennas and get the whole system up and running," said Curtis.
Curtis's ability to leverage his prior training in RF communications within a completely different operational context highlights his wide-ranging expertise. This enables him to utilize diverse skills to overcome challenges and deliver results.
"That's really what I bring from my background that is missing here," said Curtis. "Being able to interpret the authorization, figure out what kind of look angles we needed, and settings in the radios to set up solved the issue."
"The satellites are in what's called geosynchronous orbit. They rotate at the same rotation as the Earth goes. We got the cut sheet from the satellite authorization, it said this is the satellite you need to be on, this is the frequency and all that jazz," said Curtis.
Captain Curtis' background illustrates adaptability, resourcefulness, and expertise. His knowledge of communications enabled him to apply his capabilities when needed.
"Overall, it was a great experience having done the enlisted side first," said Curtis. "Learning the ins and outs of how the Air Force works, I've learned a lot about leadership and how it can be applied in a tangible manner, not necessarily just in a theoretical sense."
| Date Taken: | 06.13.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 06.12.2023 10:29 |
| Story ID: | 446749 |
| Location: | RAF FAIRFORD, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, GB |
| Web Views: | 167 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Multi-capable airman leverages prior enlisted experience on a Bomber Task Force deployment, by SrA Josiah Brown, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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