|
 SEYMOUR
JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -
Stepping into the role as the
4th Fighter Wing vice commander
has allowed one airman's passion
for service and ensuring the
welfare of airmen and their
families to flourish.
When Col. Evan Pettus
(photo left) reached
for the stars and began his
journey with the Air Force, he
never imagined it would take him
to where he is today.
“I joined the Air Force because
I wanted to serve my country,”
he explained. “When I was a
little kid I wanted to be an
astronaut, I began exploring
paths to get to space. I learned
about aviation and being a test
pilot and, eventually, I was
determined to join the Air
Force. When I became a fighter
pilot I liked it so much I never
looked back or even thought
about pursuing my astronaut
dream again.”
After graduating from the Air
Force Academy in 1994 with a
Bachelor of Science degree in
aeronautical engineering, Pettus
went through pilot training at
Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas,
then ended up at what would be
his first of two assignments to
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base,
N.C.
During his first experience in
1996, Pettus, then a second
lieutenant assigned to the 334th
Fighter Squadron, focused on
learning the ins-and-outs of the
F-15E Strike Eagle.
Now, 17 years later, following
attendance at the Air War
College at Maxwell Air Force
Base, A.L., he's returned as the
vice commander. Pettus said his
new job is leaps-and-bounds from
his beginnings as a novice
pilot.
“It feels great return to the
4th FW. It's such a historic
unit with an incredible heritage
and it's really a privilege to
be back here with a completely
different perspective,” he said.
“Now my business is trying to
make life better for airmen,
their families and other people
who serve this wing, whether
they're contractors or out in
the community.”
Pettus said his main goal is
ensuring the welfare of the 4th
FW family, which directly
relates to helping build
well-trained airmen, ready to
accomplish the wing's mission of
“Dominant Strike Eagle Airpower
Anytime, Anyplace.” A step
toward that objective is
assisting airmen who are facing
adversity.
“The first thing I'd want
[airmen facing hardship] to know
is they're not alone or
abnormal,” he said. “Everybody
goes through troubles. That's
what makes you human. People
tend to hide behind social media
and portray a perfect life, but
that isn't the case. We all have
hardships we deal with on a
daily basis, including me. The
second thing I want them to know
is there are an immense amount
of resources out there that can
help, including the Airman &
Family Readiness Center and
Military OneSource online
counselors. [Airmen] should take
advantage of them.”
Another source he pointed out
was the Comprehensive Airman
Fitness program. Airmen are
encouraged to exercise their
mental, physical, spiritual and
social fitness pillars to be
able to deal with troubling
times.
To find balance between being
the vice commander of Air Combat
Command's largest fighter wing
and being a husband and father,
Pettus said he finds the most
solace in simply spending
quality time with his family.
“After a long week, my family
and I like to spend Saturday
morning accomplishing things on
our to-do list to include
knocking out a few chores; some
‘family clean-uppers,'” he said.
“We'll go out, get something to
eat and look for something
relaxing to do, whether we go
out for a bike ride or a walk.
We don't have a cookie-cutter
habit but we do look forward to
spending some time together and
decompressing.”
Pettus said merely knowing that
he gets to serve his country and
positively influence his fellow
airmen's lives is something he
cherishes as he reflects on
career highlights.
“The things that stand out to me
in my career are the times I've
impacted people's lives, in
terms of assisting an airman
accomplishing their goal or
helping someone in their time of
need,” he said. “The other day,
I had an officer approach me who
I mentored as a squadron
commander a few years back. He
thanked me for my assistance in
rejoining his family after they
suffered a misfortune during his
deployment. That really impacted
me to know he remembers
something I did well during my
command; that I helped his
family. That was a big deal for
me and something I will never
forget.”
As he looks forward in his
career, Pettus feels as though
he is in the right place at the
right time.
“My favorite assignment thus far
is this one because it's really
allowed me to get out and meet
people from all walks of life
and get to know their stories,”
he said. “To the airmen of the
4th FW – I am extraordinarily
proud to be associated with you.
Your pride in what you do is
readily evident and it's a real
privilege to serve here.”
As the new 4th Fighter Wing vice
commander, U.S. Air Force Col.
Evan Pettus' main goal is to
support the wing's mission of
delivering dominant Strike Eagle
airpower anytime, anyplace, by
building well-trained airmen,
ready to execute any task
presented. This is Pettus'
second assignment at the 4th FW;
his first was in 1996 as a
student pilot-in-training
assigned to the 334th Fighter
Squadron.
By USAF Senior Airman Aubrey White
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2013
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