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I had the opportunity to sit down with one of the silent
professionals of the 353rd Special Operations Group and hear his
story from the beginning. I’ve been fortunate enough in my career to
learn the stories of many great Airmen, but my interview with U.S.
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kade Bollinger left me feeling humbled by his
accomplishments and equally inspired by his humility.
Bollinger’s story begins like many who decide to join the Air Force
to see the world. Coming from a small town in South Dakota, his
adventures would soon take him to South America, Africa, the Middle
East, Europe and Asia.
“My uncle and sister were in the Air
Force and when I told them I wanted to see the world, they said I
had to be a loadmaster and not to accept anything else,” chuckled
Bollinger. “I joined December 2005 and it has been a wild ride ever
since. I began my career in combat rescue with the 71st Rescue
Squadron and then transitioned to Air Force Special Operations
Command (AFSOC) in 2011, working as a loadmaster on the MC-130P
Combat Shadow at Royal Air Force Mildenhall.”
Bollinger was
the first loadmaster to become qualified on the MC-130J Commando II
at an overseas base and contributed greatly to the 67th Special
Operation Squadron’s transition from the Combat Shadow to the
Commando II. He served as a liaison with Lockheed Martin and helped
establish squadron procedures for the arrival of the MC-130J at RAF
Mildenhall.
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June 22, 2017 - U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kade Bollinger preparing
to support the rapid infiltration and exfiltration of a tactical
vehicle during a mass launch training mission at Ie Shima Range,
Okinawa, Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Jessica Tait)
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“I was the only one qualified on the Commando II at that time, so
they gave me a little room to build from and today the 67th SOS is a
fully qualified MC-130J Commando II squadron,” proudly smiled
Bollinger. “Leadership came down and asked who wanted to go to
Kadena Air Base to help with the 17th SOS’s transition and I jumped
on the opportunity. The squadron was further along in being
stood-up, but I was able to bring my knowledge and experience to
ease any growing pains.”
The stars aligned at Kadena through
the combination of good mentorship, leadership and a growth mindset,
where Bollinger volunteered for every opportunity to advance the
squadron and himself. He was a member of the first deployment crew
to Afghanistan for the newly stood-up MC-130J squadron and returned
home with two Air Medals and one Air Force Combat Action Medal.
Bollinger’s recognition continued in 2017 with the Air Force
level Brigadier General Ross Hoyt award for the heroic actions of
JAKAL 11 following an aircraft mishap and the AFSOC Commander’s
Leadership Award, presented to the Airman who provided the greatest
contribution to AFSOC in that year.
“I will never forget
going to Washington D.C. to accept the Brigadier General Ross Hoyt
award at the Air Force Association National Convention and then
going to Florida a few weeks later to accept the Commander’s
Leadership Award at the Air Commando Association awards banquet,”
said Bollinger. “I’m overwhelmed how the Air Commando Association,
AFSOC, 353rd SOG leadership and my chief were there to support me
and how they included my family. I have been away from home for 12
years and having my family there to share that experience is
something I will never forget for the rest of my life.”
Bollinger shared details from the missions that would eventually go
into his recognition awards, but he went into greater detail on the
people that impacted his career. He explained how every member from
the deployment crew to Afghanistan positively shaped his development
and how leadership and Air Commandos from the 17th SOS were the best
people he had ever encountered in the Air Force.
“I did not
get here alone and owe everything to my leadership and mentors who
challenged me with opportunities to grow and who cared enough to
write award packages for me,” humbly stated Bollinger. “Every flying
squadron will say that they are a family, but the 17th SOS truly is
a family that cares, respects and pushes people out of their comfort
zones to become the best versions of themselves.”
Bollinger
was recently handpicked by the AFSOC commander to be nominated for
the Senior Leader Enlisted Commissioning Program and chosen by the
Under Secretary of the Air Force to go to Officer Training School
(OTS) and commission as a second lieutenant. He will be attending
OTS in June 2018.
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October 13, 2017 - U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kade Bollinger with
353rd Special Operations Group leadership following his acceptance
of the AFSOC Commander’s Leadership Award at the Air Commando
Association award banquet at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The major
command level award is presented to the Airman who provided the
greatest contribution to AFSOC in that year. (Courtesy photo by U.S.
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kade Bollinger)
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“I’ve carried the goal of becoming an officer since the
beginning of my career. I remember sitting down in the
squadron as a young loadmaster and expressing my opinion on
a topic when one of our pilot captains stepped in and said,
‘when you have an education, you can enter this
conversation.’ I was a small-town country boy with nothing
but a high school diploma at that time and I was devastated.
That event lit a fire in me to earn my degree and I want to
find him and thank him.”
Bollinger has received six
Air Medals from deployments to Afghanistan, a single mission
Air Medal for actions in an exercise in South Korea, an
Aerial Achievement Medal for combat support missions in
Africa, a Joint Service Achievement Medal for Operation
Morning Glory, an Air Force Combat Action Medal from a
combat mission in Afghanistan involving enemy fire and two
Air Force Commendation Medals.
“I’ve flown nearly
2,500 hours to include 300 hours in combat,” said Bollinger.
“Throughout it all, I still carry one of the mottos from my
time in rescue. We’d say, ‘We are getting ready to help out
people on their worst day, so we need to give them our best
day, they deserve nothing less than that.’ I think it’s
important to carry this perspective in the work I do.”
Over the course of his career, he has deployed 324 days
and conducted 467 missions in support of Operation Enduring
Freedom and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He’s proud of his
time in combat rescue, where he was credited with saving the
lives of 32 Americans, 34 coalition forces and four Afghan
children. His transition to special operations provided him
the opportunity to work with men and women of unmatched
caliber from all services and nations.
“I will never
forget my time as an Air Commando and the missions
supporting Special Operations Forces (SOF) in Europe,
Africa, the Middle East and most recently Asia,” said
Bollinger. “I’ve transported 4.3 million pounds of cargo and
airdropped 170,000 pounds of equipment in support of SOF
missions.”
Bollinger couldn’t discuss the specifics
about the missions he’s served on, but proudly acknowledge
the tremendous impact SOF plays in protecting and defending
our country and allies.
“I’ve loved my 12 years as a
loadmaster and I’m getting choked-up just thinking about it
because it’s the best thing I’ve done in my life,” said
Bollinger. “I wanted to be a loadmaster when I signed the
dotted line and there’s no doubt that I’ve lived my dream of
seeing the world. I’m about to start over in this new
challenge and I want to pay it forward. I’ve been blessed
with the amazing leadership I’ve received in my career and
will strive to provide the people I serve the same
experience.”
Bollinger’s recent recognition with Air
Force and major command level awards, along with his
selection to commission as an officer speaks to his
incredible achievements. Showcasing humility, the silent
professional quickly credits all of his accomplishments to
his team of support.
“I want to say a special thank
you to the men and women I’ve served and flown with, the
leadership that allowed me the opportunity to excel and
fail, my friends, and most of all my family to include my
son Jayce and daughter Ellie,” said Bollinger. “I wouldn’t
be here without them.”
Anybody who knows Bollinger
would tell you that he doesn’t need public recognition to
perform his duties superbly, but just like those people that
cared enough to write award packages on his behalf, I also
feel compelled to share the story of this great Airman.
By U.S. Air Force Capt. Jessica Tait
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2018
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