Jeff Hartman

I am a retired AF Tsgt. I spent 20 years, 4 months and 11 days on Active Duty. I held three different AFSC's (43170, Helicopters, 43171 Fighters, 32670 Integrated Avionics)

I entered service 18 Sept 1970 (after the draft caught up with me). Basic at Lackland and tech school at Sheppard. The gods who controlled military assignments smiled on me and I was assigned to the 341 Strategic Missile Wing, Aircraft Maintenance Division, (SAC) Malmstrom AFB, MT. We had thirteen UH-1F's. I was a crew chief after attaining my 5 level and remained there from March 1971 thru June 1975. I was awarded the "hard-luck"  crew chief   the  night  we  had the SAC  Patch  burning  party  (when SAC  finally  turned those  aircraft  over  to  MAC  and  designated  us  as Det  5, 37th ARRS).

Upon re-enlistment, I took a BOP to Det 2, 48th ARRS, K. I. Sawyer AFB, MI. Later we were absorbed by the 39th ARRW. I was a crew chief of one and later both of the UH-1N's assigned until our de-activation. I served at K.I. Sawyer from July, 1975 thru October 1978. Super assignment.

After K.I. Sawyer, I took a 9  month break in service.  Re-entering Active Duty, I cross trained into FB-111 avionics  (tech school at Lowery AFB). Managed to get assigned to the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing at Nellis AFB, NV. (no F-111's). Opened the Tactical Electronic Weapons shop for the assigned F-15's and reverted to the flightline (upon invitation) to become a fighter crew chief on a new F-16B. I served at Nellis from January 1980 thru January 1983.

In January of 1983 we were assigned to the PACAF Logistic Support Center (PLSC), Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan. Again, this was backshop work on F-15 electronic warfare equipment. I ran into an old friend, Msgt Jim Fisher, Maintenance Superintendent for the 33rd ARRW and spent the next 2 years crewing an aged HH-3E Jolly Green. We served in Okinawa from January 1983 thru January 1986.

PACAF, 8th Air Force and PLSC understood I had issues with F-15 technical data. Therefore, after our tour in Okinawa, we were assigned to Aeronautical Systems Division, F-15 System Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. I spent the next 5 years as an enlisted program manager on the F-15E Tactical Electronic Warfare System fielding the technical data to support the new systems. I served at Wright-Patterson from Feburary 1986 until retirement in October 1991.

"FREEDOM ISN'T FREE"

~SOMEONE PAYS FOR YOU AND ME~

"HELICOPTERS" - THE ONLY WAY TO FLY

~NEVER FORGOTTEN~