Jayhawk Flyer

The Official Newsletter of the 184th Wing

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March 2024

FROM THE TOP

Col. Joe Dessenberger

The Challenges and Rewards of Being a Drill Status Guardsman

As I enter my final drill weekend, I find myself stopping to reflect on what has changed…and what has not over my thirty-seven years in uniform and thirty-five with the 184th. Certainly, the organization has changed. When I first arrived on campus in spring 1989, the wing headquarters was in building 35, as was the dining hall, and medical group. We had no air park, and the two aircraft on display were in the lawn out in front of building 35. Building 48 was the operations squadron and we were flying F4 Phantoms, training the rest of the Air Force’s pilots on F4 combat skills at Smoky Hill. Gone are the days of 4 turn 4 day-in and day-out with the smell of JP4 ever present on the flightline. For those who don’t know, the 4 turn 4 reference is to how many morning and afternoon aircraft sorties. What has not changed is the can-do get-it-done attitude of our people with an ever-evolving mission requirement.

     When I first joined the 184th, it was a palace chase assignment as I was leaving active duty to pursue a civilian career. Joining the 184th was simply a way to repay my remaining active-duty service commitment locally so I could start my real career. I truly expected one enlistment was all that was in my future. Something happened as I neared the end of that first enlistment and I found myself re-enlisting for another tour. To this day, I cannot tell you exactly what it was. But I sure am glad I did.

     I went on to complete a full civilian career as an actively participating drill status guardsman (DSG). I tell you all this because I know what it is like to serve a fulltime organization going through transition as a DSG while also trying to balance a busy civilian career and raise a family. The family does not always appreciate your additional time gone to fulfill military commitments. Your civilian employer is likewise struggling with your choice to serve, and many of you feel it. In my experience, even the best and most patriotic of civilian employers have difficulty with your unpredictable schedule and required absences. Thank God I had a spouse who was understanding and supportive along my journey.   

     If you are a DSG, you likely have a lot going on in your life that you have to balance to serve in this organization. Be it small children, a demanding civilian job, outside promotion opportunities, educational pursuits, a dependent adult, the list could go on. You might even find yourself asking why you go through the additional family struggle and risk to your civilian career potential to be a part of the 184th. Maybe you have a hard time even coming up with a reasonable answer. I would like to think you do it for pride in serving something greater than yourself, patriotism running through your soul, and you truly enjoy the experiences and friendships that belonging provides you.

     Speaking from experience, being a Drill Status Guardsman is the most difficult job in the military. Not from a physical standpoint, but from an emotional and physiological standpoint. You have more to balance and more to risk than those who are only burdened with one job. You often burn the candle at both ends to meet all obligations and have no understanding of the term SDO. To do it well and to it right, the demands exceed the requisite drill weekend. If you are drill status and seek leadership roles, know that the demands are even greater. To find a career path that is rewarding for you, it may require attending additional long schools away from home. Most of our guardsmen that have tenure also have multiple AFSCs. Personally, I have had the luxury of serving a few short tenures on active orders throughout my thirty-five years in this wing. Those were periods of relief in other parts of my life. During my times on active orders, I took the opportunity to advocate regularly for the plight of the part-time force as it can be tough for career fulltime members to understand your plight.

     The Air National Guard wants to be operationally relevant and not be returned to a strategic reserve force. To be quite honest, the current size of the active Air Force demands a reserve force that can support not only global contingencies, but the ongoing combatant commander campaign plans supporting our allies and partners. All this in a time when budget challenges loom for all. Only time will tell what changes can be made to benefit the backbone of the reserve component, the drill status guardsman.

     There are many rewards to the journey of a drill status guardsman if you are willing to stick with it. The pay and benefits are just a small part of the reward. The lifelong friendships, the additional skills learned that can be carried out into the civilian workforce, and the travel all make this journey worthwhile. If you are a Dave Ramsey follower, this is the best side hustle you can have. Find me another part-time job that has retirement benefits. I can honestly say I have run across a lot of veterans who served a few years in their early life and left the service voluntarily. Very few ever say they were glad they got out. Most will tell me they wished they would have stayed in part-time just for the retiree medical care.

     Whatever the reason is that you serve, Thank You! As a transitioning veteran that will soon be on the outside looking back in, I am counting on you to stand on the line and protect me and my family in the future.

God Bless…

Around the Wing

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752nd OSS, 134th ACS Validate New TOC-L Battle Management Node

In a significant stride towards modernizing battlefield communications, the 752nd Operations Support Squadron teamed up with the Kansas Air National Guard’s 134th Air Control Squadron and 284th Air Support Operations Squadron to test and validate one of the U.S. Air Force's pioneering systems - the Tactical Operation Center – Light, or TOC-L, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, Jan. 29, 2024.

The collaboration marked a pivotal moment in advancing the Air Force's capabilities in managing modern threats and ensuring robust communication in hostile environments.

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Leasher Selected as Outstanding Airman of the Year for Region 5

Brig. Gen. Mike Venerdi, adjutant general of the Kansas National Guard, is pleased to announce that Staff Sgt. Darian Leasher, 161st Intelligence Squadron, has won “Outstanding Airman of the Year” at the region level! 

The competition was keen at the wing, state, and now regional level. Leasher was selected as the best out of 12,500 Airmen—what an accomplishment!  

Congratulations, Staff Sgt. Leasher!  We’re proud that you’ll be representing all the Airmen in the Kansas Air National Guard.  Keep up the great work!

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Around the World

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DAF Publishes Revised Dress, Personal Appearance Instruction

The Department of the Air Force republished its dress and personal appearance instruction to simplify, clarify and amplify many changes for Airmen and Guardians serving world-wide.

The revised DAFI 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Department of the Air Force Personnel, incorporates policy changes from the 102nd Air Force Uniform Board, incorporates all other guidance memorandums and features updated graphics for visual clarity.

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National Guard conducts PATRIOT Exercise

A natural disaster can strike any time, and the National Guard, along with state and county emergency management agencies and industry partners, will conduct a disaster readiness exercise called PATRIOT, beginning February 18, 2024.

PATRIOT is a joint, interagency exercise, sponsored by the Air National Guard Bureau (ANGB), taking place at Camp Shelby, Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center and Camp McCain, Mississippi, February 18 – 22. It is a training exercise designed for civilian emergency management and responders to work with military entities in the same manner they would during disasters.

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Air Force to Re-introduce Warrant Officer Rank, Other Major Changes

To best optimize itself for Great Power Competition, the Air Force plans to, among other things, bring back warrant officers within the cyber and information technology professions, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin during a presentation Feb. 12 at the Air Force Association's 2024 Warfare Symposium.

That change was among two dozen announced by senior Air Force officials. Each change is specifically designed to prepare the service for strategic power challenges from competitors like China and Russia.

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We’re All Recruiters

Your referrals make a big difference. Forward this newsletter to your family, friends, and coworkers. And tell them about your experience in the Kansas Air National Guard.

Invite them to contact a recruiter at 316.759.7424.

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Featured Job Openings

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3N0X6: Mass Communicator

Sharing the Air National Guard's story with global audiences requires informative communication. Public Affairs shapes the Air Force’s public image by building relationships with the community and managing relationships with a variety of media outlets. These Airmen develop scripts and graphics and document both ground and aerial missions to ensure information is captured for current and future generations to see. It's a perfect career field for those who aspire to be photographers, videographers, journalists, and social media managers.

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1N1X1: Geospacial Intelligence Analyst

Attention to detail is probably the most critical asset a Geospatial Intelligence Analyst can possess. In the Air National Guard, you'll be the eyes of the intelligence community, analyzing intelligence imagery from satellites, remotely piloted aircraft, and other sources as you look for the most miniscule detail. You'll be relied upon to distinguish from the innocuous to the dangerous. After your training, you'll develop and disseminate multi-sensor geospatial intelligence products to support war-fighting efforts and activities around the world.

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1N2X1: Signals Intelligence Analyst

An Air National Guard Signals Intelligence Analyst assesses U.S. aerospace vulnerabilities to communications collection and exploitation by our adversaries. You’ll extract, analyze, and identify foreign activity and electromagnetic communications emissions. You’ll interpret and relay your findings to the appropriate commanders so they can respond with the necessary speed, force, and precision.

The Jayhawk Flyer
184th Wing, Public Affairs
52955 Jayhawk Drive, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, 67221

184iw.ang.af.mil