919th SOW recognizes first African American female crew chief > 919th Special Operations Wing > Article Display

DUKE Area, Fla. —
It is pretty frequent in the 919th Specific Operations Plane Routine maintenance Squadron to transition from a person airframe to a new non-conventional aircraft process. Whilst legacy plane section out, aircrew customers advance respectively, and one particular Citizen Air Commando’s title has come to be a portion of 919th Unique Procedure Wing’s heritage as the initial African American female crew main.




















1st Lt. Alyson Sasser, 919th Exclusive Functions Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels and auto upkeep flight commander began her Reserve career with the 919th SOAMXS in 2012. At that time, she was a staff members sergeant. She had some fundamental servicing knowledge underneath her belt from complex university, but continue to had more to discover as a new junior force member.

“I didn’t know the variance concerning a hammer and a screwdriver,” exaggerated Sasser. “I chose the task for the reason that it was one particular of the openings that seriously interested me, and I was advised I could get my name on a aspect of a airplane.”


Sadly, the personalized stickers she prized to see her identify on had been phasing out, just like the MC-130 Overcome Talons. What did stick was one embarrassing minute.


She shared a memory about when her group taught her a coaching lesson to assistance ease her into the air crew household. It was also a time they all arrived jointly as a team collectively to share a snicker.


On this event, she was questioned to execute an aircraft upkeep check out, what her teammates known as an “echo check.”


“Basically, they needed me to yell into the intake on the engine, and some unit allegedly would sign-up echoes to see if there have been cracks in there,” reported Sasser. “So, I am like, amazing, it sounded legit, so I bought up there on the ladder and began screaming into 4 diverse quadrants of this motor and they are recording it.”


Afterwards that working day she shared with 1 of her crew chief close friends who was in teaching as very well about what she did that day.


“He asked who the new guy is,” stated Sasser. “He was like wow, they got you, and that’s how I located out they pranked me. From then on, I tightened up and it was items like that which built us improve a lot more as a spouse and children when items obtained stressful.”


Before long following her perform ethic and personnel delight had been immediately obvious in each individual activity she was assigned, as well as her passion to encourage and inspire people today.


In March 2018, she promoted to technological sergeant. She continued to help her fellow Airmen master and produce their respective skills.


“Sasser executed as a phenomenal crew chief and plane routine maintenance expert,” mentioned Main Grasp Sgt. Mark Harrell, 919th Specific Operations Wing Aircraft Upkeep superintendent. “The just one matter that arrives to head was a shade enjoyment operate she organized to make satisfaction and esprit de corps all through the Wing.”


Even though Sasser did not get her title on an aircraft as hoped, her steady resolve to excel, and educate herself in the maintenance area, garnered her a lot praise and a advertising.


Less than the management of Lt. Col. Terrell Eikner, now Air Pressure Reserve Command 315th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander, identified her leadership abilities and development prospects and selected her to turn into who she is now, 1st. Lt. Sasser.


“Through the total commissioning system, she continually held to her main attributes of men and women 1st,” stated Harrell.” “Lt. Sasser is a singular example of what a particular person can accomplish if specified any opportunity.”


Sasser’s depth of practical experience within just the Wing brought her new viewpoint.


“I learned to be flexible, adapt, and be resilient to be ready to go,” reported Sasser. “Change is scary, and a obstacle, but a single of things I have discovered, getting a element of it, is irrespective of pores and skin coloration, your gender, people today master how to adapt, and that’s just one of the things I enjoy, since irrespective of what is taking place or what will come out of it, or what is subsequent, we get it performed.”



