Collins retires after nearly four decades Published June 6, 2014 By Tech. Sgt. Mark R. W. Orders-Woempner 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Serving nearly four decades in the military, one has plenty of opportunities to change lives while serving in multiple conflicts, but for the previous 434th Aerospace Medicine Squadron commander, those opportunities almost didn't happen. Col. Thomas Collins retired after serving more than 37 years in both the regular Air Force and Air Force Reserve here at Gus Grissom Hall recently. Presiding over the ceremony was retired Col. William Cahoon, a previous 434th Air Refueling Wing commander. Collins, who deployed for Operations Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and who twice earned bronze star medals for his combat service, said joining the Air Force was a mistake. "When I graduated high school, I was a compass without a needle and wasn't going anywhere, so my dad and I got into a big argument about what I was doing with my life and to show him I started calling recruiters," he recalled, saying that he wanted to join the Navy because the Air Force had a four-year commitment and the Navy only had three. "I go walking into the recruiter's office, sit down and as the recruiter was talking, I look up and think 'look at all those airplanes; the Navy sure does have a lot of airplanes,'" Collins continued. "All the sudden he said, 'you're really going to enjoy your life in the Air Force,' so I'm not fessing up [that I'm in the wrong office,] and so I sign up." Collins said that mistake was the best one he's ever made. "I can never say thanks enough for getting the opportunity to have the best job I've ever had in my career," the colonel said during the ceremony. "I'm so rich and so very fortunate to have the things I have in life, and because the people in this squadron and wing are so good, it's really hard to walk away." Several of those people Collins commanded spoke during the ceremony about how they were glad he made the "mistake" of joining the Air Force. One of those people, Master Sgt. Shannon Tribley, 434th AMDS dental assistant craftsman, admitted she wasn't so keen on the colonel at first. "In April 2012, when I was on a family vacation in the Smokey Mountains, I got a call, it was Colonel Collins, and he said, 'I have a master sergeant promotion for you, and I need you to pass this fitness test; what can I do to help you succeed?'" Tribley recalled. "I thought, 'wow, I've never had a commander take such a personal interest in an enlisted member's promotion.'" Tribley went on to say that her opinion of Collins grew even better after sering as the squadron's interim first sergeant. "I worked very closely with Colonel Collins for 10 months, and I saw he really cares about us," she added. "He helped me grow as a leader, mentored me and gave me opportunities I wouldn't have had otherwise." Senior Master Sgt. James Malloy, 434th Security Forces Squadron operations superintendent, who also served as a first sergeant under Collins, echoed that sentiment. "I've never met anybody with a heart as big a Colonel Collins," said Malloy. "He has passion, excitement and a tremendous sense of humor that can take any situation and put it in perspective." During the ceremony, Collins thanked the many people that helped guide him through his career, but gave special attention to his family, including his parents, children and girlfriend. "Bridget, Kelly and Scott, a father could not have better children, and I'm so gifted with my beautiful grandchildren," he said to his children, before turning his remarks to his girlfriend. "I think there's days as commander when it's really hard and there were days I wasn't always sure of myself, and she'd grab me by the shirt and say 'you be the colonel and you be strong.'" Then, turning to the Airmen he commanded during his final time with the Air Force, Collins thanked them as well. "From the very bottom of my heart, I love each and every one of you, I cannot thank you enough, and I have only one regret and that is that I can't do it all over again with you," he concluded. The 434th AMDS is part of the 434th ARW, the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Airmen and aircraft from the 434th ARW routinely deploy in support of the Air Force mission and U.S. strategic objectives. Stay connected with Grissom and the 434th ARW on Facebook and Twitter.
