GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Airmen assigned to the 434th Force Support Squadron hopped on a 14-hour flight to train with our active-duty wingmen, during a annual tour duty at Yokota Air Base, Japan, from April 1-15, 2024.
The purpose of the trip was to create partnerships for Team Grissom within the Indo-Pacific region and learn different facets of FSS functions, all while finding new and efficient ways to complete the mission back home.
In all, 26 Airmen from the military personnel and services flights shadowed the 374th FSS personnel on various functions such as customer support, career development, and force management. The team also supported a base color run and participated in a search and recovery training. Beyond professional development, the trip also fostered comradery among the team members. Through exploring the city of Tokyo and its historical landmarks, Tech. Sgt. James Curry, 434th FSS noncommissioned officer in charge of customer support, said they were able to come together as a unit.
“We’ve never had that bond, so it was really cool getting to know them and be able to create those relationships and connections, because now we know that if we ever need help, we can count on each other based on the bonds we created during those two weeks,” said Curry.
Senior Airman Deja Wayne, 434th FSS personalist, who is new to both the unit and the Air Force, said the TDY helped her find what was missing with the unit: getting to know her fellow Airmen.
“This was my first AT with the Air Force, so I was able to bond and get to know everyone better,” said Wayne. “I was able to connect with a lot of different people, so if I learned anything it was to talk and get to know different people, because you may run into them again.”