Gates takes over as new vice commander

Published May 3, 2015
By Tech. Sgt. Mark R. W. Orders-Woempner
434th ARW Public Affairs

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- The road of life has been said to be an adventure, one in which a person doesn't always know what's ahead, but can be made all the more rewarding through preparation.

Such was the case for Col. Hiram P. Gates, III, who as a U.S. Air Force Academy basic Cadet in 1984, could not have predicted he would end up being the 434th Air Refueling Wing vice commander 31 years later.

"No one was more excited than I was to have Colonel Paul Gates join us as the next 434th ARW vice commander," said Col. Doug Schwartz, 434th ARW commander. "I've known and worked with Paul for many years, and I know what a talented and dedicated leader and officer he is.

"Colonel Gates is absolutely the right person to serve as the wing's vice commander, and I look forward to working with him as we move the Hoosier Wing forward," Schwartz added.

Gates recently moved into the number two position in the Hoosier Wing as he replaces Col. Bryan Reinhart, who will retired May 1. Gates previously served as the 434th Operations Group deputy commander.

"I knew the outstanding reputation of the people of the 434th, so my hope was to be able to stay here and work with the great folks at Grissom," he said. "I was hoping to get this vice commander position because it's an excellent opportunity to help Airmen across the wing."

Despite not always knowing the future, the colonel says his road led him to his dream job in the Air Force because he prepared himself along the way - a message he wants to carry to all Airmen.

"You don't know where you're going to go, and for me, there were several times my career took a different path than I expected," he said. "The best thing you can do is always be prepared for every opportunity.

"This can be a hard thing to do because it's demanding, especially with the time required for training, PME or advanced degrees; But if you make time there are so many more options that are open for you," he added.

The option Gates was selected for now puts him second in command of the Air Force Reserve's largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit, a position in which the colonel said he's extremely excited to serve.

"I'm looking forward to getting out and broadening my view on everything," he said. "A vice commander has got to be ready to step in for the wing commander, represent him inside and outside the wing and act as the conduit for the concerns of Airmen."

In only a couple months on the job, Gates said he's been impressed with Grissom's Airmen already.

"Everyone knows what they're doing here, and things really function well because of that," he elaborated. "Every Airman is vital to the operation of the wing and enables us to do our mission."

To keep things running as smoothly, the colonel said he's going to also be really focused on retaining the best Airmen Grissom has.

"We need to make sure they know how valuable they are. We want to keep them prepared and retrain them as they contribute to the mission of the Air Force," he added.

Gates received his commission in 1988 as a graduate from the Air Force Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in international relations.

He entered pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, and was assigned to the 905th Air Refueling Squadron, Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota.

In 1997, Gates transferred to the Air Force Reserve, where he flew KC-135s with the 63rd Air Refueling Squadron at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan.

Gates has held numerous command and leadership positions to include aircraft commander, instructor pilot, program manager, director of airspace management, chief of current operations, flight commander, squadron commander and deputy group commander.

He is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours and has deployed in support of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Provide Comfort, Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Deny Flight, Allied Force, Joint Guardian, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

Grissom is home to the 434th Air Refueling Wing, the largest KC-135 unit in the Air Force Reserve Command, as well as three Army Reserve units. Airmen, Soldiers and Marines routinely deploy from Grissom around the world in support of the Department of Defense mission and U.S. strategic objectives.

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Grissom's new vice commander

Gates takes over as new vice commander

Public Affairs Staff