47 years of can-do, will-do attitude

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Adam Whitman
  • 819th RED HORSE Squadron
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The 819th RED HORSE Squadron recently celebrated 47 years in the Air Force with a can do, will do attitude. The 47th birthday was celebrated in true RED HORSE fashion with a reception at the Airfield Hangar on Jan. 11.

The unit had a reception in their airfield hanger that included current members, spouses and retired RHS members. A contingency of 300 plus members came out to honor and celebrate the 819th legacy.

At the reception, Capt. Thomas Thompson, 819th RHS engineering flight chief, and Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Monkman, 819th RHS chief enlisted manager, talked about RED HORSE traditions its history and its future. Airman 1st Class Tyler Doperalski commented that he liked the traditions that the HORSE brings.

"I haven't been to any other bases, but I think it's neat to see everybody get together at the HORSE calls and see what they do...I think it is cool how everyone can get together and bond over the history of the 819th RHS," he said.

The history and traditions are very important to the squadron.

"All individuals of the 819th RHS need to know when we stood up; they need to know about their unit," Monkman said. "By doing that, we show a greater sense of pride. We know about the Airmen who came before us, and we know what our legacy is during the timeframe we are here. So whether you retire with a White Hat, [Permanent Change of Station] to somewhere else down the line or go back to your original squadron, you're going to have that special bond in the 819th RHS."

The 819th origins started in Vietnam. Since its inception, the HORSE has transitioned to other locations throughout its service. Everywhere that the 819th has been, the Airmen have left a lasting impression with a tradition of excellence and involvement with the bases and the communities.

The 819th RHS originated at Phu Cat Air Base, Vietnam on Jan. 12, 1966. This is where the unit started its traditions of excellence, hard work and dedication. The 819th has been based at Tuy Hoa AB, Vietnam; Westover Air Force Base, Mass.; McConnell AFB, Kan.; and RAF Wethersfield, United Kingdom; where the 819th was inactivated on Aug. 31, 1990. The 819th RHS then reactivated on June 1, 1997 here at Malmstrom. When the squadron reactivated, it became the first Total Force Integrator with the 219th RED HORSE Squadron with the Montana Air National Guard.

Since initial activation, some of the squadron's accomplishments include: constructing hundreds of miles of aircrafts runway, laying millions of square feet of AM2 matting, moving millions of cubic yards of earth, pouring thousands of cubic yards of concrete, and constructing a multitude of facilities. The 819th RHS has received numerous awards, and has been the focus of many news articles and streamers throughout its rich history.

The past and current awards are accredited to the unit's ability to overcome and get the job done. "...everyone just puts on their thinking caps to make things work one way or another and the HORSE always does that," Retired RED HORSE member, Tech. Sgt. Michael Ezop, said. "They excel in anything. We had to do all this not with what we needed but we made it work and got it done."

"...never have I seen a whole group of people work so hard," said Senior Airman Christopher Goans, 819th RHS airfields section. "When we get to a job, everyone is just hammering it."

Proud to carry on the traditions of camaraderie, the 819th RHS integrates the past and present to form a strong team.

Monkman stated: "The 819th is an elite unit that has been doing great things since 1966. Throughout the years, many HORSEmen have come through before us and led us to where we are today. We are a strong unit up here of 400 plus and we continue with the legacy, traditions, and heritage of what HORSEmen have done in the past and we'll make this unit even better."

The 819th RHS also shows its dedication to excellence and hard work by the unit members' involvement within the base and the community. The members transfer their expertise and enthusiasm into community programs such as Habitat for Humanity, United Way's Day of Caring, Vets for Vets Stand Down, and the Montana Special Olympics to name a few. Along with the community involvement, the 819th participates in base functions and exercises that add to the success of the base. They also created lasting impressions by showing excellent craftsmanship while improving base functionality when Troop Training Projects are accomplished. Capt. Graham Auten and Monkman commented that the people in the 819th RHS are what makes the unit special and what it is today.

"The people in the 819th are great, they've always been there to support one another," Auten said. "We have a team camaraderie that is second to none. With Malmstrom's support, we've been able to prove that team camaraderie can continue and have mission success."

The 47th anniversary was a success and the entire unit looks forward to carrying on the heritage that was placed before them. Everything that the 819th does will be done with excellence, pride, and with a can do, will do attitude.

"The 819th has been around for a long time and we have moved many, many times," Thompson said. "We've been here since 1997 and it looks like we're going to be here for a while. I think it is good that we get recognized for that and show our pride and show the squadron to the base leadership here because we are a tenant unit so something like this is a good way to publicize ourselves to the wing, to the base and to show that this is what we do and we live a proud heritage."

8-1-9! TO THE HORSE!