Veterans bring valuable experience to Air Force Reserve Published Nov. 4, 2008 By Senior Airman Brandon Craig 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UT -- Thousands of Air Force reservists were once active duty troops, and these seasoned warriors, many of whom are war veterans, add a valuable depth of experience to the Air Force Reserve's mission. The 419th Fighter Wing has veterans of Vietnam, Desert Storm and the Global War on Terrorism listed in its ranks, many of whom are dedicated to using that experience to continue serving their country and training younger Airmen to do the same. "They harass me all the time about my age," said Senior Master Sgt. Michael Dufresne of the 419th Maintenance Squadron. As the munitions systems superintendent, he oversees a group of young Airmen - only one of whom was even born by the time he joined the Air Force in 1981. But Sergeant Dufresne is still in his prime earning years from a civilian perspective. He and countless veterans like him bring to the reserve some of its greatest experience and continuity. Sergeant Dufresne served in the Gulf War with the 388th Fighter Wing from August 1990 to May 1991, spending much of that time building bombs for four fighter squadrons' worth of jets. "I gained a wide range of experience doing my job," Sergeant Dufresne said. "We were short-handed, which helped my experience in the reserve, especially when [the Air Force] started doing more with less. It was a career-broadening experience. Instead of doing one thing, I did multiple tasks." "Since reservists are only out here one weekend a month plus your 15 days, that's not very many days to have hands-on training," he said. "If you serve active duty for six or seven years, you have all that extra time doing the same job over and over, so your experience ends up larger and wider-based." "Experience counts a bunch and I think that's kind of where we hang our hat," said Lt. Col. Bill Lyons, 419th Operations Group commander and Gulf War veteran. "We have people in the reserve who have been doing this for a long time. To maintain that experience level allows for a solid foundation as the active duty cycles people through on the assignment process." Colonel Lyons served on active duty for 15 years and was stationed in Qatar from August 1990 to March 1991 flying F-16s over Iraq. While there, he flew 33 missions and logged nearly 110 flying hours. "All of our people are doing it because they want to serve in their unit," he said. "They aren't doing it for the money. So you have got people with a desire to serve and continue the mission. They use that desire to teach or train the new people coming in." Lt. Col. Michael Doyle of the 419th Medical Squadron is someone with that desire. Colonel Doyle joined the Navy at age 18 and served almost a year in Vietnam. He commissioned as a captain in the Air Force Reserve after the Sept. 11 attacks of 2001. His training in the Navy allowed him to better train Air Force medical technicians, he said. "Active Duty brings to the reserve an understanding of giving your full-time efforts to the mission and the importance it plays in the protection and safety or our families and our country," Colonel Doyle said. "We are serving something greater than ourselves and doing it for others."