A chief, a wingman

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Luis Loza Gutierrez
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Within a matter of a few days, Chief Master Sgt. Paul Moreau, 17th Training Wing command chief master sergeant, will leave Texas in order to begin his duties as the new top enlisted-servicemember for the 2nd Air Force. Although Chief Moreau will soon be relocating to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., Goodfellow Air Force Base will not be left Moreau-less: there will be plenty of moments to remember the chief by.

Some will remember the chief as a proven community leader thanks to his involvement with several community projects and programs such as the Concho Valley Community Action and Resources for Empowerment and Success program, which is designed to promote a drug-free community.

Others will remember him for the motivational speeches he gave during the monthly enlisted-promotion-ceremonies at the base theatre, which he some how always seemed to start off with a personal tale of some kind and on occasion drew laughter and some "hooahs" from the audience.

Others on base will remember him as the camouflage-wearing, 46-year old senior NCO that defeated two Airmen in two separate pushup competitions, which helped raise funds for various programs and non-profit organizations on base such as the 56 Council and ACE, two of Goodfellow's military professional development organizations.

Yes, there will be plenty of moments and things to help people remember the chief and his time here.

However, I know that for three Goodfellow Airmen, Chief Moreau will be remembered in a very unique and special way. I know this because I am one of those Airmen.

You see, not too long ago, two of my fellow Airmen, Senior Airmen Julio Brito and Brenton Dumas, and I could not call ourselves U.S. citizens. It is thanks to Chief Moreau and his help that is no longer the case!

No, the chief did not have to fill out any paperwork or mail anything off; we'd done that already. However, it was Chief Moreau who helped ensure that we were not forgotten in the whole naturalization process and that the chance to live as U.S. citizens for a country we'd voluntarily sworn to serve and defend was something more than just a dream or goal.

Airman Brito recently left Goodfellow to serve the Air Force mission in South Korea. Within a matter of a few days Airman Dumas and I will be deployed to Southwest Asia. These are opportunities that we know would not have been easily realized without our new citizenship.

My job on the base paper has afforded me the opportunity to meet and talk to people about Chief Moreau and to truly understand the deep appreciation for what he's done not just for me, but many others.

With that in mind, I'd like to conclude by saying thank you Chief Moreau. Thank you for being a leader we can look up to with respect not just because of the rank you wear, but for your motivation and support.

Most of all, thank you for being a true wingman.