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386th NEWS

Rock Solid Warrior: Senior Airman Bradley Hyatt

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Zachary Kee
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  

I’m Senior Airman Bradley Hyatt, a 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron air transportation specialist. I am deployed from the 117th Air Refueling Wing in Birmingham, Alabama. I joined the Air Force to serve my country. My father is retired and served in Vietnam and the impact he made stuck out with me.

As an air transportation specialist, the focus is on loading and offloading cargo on aircraft. I work the ramp and coordinate with load planning, special handling, and cargo to ensure that cargo is sent where it needs to go. The best part of my mission is the impact we have on the mission. If it wasn’t for our coordination, communication, and hard work, the cargo would not make it on the planes and the members downrange would not receive what they need to complete their tasks.

Being deployed versus being at home station is different for me because at home station we are responsible for the KC-135 Stratotanker. The aerial port services we provide for the KC-135 versus the other types of cargo planes differ on the procedures of loading and offloading cargo as well as the amount of cargo. Another difference is working with other nations to perform the mission, which is a unique experience.

Some of the challenges I face in my mission are the weather and being away from family and other personal matters that may be going on back home. It takes looking out for one another and making sure we keep pushing to keep the mission going. The challenges mean nothing when you have a great team with you conducting the mission.

At home I’m a registered nurse and that’s what I do in my civilian career. My goals include going to graduate school where I’ve been accepted to the University of South Alabama for my Masters of Science in Nursing with a specialty in acute care. Some other goals include owning my own business, becoming an officer, and being a leader in all that I do. I also plan to get my private pilot’s license.