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380AEW Article

Father, son share deployment to 380 AEW

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jacob Morgan
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Military brats live their childhood growing up in a military culture - traveling with the career of their parent or parents from base to base across the globe. While some military brats leave the military life to go on to other things, many join the military following in their parent's footsteps; creating a long line of military tradition.

The Meade family has military service dating back to the American Civil War with a new development. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. David Meade, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing broadcaster, is currently serving with his father, U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Garth Meade, 380 AEW command chief.

The Air Force is comprised of more than 300,000 active-duty service members, so being together at the same location, in the same unit, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa is a rare occurrence.

"We got here together purely by chance," said David Meade. "This deployment went through two other people before it came to me. When I picked it up, my dad hadn't been selected for his position yet."

David Meade received a phone call while out processing his base at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, from his father, who was a command chief at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. When he received the call, all he could think was ... "he's calling me at work, this can't be good." Instead, it was his father telling him that he had been selected by Brig. Gen. Kevin Schneider to be the command chief in the area of responsibility. Before the phone call, neither one had made the connection. During the conversation, they both mentioned the 380 AEW and it clicked - father and son were going to be deployed together.

In the previous five years, David Meade spent time in Florida, Japan and Germany, rarely having the opportunity to see his father who was serving as a first sergeant in England and Hawaii, and then a command chief at Alabama. Being together at the 380 AEW has actually given them time to see more of each other.

"We have been able to catch up quite a bit. It's been really cool; I have seen more of my son in five months than I have seen him in the last five years," said Garth Meade, who is native to Lexington Park, Md. "The first time it really hit me was when I was giving a speech at a promotion release party, speaking to hundreds of people, I saw my son sitting in the audience and it made me pause for a second. The same kid I remember running up and down the beach and making tree forts was sitting in the audience deployed in the AOR."

They have had many moments together both professionally and personally since they have been with the 380 AEW. Sometimes these moments meld together; an example is when Garth Meade pinned on David Meade's staff sergeant stripes.

However, finding the boundary between professional and personal relationship hasn't been that difficult according to David Meade.

"Even when I was a dependent, I knew the boundaries between chief and dad," said David Meade, who is native to Navarre, Fla. "It is really nice to have my dad here for advice. I can walk downstairs and get professional knowledge from a chief, and I also have my dad here to give advice personally. It really comes down to situational awareness; sometimes I end the conversation with, love you and sometimes I say good night, chief."

When Garth Meade arrived with the new command staff, they were looking for ways to introduce new members to the wing.

As a broadcaster, David Meade was assigned to create a new mission video. This gave the Meades a chance to work not just at the same location, but together on a project.

"[When the video was up for approval], I was a little nervous," said Garth Meade. "The general loved it. That's when the dad inside me was pretty proud. I would have been proud anyways, but I had a proud chief and a proud dad moment."

The pride goes both ways. David Meade grew up watching his father in the Air Force and with five years of separation, being together with the 380 AEW brought a new perspective of working in his father's wing.

"My dad has always been my hero and when I see my dad speak to crowds of hundreds of people offering words of encouragement it reminds me of why," said David Meade. "A lot of times, I sit back and say man, our command chief has a great message and then it hits me; that's my dad."

As Garth Meade approaches the final years of his career and possibly last deployment, David Meade's career is just starting and will have his first deployment under his belt.

"I raised all my kids to appreciate what they have, work hard and create opportunities-- go for the win, but win with humility and when you lose....do it graciously," said Garth Meade. "As a dad, you raise your kids a certain way, the Air Force calls it professionalism, but I like to call it good manners. It's nice to see my son embraces those traditions and it makes me proud as a dad. The Air Force has truly blessed us with the opportunity to serve together."