TRADITION: Always at tip of airlift spear, another Raymond retires and passes the torch

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Ellen L. Hatfield
  • 349th Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  November 1971: David J. Raymond, a recent high school graduate, half-jokingly says he joined the Air Force to avoid being drafted into the Army and shipped off to Vietnam. But, actually, he is following in the footsteps of his father, Albert, who joined the newly created U.S. Air Force in 1947.

After graduating basic training and his basic load school, the Air Force sent him on his first assignment - to a "hot spot "in Vietnam, exactly where he never expected he would end up.

April 11, 2012: History is made for the 349th Air Mobility Wing and the Raymond family, when Senior Master Sgt. David J. Raymond retires with more than 40 years in the Air Force. The Jimmy Doolittle Air & Space Museum was packed with family and friends, many who had served alongside Raymond in his journey, a career served out, amazingly, entirely with the same squadron.

Watching proudly, as his father is retired from the 312th Airlift Squadron, is Staff Sgt. Christopher Raymond. Back in 2006, he took his first oath of enlistment at the same time his father took his last. Raymond, the son, is carrying on the tradition begun by his grandfather, SMSgt. (ret) Albert Raymond, who was the first of three generations of Raymond loadmasters assigned to the 349th AMW. But Raymond (Chris) is the first to defect, and serve with the 301st AS, on the C-17 Globemaster III.

For eight years, from 1992 to 2000, Raymond's daughter, Rachel, also served as a loadmaster with the 312th AS, before leaving the Reserve to pursue a law degree.
Returning to officiate at the ceremony was Raymond's former 312th Commander, Maj. Gen. Frank Padilla, now Deputy Inspector General for the Air Force. Padilla had hoped to be asked to perform this duty, and joked, that when he didn't get asked, two weeks before the ceremony, he called Raymond. "I begged him, pretty please; let me officiate for your retirement."
Padilla characterized Raymond as a person who epitomizes the core values, someone who would do the right thing, even when no one was looking. "He's all about other people, the mission and the squadron," he said. He lamented that Raymond never went back to college, and took time for himself, but was not surprised, since he always said, "It's not about me."
Yet, over the course of his more than 40 years, he packed in a lot of training. He was a loadmaster for the C-141 Starlifter first, then completed C-5 loadmaster school. He upgraded to become a C-5 Flight Examiner loadmaster, went on to basic flight engineer school, then C-5 FE school and C-5 FE Instructor school. In between all his flying for the Air Force, he worked for a time with California Department of Corrections, and for United Airlines Training. He was an air reserve technician twice.
He also managed to be involved in every operation and contingency that the 312th participated in, or lent support to, over the years, including Operation Deep Freeze, the invasion of Grenada, the first Gulf War, Panama, Somalia, Haiti, many disaster and humanitarian relief missions, and Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
His son said he didn't have to think twice in following in his dad's, and grandfather's, footsteps. "It's life, what I've always known. I'm definitely proud, and it's something to live up to. Following in his footsteps is a daunting task."
He said he takes a lot of grief at the 301st, from the 312th AS. "They keep asking me, 'When are you coming over? We need another Raymond in the squadron,'" he said with a laugh.
His dad gets a faraway look in his eye, as he contemplates his life outside the Air Force Reserve. "All during my Fini Flight, I was thinking, this is it. I can say that I enjoyed it all, we always made the best of the every situation," he said. "It's true that the Air Force is a family, and we could always depend on each other to do the job right."
His advice for those who will continue the legacy is to learn from "we old folks." Volunteer as much as you can. Balance the best you can, be there when you can be, for there will be times when you are not able. It's not just what is right, but what is true.
"It's time I step aside for less experienced, more capable Airmen," he said. "Thank you. I'm done."