MEDIA CONTEST: BOMBERS IN HIS BLOOD - 509th MXG Chief retires after 28 years Published Dec. 28, 2006 Print Journalist of the Year Entry 3E ACC MEDIA CONTEST -- Almost 28 years ago, then 19-year-old James "Beau" Turner, decided to follow a passion to serve his country and work on aircraft. "I always wanted to find some way to serve my country," said Chief Master Sgt. Beau Turner, 509th Maintenance Group superintendent. "I figured that joining the Air Force would be the best way to do that." Chief Turner's dedication to serve his country is well known by those who know him. "He has always felt that our forefathers took care of us and gave us the ability to live in the country we live in," said B.J. Turner, wife of Chief Turner. "He has always told me and our daughters that what he does helps to ensure freedom for future generations." Col. Bob Dulong, 509th Maintenance Group commander, praises Chief Turner's service and dedication to the Air Force mission. "Chief Turner cares deeply about the younger Airmen in our Air Force," Colonel Dulong said. "He mentors them so our Air Force will get even stronger in the future. He has touched many and his influence will remain for years to come." After graduating in 1977 from Vero Beach High School in Vero Beach, Fla., Chief Turner got a job at Piper Aircraft where he gained an interest in working on aircraft, Chief Turner said. After working for Piper Aircraft for less than two years, Chief Turner decided to take the next step in his life and he visited an Air Force recruiter. "I think when I first wanted to join, I didn't really know enough. All I wanted to do was work on aircraft, "Chief Turner said. "My recruiter wasn't very forthcoming in details. The recruiters then were not as good or thorough as the recruiters are today. I just came in and rolled the dice." Chief Turner never thought his decision to join would lead him to serve almost 28 years and work on all three bombers in the Air Force's inventory. "When I joined I never had any preconceived notions about what I would do or what I was going to work on," Chief Turner said. "I just wanted to work on aircraft." After a short period on delayed enlistment, Chief Turner arrived at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, for basic training Jan. 8, 1979. Chief Turner said the one thing he remembered the most about that first day in basic was when he arrived around 2 a.m. the two T.I.s were both wearing sunglasses. The first duty assignment for Chief Turner was an Airframe Repairman Specialist with the 68th Field Maintenance Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. "At Seymour Johnson I worked on B-52s and KC-135s," Chief Turner said. "That's when (Strategic Air Command) was around. I consider myself a SAC-trained killer." "Working on B-52s and getting an understanding on what bombers can bring to the combatant commander, really made me love bombers," Chief Turner said. He went on to say that SAC's motto was 'Peace is our profession' and that peace was achieved through deterrence and strength. "You need a strong defense to deter an enemy and that's why I love bombers," Chief Turner said. Chief Turner said he thinks there is no other weapons systems that injects fear into the minds of any misbehaving international political leaders like bombers do, specifically the B-2. "I know they think twice when we send B-2s to Guam," Chief Turner said. After his time at Seymour Johnson AFB, Chief Turner said he had all intentions of getting out of the Air Force and going back to work with Piper Aircraft. "But then I had an opportunity to go out to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.," Chief Turner said. "Being from Florida, I thought going out to California and working on flight test programs most maintainers don't get the chance to work on was an opportunity I couldn't pass up ... it was a pretty cool deal." In May of 1985, Chief Turner arrived at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas where he was responsible for certifying B-1 technical orders. While at Dyess AFB, Chief Turner also met his wife in the apartment complex he lived in and they got married. "I am very proud of my husband's service," Mrs. Turner said. "I've been with him for 20 of his 28 years and we have had an awesome ride." The year 1989, was when Chief Turner arrived at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and was cleared into the B-2 program. While at Offutt, Chief Turner was responsible for the technical orders of all aircraft in SAC, which included acquiring and developing the TOs for the B-2. In June of 1992, the Air Force reorganized and SAC and Tactical Air Command joined together to become Air Combat Command. During the Air Force's reorganization, Chief Turner came to Whiteman as part of the B-2 Site Activation Task Force. As part of the SATAF team, Chief Turner helped prepare Whiteman to accept the B-2, he said. The SATAF team set up training programs, maintenance facilities, support equipment and TOs all in preparation for the B-2s arrival at Whiteman. In July of 2002, Chief Turner became the 509th Maintenance Group superintendent, a position he holds today. "I'm proud of Chief Turner's service to the 509th MXG," Colonel Dulong said. "He guided my transition to Whiteman and he has guided the efforts of our logistics community to support our maintenance Airmen. He can look back with pride on his service to this group and to our Air Force." Chief Turner said he did consider exploring other avenues, such as being a command chief master sergeant. "I like doing exactly what I'm doing, in fact, I love it. I love aircraft maintenance, I love the maintainers on the line, and that's where my heart's at," he said. "I have the best of both worlds as the 509th MXG superintendent. I do a number of things that a command chief gets to do, but I also get to keep my fingers in the pie when it comes to B-2 maintenance and our ability to project air power. I can't think of any other job I'd want to retire from." Chief Master Sgt. Harold Hale, 509th MXG, chief of quality assurance, said Chief Turner is always doing the best thing for the Airmen. "Chief Turner is a caring person. He is always trying to make it better for the maintainers," Chief Hale said. When Operation Iraqi Freedom kicked off in March, 2003, Chief Turner said he knew how important it was and he volunteered to lead an advance team to a forward operating location to help set up the B-2 maintenance complex and ready it for combat operations. "I was very proud about what happened (at the FOL) because a lot of things came to fruition," Chief Turner said. "Everything we had been working toward for many years in the B-2 program culminated when we were able to fight from a forward operating location." He added that the B-2 has to have the ability to fly and fight from home station as well as a FOL. And during OIF, the B-2 was able to do that from both locations and led Air Force's effort in "Shock and Awe" which ultimately brought down the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein, Chief Turner said. When Chief Turner returned from the FOL, he was happy with what was accomplished but he wanted to contribute more, he said. He volunteered to go to Iraq and during his five-month deployment, he served as the 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Group superintendent at Balad Air Base, Iraq. After returning from Iraq, Chief Turner resumed his duties as the 509th MXG superintendent. One of those duties included giving a speech with Captain Amanda Eigel, 509th Mainetenance Squadron, in Harrisonville, Mo., sponsored by the Elks Lodge. The theme of the speech was about heroes, patriotism and serving our country, Chief Turner said. "Drafting up that speech helped me with my decision to retire," Chief Turner said. "One of the reasons I decided to retire is there are a lot of patriots that don't necessarily wear a military uniform, and they still serve our nation. I will still serve my country, but I'm going to do it without being on active duty. "I love my flag, I love my nation, I love serving and I always have. I've given everything I've got and I'm going to continue to give after I retire," he said. Looking toward the future, Chief Turner said he is a little sad about getting out of the Air Force right now because this is a great time for those in a leadership position to mold the Air Force of the future. "Our Air Force is at a point in time that we have some challenges ahead of us, but at the same time we have an extremely bright future," Chief Turner said. "One of the keys to air power is flexibility, and with all of the recent changes, this is another opportunity to be flexible. As a result of changes in the works, the Air Force will be more efficient, more lethal and more adaptable to meet our nation's needs". One piece of advice Chief Turner wanted to share with all Airmen is to be good for nothing. Chief Turner said he doesn't mean that in a bad way. "I didn't do things thinking that at the end I would be submitted for an award or a decoration. I did my best because that was the right thing to do," Chief Turner said. "So basically I was good ... for nothing. In other words, I always did my best without expecting anything in return." This is something that his father instilled upon him throughout his life just by his father's actions and is a trait Chief Turner feels all Airmen should exemplify. "As workers, we should always do our best whether we think there will be a reward at the end of it or not. The reward in itself is you doing a good job," he said. "The reward is being able to go home, look yourself in the mirror and know in your heart of hearts that you gave the military all you had to give that day." After 28 years of serving his country and fulfilling a passion of his, Chief Turner still feels the greatest honor of all is being able to retire from Whiteman. "I can't think of any other base or any other unit that I could retire from other than Whiteman and the 509th Bomb Wing," he said. "Retiring from here is the right thing to do." "Athletes are always told to get out while they're on top," Chief Turner said. "And that's what I'm doing. Whiteman is the top for me and that's why I'm retiring." Chief Turner went on to explain that you are not going to find another base like Whiteman. "The environment that has been fostered here over the years is unlike any other," he said. "When people come to Whiteman whether they have been in the service for one day or 15 years, people just bring it up a notch, their level of performance increases. The expectations at Whiteman are such that everybody performs at a level higher here than they would everywhere else, and that's why I can't imagine retiring from anywhere else other than Whiteman and the 509th Bomb Wing." Chief Turner said his plans after the Air Force are the same they have always been, to serve. "After my retirement, my plans no matter what they are, are to still serve my country," he said. "I will still serve my country until the day I die."