No Regrets: chief reflects on career

  • Published
  • 5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. (ACCNS) --     Thirty years ago, Chief Master Sgt. Michael Curran wanted little more than to get out of his parent's house and to see the world. Today, he can hardly believe where the Air Force has taken him.

"I don't even know if there was a goal when I first joined," Chief Curran said. "The turning point was when I married my wife, Pam. By that point, I had learned I had to establish personal goals and career goals because I was no longer by myself."

His career began in December 1973 at a military depot in Minneapolis, where he entered the delayed enlistment program, and since entering basic training Jan. 22, 1974, the career noncommissioned officer sampled much of what the military has to offer.

Originally trained as a ground radio maintenance technician, the chief spent the first two years at George Air Force Base, Calif., until he cross trained into tactical air command and control. After four years working with the Army in Bamberg, Germany, Chief Curran retrained again -- this time, as an air traffic controller.

"I decided to cross train because if I continued with my other career field, the rest of the assignments would have been with the Army," he said. "I thought it was time to get back to the branch I joined."

Chief Curran's career move brought him back to the Air Force and his first tour at Minot.

"I loved the assignment because I was able to branch out into different parts of air traffic control," he said. "I was a radar controller, a tower controller and a terminal instrument procedures specialist. I got a chance to really broaden my experience."

With his extended understanding of the field, Chief Curran was now prepared for his first flight commander position at Thule Air Base, Greenland, where he also served as a squadron first sergeant. From there, he went to Scott AFB, Ill., to work at Air Force Communications Command headquarters.

As his love of the Air Force grew, so did his responsibilities. He became the commandant for the air traffic control facility management school at Andrews AFB, Md., and later became the air traffic control career field manager responsible for overseeing the operations and training of 5,500 air traffic controllers worldwide.

By this point he'd reached one of his main career goals -- to become a chief. But his learning didn't stop there. Next came the fine art of diplomacy and negotiation as the chief of ATC operations at Lajes Field, Azores.

"The experience was a real eye opener because the air traffic facility was essentially owned and ran by the Portuguese military," the chief said. "I was able to work side-by-side in a co-responsibility atmosphere that allowed us to complete a lot of outstanding operational procedural problems we had."

In 1997, Chief Curran achieved his second major career goal when he returned here as the radar approach control chief controller.

"My family and I were really looking forward to returning to Minot," he said. "It's a great place to raise children, we don't mind the harsh weather, and we love the people. We knew Minot would be a great place to live and grow old."

For airmen setting their sites on a life long career in the Air Force, Chief Curran stresses the need for a good support network, accounting his prosperous 30-year military career mainly to the support of his fellow military members and family.

"You don't just make it to 30 years unless you have great people to support you," the chief said. "I have been fortunate enough to have people both pushing and prodding my career."

In retrospect, Chief Curran couldn't name one pinnacle moment or single accomplishment that may make other airmen want to follow his lead.

"It's difficult to articulate all of my accomplishments ...well... because I'm still doing it," he said. "You'd have to ask me maybe six-months after I retire, because for all I know the high points may still come. Who knows?"