49th FW historian archives deployed wing's accomplishments

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  In the deployed environment, there are people who document the accomplishments, events, incidents and a host of "gee whiz" items for future generations. In the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, that person is historian Ralph Jackson.

Mr. Jackson is the 380th AEW historian deployed from the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., where he is also the wing historian.

"At our deployed base, I collect reports, data and interviews for all of the organizations of the wing and write a monthly history consisting of a narrative, expanded chronology and appendixes," said Mr. Jackson, whose hometown is Clinton, Utah.

Serving with the Air Force and the military is nothing new for Mr. Jackson. Besides 14 years of civil service, he also has more than 12 years of Air Force active duty and U.S. Navy Reserve time served. The experience helps him understand the things he needs to do as a historian, Mr. Jackson said. And without people like him in the deployed areas, he said future generations of people would not see how Airmen are making history today.

"Without my career field in the deployment environment, there would be no history of the activities of the U.S. Air Force in the combat environment," Mr. Jackson said. "Historians are the ones who permanently collect all of the information of the Air Force. Without us to document the myriad of activities the Air Force does for the war effort would be nothing more than a memory."

Mr. Jackson earned a bachelor of science degree in history from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, in 1989. He also earned a certificate in international relations from Utah State University in Logan, Utah, in 1990. The GS-11 federal employee said he's happy to take his experience and skills on the road to serve with deployed service members.

"As a federal employee, I get to work with the greatest men and women of America," Mr. Jackson said. "I am in a unique civilian position in that we are required to deploy as part of the job. I have the opportunity to write about the great men and women of the U.S. Air Force and tell their story to future generations."

He said being deployed does have its challenges, but added he is committed to doing everything he can to support the deployed mission.

"It is a challenge being one of only four federal employees at this location," Mr. Jackson said. "Most everyone thinks I am a contractor, but then they question why I wear a uniform and I get to educate them on the service of a federal employee. I then get the opportunity to talk to them about being a historian for the U.S. Air Force."

His current deployment to Southwest Asia isn't his first either, Mr. Jackson said. He last deployed to Balad Air Base, Iraq, as the 332nd AEW historian in 2008 and noted that any time you're gone from home is never easy.

"It has been challenging in having only 16 months between deployments," Mr. Jackson said. "I work in a one-deep office in the U.S. and no one is doing my job back home while I'm gone. But all that considered, I'm still proud to be here and proud to support our great Air Force on deployment."

The 380th AEW is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance, and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The wing supports operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.