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McGuire boom operator refuels father's plane during 'fini-flight'

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center Public Affairs
MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. --  It was listed as a "local" refueling mission, but in truth the mission was very special.

On April 9, aboard a KC-10 Extender from McGuire's 2nd Air Refueling Squadron, boom operator Staff Sgt. Ken Essick refueled his father's E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, or JSTARS, aircraft from Robins Air Force Base, Ga., on his dad's final flight.

Winding down a career
The father, Chief Master Sgt. Randal Money, is a flight engineer for the E-8C and is retiring soon. The refueling took place over the skies of North Carolina. Chief Money said it was a great moment for him.

"This was the ultimate way to end my 31-year Air Force career," Chief Money said April 10. "It was an honor to have my son refuel my aircraft on this mission."

Chief Money, who is assigned to the 128th Airborne Command and Control Squadron of the Georgia Air National Guard, joined the Air Force in 1978. During his career he's been an F-4 Phantom, F-15 Eagle, B-1B Lancer and E-8C crew chief. It's only been in the last 10 years of his career that he's been flying as an E-8C flight engineer.

"Being a flight engineer on an aircraft means you are the systems expert," Chief Money said. "The pilot and co-pilot rely on you to know the aircraft's systems in and out."

All those years of working as a crew chief enabled Chief Money to get to his current position; however, he said it was especially nice to be able to finish his career as an aircrew member.

"I guess everyone dreams of flying at some time in their life," Chief Money said. "For me I've been flying since I was 14 years old. I earned my private pilot license when I was 16 -- so to be able to fly for the Air Force has been awesome. No words can express the feeling of your first flight as a crew member...it's something I'll never forget."

Continuing a career
Sergeant Essick has more than 2,600 flying hours as a KC-10 boom operator with the 2nd ARS. Chief Money said to see his son join the Air Force was no surprise.

"I remember going with Kenneth to the Air Force recruiter and us talking about his options," Chief Money said. "I'm extremely proud that he chose the Air Force. He is a great son."

Sergeant Essick's mother also has Air Force roots in Senior Master Sgt. (Retired) Lorna Money. Chief Money said they are both proud of Sergeant Essick and glad the family tradition of serving in the military is continuing. "We both feel a great pride in being in the military and having had the chance to serve in the Air Force," Chief Money said. "It has been a great way of life."

Sergeant Essick said his family is "very patriotic" and they understand that what Airmen do every day can be dangerous at times. "Having served, they also realize that what we do is necessary to keep our country safe," he said.

The boom operator also said he credits his dad for helping him get to where he is today.

"Before I joined the Air Force I asked my dad what he would have done if he could go back and do it all over again," Sergeant Essick said. "He told me he would either be a loadmaster or a boom operator. To me, at the time, it sounded like being a boom operator would be more fun. Two-thousand, six-hundred hours later - I'd say that was a good decision."

Sergeant Essick said his dad also taught him to succeed in anything he tried.

"He told me you have to be willing to give it a full 100 percent effort all the time," Sergeant Essick said. "He also said the only way to be truly happy is to love what you are doing and flying is what I love doing. It makes it easy to go to work every day."

Coming together for one mission
Refueling the aircraft on his dad's last flying mission was high watermark for Sergeant Essick.

"I'm very proud of him," Sergeant Essick said. "He's accomplished what most enlisted members will not by making chief -- all while making sure his family was well cared for. I just hope that I can do the same."

At 21,000 feet over the Carolinas during the refueling, Chief Money and Sergeant Essick talked over the radio a number of times over the course of 30 to 40 minutes. They talked about family and even golf. The conversation was sprinkled with an "I love you" and an unspoken level of thankfulness.

"Not many people get this kind of opportunity," Sergeant Essick said. "It's taken almost six years for me to have the chance to refuel his aircraft and it just so happens to be on his final flight as an engineer. That made it that much sweeter.

"I thought refueling an F-22 (Raptor) or a B-2 (Spirit) would be the coolest thing I've ever done, but they don't even compare to refueling that E-8C with my dad as the engineer," Sergeant Essick added. "I am truly thankful to have had this opportunity. It's something that I'll never forget."

Chief Money said the torch has been passed.

"In a sense, it was a way of saying, 'This is now your Air Force son,'" he said.