Master Sgt. welcomes his son to Fairchild

Published Aug. 4, 2011
By Scott King
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- The phone text read: How would you like me to come home permanently? When he received the text, his first concern was if his son was hurt, then he wondered if he got kicked out. He was relieved when neither was the case, then the text read: I'm coming to Fairchild with you...

As of two weeks ago, they are both stationed here. Master Sgt. Mark Stenzel and his son, Airman 1st Class Cory Stenzel, are happy to be back together after just four months apart while Airman Stenzel went through basic training and technical school.

"It's pretty cool to have Cory within reach again," said Sergeant Stenzel, a 92nd Maintenance Operations Squadron product improvement manager. "We had a pretty interesting road to get here, I'm not surprised he's in the Air Force, but it was a surprise when he showed up here."

Fresh out of high school, and with a baby [Cory] on the way in 1990, Sergeant Stenzel needed stability, career and money to support his growing family, so he decided to join the Air Force.

"Cory was born while I was in crew chief tech school," Sergeant Stenzel said. "I was just 18-years-old, had a wife and newborn baby to support, and I mean quickly, so my options were limited - the Air Force seemed like a perfect fit for me and, as it turns out, my family as well."

Throughout the years, and at four different Air Force bases, Airman Stenzel, a newly assigned 92nd Force Support Squadron food service apprentice, grew to appreciate the sense of pride and camaraderie shown throughout the tight-knit Air Force community.

"I liked what I saw," Airman Stenzel said, "Growing up with my dad by my side and in the Air Force was a good thing for me. We've always lived on base so there was a sense of security and we were very involved in community activities the bases had to offer - it's fair to say the Air Force is a 'great way of life.'"

Sergeant Stenzel did have an influence on Cory's decision to join.

"I indirectly influenced him by opening his eyes to what the Air Force had to offer, both in tangible and intangible ways," Sergeant Stenzel said. "I always took him around the bases, on the flight lines, in the shops or wherever else I could expose him to cool things. He also saw the way we lived our lives in a safe, clean and positive environment the Air Force offered - so, I think that played a role in his decision to join."

While Airman Stenzel was in high school, he started seriously thinking about joining. He was part of JROTC for three years, further nudging him toward the military.

"I realized that working at McDonalds and Dairy Queen was not going to get me where I wanted to be," Airman Stenzel said. "I wanted to make something of myself and have the Air Force pay for my college, so joining was becoming clear to me in my final year of high school - so, I followed my dad's lead and signed on the dotted line."

Airman Stenzel wanted to get his career off to a jump start and utilize the skills he learned working in fast food, so he came in the general program and the food services apprentice job was available so he jumped on it.

How he ended up at Fairchild was just a fluke -- due to Spokane's climate.

"I met an Airman in tech school who was from Jamaica. He had an assignment to Fairchild and was not looking forward to the cold weather in Spokane," Airman Stenzel said. "I had an assignment to Holloman, N.M. [hot weather] so we traded assignments and I ended up coming here and joining my dad - way cool!"

Now the father and son are back in reach of each other.

"Cory will spend his duty week serving Fairchild as a services troop and living in the dorms," Sergeant Stenzel said. "On the weekends, we have been hanging out at my house and spending father and son time together - it has really turned out to be a 'win-win' situation for both of us."

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