A Salute to the A/TA Industry Partners - Airlift/Tanker Association

Captain Matthew P. StueckPilot, 347 Rqg OgvCaptain Matthew P. Stueck, is a pilot assigned to the 347thRescue Group, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. He is 30 yearsold. Captain Stueck was born in Seatte,Washington, on 13 March 1980.He attended Highline High School andexcelled across the entire spectrum ofschool activities. His senior year, he wasthe Student Body President, captain ofhis football, basketball, and track team,while finishing his high school careerearning a 3.94 accumulated grade pointaverage. After graduating from highschool in 1998, Captain Stueck becameactive at the University of Washington as a member of the crewteam, ROTC and the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He successfullycompleted college earning his commission as an Air Force Officerwith a mechanical engineering degree.Upon completion of college, Captain Stueck began UndergraduatePilot Training at Columbus AFB, Mississippi. From there, hewent on to attend the advanced flight training program locatedat Corpus Christi Texas earning his wings and selecting into theHC-130 weapon system. Corpus Christi is well known throughoutthe Stueck family for Captain Stueck’s father, Commander RetiredGary Stueck, received his navy wings in the same building only38 years prior. Carrie Stueck, Captain Stueck’s mother, had thedistinguished honor of pinning both their wings.Captain Stueck’s first assignment was located at Francis S. Gabreski,Long Island NY, where he met his lovely bride Heather.Heather has stayed by Captain Stueck’s side through 2 deploymentsand a series of long term TDYs. During 2010 alone, CaptainStueck has been selected as the 71 Rescue Squadron’s pilot of thequarter, awarded 4 air medals for his actions during OperationEnduring Freedom, and obtained his master’s degree in the schoolof business as an honor society member.Captain Stueck enjoys being a member of both the rescue andlocal community and is active in fundraisers, church, and localsporting events.Captain Christopher J. WedewerCivil Engineer Staff OfficerCapt Christopher (Chris) Wedewer is assigned to HeadquartersAir Mobility Command, Directorate of Installations and MissionSupport. He is responsible for identifying,planning, and programming globalfacility requirements in support of AirMobility Command (AMC) aircraft andmissions.Capt Wedewer entered the Air Force(AF) in 2002 as a Distinguished Graduateof The Citadel AF ROTC program.His first assignment was to the 16thCivil Engineer Squadron at HurlburtField, Florida where he served as BasePlanner and Programmer implementing standards through inspectionand siting of over $60 million of construction activityon the AF’s only Special Operations installation. He also leda deployment of 15 squadron craftsmen to an austere forwardoperating location in the first month of Operation IRAQI FREE-DOM. His next assignment was to Kunsan AB, Korea where heled the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron’s Readiness Flight providingwing personnel peace and wartime readiness training in one ofthe AF’s most challenging, high-threat nuclear, biological, andchemical warfare environments.In June 2006, he was assigned to Charleston AFB, South Carolina.He led 25 military and civilian personnel in support of thedaily operations and maintenance on Charleston AFB’s $2.2 billionphysical plant including 291 base facilities. Additionally, hedeployed to Iraq in support of the 82nd Airborne Division wherehe served as the lead engineer for two Forward Operating Bases.In 2009, he was selected to join the Headquarters AMC staff wherehe managed AMC’s joint basing actions and then embarked on a10-month deployment to Pakistan in support of Special OperationsCommand and the Pakistani military’s operations againstTaliban forces along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. CaptWedewer now oversees global strategic airlift infrastructure andfacilities requirements in addition to project development for newmissions.Capt Wedewer has led and played major roles in recognizedteam achievement including AF Outstanding Unit awards, AF’sCommander and Chief’s award for Installation Excellence (HurlburtField), AF’s Verne Orr Award (Charleston AFB), #1 Small CivilEngineer Unit in AFSOC, #1 Small Civil Engineer Unit in AMC,#1 Operations Flight in AMC, and AMC’s Energy Program of theYear. Additionally, he has been recognized for individual excellencethroughout his career including 2-time Squadron CompanyGrade Officer (CGO) of the Year, 4-time Squadron CGO of theQuarter, Lance P. Sijan Award nominee for Outstanding UnitLeadership, HQ AMC/A7’s US Jr. Chamber Ten Outstanding YoungAmericans nominee, 2-time Squadron Military Manager of Year,2003 Squadron Professional Performer of the Year, and finally, HQAMC/A7’s Workhorse of the Quarter.Capt Wedewer is married to Tina Wedewer and has one daughter,Morgan. His hometown is Alpharetta, Georgia.Senior Airman Kristina A. ZacherlAir Traffic ControllerSenior Airman Kristina A. Zacherl is an air traffic controller assignedto the 6th Operations Support Squadron, MacDill AFB, Florida.Airman Zacherl was born in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania and attended MapleShade High School, where she graduatedwith honors.Airman Zacherl enlisted in the Air Force in2007. Upon completion of Basic MilitaryTraining she attended technical trainingas an Air Traffic Controller at Keesler AFB,Mississippi. After graduating as a DistinguishedGraduate from technical trainingshe was assigned to her current position atMacDill AFB, where she controls and regulates terminal air trafficand initiates and issues ATC clearances, instructions, and advisoriesto ensure the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic operatingunder instrument and visual rules.During her tenure at MacDill, Airman Zacherl has excelled notonly as an air traffic controller, but also served a year commitmentas a Base Honor Guard member. She has distinguished herselfand earned such honors Air Mobility Command’s Airman ofthe Year, the 6th Air Mobility Wing’s Airman of the Year and wastwice recognized as the 6th Operations Group’s Airman of theYear. In November 2010, she attended Airman Leadership Schooland earned distinction as the John L. Levitow Award recipient.The John L. Levitow Award is the highest honor presented to agraduate of Air Force Enlisted Professional Military Education.Airman Zacherl has been awarded the Air Force AchievementMedal and holds a Community College of the Air Force Associate’sDegree in Air Traffic Operations and Management. She iscurrently deployed to Balad AB, Iraq in support of OperationNEW DAWN.A/TQ • Airlift/Tanker Quarterly • Fall 201141