Command Chief reflects on 41-year career

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Collen McGee
  • 433rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LACKLAND AFB, Texas --  The more things change, the more they remain the same

During a career spanning four decades, things change. For Chief Master Sgt. John Shroyer things are about to change again. Chief Shroyer retires at the end of January. Recapping a career recently gave the Alamo Wing command chief an opportunity to share some of the changes he experienced and some of the lessons he learned along the way.
One of the initial transitions in his career was his first promotion. The addition of a stripe to his uniform didn't register as much of a change at first. It was at technical school where the promotion had its first affect.
"My first promotion was a little innocuous," says Chief Shroyer. "Airman Robert DeMoss and I were assigned to the second floor. I was the bay chief and he was my assistant. We had to march a flight each day to breakfast, to school, to lunch, back to school and then back to the dorm at the end of the day."
As his career progressed, the chevron on his sleeve grew and with it, the responsibility level for Airmen under his care. Then, while serving as the First Sergeant for the 433rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, along came the one promotion he never thought he'd get. His commander at the time put him in for a Promotion for Exceptional Performance to Chief Master Sergeant.
"When Col. Georgia Hale wrote the PEP package for my promotion to Chief," says Shroyer. "I was really overwhelmed. I never thought I would get promoted to Chief. I knew I was doing things that no one else wanted to do but PEP to Chief was not my motivation."
The day of the selection was a long day and it wasn't until it was almost over that the announcement was made about who had earned that one set of Chief Master Sergeant stripes.
"I was virtually notified at the end of the day that I had been selected," says Shroyer. "The first person I told was my wife. We have shared the good and bad for the past 21 years."
Though he has shared his career with his wife for 21 years, she shared with him what she would like done once he retires.
"Lanette and I will travel this summer and I have been given an ultimatum to get my classic 1975 Jensen-Healey's engine rebuilt and the car painted within the next 12 months," says Shroyer. "I am going to finish all of the projects I have started and not finished at home because I would start something then go TDY (traveling on temporary duty) and not get back to them."
The Chief has seen a lot of changes throughout his career, including his reason for staying in the Air Force.
"I have never asked myself 'why am I doing this?'" says Chief Shroyer. "I have always had a strong sense of patriotism and a love of what I am doing. When I joined I was joining so I could be like my cousin who paid the ultimate sacrifice shortly after I enlisted. When that happened I continued to stay because I wanted revenge for his passing. Now that he is long gone, I realize it wasn't revenge I was after. I love my job and the people I have been able to help. I still haven't asked that question, now I am asking why I couldn't stay longer."
The Air Force changed around him and his own reasons for serving matured and transformed with him. One thing stayed constant during his 41-year career.
"One of the things that has remained the same is my focus on our airmen," says Chief Shroyer. "As a row chief at Laredo, the crash recovery NCOIC, NCOIC of the wheel and tire shop and as a crew chief, I have always taken care of my people, whether they were junior to me or officers learning to fly my jets."
Chief Shroyer said he will continue caring for Airmen through his association with the Air Force Association, Air Force Sergeants' Association and through the Non Commissioned Officer Association.