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375th AMW historian: The keeper of Scott's stories

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amber R. Kelly-Herard
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  There are many events that take place at Scott Air Force Base on a daily basis, and it is up to Ryan Warner, 375th Air Mobility Wing historian, to archive it all.

"Historians write reports on everything that happens at Scott to learn how things were done for continuity and to learn from past mistakes," said Warner. "We are the keepers of the Air Force story."

As one of 120 historians throughout the Air Force, Warner keeps busy with writing history as it happens, researching history, interviewing people and working on heritage projects.

"Scott is basically the birthplace of aeromedical evacuation, it's the first and only installation named after an enlisted member, and it's the third oldest installation in the Air Force," Warner said. "There are documents from 1917 when this base was created still here in our holdings."

Even the 375th AMW headquarters that Warner works in is historical.

"This building was intended for General Headquarters Air Force, and then World War II started," he said. "I work in a building that was the center of the Army Air Force."

Warner is no stranger to Scott. After studying history at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Warner first came to Scott as a Palace Acquire intern at Air Mobility Command in 2006. After three years, Warner found a job at Ellsworth AFB, S.D.

After the former 375th AMW historian moved to Hawaii, Warner applied to work here.

"Ellsworth was great. My wife and I loved it, but I'm from here and my wife is from Chicago, so this is home," the Mascoutah, Ill., native said.

The wing history office has been the home to more than one Warner. From 1980 to 1995, Warner's mom was a writer and editor at the history office. After 1995, she moved to the Air Weather Service, also formerly at Scott.

"It's really cool when I am doing research, and I find something that my mother wrote," said Warner.

Another favorite part of Warner's job is helping people.

"I get a lot of phone calls from people or the family of people who used to be stationed here asking for records that I may not always have," he said. "I like being able to find awards or other information for families."

As of lately, Warner is also currently working on a mural project with Col. Michael Hornitschek, 375th AMW commander.