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People on the move: Master Sgt. Randall Nelson

  • Published
  • By Bob Fehringer
  • U.S. Transportation Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Master Sgt. Randall Nelson said he joined the Air Force because of the Navy.
"Let's just say the Navy movie, 'Top Gun,' was the best recruiting tool the Air Force ever had," Sergeant Nelson said. "But actually, I knew I wanted to join the military since I was 12. It was just what I wanted to do." 

Sergeant Nelson joined the Air Force in 1987 after graduating from high school in Owen-Withee, Wis. "I'm actually from Withee, population 298," Sergeant Nelson said. "But we combined two towns as the Wisconsin version of the Twin Cities." 

Sergeant Nelson came to USTRANSCOM in June 2006. As an Air Force knowledge manager, he first worked as the superintendent of the Defense Courier Division, later moving to a position as an enlisted aide to former USTRANSCOM Commander Gen. Norton Schwartz. 

Sergeant Nelson is now the superintendent of the command's Joint Secretariat. "I manage all the USTRANSCOM Electronic Information Management initiatives," Sergeant Nelson said. "Yes, that means I'm the MS SharePoint and TMT geek. 

"The work I do on Electronic Information Management effects all members of USTRANSCOM as we are changing how work is tracked and recorded," Sergeant Nelson continued. "The work I do with MS SharePoint and Task Management Tool is the direction I need to be going. For some unknown reason I understand computer programs and easily figure them out." 

Working in the joint military environment at USTRANSCOM is nothing new to Sergeant Nelson. 

"Since I joined the Air Force I have always worked at the command staff level," Sergeant Nelson said, "from wing, numbered Air Force, major commands, Headquarters Air Force, the Joint Staff in the Pentagon and three unified commands. I enjoy working the Unified Commands the most as you get to really make a difference. 

"It is amazing on the Air Staff I had very little interaction with the other services," Sergeant Nelson continued. "But once in the joint world, we are one team working under joint rules. At the joint level you see the whole picture and really begin to understand why the services have defined missions." 

During his off-duty time, Sergeant Nelson likes to keep in shape for his on-duty time.
"My biggest hobby is running," Sergeant Nelson said. "I do the Air Force Half Marathon and the Marine Marathon every fall. Doing these races keeps me in training year-round. In fact we have a large group doing the Air Force Half Marathon. We all stay in the same hotel. I put on a parking lot pasta feed for the entire team. You can imagine the looks we get as we are dining on patio furniture in the parking lot. It is a blast. 

"I plan my weekend trips around destinations that have great running trails," Sergeant Nelson added. "In the summer I take a vacation to northern Michigan to escape the local heat to get in some 15 and 20-mile runs. You can find me in Forest Park just about every Saturday at 7 a.m. for my 15-mile loop from the park to the arch and back. I'm always looking for running partners." 

Sergeant Nelson said he enjoys most aspects of living in the Midwest. 

"The only downside of being here is the gosh darn humidity." Sergeant Nelson said. "I tried my entire career to get to Scott Air Force Base. I like that I'm only an eight-hour drive from Green Bay, Wis. So, it's only a quick drive to see the Packers play. I have tickets to the Dallas-Packer game this year. 

"Scott offers everything from big city life to quiet country life," Sergeant Nelson added. "I'm a quick flight to anywhere in the USA. After Alaska, there is no other place I'd like to be."