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Scott Airman Gomez earns his stripes while deployed

  • Published
  • By By Airman 1st Class Gwendalyn Smith
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Even when deployed, members of the 375th Air Mobility Wing excel at executing and strengthening the mission. Senior Airman Xavier Gomez, a deployed member of the 375th Logistics Readiness Squadron, was recently recognized for his efforts by Brig. Gen. David Julazadeh, the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing commander at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

Julazadeh praised Gomez for his work identifying 175 Time-Phased Force Deployment Data errors affecting 230 deployed personnel. Additionally, Gomez checked the entire redeploy TPFDD finding over 1.6K errors affecting 3,069 personnel throughout the entire area of responsibility.

The area of responsibility includes more than 30 distinct bases throughout Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, Qatar, and Africa.

Had these mistakes not been caught prior to the redeployment planning process, there would have been ramifications across the AOR.

Re-deployers could have had issues acquiring airlift from the respective Point of Debarkations back to home station, meaning members could have been routed to either Ramstein or Shaw AFB regardless of respective home station.

The early identification of these errors also alleviated the need to review and rework errors in the TPFDD.

"Senior Airman Gomez is a professional Airman," said Master Sgt. Julie Dandaneau, another deployed member of the 375th LRS.

"He takes great pride in the job that he does. He not only enjoys the day-to-day work of being a log planner, but he enjoys the military profession as well, and it shows."

Gomez was also promoted to senior airmen since being deployed. Because of his skill and enthusiasm, his leadership felt it was a well-earned promotion.

"He makes my job as superintendent incredibly easy," said Dandaneau.

"He knows his job well and has a lot of initiative. He is creative and often comes up with innovative ways of getting a project done quicker or making a task more efficient and or user friendly. He is also fun.

"He's got a great sense of humor that breaks up the monotony of our often tedious day to day ops."

Not only has Gomez's work ethic impressed and helped those around him, it has also increased his own awareness of the importance of his job.

"I think it will be beneficial in the fact that I now know how much of an impact my job at home station affects the members who are currently deployed," said Gomez. "I've learned so much from this deployment that I cannot wait to bring back home and share with my office."

With all the knowledge and experience he has gained while overseas, it makes it that much more exciting for him to return home.

"I am more than excited to come home," said Gomez. "I've missed a few milestones with my daughter and I cannot wait to see how much she has grown in my absence.

"I'd like to tell my wife and daughter that I love them and that I cannot wait to be back with them.

"I'd also like to thank my leadership and co-workers for all their support these past couple of months."