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Col. Pete Nezamis—dedicated commander, proud Air Force dad

  • Published
  • By Sean Clements
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  

As the 126th Air Refueling Wing Commander at Scott Air Force Base, Col. Pete Nezamis is no stranger to the type of dedication, vision and perseverance it takes to ensure mission success.

And as a father of three, those skills have proven to be just as valuable. With two sons deployed with the Illinois Air National Guard, and more than 1,000 under his command at Scott, the final years of his career could prove to be his most challenging and most rewarding.

As the son of a WW II Army Air Corps veteran, Nezamis said he was not raised with the kind of unwavering devotion to the military that many service children and grandchildren are raised with. After finishing high school and enrolling at Western Michigan University, it wasn’t until his junior year that he seriously contemplated a career in the military.

“At the time, one of my professors was an Air National Guard pilot, so when I went to him for a letter of recommendation, he pitched the ANG to me,” said Nezamis.

Rising through the ranks of the ANG, Nezamis and his wife, Teeshia, had their oldest son, Nicholas in 1993. By the time Nezamis accompanied the 126th ARW’s relocation from Chicago to Scott AFB in 1999, he and his wife had two more boys, Eric and Alex.

Without pushing them toward a career with the Air Force, Nezamis said he felt the odds were high of his children enlisting.

“They watched me through the years, and they always had an interest in putting on my military uniforms,” said Nezamis. “When we look back on it now, everything they do now in the Guard, they had interest in when they were younger.”

When Nicholas and Eric were old enough to join the military, they both made their decision to sign with the Illinois ANG. Now 22 years old and 21 years old, respectively, both joined directly out of high school and enlisted under their father’s command in the 126th ARW. Nicholas chose to pursue an ANG career in electrical and environmental systems, while Eric is enlisted in Security Forces.

With two sons currently deployed and a husband in military leadership, Nezamis said his wife shares the same concerns that many other military families do.

“I knew when our two sons decided to join the Air National Guard that deployment was likely,” Teeshia said. “I have watched my husband and fellow guardsmen and women serve in many deployments here in the states and overseas. The tradition of military service is a way of life for many, and I am grateful they are able to serve.”

Like many other guard members, Nicholas and Eric balance the demands of their military career with their dedication to their academic work at the universities they attend as each pursue a bachelor’s degree. While his sons follow their own path in life, Nezamis said he now experiences the same situation as many parents of recent graduates.

“Now that the kids are out of high school, it’s a different phase,” Col. Nezamis said. “Now it’s moving them into the dorms, moving them out of the dorms. It’s moving them into apartments and moving them out of apartments.”

Seeing the military careers of his sons growing, Nezamis said he can’t help but feel proud.

“Personally, my proudest moments were going to the Basic Military Training graduations of both of my sons,” he said. “Having gone through the officer route, I had never experienced BMT graduation. Then, seeing them excel in their career fields, those are by far my proudest moments.”

With only one child living at home full-time, Nezamis and his wife are finding themselves with more time to enjoy their hobbies and traveling.

A few years from retirement, they spend the majority of their free time hiking at nearby parks or tending to their garden at home. Nezamis said he is grateful for his wife’s devotion and he understands the importance of having the support of family through transitions and deployments.

“Thinking of all the times I wasn’t here, seeing my wife’s level of dedication and passion to keep the home front humming,” said Nezamis. “I can’t speak enough for her and what she’s had to endure with two sons in; it’s incredible.”

Celebrating his 30 years in service this year, Nezamis said that there is still much more his family can offer in service to the country. And while his retirement may be a few years out, he said he hopes his legacy is far from finished.