Tyndall Airmen shoot for the stars

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jacob Dastas
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Four of Tyndall Air Force Base’s best are now official U.S. Space Force Guardians. With high hopes and expectations, many of the Airmen wanted to be part of history.

“The Air Force has been wonderful to me and has given me many opportunities to serve and grow, for which I will always be grateful; I fully expect the Space Force will be no different,” said Senior Airmen Jared Kotvas, 325th Communications Squadron defense team operator. “The creation of a new branch of the armed services is a monumental milestone for the US military… I saw an opportunity to be part of it and I took it.”

“I decided to transfer from the (U.S. Air Force) to the (U.S. Space Force), because it is something new. It is not every day that someone can say ‘I was part of the initial set up of that branch’,” said Senior Airmen Dale Klei, 325th CS wing cybersecurity office and base information system security officer.

Airmen transitioning to the U.S. Space Force at Tyndall have become proficient and skilled in their respective fields. With the knowledge gained from their time at Tyndall, their experience will bolster the growing Space Force.

“I was selected for transfer to the Space Force to perform a similar role as to my current position,” Kotvas said. “My job is to make sure that Tyndall’s mission succeeds and are defended against potential threats.”

To initiate the transition process, Airmen first had to apply for U.S. Space Force positions.

“The process began in May of 2020 with open applications for the transfer of common (Air Force Specialty Codes). I applied and was notified on 30 October 2020 of my acceptance,” stated Capt. Nicholas Hoover, 53rd Test Support Squadron special device flight commander.

“The transition process was extremely smooth,” said Kotvas. “Career Development in the (Military Personnel Flight) was extremely helpful and the folks over there made it as simple as possible for me.”

As Airmen from all over the Air Force transfer to the Space Force, the ranks of the new branch will be filled with talented Guardians. Their mission as a whole will be to protect the U.S. and allied interest in space and bolster joint operations throughout the Department of Defense.

“By separating the Space Force into its own branch, a greater emphasis can be placed on operating procedures and environments that benefit the space domain,” Hoover said “Overall, I believe that the Space Force transition will be a huge boon to the Air Force, Space Force, and the DoD as a whole.”