Meet Col. Hallman

  • Published
  • By Major Veronica Kemeny
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Traveling salesman inadvertently sells Air Force idea to son.

Colonel Wesley "Stroker" Hallman, 325th Fighter Wing Operations Group Commander, is enjoying his life flying high in the Air Force.

"This is a great job," said Colonel Hallman. "The best thing about this job and about the Tyndall mission is the impact of producing the Air Dominance warriors that will be shaping the Air Force for the next 20 plus years. While the operational bases have the 'tip of the spear' mission that we all want to be a part of, only we get the opportunity to provide that early shaping that will pay capability dividends long into the future."

Home, while growing, up for Colonel Hallman was Glendora, Calif., outside of Los Angeles.

"My dad was a traveling salesman and my mom was a dental hygienist," he said. "Our summer vacations consisted of getting into the car with dad on one of his long trips around the western United States. When I was nine we ended up in Colorado Springs where we got a tour of the Air Force Academy. I told my parents that day I was going there and going to be a fighter pilot."

The colonel has no crazy flying stories to report--knock on wood.

"There I was," Colonel Hallman joked. "Seriously, my flying stories are not all that great. No crashes, no kills, but a healthy knowledge that every day I get to strap on an F-15 or F-22 of how fortunate I am."

Are F-15's the Cadillac and F-22's the Lamborghini of the Air Force inventory?

"I don't think the comparison is appropriate," he said. "What you see in the F-22 are all the advanced capabilities long-time Eagle pilots determined were needed to ensure the United States remains dominant in the air. So, I guess the comparison is really between a 1978 Ferrari and a 2004 Ferrari-- same philosophy, but more power, more performance, more information to the operator, and more dominance of its domain."

The best thing about being in the Air Force is the people according to the colonel.

"Across the board I've been able to work for and with high-performing people dedicated to something bigger than themselves or a bottom-line," said Colonel Hallman. "The camaraderie, friendships and respect built in 12 moves are irreplaceable."

The colonel has a few hobbies, and he is known for driving his 'high performance' vehicle around the base.

"Swimming is my hobby," said Colonel Hallman. "I swam all four years at the academy-hence my call sign 'Stroker.' I also enjoy cooking and eating good food and, of course, travel. I also drive an old Volkswagen that could maybe hit 90 miles per hour if pushed out the back of a C-130."

Every fighter pilot has a call sign story, and Colonel Hallman is no exception.

"I was the only one to show up for the Sport's Day swim relay for the 94th Fighter Squadron when I arrived at Langley because our maintainers had to work the line due to jet issues," he said. "I ended up lapping all the other teams but got disqualified for having an 'unfair advantage.' I didn't tell anyone in the squadron, but the story came out at my naming ceremony."

His family is comprised of wife 'Sly' and three daughters: Camilla 12, Sasha 10, and Isabella who is almost three. They all enjoy the Air Force immensely.

"My wife has been dedicated to the Air Force from the beginning," said Colonel Hallman. "She has all the passion and patriotism of someone who chose to be an American. Sly is originally from Uruguay and came to American University in Washington D.C. to get her Doctorate in International Relations and U.S. Security Policy and then was going to go back to Uruguay. She came out to The Ohio State University, where the Air Force sent me for a master's, for a summer program that I was also taking. That was in the summer of 1992, July 19 to be exact."

The future is still to be determined for the colonel.

"I've committed to the Air Force through 25 years of service and will be in until they force me out kicking and screaming," said Colonel Hallman. "That said, my promise to Sly is to move back to Washington D.C., and look for opportunities to keep serving in whatever capacity I can."

Be careful when you ask for advice he suggested.

"Our tendency is to tell that person how to become just like us (a mini-me)," said Colonel Hallman. "I think the best advice is not to follow a set path but to follow your passion and do the best you can at that passion. However, we sometimes find ourselves at a place other than where we thought we wanted to be. In that case, bloom where you grow. In 12 moves, I've only twice ended up where I thought I wanted to be while I found out each time it was where I was supposed to be."

A deep sense of service to family, community and country guide Colonel Hallman through life.

"We are very lucky to be Americans and to have all the opportunity those before us have made possible," he said. "That's a sacred trust that I hope to pass on to my daughters and the Airmen I'm fortunate enough to serve with."


For a closer look at the 325th Fighter Wing Operations Group click here.