Meet Colonel Weaver: 325th MDG commander Published Sept. 23, 2013 By Airman 1st Class Alex Echols 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- From Ohio to Florida, a former enlisted member rose to the command of Tyndall's 325th Medical Group with the help of his family and a be-true-to-yourself attitude. Col. Frederick C. Weaver took command of the 325th MDG June 25, officially becoming a member of Team Tyndall. "I love being a commander," said Colonel Weaver. "I know that if it doesn't go right, it's because of me. It's not because of anybody else. Therefore, I blame myself if something is wrong." Colonel Weaver was born in Dayton, Ohio. The oldest of four siblings, two brothers and a sister, his childhood dream was to be a basketball player or an electrical engineer. He graduated from Colonel White High School in Dayton in 1979. He then attended ITT Technical Institute before enlisting in the Air Force as a biomedical equipment repair technician in 1984. His wife, Beth, whom he knew from elementary school, was a huge influence in his decision to enlist in the Air Force. He enlisted on a Monday, and they were married on the following Friday. "One could argue it was the best week of my life," Colonel Weaver said. Beth would be a constant source of strength for the colonel throughout the entirety of his career. "I think my success is directly attributed to her involvement and support," the colonel said. "I don't believe that any one person can do a whole lot by themselves. They have to have support. I feel that I have made it this far because of that." During his almost eight year enlistment, the colonel earned his degree in healthcare management from Wayland Baptist University. He then commissioned as a Medical Service Corps officer in 1991. "I miss being enlisted at times," Colonel Weaver said. "When you're enlisted you are actually down at the grass roots level making things happen. Everything is hands on. Hopefully I will never lose sight of my roots as an enlisted member. It has kept me grounded on who I am and where I came from." As an officer, the colonel has had 13 different assignments, and he has enjoyed them all. Right now, though, Tyndall is his favorite. "Someone once said that your best assignment is the one you're currently in. I believe there is a lot of truth to that," Colonel Weaver said. "So far we've never had a bad assignment." Excited about the possibilities of this command, the colonel is looking forward to the future. "I really love being a commander; I look forward to the next day," Colonel Weaver said. "I look forward to doing the best that I can. You don't rise through any ranks, whether it's military or civilian, if you are not driven to do things better and make things better. That's what I want to do." The source of his drive and strength has always been his family, and it has always been a top priority, said the colonel. He has two daughters and a son, whom he presided over his reenlistment into the Air Force recently. His children are now adults living on their own, but when they were younger he considered his family with every decision he made. "It's always a family decision," the colonel said. "My family is 100% behind me and supports me to this day." And that is what he considers his Airmen and team: Family. "I've told my staff here, 'I work for you. I understand that I am the boss, but it is my job to make sure you have the tools and the resources you need to do what you need to do. My job is to work for you and to make your job easier,'" Colonel Weaver said. "We are a military unit, a team and a family." The colonel believes that to be successful, attention to detail and honesty are key. "Attention to detail will identify the little things to prevent them from becoming big things as well as improve performance both professionally and personally," Colonel Weaver said. "Being honest with people around you as well as yourself builds credibility and is inherent in our core values. "Always be true to who you are," he said. "Don't try to be someone you're not. Folks will see through that. If you're true to who you are, then you are going to be able to do the best that you can. You have to be able to look yourself in the mirror at the end of the day and like who you see based on the decisions you've made."