Airman Basic to Command Chief, journey to the top

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Matthew Lotz
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  In 1985, Mark Batzer was a young, motocross-loving, drag-car racing teenager coasting into adulthood without direction; however, his family would give him the push he needed to change his life for the better.

"I came home one night and my mother told me I was no longer welcome," said Chief Master Sgt. Mark Batzer, 31st Fighter Wing command chief, of the moment that would lead him to join the military.

"I grew up into a family where I wasn't spoiled. I had really great parents and a great childhood. But I had gotten into the wrong crowd," he admitted.

Turning to the Air Force, Batzer found his path for redemption when he was offered a job as a crew chief.

"When I came into the Air Force, I had something internally that I wanted to prove to my parents -- to show them I was worthy and I wanted to do the best I could," he said. "As a young Airman looking at the rank of chief master sergeant and seeing their leadership, I just thought they were awesome and inspired me to want to be the same."

Now, after 29 years of serving in the Air Force, the Lancaster, PA, native will relinquish his position as the highest enlisted service member to a new command chief on Oct. 31, and will officially retire Jan. 15, 2015.

During his career, Batzer soared through the Air Force ranks, including the now-retired rank of buck sergeant, achieving milestones such as NCO of the Year and the U.S Air Forces in Europe Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, an award that recognizes outstanding maintainers.

After almost 30 years in the service, Batzer experienced several changes with the military. He says he has seen the Airman Performance Report go to the Enlisted Performance Report and watched the utility uniform change three times, but the biggest change throughout his career was computers.

Technology advanced not only for computers, but for the F-16 Fighting Falcon he was responsible for too. As an aircraft maintainer, Batzer was responsible for everything from the tip of the jet to the tail --performing various functional checks, cleaning the aircraft and carrying the safety of a pilot on his shoulders.

"My favorite memory as a crew chief is when I was crewing the F-111 [Aardvark F-model] because it had the most powerful engines - the Pratt and Whitney engine," Batzer explained. "When I was engine-run qualified, there was no greater feeling to be out there running both engines in afterburner, especially at night.

"I can't say for certain that the ringing in my ears is related to aircraft maintenance, but 26 years on the flightline, I'm sure it has something to do with it," he joked.

With so many years under his hat, he has accumulated several memories, but one of his greatest doesn't involve the military at all.

Batzer says that his greatest memory is marrying his wife and having his two boys, Tom and Jonathan. While Jonathan resides in Utah, working as a machinist, Tom is an Air Force staff sergeant following in his father's footsteps as a crew chief stationed here at Aviano with the 31st Maintenance Squadron.

"I never pushed my kids to join the military," said Batzer. "It was always their choice, but I did give them specific directions for after high school: 'you're not just going to sit at home. You're either going to college, get a job or you're going to go into the military.'"

According to Staff Sgt. Tom Batzer, he has mixed feelings on his dad's retirement, but is fortunate to have the unique experience of being stationed at the same base.

"This has given me the opportunity to spend time with him that I never thought I would have had and I will really miss that," he said. "On the other hand I can understand that sometimes you reach a point in your life where you just need to do something new for both the challenge and the adventure. I can honestly respect his decision."

Chief Batzer says he has given a lot of advice to his sons over the years, which will help them grow in their careers and knows they will continue making their own path. As for him, he and his wife of 26 years, Joanna, plan to reside in Pennsylvania where he plans to start his next challenge in life.

"With all my achievements throughout my career, I wouldn't have any of them or be here today without my wife," he said. "My wife knew the emergency procedures for engine runs as well as I did because she used to quiz me. Our service members should always remember how important the family aspect is to their career.

"Just like anything in life, if you're not challenged and don't try to overcome your weaknesses, you're going to look back on life and think 'what have I really done,'" he added.