The last one

Published 6:00 am Friday, September 9, 2011

    Jeff Craven would be the first to discount the fact he’s the last officer to gain his air traffic control operations certification at Key Field’s 186th Air Refueling Wing and the 248th Air Traffic Control Squadron.

    He is much too humble to assume that makes him the best

    But Craven, a second lieutenant with the US Air Force, is, by all accounts, one of the best simply because of the training regimen he completed during his last 14 months at Key Field’s 186th Air Refueling Wing and the 248th Air Traffic Control Squadron.

    “The entire squadron has been great and I’ve learned a great deal in a difficult environment,” Craven said Thursday afternoon after receiving his certificate on becoming an air traffic controller. “Key Field is a huge challenge because of the Navy, Air Force, National Guard and civilian air traffic. People in the air traffic control profession have told me if I can survive Key Field, I can do well anywhere else. I believe them now.”

    Craven, a former US Navy anti-submarine specialist, will be stationed at Charleston (S.C.) Air Force Base where their air fleet consists of C-17 transport aircraft. He is a native of Iowa.

    Maj. John Lockett, commander of the 248th ATCS who was tasked with the training of Air Force officers during the four year program, says this program was a gap training regimen by the Air Force. He said Craven represents the last of the officers to go through the program.

    “Our students have deployed on AEF rotations very successfully and all are doing well in the field,” Lockett said. “Key Field was an excellent choice to lay the foundation for the next generation of Air Force’s Airfield Operations Officers.”

    Col. Brad Crawford, executive officer for the 186th ARW, said the program began in the spring of 2007.

    “Much like the MC-12 UPT and the C-27 FTU, the 248th ATCS has been conducting Airfield Operations Officer training for Active Duty Air Force Officers,” said Crawford. “The lieutenants are transferred to us after their Officer Candidate School.  We send them to ASBC at Maxwell, Officer ATC at Keesler, then upgrade them here. 

    At Key Field, the officer’s training has consisted of Airfield Management, Control Tower, Radar, and management training. Crawford says the officers have even gone to NAS Meridian to earn Navy ratings. 

    “A main challenge to these students was learning a very difficult job in a compressed time,” Crawford said. 

    Many of these students bought houses, and lived completely on the local economy. Craven said Meridian was the only place he has been stationed where ordinary people would come up to him and thank him for his service.

    “There are a lot of people and instances such as that I’m going to miss,” Craven said. “My time here has been both enjoyable and rewarding.”