Eglin civilian volunteers for deployment

  • Published
  • By Capt. Eric Badger
  • 96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Fourteen years removed from donning a military uniform, he's back at it again. 

Richard Font, chief of Plans and Programs Division for the 96th Communications Group here, volunteered to deploy to the Combined Air Operations Center at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar from September 2006 to January 2007. 

He served as chief of the Communications Plans and Requirements Division in charge of communications projects and requirements for the entire theatre, to include Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. 

The GS-14 who served 20 years in the United States Air Force, says the hardest part of his deployment was being away from his wife of six years, Martha Kaye Font, and their three daughters, Lesley, Jacqueline and Jessica. 

"My hero is my wife," he said. "She made sure there were packages in the mail to me every week. My daughters took the deployment pretty well and were behind me all the way, just like my wife. They would email and send pictures as often as they could." 

While deployed, Mr. Font had a 12-person staff made up of active-duty military. According to the enthusiastic 11-year civil servant, they treated him no differently and everyone respected each other's abilities. 

"The respect was certainly there," he said. "I was glad I had a great team that was committed to the mission. We did it all--from executing the Air Traffic Control piece, to the network and radio pieces and tracking hundreds of requirements--it was a monumental task." 

Other than being in a different environment, the deployed job produced the same stressors as his job here at Eglin, he said. 

"The job presented many challenges, but it's the same whether I do it here or there," he said. "The working relationships my civilian counterparts had with the men and women in uniform was superb. As an individual, you are not successful unless your entire team is successful. It's all about teamwork." 

Mr. Font said he was excited to see an opportunity to deploy become available for him. 

He says it was a chance he couldn't afford to let pass. 

"When I saw the notice come out requesting volunteers I told my boss at that time, Col. Anthony Faughn, that I'd like to volunteer for the assignment and he said, 'sure'," said Mr. Font. "Shortly before I deployed, Col. Harry Blanke became my boss and was extremely supportive as well." 

Mr. Font's supervisors agree that he was the right person for the job. 

"Richard's ability to lead people and organize our plans and programs processes, speaks volumes for his knowledge and leadership," said Col. Anthony Faughn, Central Air Force Main Communications commander. "We'd like more civilians to rotate through the Area of Responsibility and Richard reinforces and epitomizes why we feel that way."
Mr. Font's commitment to excellence in the communications career field is second-to-none, said Col. Harry Blanke, 96th Communications Group commander. 

"We're glad to have Richard back and proud of what he's accomplished," he said. "The comments provided to me from the leadership at his deployed location are a great testament to Richard's impact on the theater's communications mission."