For Tech Glitch, He’s Your Fix

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jeff Walston
  • 913th Airlift Group
Little Rock AFB, Ark. --  Department of Defense dependence on computers and their supporting systems has proven to be a windfall for one Airman assigned to the 913th Airlift Group at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas.

Senior Airman Justin Radford, a client systems technician assigned to 913th Force Support Squadron, joined the Air Force right out of high school in 2003.

“I originally joined the military for the lifestyle. My father served in the Air Force, and I knew what to expect,” Radford said. “As a military dependent for almost 18 years, I was accustomed to it.”

He spent the first two years of his enlistment at Camp Darby, Italy, and the remainder at Tyndall AFB, Florida, but he didn’t enjoy being a Munitions Systems (Ammo) troop and when his enlistment was up in 2009, he got out.

Radford expected to find a decent job and start his new life as a civilian after getting out, but things didn’t go as planned.

“The economy was a tough, and I spent my four years out of the military just trying to survive,” said Radford. “When nothing really worked out, it made sense to go back to what was familiar.”

In May 2013 Radford joined the Air Force Reserve and was assigned to the closest unit, the 22nd Air Force/Detachment 1, now the 913 AG. He was originally assigned into electro-environmental maintenance, but was able to switch vocations.

“I ended up retraining into the knowledge operations career field, which is what I really wanted,” said Radford. “I worked with the 913th Maintenance Squadron before filling a vacancy in the 913th Force Support Squadron.”

Radford completed Client Systems training at Keesler AFB, Mississippi, in December 2015, achieving an A+ Certification from the Computing Technology Industry Association.

“So much of what we do on a daily basis, regardless of where you work, relies on computers,” said Radford. “And it’s my job to ensure all these computer systems continue to function properly.”

To do this, Radford has to stay current with ever evolving technology.

“The technology can be challenging at times. Sometimes things simply don’t work the way they should, or they fail entirely. You have to keep up. If you blink, you’ll miss something,” Radford said. “On the other hand, those challenges are what make the job rewarding for me. I enjoy being able to fix the things that go wrong and keep computer systems running smoothly, but seeing people’s appreciation after their computers are up and running again, well, it makes the job worth doing.”

Danny Gregg, the T-56 Engine Test Cell Lead for the Air Force Reserve Command’s alternate test site at Little Rock AFB, recently benefited from Radford’s expertise.

“My interaction with Airman Radford was indeed a pleasure,” he said. “The task he was performing was a difficult one in my eyes, but he never gave up. He performed his magic and completed his mission. His dedication to his work and his customers is undoubtedly the best I have ever seen. My hat is off to a true professional.”

Radford’s duties include putting new computers on the network, maintaining those already in place and replacing non-functional or outdated computers for the Group. He also installs software needed to run specific equipment such as scanners, and specialized software used for tasks such as logistical planning or graphic editing. Radford is also capable of retrieving user files from hard drives that fail, as long as the drive is not completely dead.

“There are very few computers belonging to the Group that I haven’t had my hands on,” Radford said. “Until recently, I was the only client systems technician for the Group.”

Radford is moving fast to further his career in the Air Force.

“I’ve always enjoyed working on computers and related technology,” Radford said. “I’m concentrating on attaining my 5-skill level as quickly as possible, and intend to go to Airman Leadership School at the first opportunity,”