The teaching spirit: McChord reservist is an educator by accident

Airman, Dec, 2004 by Bud McKay

There was no question what Master Sgt. Marty Hitt didn't want to do after graduating from James Monroe High School in Fredericksburg, Va., in 1991.

He didn't want to spend more time in classrooms having to study. And he surely didn't have any desire to go to college and hit the books again.

So what happened after he joined the Air Force that fall?

"I went right into more classrooms with more books than I've ever had before," said a laughing Sergeant Hitt, 32. He was talking about attending the technical school for aircraft maintenance at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. "I really wanted to do something hands-on right away. But there I sat, in a classroom, for three months."

When he enlisted in the Air Force, Sergeant Hitt went on active duty. He gave it seven years before joining the Air Force Reserve's 446th Airlift Wing at McChord Air Force Base, Wash.

Sergeant Hitt looked to the Air Force for travel opportunities. In the span of a 13-year career, most military members would have countless duty stations under their belts. But Sergeant Hitt has spent all 13 years at McChord.

"My duty title has changed about a dozen times since I've been in, but this is the only base to which I've been assigned," he said. He hasn't been to many bases stateside and has never been overseas. "Not once. That's not typical for a maintainer, that's for sure."

But that is typical of maintainers who do home station checks on C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. As their globetrotting name implies, maintainers go over the transports with a fine-toothed comb every 120 days at the home duty location.

However, staying close to home was part of the long-range plan for Sergeant Hitt when he married his wife, Sherri, 10 years ago. They met on a blind date while he was on active duty at McChord. It didn't take long for the two to strike up a conversation. Sherri was from Alexandria, Va., and used to live less than an hour away from his hometown. They now have two children, Zach, 5, and Kortney, 3.

"We wanted to be settled and not move around a lot," Sergeant Hitt said. "I guess you can say we've accomplished that."

In his civilian job with Seattle-based Alaska Airlines. Sergeant Hitt does virtually the same job he does at McChord--he trains airframe and power plant mechanics who work on the airline's fleet of Boeing 737s.

As it's turned out. Sergeant Hitt, who was never a fan of the education process, is now a teacher. In fact, he's one of the 446th Maintenance Squadron's top teachers, making sure his new troops hit the books and get the most out his classroom--a hangar.

"I've had many years of satisfaction doing my job and completing it on time," he said. "But now, I get more satisfaction from helping the new guys become more skilled mechanics."

So, for the long-time maintainer, the keyword now is mentoring. But it's still teaching or training. As time goes by, he said, "I found that, to me, mentoring is much more rewarding."

Career Field Facts

2A5X1--Aerospace maintenance

Assigned: 12,126

Duties: Ensures aircraft are in operationally ready condition--performing scheduled inspections, functional checks and preventive maintenance both Before and after flights, and ensuring the aircraft has been properly serviced with fuel, hydraulic fluid and liquid oxygen.

Civilian application: Air frame and power plant maintenance trainer.

Master Sgt. Marvin "Marty" Hitt

Aerospace maintenance craftsman, 446th Maintenance Squadron, McChord Air Force Base, Wash. (Air Force Reserve)

Years in Air Force: Seven active duty; six reserve

Hometown: Fredericksburg, Va.

Reason for joining: "Needed something to do. Travel opportunities."

Assignments: McChord.

Coming up: Looking for a promotion opportunity.

Best thing about the job: Mentoring.