BARNES AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mass. -- More than 50 members of the 104th Fighter Wing, Barnes Air National Guard Base, Mass., are on orders and leading the way to help the Commonwealth in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Technical Sgt. Felecia Yager, a personnelist in the 104th Force Support Squadron, has been put on orders and is at the forefront of the mission, looking out for her fellow Airmen to make sure they are good to go, administratively.
“The Force Support Squadron is responsible for accountability of personnel and tracking their status to ensure they are coded correctly in the system for the status they are in,” said Yager.
Yager, a single mother to a nine-year-old daughter and full-time pre-school teacher in Springfield, Mass., was called up to duty to serve her community and contribute to the 104FW mission during this pandemic. Members of the 104th FSS are working on base, as well as out in the community to ensure their fellow Airmen are taken care of.
“Our main mission is to support the medics in the community,” said Yager. “We are providing food and trying to lift up morale.”
With some of the 104th FSS teams physically separated from the rest of their squadron, the teams and their leadership have been diligent about timely and accurate communication.
“Col. Hrovatin, and Chief Souron are always communicating with the FSS team, even when they are physically separated,” said Yager. “The communication flow has been very smooth.”
Though many of the Airmen on orders normally hold full-time civilian jobs within the community, they have trained to be able to utilize the skills in their military career field at a moment’s notice and have worked together to build effective, trusting teams.
“My team is amazing,” said Yager. “We have strong camaraderie and are working well together.”
Each of the FSS teams are in constant support of their fellow Airmen and community.
“Master Sgt. Tony Ceria, who is leading our team, is amazing,” said Yager. “He has been working hard, looking out for everyone and keeping spirits high.”
Yager joined the active duty Air Force one month after graduating high school and later transitioned into the Air National Guard. Now, more than 20 years later, she continues to serve her country and community.
“Initially, I enlisted because I was young and needed a job and something to belong to,” she said. “It became being a part of something really big and special, and a way to serve my community.”