Weekly 'guard-b-cue,' for TDY members grows into mentoring fellowship

  • Published
  • By Carla Pampe
  • AFCYBER (P) Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  It began as a simple cookout - a way for TDY National Guard and Reserve personnel at Barksdale to get together and share some food and fellowship while they were away from home. Now, more than a year later, what has become known as the Wednesday night "guard-b-que" has grown into a weekly tradition that also serves as a mentoring opportunity for people all over the base. 

Colonel Tony Buntyn, a Texas Air National Guard member, arrived here in January 2007 as part of the AFCYBER (Provisional) team and saw an opportunity help those who were away from home by hosting the weekly barbecue at Hangar II. However, it soon turned into an opportunity for mentorship as he invited general officers and senior scientists to mingle with the young officers who attended. 

The "guard-b-que" begins about 6 p.m. each Wednesday night, and participants are asked to bring their own food, and clean up after themselves. The cookouts are not just open to TDY personnel. 

"We have Louisiana Air National Guard, Air Force Reserves, Texas Air National Guard, contractors, active duty, chaplains and others who come and join us," Col. Buntyn said. 

One active duty member who attends the cookout regularly with his wife, Eva, is Col. Stuart Maberry, 8th Air Force director of intelligence. 

"I initially heard about this because Tony and I work together, but I thought it was just for Guard and Reserve. Tony kept inviting me to come, and finally he said 'hey ... come on over, it's a lot of fun,'" the colonel said. "I believe this is an excellent opportunity for senior officers to be able to talk to both enlisted and junior officers -- no matter the [job title] or whether one is active, Guard or Reserve -- and pass along wisdom gained over the decades and the numerous deployments and assignments. The ability to speak frankly, swap war stories and share personal vignettes in a relaxed setting is paramount . . . and an opportunity we normally don't have while in the office."

"Additionally, it opens up the opportunity for the senior officers to have an ability to engage the system on behalf of the younger troops and to help them solve issues that they have been unable to resolve," Colonel Maberry added. "It also allows the spouses to get together and discuss issues facing them, especially when you have spouses who have been 'in' the Air Force for 30-plus years." 

Recently, the "guard-b-que" provided more than just mentorship and camaraderie on a Wednesday night. It also provided a warm welcome and a shelter for two Hurricane Ike evacuees. 

Retired Texas ANG Col. George Sharp, and his wife, Jan, had evacuated from Beaumont, Texas, Sept. 10 when they bumped into Colonel Buntyn in their billeting parking lot. 

"Colonel Buntyn was staying in the unit right next to us," said Colonel Sharp. "I was unloading the car, and he commented on all the love bugs on my car, and we struck up a conversation. He saw the Texas plates on my car, and we got to talking." 

The two found out they had commanded the same ANG unit in Texas, although about 20 years apart, and Colonel Buntyn invited the couple to share a meal with him at the barbecue. The Sharps attended the barbecues two Wednesdays in a row while awaiting word of when they could return to their home. Jan Sharp explained that they live on the outskirts in a higher area of Beaumont, but that as of Sept. 17 there was no electricity, sewer system, or water. 

"We're hoping we can go home soon. We've talked to one or two people in our neighborhood who said our home is intact, so we are grateful for that. Lots of people were not so fortunate as us," she added. 

Colonel Sharp, who was in the aviation cadet program in World War II, later served as a B-29 mechanic stationed at Barksdale, and later reclassified into communications, said he really enjoyed the chance to visit with members of the Guard, Reserves and active duty during the cookout. 

"It makes me feel rejuvenated and happy to come here and meet a group like this and feel the way I did 40 years ago," he said. "It makes me wish I could go back and do it all over again." 

Colonel Buntyn said, "That's what this is all about. You will not find camaraderie like we have in the military in the civilian world. It's a struggle for a company to get a handful of people together after work. This barbecue provides camaraderie and tradition." 

In fact, Colonel Buntyn said, there are several traditions that attendees must adhere to. The first is to always bring an extra steak or whatever meat you have brought, because you never know who is going to show up, so there is always plenty of food. 

"Another tradition is to toast our brothers and sisters in arms who can't be with us, who are serving in harm's way. You also have to introduce yourself to someone you don't know," he said. 

Lastly, at 9 p.m., when TAPS plays, the group stands and faces the music. This is a tradition brought to the group by an Army member who was TDY here. 

Colonel Buntyn, who has now been TDY at Barksdale for about 21 months, says he does get to go home to Tampa, Fla., about once a month. He said he hopes the "guard-b-que" continues even if he eventually moves to another assignment. 

"Some people who come TDY here now plan their trip so they can be here for Wednesday nights," he said. "It's just a great tradition, and everybody looks forward to it."