Better with age: 30-yr service invaluable to MXS flight

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Luke Hill
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  

In 1985, a young Airman 1st Class Joseph Welebob reported to Barksdale’s 2nd Maintenance Squadron Accessories Flight for his first day of work. He was both nervous and excited as he began his career.

Today, 30 years later, Master Sgt. Joseph Welebob, 707th Maintenance Squadron flight supervisor, is at the exact same shop he started at. Over his long career, he’s experienced highs, lows, and has learned a lot, not only about electricity, but also about leadership, perseverance and what it means to serve.

“I remember what it was like back in ‘85,” said Welebob. “I’m glad to be here now so I can treat Airmen the way I would have wanted to be treated. I give them guidance, I mentor them and I can give them all the tricks of the trade on aircraft electrical systems.”

Welebob uses the wisdom he gained from his experiences to be a more effective leader and to draw the best out of his Airmen while still keeping their morale high.

Senior Airman Michael Fleming, 2nd MXS Electrical and Environmental apprentice, who has worked with Welebob for over three years says that one of the things he appreciates about Welebob is that he empowers them and trusts them to do go a good job. He says that giving them responsibility and not micromanaging really boosts the morale of the team.

Welebob fosters a positive atmosphere by keeping his composure and creating a place where everyone is accepted.  

“He’s just an overall stand-up guy,” said Fleming. “He doesn’t let little things bother him, and he can still be himself no matter what situation we are in.”

Welebob focuses on communication between himself, Airmen, and other maintenance shops.

“The bottom line is, if you can’t communicate then you’re not going to get the job done,” said Welebob.

Good communication is one of the reasons Airmen respect him and have a high level of performance, he continued.

“You can always come to him with a question, have a nice conversation and come out of it learning something,” said Fleming. “It’s always better to get verbal feedback from a supervisor on the spot.”

Certainly good morale and a positive atmosphere can do a lot in helping getting the job done, but what about job knowledge? This is another area where Welebob’s 30 years of experience make him an asset.

“He lets me know that he has been doing his job for longer than I have been alive; it’s all in good sport,” said Fleming. “His experience saves us a lot of groundwork. With all his knowledge, he’s our first step when something out of the ordinary goes wrong or we’re having trouble.”

Welebob believes in a hands-on approach to supervising and Airmen learn more that way.

“A lot of time our technicians use the technical order as a guide for troubleshooting or changing a component, but there are a lot of little tricks of the trade that are not in the TO that I can teach them,” said Welebob.

With his wealth of experience as a service member, Welebob has much to look back at and be proud of.

Welebob was deployed at Aviano Air Base, Italy, as part of Operation Deny Flight. During which, an F-16 Fighting Falcon piloted by Capt. Scott Francis O’Grady was shot down and trapped behind enemy lines for six days. 

Welebob says he remembers what it was like during that time. He says that he was on the flightline when he got the news there was a real-world situation. According to Welebob, the pilot’s rescue and return was one of his most memorable moments.

Now, Welebob has chosen to serve in the Air Force at Barksdale for over 30 years. His leadership and service is a prime example of the excellence of Barksdale Airmen. His service and his legacy lives on through the Airmen he has led.

“I love being in the military and helping people out. Whenever I see our guys going out there and taking care of business, it makes me proud,” Welebob concluded.