The first thing to notice about Pete Hammond is his soft-spoken demeanor and firm handshake–the latter, a possible tell of time spent in the military. Hammond, a United States Air Force veteran, was inspired to join the military by his family’s history of service. His grandfather served in the army, his two brothers, the navy, and his father served during WWII as a Marine. His father, an officer, arrived in Guadalcanal a Major and returned a Lieutenant Colonel.
“I thought, you know, that's an honorable thing to do…It’ll help straighten out your character, give you discipline, and I think it’s very valuable,” Hammond said.
With most branches of the military accounted for at the family dinner table, what inspired Hammond to join the AirForce, specifically, was a close friend.
“I had a close friend at the time, and he said, ‘I'm going to go into this.’ I never saw him while I was in... He went to England…but I found out I was going to Korea. I didn’t think Korea would be a good place to go at the time, but it turned out to be one of the best assignments,” Hammond said.
Hammond was able to tour the countryside, visit bulgogi (meat) tents, and immerse himself in South Korean culture.
“I was able to meet people in South Korea. And they were always honored to meet you and talk to you and were friendly...The people were just really good people—and the food was good too!”
Hammond served as a weapons system specialist from 1982-1986. During this time, he found a sense of companionship and camaraderie with fellow airmen he met along the way. Many became close friends.
“There was, in the military, quite a bit of camaraderie, especially during the basic training time. And then, when I went to Korea, because you're in a foreign country for the first time, and you had a group of people that kind of supported you,” Hammond said.
Hammonds military career pushed him to travel to many unexpected places. From Colorado and Texas to South Korea and New Mexico. Though, it was at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona where he met the woman who would become his future wife.
The two were inadvertently paired up at the State Fair while accompanying each of their friends who had been dating each other at the time.
“My wife sat with me. We got to the state fair, and by the end of it, it kind of was a date. I asked her out some time after that. So, yeah. That sort of makes it short and sweet.”
The pair decided to stay settled in Tucson following the end of his military contract and thus began Hammonds transition from military to civilian life.
Although this transition can oftentimes be filled with challenges, just as often, it can present opportunities. Hammond was able to leverage some experience that eventually led to a position with MHIRJ in 2011. As a former airman, he was able to utilize his interest in aviation to complement skills and experiences gained during his service. Together, they provided a solid foundation for a successful civilian career at MHIRJ, an aviation group that provides solutions and regional aircraft MRO services.
A notable challenge Hammond encountered was the difference in structure and procedures relating to military and civilian careers.
“In the military everything had to be specific. But in civilian life, it's not so specific. Procedures are different. How you approach things is different. It's not as strict of an atmosphere…There’s a gray area.”
In Hammond’s current role in the stockroom in receiving and inspection of aircraft parts, he felt a similarity with more strict guidelines with respect to FAA standards.
“Every part gets inspected and checked…it's all very monitored because of the FAA,” Hammond said.
One thing most might not expect is how common it is to run into other veterans who have also made the transition out of the military.
“Working here, running into other veterans. You get taken back to the good old glory days. And we talk about things that happened, and things that are similar to what people have gone through or experienced. Some are funny. Some are not...There always is respect between each other like that. You served. I served. We served. We did our duty. We were patriots. That kind of thing.”
Pete Hammond, with his soft-spoken demeanor is one of the many veterans who have found a place among the hangars of MHIRJ. He is proof that service doesn’t end with the shedding of a uniform. It carries on long after. The tell may be as subtle as a firm handshake. Thank you, Pete, for sharing your story. And, for your service.
#StoriesfromtheHangar:Veteran
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