RHS Airmen extend enlistment underwater

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Brian Bahret
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  With more than 20 years of military service, Master Sgt. Chad Craig is well-versed with the reenlistment ceremony. However, during his final reenlistment ceremony Oct. 23, he found himself struggling to catch his breath and frequently needing to pull oxygen from his tank. Even more distracting were the fish that swam between him and the officer administering the oath of enlistment 25 feet below the ocean's surface.

Sergeant Craig was one of two Airmen from the 554th RED HORSE Squadron who reenlisted underwater off U.S. Naval Base Guam's Gab Gab beach.  For all the participants it was the first time they've participated in a reenlistment ceremony while scuba diving.

The electrical engineer said it's the love of his job and the opportunities here that inspired him to continue serving. "I enjoy it here," he said. "That's why I reenlisted for another four years - not only do I enjoy the job, it's challenging."

While the ceremony is probably the last one for Sergeant Craig, it was a career milestone for Staff Sgt. Stephen Johnson, a 554th RHS structural engineer with five years of active duty service.

A South Carolina native, Sergeant Johnson said he thought scuba diving would be interesting but not something he wanted to do. Being in Guam has changed that.

"There're amazing things to see - different wrecks from different wars," he said. "It's something I would have never known about otherwise."

Lt. Col. Anthony Davit, 554th RHS commander, administered the oath to Sergeant Craig, his former scuba instructor. As an engineer he said he's had the opportunity to conduct several unique reenlistments, but "that's one of the coolest reenlistments I've done."

"It was definitely an honor to be the one to reenlist Airmen so dedicated to the Air Force," said Colonel Davit.  "This is just another opportunity to bring the unit together and continue building the espirt de corps that helps define our Air Force culture."