Reservist reflects on Desert Storm 25 years later

  • Published
  • By Maj. Elizabeth Caraway
  • 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  "I was sitting in the base theater, watching Cadillac Man, and about 20 minutes before the end of the movie, they turned it off, turned on the house lights, and told us to return to our duty stations. We had to prep aircraft for deployment."

Senior Master Sgt. Jim Highland, 445th Military Personnel Flight superintendent, was 19 and had only been on active duty for three months when his Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, unit was tasked to deploy in support of Operation Desert Storm. An aircraft maintainer for F-15C/Ds, Highland's first time on a flight line was in May 1990 but that August he found himself flying overseas in the jump seats of a C-141.

Despite his self-declaration that he is "terrible with dates," Highland easily recalled landing at 0430 on Aug. 11, 1990.

"They dropped us off at a lean-to shack on a flight line, in the dark, with nothing but a toolbox, a flashlight, and five jets. I'd been to tech school, but I had such limited experience."

For the next seven months of his deployment, Highland gained that experience, learning about aircraft maintenance, deployed life, and cultural differences. He worked 12-hour shifts six days a week.

"We would launch the aircraft, wait for it to return, then get it ready to launch again," he said. "It was constant turn and burn."

During the long wait times, he learned Spades and Hearts and played Risk and chess. The Morale, Welfare, and Recreation tent offered books and a TV showing sports games. At the start of his deployment, Highland was in a dorm, sleeping in a 30-man bay with about 18 inches in between beds.

Desert Storm started before email became commonplace.

"We were lucky to get one phone call a week, and the phones were unreliable, so calls were constantly being dropped," said Highland. "I got off base once during my deployment and it was for about 2 hours to a mall."

He also learned more about Muslim cultural differences, citing a time when a fellow Airman attempted to sign some paperwork for a Saudi contractor using his left hand, much to the offense of the contractor.

Highland admits none of the Airmen seemed to appreciate the significance of the operation in the beginning.

"For the first five months, all we ever heard was that we're leaving in three days," said Highland. "In the beginning, I don't think any of us realized how significant, how huge it was going to be. The U.S. went to Panama when I was in tech school and it was all over fairly quickly, so I think that's what I thought Desert Storm would be like. After we'd been there a while, and after Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather showed up, it was clear that we were making history."

When Highland returned stateside in March, his unit was met planeside by generals, sign-toting crowds, and cheering applause.

"After the notoriety of Vietnam--which we'd heard about a great deal--it was a tremendous relief to have a positive reception and feel appreciated," he said.

Highland cites Desert Storm as personally life-changing.

"Desert Storm was one of the most significant experiences I've had in the military and a defining point in my life," stated Highland. "The need for preparation really made an impression on me, and in my job as MPF superintendent now, I want to make sure our Airmen are prepared for whatever contingency they may encounter."

Highland remembered donning his chem gear during a Scud attack early on, panicking and becoming disoriented as he pulled on his boots. An experienced tech sergeant came over and very calmly helped him finish, urging him to keep his cool.

"Now, I emphasize readiness in our unit. Even though Airmen might not need to know Personnel Support for Contingency Operations (PERSCO) duties on a typical drill weekend, it's a focus area. I want our Airmen to be better prepared than I was."

Highland said that the evolution of Air Force training in general has been dramatic.

"Our new recruits come in better equipped all the time. They just amaze me every day with their technical acumen and skill."