VALLEY
PATRIOT OF THE MONTH
Christoper
Fantasia
Hero
In Our Midst
... sponsored by
by Tech
Sgt. James Moore, USAF
SALEM, NH - Airman First
Class Christopher Fantasia, home on
Recruiting Assistance Duty at the Air
Force Recruiting Office in Lawrence, Ma.,
is making a difference in the
world.
He is a patriot and has a genuine
enthusiasm for his work. Airman First
Class Fantasia joined the Air Force in
2005 and plans on making a career of the
Air Force. Hes just returned from
Baghdad, Iraq, in support of Operation
Iraqi Freedom 5.
His
Air Force specialty, TAC-P (Tactical Air
Control Party) allows him to work almost
exclusively with the United States
Army.
TAC-P personnel provide close air support
(CAS) for all conventional and all
Special Operation Forces missions within
an area of responsibility.
TAC-P is considered a part of Air Force
Special Tactics and is somewhat of an
atypical Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC)
since most Airmen arent categorized
as Battlefield Airmen.
TAC-P is one of only five Battlefield
Airman Careers in the Air Force, meaning
that the Airman must be combat mission
ready (CMR) at all times. AFSC is to the
Air Force as what is commonly known in
the United States Marine Corps and Army
as MOS, or Military
Occupational Specialty.
Airman First Class Fantasia is originally
from Everett, MA, and graduated from
Everett High School in 2001.
He joined the United States Air Force as
a resident of Salem, NH, where he spends
most of his time at his mothers
house while home on leave. He is
currently stationed at the Army Post,
Fort Stewart, Georgia and is a proud
father of a beautiful baby girl, Alexa
Fantasia who was born in December,
2007.
Airman First Class Fantasia says he chose
TAC-P because of its uniqueness and
excitement. According to Airman Fantasia,
I wanted an exciting job that would
uphold me to the highest standard and
challenge me physically, mentally, and
technically.
I get to do, all that an adrenaline
junkie like me gets to do, and serve a
great cause that I get paid well to do!
An adrenaline junkie, he is.
If I had to do it all over again, I
wouldnt change my decision to join
the Air Force, says Airman First
Class Fantasia.
Working exclusively with the Army affords
Fantasia the opportunity to wear
distinctive unit and combat patches that
your average Airman wouldnt be able
to wear.
Airman First Class Fantasia just recently
returned home from an eight month
deployment in Iraq, which he started five
months earlier than anticipated to meet
the requirements of the increased
American troop surge in Baghdad.
Fantasia deployed from Fort Stewart,
Georgia with the 3rd Infantry Division
(3ID). He was deployed with the 3rd
Infantry Division/7th Cavalry Unit which
fell under the 82nd Airborne Paratrooper
Brigade during his time in Baghdad.
The distinguished service patches he
wears proudly on his uniform raises some
eyebrows with his fellow Airmen, current
and former veterans from all other
services.
Since joining the Air Force in 2005,
Fantasia has earned multiple certificates
and college credits by virtue of his Air
Force training and is applying these
credits towards his Associates
Degree at the Community College of the
Air Force.
He has earned awards and decorations
while in the Air Force and for his time
and service in Baghdad, Iraq, Operation
Iraqi Freedom 5 (OIF 5). Most notably,
Fantasia was awarded the Air Force
Commendation Medal and an Army
Achievement Medal for his distinguished
service.
Airman First Class Fantasia graduated
Basic Military Training (BMT) in San
Antonio, Texas in September of
2005. After he completed BMT and
prior to being fully qualified in his
career field, he moved on to his required
technical training at Hurlburt Field,
Florida home of the Air Force Special
Operations Command.
Airman First Class Fantasia spent 18
weeks learning small unit tactics, close
air support procedures, radio etiquette,
and troubleshooting. Additionally, he
went through convoy training, day/night
land navigation, HMMWV (aka.
High-Mobility, Multi-Wheeled Vehicle,
also known as Humvee) training with night
vision devices and visible and
non-visible lasers as well as stealth
tactics.
When I asked him how he felt doing this
type of work, day in and day out, he says
with enthusiasm, I have a blast!
The physical demand for TAC-P is
grueling, requiring trainees to complete,
for example, 12 mile ruck
marches, 2-10 mile runs, and smoke
sessions.
Smoke sessions are what
Airman Fantasia affectionately refers to
as a combination of all physical training
aspects in a circuit training-type of
session, all of which is done before 8
a.m. He also had to endure S. E. R.
E. training, at Fairchild AFB, Spokane,
WA, SERE is an abbreviation for Survival,
Evasion, Resistance, and Escape.
All Air Force members that are considered
on Flying Status are required
to undergo this training. This is known
also known as survival training.
This is a unique Air Force Specialty, so
there are always questions to be asked,
even from myself.
I have had the pleasure of getting to
know Airman First Class Fantasia on a
personal level and have gained a level of
respect for the good job he had done in
his two and a half year of service.
As for myself, well, I have had the
pleasure of serving in the United States
Air Force for a little over twelve years
at this point and I havent had the
opportunity to do half of the exciting
things that Airman Fantasia has had the
opportunity to
do.
Since hes been home, Fantasia has
been spending his free time with friends
and family, especially quality time with
his little Alexa.
He will be on Recruiting Assistance Duty
until the 8th of February and will be
heading back to Fort Stewart, Georgia,
soon thereafter.
The Valley Patriot wishes to thank Airman
First Class Fantasia of the United States
Ar Firce for his serice to our country
and we are proud to honor him as our
Valley Patriot of the Month, Hero in our
Midst. He is clearly a shining example of
what a true patriot is and does.
Airman First Class Christopher Fantasia,
The Valley Patriot Thanks you, the air
forece thanks you and the poeple of the
Valley also thank you. Be safe in your
next assignement!
Technical Sergeant, James F. Moore, Jr.
has been in the United States Air Force
for more than 14 years and is the The
Valley Patriots new Hero reporter.
If you would like more information on how
you can be a part of the Worlds
Greatest Air Force, please contact
Technical Sergeant, James F. Moore, Jr.
160 Winthrop Ave., Stadium Plaza,
Lawrence, MA 01841, 978-686-1464 or
via e-mail: james.moore@rs.af.mil
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material are
(C) copyright, Valley Patriot, Inc., 2008
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