Recognizing Veterans

David Jeffrey (Jeff) Wilson

Mr. Wilson is a former Heavy Duty Mechanic/Lead Mechanic with Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

As a high school student in Cold Bay, Alaska Mr. Wilson watched his step-dad, the Airport Manager of the Cold Bay Airport, operating heavy equipment to remove the snow from runways. Mr. Wilson always wanted to do that. He was still in high school when he was first employed by the State of Alaska at the Russell Creek Hatchery in Cold Bay. He was also a volunteer firefighter on the Crash Fire and Rescue squad.

As a kid, Mr. Wilson read World War two books and wanted to join the Army. He met with Senator Ted Stevens on his birthday in 1988. The Senator had then Secretary of the Army, Major General John O'Marsh, stop in Cold Bay to talk with him about the military. Senator Stevens offered Mr. Wilson a summer intern job in Washington D.C., but he was already committed to working with the State of Alaska DOT&PF on the Cold Bay Airport resurfacing project. The hatchery manager at the Russell Creek Hatchery was looking forward for him rejoining that team after the airport job was done, so he sadly declined Senator Stevens's offer.

Mr. Wilson attended UAF in the fall of 1988, transferring in the spring semester to UAA. He still had a ache in his heart about the Army, so he joined the Alaska Army National Guard. He went to Basic Training at Fort McClellan, Alabama and was awarded the Distinguished Graduate of the Cycle award. It is currently on proud display on his toolbox in the equipment shop.

Mr. Wilson went on to Advanced Individual Training at Chanute Air force Base, Illinois. He was a 68H, Aircraft Pneudraulic repairman. He worked on UH-1 Huey, CH-54 Sky Crane and UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopters.He wanted to get back on with the State of Alaska as a Mechanic, so he used the GI Bill and went to Lake Washington Technical College to study Diesel and Heavy Equipment Repair. After graduating in 1992 he returned to Alaska and went to work at one of the two places hiring: Laidlaw Transit, working on school buses.

After a year, Mr. Wilson was offered a job with the State of Alaska DOT&PF, in of all places, Cold Bay. Alaska! He worked there until January 2000, when he began work at the TSAIA. He was never deployed in the Guard. He repaired that which was broken and enjoyed his time as a member. He says he "wouldn't trade a day of my time in the military for anything!"

Mr. Wilson's son also joined the Army at 18, and served in Afghanistan, seeing lots of combat. His son was Honorably Discharged and is disabled from the war.

Mr. Wilson is honored to be employed at the TSAIA. He has a sense of pride knowing he is doing his part to keep Alaska safely moving to the future!

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Contact

Office of the Commissioner
(907) 465-3900
dot.veterans@alaska.gov