37th TRW final career stop for vice commander

  • Published
  • By Mike Joseph
  • JBSA-Lackland Public Affairs
3/30/2012 --  When Col. Patrick Vetter leaves the 37th Training Wing command section for his retirement ceremony today, it seems as if the numbers were magically aligned for the vice commander to make the wing his final stop in the Air Force.

After all, "7" has played a significant role for Vetter since he enrolled in the U.S. Air Force Academy nearly 30 years ago.

His first squadron at the Academy was in the 37th, he graduated in 1987, his first operational assignment was in the 67th Security Police Squadron, he was commissioned and two future promotions fell on May 27, and his final assignment was as the 37th TRW vice commander.

And two "7" factors also figured into Vetter's decision to retire: 25 (2+5=7) years of service come May and the desire to spend more time with his family and 7-year-old son.

"All the signs are there," Vetter said laughing about the "7" coincidences. "I'm very grateful and honored to have had this opportunity.

"I hate to leave the wing but it's time to do something else. My family's ready to settle down," he said about the relocation to Austin for work in a University of Texas research laboratory on a nuclear security project.

Vetter arrived nearly two years ago and said a number of items are memorable out from his time at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

"The dedication, professionalism and commitment of all the wing instructors really stick out," Vetter said. "Their product is on display every week at graduation parade.

"I can't think of another wing that has such an impact on the entire Air Force as the 37th TRW," he added. "Basic military training, technical school training, now medical training, IAAFA (the Inter-American Air Forces Academy), DLI (the Defense Language Institute English Language Center); the sheer diversity of the wing. It's incredible."

While the size and scope of the 37th TRW's mission had the vice commander using different descriptive adjectives, the same occurred when it came to local military support.

"It was really surprising the amount of support the city of San Antonio and the community has for this base and the military," Vetter said. "I've never seen that kind of support from a local community as deep and as sincere as it is in San Antonio. It's amazing."

It's been a busy two years for Vetter and the wing. He cited several projects that has kept senior leadership busy: a 2nd Air Force standard evaluation, the recent Air Education and Training Command compliance inspection, the opening of a new IAAFA training facility, the addition of the 937th Training Squadron from Sheppard Air Force Base, the expansion of DLI's mission, the relocation of the 345th TRS to Fort Lee, Va., lowering the basic military training attrition rate and continuous construction projects.

"It's been very satisfying," said Vetter. "The way I look at it, if you get to choose when you leave, why not do it when you're a part of a wing like this. It has such an important mission. There's not a better place (the 37th TRW) I can think of to retire."