Vietnam POW re-enlists daughter

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tiffany Lundberg
  • 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  It is not every day where a Reserve Citizen Airman is re-enlisted by their parent. It’s especially rare when that parent was once a prisoner of war.

Master Sgt. Kari Eubanks, 302nd Force Support Squadron, received the oath of enlistment from her father, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier, during her re-enlistment ceremony, Aug. 5.

“I love it. This is the third time now. I say this is my last time but we will see. If not I’ll have to ask ‘Dad, one more time!” said Eubanks.

Eubanks came to the 302nd Force Support Squadron within the last year. With this enlistment, she hopes to not only share her experiences, but to learn from the Airmen as well.

Her father, has not only re-enlisted his daughter over the years, but also several others in his family.

“It’s fantastic. It is father pride from ear lobe to ear lobe,” said Mechenbier.

Mechenbier, a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, served 40 years as active-duty Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Ohio National Guard. He began his Air Force journey as an F-4C Phantom II pilot. In June of 1967 during his 80th mission, he was shot down over North Vietnam, captured and was a prisoner of war for approximately six years.

After the ceremony, Mechenbier spoke with the attending reservists about his Air Force experiences and left them with a message about unity through selfless motivation.

“There are so many things in this world that seem to be disruptive, ‘me first’ and inward focused. This is about ‘we’ and ‘us.’”