Leading couple recognized as inspirational duo

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Elizabeth Campanile
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
There’s no doubt the 7th Bomb Wing commander and his spouse do the things they love most: working, mentoring, sharing, and making a difference in today’s Air Force.

Colonel Garrett and Mrs. Tanya Harencak earned the 2005 Air Combat Command General and Mrs. Jerome F. O’Malley Award, which is presented annually to a military
couple who epitomizes exemplary leadership for the nation, the Air Force, and the local community in a key Air Force position.

The couple was in Washington, D.C., March 14 when they received a message telling them they were selected for the award. Meanwhile, back at home, Team Dyess was ready to congratulate the couple with a big banner and other decorations which Colonel Harencak’s staff prepared for the couple’s return later in the week.

“It’s awesome to be recognized for something you totally enjoy doing,” Colonel Harencak said. “It’s very humbling, especially when you consider how many commanders are out there and the great work spouses do all around the Air Force.”

Team Dyess’ leading couple’s long list of accomplishments, which won them their recognition, include “winning the hearts of all,” the award citation stated, by creating
and maintaining steadfast relationships with the men and women of Team Dyess and the Abilene community, and by working hand-in-hand with the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, especially the military affairs committee.

Under the duo’s care, Dyess has won more than 40 Air Force, Major Command, and Numbered Air Force organizational and individual awards.

The couple is highly regarded and recognized for their contributions in the community. The Harencaks’ community awards and accolades include the Abilene Red Cross Humanitarian Award, the Business Women’s Associate of the Year award, and the Zoolute to Dyess Key.

“We hope for the two years (Colonel Harencak) was commander that (Team Dyess and the local community) always knew they could come to both of us and that we were concerned with customer service, customer satisfaction, that things went right for them, that we tried to make it better for the time that we were here,” Mrs. Harencak said.

Colonel Harencak agreed. “We’re doing this for a short period of time, so our feeling is we don’t want to waste any time because we know we have a very short period of time where we can make a difference,” he said.

The couple’s dedication shines through the people they work most with.

Dyess’ Chief’s Group unanimously voted Colonel Harencak as an Honorary Chief Master Sergeant, and Dyess first sergeants voted Mrs. Harencak an Honorary First Sergeant.

“It’s one of the greatest honors I’ve ever had,” Colonel Harencak said about getting to participate in all the chief functions. And Mrs. Harencak, whose chief charm on her bracelet “never comes off,” agreed.

Retired Maj. Gen. Mike McMahan, president of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce and former Dyess commander, whose career has allowed him to work with the duo for more than a decade, attests to their deserving of the award.

“It’s a high compliment to the team of Colonel and Mrs. Harencak and their ever-present desire to help both the military member and their families. Their hard work with the community to improve the quality of life for all military personnel and their families in Abilene are second-to-none,” he said. “I can think of no other couple more deserving of this award that the O’Malleys personified in their support to the troops, the families, and the community.”

For the Harencaks, it’s about making a difference and helping people as much as they possibly can.

“For me, I do it; I’m supposed to do it. I’m trained, equipped, paid to do it,” Colonel Harencak said. “ ... Especially for this award, I’ve got to believe every wing commander is as focused on people as every other. So the wing commander wins this based on his spouse’s work. This O’Malley award is a testament to what the spouse does because you’ve got to accept the fact that every wing commander’s going to do essentially the same thing. It’s what the spouse does that generates this award.”

“This is my avocation; this is my life support,” he continued, referring to his job. “She has chosen to make it hers, and she’s embraced the Air Force lifestyle and always has, the 23 years we’ve been married. She’s doing it selflessly. She lives by the ‘Service Before Self’ motto.”

The hard work and long hours alongside her husband that Mrs. Harencak puts into her job as the wing commander’s spouse doesn’t earn her a paycheck, but it doesn’t need to, she says.

“It’s not a paycheck for me, but you feel like you still get something out of it because sometimes you have to have that neat, ‘this is cool’ feeling that you helped somebody, that you made a difference for somebody,” Mrs. Harencak said. “For some people that isn’t enough, but I think it’s an awesome thing to get an award for just hanging out with some really cool people.”

“There isn’t a dollar amount you could ever put on this job,” Colonel Harencak added with respect to his and his wife’s work. “It’s just an awesome thing to be able to do it -- It’s a labor of love.”

Mrs. Harencak said she works with many on- and off-base organizations and for many causes, but she’s most passionate about working with the Dyess first sergeants, the military affairs committee, the local school systems, and a Department of Defense-wide program, Military Child Education Coalition.

While her role as a model for other women and spouses was concreted with the O’Malley award, Mrs. Harencak aspires to live up to her own role model, Pam Peay -- the spouse of a retired Army general who “always did things real quietly ... always did the right thing.”

“She always took care of people,” Mrs. Harencak explained. “She was always just one of those people you’re comfortable talking to -- very approachable. And that is the one thing I always hope people feel about me, that they can come up to me and say, ‘Hey, this needs to be fixed’ or, ‘This is going great.’”

Their appreciation and thanks were in harmony: “We truly thank all of Dyess and everyone for letting us have this time to do this and giving us this opportunity and chance.We hope we’ve done it for the right reasons, and we hope it’s come across that way,” they said.

“You can tell with some of folks if it’s a job or a way of life,” Mrs. Harencak said. “We couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”

The O’Malley award is named after General O’Malley, former commander of the Tactical Air Command at the time of his death, and his wife, Diane, who were killed in an aircraft crash while on their way to a Boy Scout fundraising event in 1985.

Colonel and Mrs. Harencak will go on to compete in the Air Force-level competition.