Maintenance Engineer named base Athlete of the Year

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Carolyn Viss
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  A 7th Civil Engineer Squadron maintenance engineer with 20 years time in service was named the Dyess Athlete of the Year last week for his aggressive involvement in sports. 

Master Sgt. Allen Oldfather, an Air Force brat, grew up playing a myriad of intramurals. He followed his father through Puerto Rico, Italy, Australia, Europe, and the U.S., and now the father and supervisor uses basketball, baseball, football, softball and golf to connect with his family and coworkers - and pass the new fitness test. 

"I've never been much of a distance runner," Sergeant Oldfather said, "But I've got endurance from playing sports. We used to play 24-hour softball tournaments, and so even though it's been a tough transition to straight running I still scored an 87 on my test this year." 

But the stocky career Airman isn't stopping at 87 - he's joined a competitive group within the 7th CES of people who are aiming for "excellent" scores of 90 or higher. 

"For me, it's an outlet - a chance to break away from the stress of everyday life," he said. 

It takes a different kind of person to commit to athletics, Sergeant Oldfather said. As a native Puerto Rican, he said food is a really big part of his culture - and playing sports makes it possible for him to enjoy that food while maintaining his physique. 

"Sports have played a major role in my career," he continued. "You have to be fit to work long hours. But it's also a chance to unwind - when you're out there playing, you're not even thinking about work or school or anything else." 

He recalled traveling all over the country, even playing basketball in Croatia and other deployed or overseas locations. 

"When we all go to tournaments, we get to hang out and get to know each other a lot better than we do every day at work," Sergeant Oldfather said. "When it comes to the ball field or court, sports transcend culture and bring people together. People who might not hang out connect when they compete. Now, I probably can't go into a single shop on base without knowing someone I've played sports with." 

He's even gotten his 3-year-old daughter, Ella, and his wife, Carrie, involved in sports.
"We go to her T-ball games and gymnastics meets, and it's a good way for us to spend time together doing something we love," he said. 

As a football coach at Dyess, the master technician said he gets the chance to mentor younger Airmen as well. Today's dwindling Air Force requires vigorous work schedule that makes morale, welfare and recreation really important. 

"I remember being single and living in the base dorms," he said. "There were seven or eight of us who were all about intramurals, and it gave us something to do. Plus you make more friends." 

Sergeant Oldfather wants to spend another four years or more in the Air Force, but when he retires he said he knows exactly what he wants to do: "Something sports related. Something really fun."