Pilot’s father commissions, retires him

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Carolyn Viss
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  A Dyess C-130 pilot is retiring June 29 after 25 years of service, and his father, who first commissioned him in 1982, is performing the ceremony. 

Retired Navy Capt. Dale Kaiser gave Lt. Col. Keith Kaiser, 317th Airlift Group, his first butter bars upon graduation from Southern Illinois University ROTC and saw him through a career with more than 6,500 flying hours. Now, Captain Kaiser, 75, is retiring Colonel Kaiser in the same Navy blues he wore during his career as an engineering officer on a destroyer ship in the Pacific Ocean in 1954. 

Captain Kaiser held a bachelor's in mathematics and spent three years on active-duty. He then switched to the Reserve division as a commanding officer while obtaining a master's degree in mathematics and a PhD in public school administration. The last 10 of his 30 years in the Navy he spent recruiting. As a professor at Southern Illinois University, he taught graduate-level courses in public school administration, retiring from the Navy Reserves in 1983 and for the second time, from the university, in 1988. 

"I did encourage Keith to join the military," Captain Kaiser said. "He had already been studying aviation psychology for two years at Southern Illinois University when he decided to join the Air Force ROTC program. He wanted to fly." 

After two years in ROTC, Colonel Kaiser's father commissioned him and he began his career, marrying his wife, Linda, and having a son and two daughters during his busy life as a C-130 pilot, he said. 

"My father was always there for me," Colonel Kaiser said. "Through all these years, he's been a part of my military career because he understands the sacrifices military (servicemembers) make. He's helped my family move several times and promoted me to second lieutenant, major, and lieutenant colonel. He was there for my family when I was deployed during Operation Desert Storm as well. I've been fortunate to have him around." 

Not many people have the opportunity to have their father retire them, Colonel Kaiser said. 

"My father is totally unselfish," Colonel Kaiser said. "He's always shown unconditional love, and to have him here, together with my whole family, for my retirement is a privilege to say the least." 

His wife, Linda, agreed, "(Our) father was instrumental in aiding us for the whole 25 years of Keith's career. He's always driven to wherever we are to help with whatever we need. Now for Keith's retirement, he's wearing the same Navy blues he's worn for Keith's commission and promotions, and he still looks fantastic in them." 

Although Colonel Kaiser may have chosen to stay in the Air Force for several more years, the current force shaping board decided to retire him - but it's not a disappointing end to his career, he said. 

He'll begin another job at Dyess July 2, this time working on the C-130 simulator with Lockheed Martin, a job his father said he's been hoping for, for the last five or six years. 

"I started my career on the C-130, I ended my career on the C-130, and now I'm beginning another career on the C-130," Colonel Kaiser said. "It's an exciting change-over." 

Colonel Kaiser said his time in the Air Force went more quickly than he ever expected it to. Through the good and hard times, his entire family stayed together and kept him going. 

"I couldn't ask for anything more than to have them all here, safe and happy, for the beginning and end of my military career," he said.