Striving for Selflessness

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- On the first day of the 944th Force Support Squadron’s annual tour here, one Airman received some special news making a dream come true.

Senior Airman Hayley Williams, 944 FSS journeyman, was several hours into her shift at the Ramstein base gym when her commander, Maj. Melissa Greene, 944 FSS commander, pulled her aside to deliver the news that she had just been promoted to Staff Sgt. that day.

“You’re out of uniform Senior Airman Williams,” said Greene.

Although it took Williams a minute or two to figure out what was going on she was extremely happy to have been selected for promotion.

“This means a lot to me,” said Williams, who when not wearing the uniform, owns a personal training and coaching business and a sports apparel manufacturing company with her husband. “It’s been my goal for a long time to make it to Staff Sgt. because that was the last rank my dad had before he got out of the Air Force.”

Williams and her father, Thomas Loiler, were very close until he passed away three years ago from skin cancer.

“My dad was my best friend,” said an emotional Williams. “He was the epitome of service before self. When he was diagnosed with cancer for the second time, he was told he would not be able to beat it but he still participated in experimental drug research so he could help others survive cancer in the future.”

“I’ve been following his career in basically the reverse order so I’m really happy that I got to sew on my new stripes here at Ramstein,” explained Williams.

Loiler’s first duty station was Ramstein Air Base. He then moved to Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., and he finished out his military time at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., before getting out of the service as a Staff Sgt. and pursing an education becoming a medical technician. Williams on the other hand started her service at Travis AFB, then last year she went to Charleston AFB with the 944th and now she is at Ramstein for Annual Tour. They also both worked F-16 search and recovery.

Williams served five and a half years on active duty before getting out in 2013 and joined the Reserves in 2015 after starting a family.

“I felt I lost my identity when I was out of uniform,” said William. “I just feel more myself when I get to wear the uniform. My dad was such a great role model for me and completely selfless and I want to be that to my children.”