Technical Sergeant retires "a real hero"

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Andre Bowser
  • 944th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  One technical sergeant's retirement Aug. 27 at the Desert Star Club here garnered lofty guests, including the Air Force Chief of Staff, among other dignitaries.

Tech. Sgt. Christopher "Matt" Slaydon stood before a large packed room as a hero.

That title meant less to him.

"I have an issue with that word," Sergeant Slaydon told the room of more than 200 guests, many of whom distinguished military leaders who penciled the technical sergeant into their busy schedules.

"I don't consider myself a real hero," Sergeant Slaydon continued. "The people I consider heroes are the people who didn't come back."

It was a somber note on a joyous day, when Sergeant Slaydon retired. The speakers who came up to honor him were among his commanders in the 56th Fighter Wing, comrades in the 944th Fighter Wing, dignitaries from afar, family and friends.

He stood pounding his chest--a modified hand clap since he lost one of his arms and was left totally blind on a day nearly two years ago.

That day was Oct. 24, 2007, when an improvised explosive device detonated outside of Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq. Sergeant Slaydon received multiple facial lacerations, collapsed lung, amid countless other wounds.

He remembered it all on the more recent day of his retirement with his wife, Annette, by his side. It was a day of sharing final time with his many fellow Air Force members, far away from the danger of that earlier day.

The months in between had been spent healing; forgetting; forging ahead with his rehabilitation.

Annette helped her husband express the couple's connection with the branch of service. "Matt and I are perfect examples of how the Air Force family surrounds you and takes care of you," she said.

Annette recalled the 15 months her husband spent recovering at the Brook Army Medical Center, Texas, as well as other facilities culminating in his standing before so many with so few regrets.

"I would do it again," Sergeant Slaydon said during the event. He said it quietly as he spoke of a great many things, but any one present who heard would have paused to reflect those five words.

He had done enough. He had given enough. During his three tours, the list of awards and decorations were too many and too few at the same time compared to his sacrifice, one speaker after the other said.

The praises came from his former commander, Lt. Col. Anton Ramage; applauding him was Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. Norton A. Schwartz.

All Sergeant Slaydon asked from everyone in attendance was that they "pick up 1 percent of the slack" from the 110 percent he always gave and was leaving behind.

He promised, "You will make the Air Force a better place."