Airforce Airman First Class Jacob Bailey

2007 Fillmore High School Graduate Jacob Bailey, 20 years old is stationed with the United States Air Force at Travis Air Force Base in Northern California. In addition to FHS Jacob attended Fillmore Middle School. Jacob was an avid soccer player and played with Fillmore’s Club Team “BIB”. He enjoyed many years in AYSO and was on the FHS soccer team all 4 years he attended. Jacob also had the privilege of being part of the 2005 FHS CIF championship soccer team.

Airman First Class (A1C) Jacob Bailey is the son of Janell and Arthur Beach of Fillmore California and Brad and Toni Bailey of Salt Lake City, Utah. His siblings are Justin Beach 13 years of Fillmore and Aaron Bailey 14 years of of Salt Lake City, Utah. His maternal grandparents are Ted and Claudine Saxton of Woods Cross, Utah and paternal grandfather Tony Bailey of Salt Lake City, Utah. Jacob follows a long line of family having served in the United States Armed Forces. Jacob currently has two cousins in the military; Jeremy Horton a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps who recently returned from Okinawa, Japan and William Platt a Private First Class serving in the United States Army Reserves currently deployed in Afghanistan. Jacob also has one uncle, Mark Saxton, a Master Sergeant currently in the United States Army Special Forces. Jacob’s step father, Arthur Beach, is a retired Senior Master Sergeant serving 21 years in the United States Air Force and was part of the inspiration for Jacob wanting to join the Air Force.

Airman First Class Jacob Bailey enlisted in the United States Air Force on March 2009 for a six-year enlistment. AFC Jacob Bailey's Basic Training was at Lackland AFB in San Antonio Texas. His Technical Schools were at Shepard AFB in Wichita Falls, Texas and McChord AFB in Tacoma, Washington. Now stationed at Travis Air Force Base near Fairfield, California A1C Jacob Bailey is stationed at one of the Air Force's most important military facilities. The primary mission of Travis AFB is to provide rapid, responsive, reliable airlift of forces to any point on earth in support of the Air Force's national objectives and to fulfill the global logistics needs of the Department of Defense in sustaining its world wide activities. Known as the "Gateway to the Pacific," Travis AFB handles more cargo and passenger traffic through its aerial port than any other military air terminal in the United States. Additionally, the base has had a long and proud history of supporting humanitarian airlift at home and around the world. Today, the Travis AFB has approximately 7,260 active military, 3,770 civilians, and 4,250 reservists working at the base.

In A1C Jacob Bailey's own words, “Well, my AFSC (Air Force Specialty Code, the equivalent to the Army's MOS) is 2A531D, which means I am a C-17A Globemaster III Crew Chief. Basically a mechanic on the aircraft, the same thing as a Nascar Crew Chief would do. My unit is the 860th AMXS (Aircraft Maintenance Squadron) and we belong to the 60th AMW (Air Mobility Wing).”

The 60th Air Mobility Wing (AMW) is the largest organization in the Air Mobility Command and flies the Lockheed C-5 "Galaxy" and the KC-10 "Extender" tanker on a daily operational basis. As host unit for Travis Air Force Base, the 60 AMW controls more than two billion dollars worth of Air Force resources, including aircraft and support facilities, on more than 6,000 acres of land.

The 60th Air Mobility Wing is the largest air mobility organization in the Air Force with a versatile all-jet fleet of C-5 Galaxy, C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft and KC-10 Extender refueling aircraft. It handles more cargo and passengers than any other military air terminal in the United States. Travis is the West Coast terminal for aeromedical evacuation aircraft returning sick or injured patients from the Pacific area. The 60th Air Mobility Wing crews can fly support missions anywhere in the world to fulfill its motto of being "America's First Choice" for providing true Global Reach.

A1C Jacob Bailey has earned the National Defense Service Medal, the Air Force Training Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Medal. After he graduated from Technical Training School (McChord AFB, Washington) on Oct. 1, of this year he was promoted to A1C.

All of here in the Communities of Fillmore and Piru wish Airman First Class Jacob Bailey safe travel, a long and rewarding Untied States Air Force Career and we thank AIC Jacob Bailey and his family for his service and for the sacrifices already made and those that will be made in the future. When driving by the intersection of Orchard and Sespe take the opportunity to look up and notice AIC Jacob Bailey's Banner and say thank you to him for his service. AIC Jacob Bailey is truly an American Hero!