My hero… My son. M/SGT John D. Farris USAF/Ret
John was the Weather Flight Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge for the 82nd Airborne Division and Operations Superintendent of the 18th Weather Squadron, Air Combat Command, Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. The 18th Weather Squadron organizes, trains, equips and employs combat weather teams worldwide. The weather squadron has over 150 professionals at 8 locations throughout the eastern United States; the 18th Weather Squadron provides precision weather integration to conventional, airborne and special forces.
He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1981, and entered the Special Operations Weather career field in 1989 at Hurlburt Field, Florida. This began nearly twenty-seven years of service to the Air Force and Army. With assignments to Fort Lewis, Washington; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Hurlburt Field, Florida.
John volunteered for deployments with the 1st Special Operations Wing, 16th Special Operations Wing, 720th Special Tactics Group, 10th Combat Weather Squadron, 18th Weather Squadron in direct support to 1st Special Forces Group, 3rd Special Forces Group, 7th Special Forces Group, 75th Ranger Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, 3rd Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Division, 10th Mountain Division and the 82nd Airborne Division.
Along the way he earned the Master Meteorological Technician Badge, Master Military Freefall Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, and SCUBA Badge. He completed NCO Leadership School, United States Air Force NCO Academy, and the United States Air Force Senior NCO Academy, and received an Associates of Science Degree from the Community College of the Air Force and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Embry-Riddle University. For several years he taught Meteorology at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
John held a variety of positions including Nuclear Weapons Specialist, Weather Specialist, Weather Forecaster, Special Operations Weather Team (SOWT) Member, Parachute Section Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge, Vehicle and Supply NCO, Detachment Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge, Training and Standards Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge, Air Operations Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge.
He was instrumental to the integration and exploitation of Special Tactics Weather in Afghanistan during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and in Iraq in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. After completing an assignment at 720th Special Tactics Group as the Superintendent, Special Tactics Weather for Training, Tactics and Standards, John assumed his positions at 18th Weather Squadron until retirement in 2008.
He served in the United States, England, Germany, Turkey, Italy, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Antigua, Botswana, Nigeria, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Guiana, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Qatar.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with 3-oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with 1-oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal with 4-oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with 1-oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with 6-oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with 1 service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border with 2 oak leaf clusters
Humanitarian Service Medal
NATO Medal
Service Dates: 30 April 1981 to 31 March 2008 (26 years, 11 months and 1 day)
My Other Heroes
My best friend Charles Ball and his brother Keith - Army
My brother David - Navy
My sister Sue - Air Force
My friend James Foley - Coast Guard
My Marine Corps Buddy Ray Etheredge - USMC
A Tribute to All American Military Veterans
