Enlisted public affairs specialist designs new UAS wings

  • Published
  • By Geoff Janes
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Staff Sgt. Austin May has been drawing a lot of attention with his artistic ventures - so much attention that his work has become a permanent part of Air Force history. 

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz recently selected the 27-year-old Katy, Texas native's design for unmanned aircraft system pilot wings, and the first eight pilots began wearing them following the Beta class graduation at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. Sept. 25. 

It has been a long road from crayons to cartoons and conceptual illustrations. The public affairs specialist began drawing dinosaurs as a child, and said it's a hobby his family always supported. 

According to an e-mail from his mother, Teri May, the family supported his talent with "lots and lots and lots (I emphasize 'lots') of pencils, pens, crayons, reams of paper and a big enough refrigerator to hold all of his 'latest and greatest' (artwork). I even have one on it now from about eight years ago. Long story short, (it was) endless supplies and endless loving support." 

Growing up, Sergeant May continued honing his talent and went on to do comics for his junior high school before becoming the editorial cartoonist for his high school newspaper. 

About a year after graduation, he joined the Air Force and served as an Airborne Battle Management Systems Operator on the E-3 Sentry aircraft for about four years before cross-training into public affairs. He became well known for his doodles which became Air Force comics and about two years ago evolved into his personal Web comic - Air Force Blues. 

As a public affairs specialist, Sergeant May's comics have been used periodically at other bases. When he joined the 100th ARW Public Affairs staff in February, he pitched the idea of doing an RAF Mildenhall-specific strip called "Box D Blues". It has become one of the base Web site's strongest draws, and is consistently one of the most-viewed features. 

In addition to Box D Blues, Sergeant May also produces a weekly comic for "Air Force Times" and a monthly comic for "The American" magazine in his spare time. Dedicating that spare time is something to which he and his wife Kaitie - an animal health technician at RAF Feltwell - have become accustomed. 

"We both have really hectic schedules, but in the end you just find the time and make it work," she said. "When it comes down to it family comes first, and we both know that. We don't let it keep us from doing fun things and enjoying our time in Europe." 

But, it was Air Force Blues - which follows the career of an Alaska-based pilot named Capt. Dahl - that got the attention of leadership in Air Staff A3 (Air, Space and Information Operations). 

"I knew I would need to provide options to the U.S. Air Force leadership," Col. Curt Sheldon, who was the assistant to the Director of Air Operations on the Air Staff, and whose job was to coordinate the process of standing up the Beta test and support to the UAS program at the time, said. 

"I already had another submission, and I was looking for another option," the colonel added. "I knew I would need someone with imagination and artistic ability. Based on his Web site, I thought Staff Sgt. May had the required abilities." 

The cartoonist accepted the challenge willingly. 

"When I was contacted about initially submitting a design for the wings, I thought it was awesome. What a thrilling opportunity. The idea of just being a part of that, even if nothing I did was ever seen by anyone, was incredible," Sergeant May said. "I've been interested in the UAV program since I first heard about it and jumped at the opportunity to have any involvement at all with it." 

Colonel Sheldon agreed. 

"Austin jumped into this thing with both feet," he said. "He had his first "draft" to me less than 24 hours after we first talked." 

About 60 designs were submitted to A3 officials who whittled it down to the final three before submitting them to General Schwartz - all three were Sergeant May's. 

"Staff Sgt. May provided numerous options, and we worked together very closely to fine-tune the final design," Maj. Jeffrey Kwoka, the current UAS career field manager, wrote in an e-mail. "He was an immense help, was very receptive to feedback and was highly motivated to provide the Air Force with a high-quality design." 

The Public Affairs specialist said he has always wanted to do something that made a difference to the Air Force, and with his design being used for the wings, he said he feels like he has accomplished that. And it's an accomplishment his wife said she's thrilled about. 

"I'm so honored that my husband's wings were chosen," she said. "He always works so hard and puts 110 percent into everything he does. It's still so hard to believe that my husband is now a part of Air Force History. 

Back home in Texas, Ms. May had a similar reaction to the news. 

"I cried tears of joy," she said. "Austin doesn't just do a job - he puts his whole heart and soul into it, whether he's building me a workbench, coming up with Capt. Dahl's next set of antics or designing the wings for UAS pilots. To see that which he is so passionate about become a part of Air Force history is beyond words for me."