Training leader ends 34-year military career today Published Sept. 18, 2007 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- When she marched to class in the Triangle in 1973, Airman Deborah Van De Ven never imagined that one day she'd command the Air Force's largest training group. Today, Colonel Van De Ven, 81st Training Group commander, retires from a 34-year military career she describes as an incredible series of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Career path began at Keesler "We females lived in World War II era dorms," she remembered. "I earned my 3-skill level as an aerospace control and warning systems operator, mastering the expertise needed at the radar scope and the technique of writing backwards to plot aircraft on the two-story plexiglass air-battle situation board -- a career field we still have today, minus the manual plotting board." Seven years and four assignments later, Sergeant Van De Ven earned her bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University and received her commission through Officer Training School. Moving into training arena After protocol and executive officer assignments at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., and McGuire AFB, N.J., Lieutenant Van De Ven entered the training arena as an ROTC instructor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, N.Y.. During that time, she completed a master's degree in management and supervision from Central Michigan University. Next, Captain Van De Ven became a flight commander for British initial officer training at Royal Air Force, Cranwell, then spent two years as squadron section commander for the 4th Air Support Operations Group in Frankfurt, Germany. She moved to Maxwell AFB, Ala., to teach at the Academic Instructor School. She was picked for major and attended Air Command and Staff College before heading for Camp Smith, Hawaii, to serve as deputy chief of protocol and executive staff officer to the commander at U.S. Pacific Command. In 1998, she returned to Maxwell to command the 35th Student Squadron at Squadron Officer School before attending Air War College. She moved to Morón Air Base, Spain, in 2001 to command the 496th Air Base Squadron. Four years ago, she was selected for promotion to colonel and headed to Washington, D.C., to become deputy principal director for operations at the Defense Information Systems Agency. A year later, she became chief of regional support operations at the National Military Command Center at the Pentagon, the principal command and control center for the Department of Defense. Two years ago, Colonel Van De Ven took command of the 81st TRG just four weeks after Hurricane Katrina slammed the base. "My tour as commander clearly has been defined by the reconstitution of our training mission," she commented. "Keesler's training mission was projected to be down for six months after Katrina, but many classes were being conducted in classrooms only weeks later, and several more by the end of 2005. By January, our average daily student load peaked at over 3,700." The colonel credited the efforts of Keesler's academic and support personnel with revival of the training mission, even though many were dealing with huge personal losses. She considers the "excellent" rating received by all seven squadrons in the 81st TRG the capstone of her final command. "The 81st Training Group has a huge impact on the Air Force as we provide a constant supply of new Airmen qualified in 33 different career fields, and qualify hundreds of Airmen in advanced and supplemental skills each year," she remarked. "You'll find Keesler graduates at virtually every global location with a military presence." Colonel Van De Ven said a major challenge has been the demands of teaching high-tech courses. "Keesler is the Center of Excellence for both communications and electronic principles, the prerequisite course for 29 different career fields," she emphasized. "We operate in a high-tech environment, creating the never-ending need to update equipment, curriculum, instructor knowledge and field experience. "The 81st Training Group's official mission statement, 'to provide well trained and highly motivated Airmen in support of our worldwide air and space expeditionary forces,' always seemed a bit long and cumbersome to me," she admitted. "The heart of our mission is simply the first half. 'In support of our worldwide air and space expeditionary forces' is true and important, but not necessarily as enduring, as world situations and technology continually alter our environment and military capabilities." Colonel Van De Ven's post-retirement plans include time for travel in her new recreational vehicle to scope out possible places to put down roots. "Most people headed for retirement spend time looking for employment opportunities, but I was here to be the commander, not to job hunt," she said. "At this point, I have no idea where I want to live. I grew up in Michigan, but the last half of my career has been in warm climates, so I really don't want ice and snow. I watch the weather map for the places they aren't talking about -- there are risks wherever you go, but I'm looking for lower risk."