After 40 years: Cardoni prepares for his retirement years

  • Published
  • By Tech Sgt. Melba Koch
  • by Tech Sgt. Melba Koch
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Oklahoma --  With a military career spanning 40 years here at Tinker Air Force Base, Master Sgt. John Cardoni, the Inspection Section Dock Chief with the 507th Maintenance Squadron, retires this month. 

Cardoni joined the military June 27, 1969 and officially retires May 18, 2009. 

"I was not ready for college," said Cardoni. "I was also looking for a trade at which to work and earn some money for a car and school." Cardoni's entire military career has been with the Reserve. And he has seen many changes in the Reserve since he joined. 

His original unit was the 937th Military Airlift Group, flying the C-124 Globemaster II. "When we converted to the F-105 Thunder Chief, we became the 507th," continued Cardoni. When asked what goals he set for himself in his position, John quickly said, "My main goal was and still is to do my job and make my boss's job easier." 

"And that is exactly what John has done as a co-worker and friend," said Senior Master Sgt. Ronald Mitchell, his supervisor. "I hate to say 'employee or subordinate' because I always have felt we were co-supervisors; him taking care of me and our flight and me filling in the gaps taking care of him and the flight," continued Mitchell. "I must say that he is a Gruff Ole 'Wolf man' that will be greatly missed and those will be big shoes to fill with his retirement," concluded Mitchell. 

"One of my most memorable accounts of Master Sergeant Cardoni's career was in the fighter aircraft days when he would wear a wolf's mask," said Chief Master Sgt. Joe La Fitte, 507th Maintenance Squadron Superintendent. "He would ride his bike up and down the flight line and scare the daylights out of you! From that day on, he was A.K.A. 'Wolfman,'" said the chief. 

Cardoni has held a variety of positions over the years, including a crew chief on reciprocating engine and jet engine aircraft, an egress technician, a weapons loader, an inspection dock technician and currently as inspection section dock chief. He became an Air Reserve Technician (ART) 30 years ago. 

When asked if he could do one portion of his career over again, what would it be, Cardoni left us hanging with, "That's hard to answer because if I had a second shot to do something, I would probably end up in prison." 

Cardoni's advice for younger Airmen: To some I would say you are doing what I wish I had done at your age, and to others I would just say RUN! As far as retirement plans, Cardoni says he has nothing specific in mind but to just keep busy for the first 30 years or so.  After that "I'll just take it easy." 

"The work I did as an egress technician was personally the most satisfying in that four aircrew members flying our F-4 aircraft successfully ejected from a disabled aircraft, utilizing the escape system that I helped maintain," said Cardoni. He deployed once with the unit in 2003 for four months. His deployment took him to Masirah Island, Oman during operations Noble Eagle/Enduring Freedom. 

Cardoni is thankful he has family that supported him along this journey. "I am of Italian and German decent; half my family was praying for me and the other half wanted to go with me," he said. "But in all seriousness, my wife Robin has been there all the way. She would hold down the fort at home whenever I had to go on various trips around the world," concluded Cardoni.