MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Inside one of Maxwell Air Force Base’s firing range classrooms is Tech Sgt. James Kuehne, 908th Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms instructor, demonstrating how to hold an M4 carbine.
Kuehne heads to the operating tower to begin giving instructions over the microphone. The other red-hat clad CA instructors take their positions on the line to direct the Airmen to put Kuehne’s words into action.
The other instructors are quick to follow Kuehne’s orders, since he has been working there the longest; along with Staff Sgt. Jonathan Pilgrim, 908th SFS CA instructor.
Pilgrim first met Kuehne when they went to CA school together in San Antonio, Texas, in 2012, said Pilgrim.
When describing Kuehne, Pilgrim said, “Tech Sgt. Kuehne is a prime example of a great Airman and outstanding NCO and supervisor.”
Other instructors share the same sentiments, including Master Sgt. Henry Relf, 908th SFS CA instructor, who has been a combat arms instructor since he first enlisted in the Air Force in 2005.
Relf first met Kuehne when they started to work together when Relf joined the 908th CA instructing team in 2013.
Relf described Kuehne as being, “Class A” and “hard-working.”
Another instructor that feels the same way is Senior Airman Emilio San Miguel, 908th SFS CA instructor. He is one of the newest members to the instructing team who joined in May 2019.
As one of the newest members, Kuehne was quick to become his mentor, said San Miguel.
“[Kuehne] took me under his wing and taught me everything I know about combat arms,” said San Miguel. “He has been my greatest mentor when it comes to combat arms and has inspired me to be the best instructor I can be.”
There are many more inspiring stories about Kuehne’s leadership and they all stem from how dedicated he is to his teaching career.
“I love being here,” exclaimed Kuehne. So much so that, “I re-enlisted on Flag Day in 2016, right out on the firing line.”
He could not imagine having a job doing anything else.
The 908th thrives on having dedicated servant leaders like Kuehne and his team to inspire Airmen every day to be the best they can be. Having Airmen like the CA instructors on the 908th’s side demonstrate just how dedicated and well-prepared Alabama’s reserve citizen Airmen are to fight anywhere at a moment’s notice.