Those Who Served: Plans changed for Ellwood City former airman
ELLWOOD CITY – Rich Griffith of Ellwood City didn't plan on a military career.
He had been in foster care for three years with a Baptist minister and wanted to be a minister. But family circumstances led him to make a different choice.
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"My stepfather was killed in an accident and I knew I had to help my mother with my seven younger siblings, but I was a 19-year-old kid with no skills. What could I do? I joined the Air Force," Griffith said.
He entered the military after graduating from high school in 1977 and served on active duty until 1994 and then remained in the Reserves until June 2000.
With his roots in Texas and Louisiana, it took Griffith a long time to get to Ellwood City.
When he joined the Air Force, he got a "wish list" of places he could be stationed and he chose England Air Force Base in Louisiana so he would be near his mother and family.
Three-quarters of Griffith's career he was a mechanic for all aircraft equipment. His job was ground support, he created the simulations so the mechanics could do their job.
In the last part of Griffith's career, he served at the F.E. Warren AFB in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he was Launch Control Facility manager making sure his group would have everything they needed to do their jobs. He recalled they had 200 ICBMs. Since 1986, the base has maintained 150 Minuteman IIIs and is home to the Air Force’s only 50 Peacekeeper ICBMs.
For Griffith, the best part of being in the Air force was the camaraderie and the structure.
"Growing up we were told what to do and we did it. When I was told to do something in the Air Force I did it without question," he said.
Griffith recalled one day they were ordered to completely scrub a large hangar; they griped but they did it.
"When we were all done we learned our NCO's plan was to have a picnic in the hangar for all the families. It brought all of us together," he said. "We had cold beers and sodas and lots of picnic food."
While in Cheyenne, Griffith married young, had two children and later divorced.
"I have been married to my best friend, Elizabeth, for 30 years," he said.
When Griffith retired from the Service, he and Elizabeth made their way to Ellwood City by working in Philadelphia until Elizabeth, who worked for Verizon, was transferred to Pittsburgh in 2010.
"When people hear Verizon and they think she sells telephones, but Elizabeth is a technician who climbs up and repairs the lines," Griffith said.
They found houses were expensive in the Pittsburgh and Cranberry areas, so in 2014 they bought a home in Ellwood City.
"We like the small-town vibe, but I came from a really small town with one flashing light, so Ellwood City is big compared to that," Griffith said.
Griffith is the first vice president of the American Legion Post 157, which was the force behind bringing the Moving Wall to Ellwood City recently.
His focus is on making people more aware of the Legion's presence and purpose.
Membership is open to any veteran who was honorably discharged.
"Come to a meeting. It is $35 a year to be a member, but the Legion pays the first year's dues. Come and experience the camaraderie with other veterans," Griffith said.
American Legion Post 157 meets at 7 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at the Saxon Club, 901 Millview Street, Ellwood City. No reservations are needed.
Who: Rich Griffith
What: Air Force
When: Active duty 1977-94, Reserves until 2000
Where: United States, Germany
Rank: Staff sergeant
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Those Who Served: Plans changed for Ellwood City former airman
