NCO goes above and beyond

Published Oct. 7, 2010
By Senior Airman Nick Wilson
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- There's a lot more to being a member in the U.S. Air Force than just working an eight to 12 hour shift and going home, and Tech. Sgt. Erick J. Matos, 480th Fighter Squadron NCO in charge of aircrew flight equipment, is one of many Sabers that spends extra time volunteering in the community.

Sergeant Matos currently volunteers approximately 15 hours a week of his personal time to help his 17 year-old-son's high school football team, the Bitburg High School Barons.

"My son plays on the team, so I came and helped out for a couple days when we first moved here last year. The coach saw that I had some ideas and had previously played, so he asked for my help with the defensive backs and wide receivers," Sergeant Matos said. "When I saw them actually listening to the advice I had given them, it motivated me to volunteer more of my time to coach."

In addition to his job in the Air Force and commitment to the high school football team coaching staff, Sergeant Matos is married and the father of two teenagers. He is only three credits away from earning his Community College of the Air Force degree in Aircrew Safety Systems Technology.

Sergeant Matos doesn't find balancing work, school, volunteering and family a hard task.

"I balance my time very well," Sergeant Matos said. "I know what needs to be done as part of my schedule and I get it done. I've blocked out two - three hours a night to come and help the football players out as well."

Sergeant Matos attributes the lack of stress to the support he receives.

"I get a lot of support from my family," he said. "The kids support what I'm doing, and my wife definitely supports me. I also get support from my co-workers. In my section, everyone knows what I'm doing in the community, so it's effortless for me to take it easy."
Sergeant Matos also helped the Bitburg High School football team repair football equipment, re-arrange and repair equipment in the team's weight room and paint and number the field in preparation for games.

A week prior to school starting, BHS held a Department of Defense Dependents Schools Europe football camp, which hosted six other schools from across Europe with more than 125 student athletes. Sergeant Matos took leave that week and volunteered more than 120 hours to the camp.

"The satisfaction of knowing I gave them the tools and attitude to use not only in football but outside of football as well, and knowing they have somebody to come back to and share how they made things work out, makes me feel really good," Sergeant Matos said.

His interest in football came from high school where he never really got to play but always wanted to. He later played for the USA Force while stationed at Royal Air Force Lakenheath. And again at Hurlburt Field, Florida, he played semi-pro football for the Fort Walton Beach Falcons. He became actively involved with the Bitburg High Baron coaching staff when his son started to play last year.

"It stuck with me and with my son playing, it gave me a chance to spend more time with him and pass on a little more of my knowledge," Sergeant Matos said. "Of course my interest grew even more when he wanted to train harder to become a starter."

Sergeant Matos also coaches his daughter's Spangdahlem youth center soccer team, the Jalapeños.

He has been a member of the National Youth Sports Coaching Association since he was an Airman in 1996. After starting out to coach soccer for kindergarten aged children, he later began to coach basketball for youth centers at bases he was stationed at in 2004. Working with children and teenagers of any age and seeing how they respond to what he teaches them makes coaching a meaningful experience for him.

"You take those memories and teams with you forever," Sergeant Matos said.