Name and Rank: Senior Airman Austin Creel
Unit: 19th Operations Support Squadron
Official Duty title: Weather Apprentice
Hometown: Heyburn, Idaho
Time in service: 4 years
Time at Little Rock: 3 years
Goals: Continue learning more about programming and earn IT certifications
Hobbies: Gaming with friends and reading
Creel serves as a duty forecaster, conducting airfield, mission, and staff weather support. He is responsible for the oversight and protection of 13,800 personnel and $9.7 billion in assets across Little Rock AFB and four drop zones throughout Arkansas.
He displayed his passion for weather and STEM when he volunteered his time to run a weather booth at the Thunder Over the Rock Air Show STEM Fair. He used this platform to educate the local community on Air Force weather equipment and capabilities, promoting the career field and inspiring over 7,000 children to lead in the generations to come.
Finally, he accurately provided 72+ hours of weather data for several locations across the world, pinpointing favorable operating windows and highlighting potential hazards to aircrew, mission planners, and the 19th Airlift Wing commander to spur critical decision-making for a no-fail operation.