Honoring Our Heroes

Master Sergeant (MSgt) Kent Stephen Kline served 22.5 years in the United States Air Force. His 1st Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) was as a Reciprocating Aircraft Maintenance Specialist (43131A), and his 2nd AFSC was as a Structure Technician (Carpenter/Mason 55270). His decorations, medals, badges, citations and campaign ribbons awarded included: Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with two Devices, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with six Devices, Air Force Good Conduct Medal with six Devices, Air Force Overseas Short Tour Ribbon, Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon with one Device, National Defense Medal with one Device, Air Force Longevity Service Award with four Devices, NCO Professional Military Education Ribbon, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon and Air Force Training Ribbon.

MSgt Kline was born September 21, 1956 in Glendale, CA, to his parents, Lester T. and Helen J. Kline. He was reared eight miles to the north of Glendale, CA, in La Crescenta, CA, and he graduated from Crescenta Valley High School in June, 1974. He had a delayed enlistment in the United States Air Force at age 17 in March 1974 and reported for duty at the Armed Forces Enlistment Center in Los Angeles, CA, August 14, 1974. MSgt Kline completed six weeks of Basic Training at Lackland, AFB, TX learning military customs and courtesies, drill/marching, and weapons training.

Next, MSgt Kline was assigned to Technician Training School at Sheppard AFB, Wichita, TX, where he studied and became a Reciprocating Aircraft Maintenance Specialist (43131A). He was then sent to Langley AFB, Hampton. VA, where he worked as a Non-Powered Aerospace Ground Equipment Specialist. Next, he cross-trained into a new AFSC of Structure Apprentice (Carpenter/Mason 55230) where he received vast on-the-job training and crucial knowledge of carpentry and masonry.

MSgt Kline then applied to the United States Air Force's Interservice Transfer Program, and he was subsequently transferred to March AFB, Riverside, CA, 1978-1982 as a Masonry Supervisor. He was promoted to the rank of SSgt in 1979. He furthermore received more technician training and became Structure Specialist (Carpenter/Mason 55250). Next, MSgt Kline served five years at Loring AFB, Limestone, ME, 1982-1987 where he worked as the Masonry Supervisor. He was promoted to the Rank of TSgt in 1987. Again, he received more technician training and became Structure Technician (Carpenter/Mason 55270). He also worked in planning major projects in the Construction Planning Shop as a key Structural Planner.

MSgt Kline had three deployments. He was first deployed to Osan Air Base, South Korea, for one year 1987-1988 on an unaccompanied tour where he was involved again, in the Construction Planning Shop as a key Structural Planner. Returning from his deployment in Korea, MSgt Kline was assigned to Falcon Air Force Station/Falcon Air Force Base/Schriever Air Force Base Colorado Springs, CO, 1988-1992. He was again promoted to his current grade of MSgt in 1990. His assignment as a Structure Technician (Carpenter/Mason 55270), was to be Chief of Planning in the Construction Planning Shop, Chief of Security, and Chief of Disaster Preparedness.

Concurrently, with his rank of MSgt, he was next assigned as the Structural Superintendent, Mobile Engineering, Acquisition, and Repair (MEAR) Team at RAF Chicksands at Bedford, England 1992-1994. As the Structural Superintendent for the MEAR Team, he was involved in many TDY deployments with other military members all over the world including, Germany, Spain, Niger, Cameroon and Malawi. RAF Chicksands was closed in 1994, and he was then sent to RAF Menwith Hill at Harrogate, England, for two years where he served as the European Team Chief of the MEAR Team 1994-1996. MSgt Kline's assignment as Teams Chief was to assign TDY deployments of MEAR Team military members at vast locations around the world.

MSgt Kline returned for his last duty station at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, CO, where he retired from the United States Air Force on September 1, 1996.

MSgt Kline and his wife, Maryann, have been married 42 years. They have two children, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He is actively serving to assist First Responders during times of natural and man-made disasters and to go on search and rescue missions with the Alabama Service Corps located in Ozark, AL. He has also volunteered with the Remote Area Medical team from Knoxville, TN, in Gadsden, Alabama, during April 22-24, 2022. He is a recent volunteer with the American Red Cross as a Disaster Action Team member in the area of Disaster Services. MSgt Kline worked in Colorado Springs, CO, from September 2, 1996 until May 1, 2021 when he fully retired. He worked various jobs in Colorado Springs, CO, as a Radio Shack Salesman, Lowes as a Flooring/Home Decor manager, Aleut Services LLC as a Contract Construction Structural Planner, Schriever AFB, CO, GEO LLC Re-Entry Prison Jailer, Walmart Associate Team Leader in the freezer department and GEO LLC Halfway House Re-Entry worker.

MSgt Kline and his family moved to Montgomery, Alabama on August 27, 2021 from Colorado Springs, CO, to start their new adventure in the very wonderful and friendly town of Montgomery and surrounding communities as well as the state of Alabama. He is a member and ordained elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and goes to church in the Capitol Ward located in Montgomery, AL.

MSgt Kline's conclusions about his military service are: "It was an honor to serve in the United States Air Force for 22.5 years and to accomplish vast missions and other related tasks wherever I was assigned to serve. The United States Air Force made me more mature and helped my family and me to have a wonderful and better life."

He would like people to remember him saying: "I was fun, outgoing, energetic, devoted to God, family, friends, church, and I had a great and wonderful life."