TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- In episode eight of Refuel Radio , the 507th Air Refueling Wing's official podcast, Col. Matthew Ghormley, the 507th ARW commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Darren Wiseman, the 507th ARW command chief, discuss the enduring culture that unites the wing.
The podcast, which launched less than a year ago, provides wing leadership a platform to connect with Reservists. This episode marks Wiseman's final appearance on the podcast.
“This podcast, at first, was nerve-wracking, but now I can’t wait to do it,” Wiseman said. “I can’t believe it’s gonna be my last one.”
Wiseman received farewell messages from group senior enlisted leaders, who praised his mentorship, authenticity, and commitment to enlisted development, highlighting the wing's deep camaraderie.
“You went out of your way to meet and speak with our youngest Airmen at their levels,” said Chief Master Sgt. Mark Smith, the 507th Maintenance Group senior enlisted leader. “You provided leadership with a unique perspective on our highest priority missions… and most of all, thank you for being a friend.”
The episode highlighted the strong bond between leadership and Airmen. Wiseman emphasized building trust, challenging preconceptions, and prioritizing people.
“Everything I thought that I learned isn’t gonna work,” Wiseman said of his early leadership philosophy. “I quickly decided that what I wanted to do was get to know the people. What interests them, what motivates them… that’s the servant I wanted to be.”
That servant mindset reflects the Okie way, one that values servant leadership.
“For the Okies listening… I truly do love you,” Wiseman said. “When you really dissect it down to the very core essence of what love is, it’s sacrificial, and I will tell you, I have given everything that I feel like that I could have.”
Wiseman emphasized that stepping away from the uniform doesn’t mean stepping away from service.
“There’s a lot of things in the Air Force… we kind of take for granted, possibly,” Wiseman said. “But the Air Force and the Reserve Command teach us leadership, and… we can actually make a massive difference in our local community.”
More than a farewell, the episode served as a celebration of the people who make up the 507th, also known as the Okies. Whether serving as a full-time member, Reservist, or even in retirement—Once an Okie, Always an Okie.
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