JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- The relationships an Airman creates throughout their time in the Air Force can lead to endless support in their career and a long-lasting network. The Air Force Wounded Warrior (AFW2) Program is an extension of the Air Force family, serving as Wingmen for wounded, ill, and injured warriors, caregivers and their families. The assistance and care that is provided during a warrior’s recovery journey can lead to lasting connections carried beyond military life. In some cases, the connection between a warrior and their Wingman is a continuation of a friendship already formed during a warrior’s Air Force career.
Senior Master Sgt. (ret.) Beau Jones and retired Senior Master Sgt. Travis Laws served in the Air Force together at Royal Air Force (RAF) Mildenhall during Beau’s last 18 months of service. During their time on active duty, Beau became Travis’s first sergeant shortly before transferring to Security Forces at Mildenhall. Despite the career change, a bond formed between both Airmen that would carry on for years to follow.
“Travis was always heavily involved with his Airmen and all wing functions and organizations,” Beau said. “He was the superintendent of our distribution flight in Logistics Readiness and I could always count on him taking his Airmen under his wing and guiding them on the correct path. We had over 400 Airmen in the squadron, so it was vital to have leaders like Travis in the flights to keep the unit moving forward in the right trajectory.”
After his retirement, Beau went on to become the AFW2 Recovery Care Coordinator (RCC) for the United Kingdom (UK) and continued to keep in touch with Travis, as he became president of the Top 3 at RAF Mildenhall. During this time, Beau took note of the struggles Travis was dealing with due to his combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Travis’ struggles with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) led to his enrollment into the AFW2 Program and Beau took on a new role in Travis’s life as his RCC.
“Travis threw himself completely into every recovery resource we could get for him. He completed an intensive TBI clinic, as well as a 6-week PTSD course at Landstuhl Regional Medical facility in Germany,” Beau said. “He went through a Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) and was returned to duty. I have only had three Airmen, in nearly six years, returned to duty for PTSD and TBI.”
Travis not only focused on his own health, but also looked after the wellbeing of his fellow Airmen. He and his wife, Mindy, attended several CARE Events and became AFW2 Ambassadors, sharing their message of recovery and resiliency at wing events, squadrons, and even with the Secretary of the Air Force during a visit to the UK. With Beau as his RCC, Travis became fully committed to his journey of recovery and there was nothing stopping him.
“Having Beau as my RCC, compared to when he was my first sergeant, was a pretty easy adjustment since he has always provided me help whether in uniform or out,” Travis said. “Beau is a very approachable person, which I feel is the reason he has been successful in both roles. People can typically see through the smoke and it was nice to have someone that could listen and give you the straight answer.”
Travis retired from the Air Force in 2019 and currently resides in California with his wife. They are active within their veteran community and continue to prosper in their rehabilitation. Beau and Travis still stay in contact and remain just as connected as before.
“I consider Beau a very important person in my recovery,” Travis said. “We have a friendship and bond that will be key to my continued recovery and well into my retirement.”
The AFW2 Program continues to display virtual social events every week hosted by our warriors, caregivers, and staff members. Tune in to the AFW2 Facebook page to witness our events and stay connected with us. To learn more about the AFW2 Program, or to refer an Airman, visit www.woundedwarrior.af.mil for additional information and resources.