The maintenance and operations of Fort Hood’s Yoakum-DeFrenn Army Heliport falls to a small team, managing the airfield for the installation’s aviation units so they can fly at a moment’s notice. Gabriel Ramon, aviations operations officer, Yoakum-DeFrenn Army Heliport, Directorate of Aviation Operations, is a member of that small team, working to keep Army aviation ready and lethal.
Ramon has a hand in everything that deals with the heliport’s operations, from daily air traffic to construction projects. He conducts daily airfield inspections, ensuring airfield lights remain operational and looking for any obstructions or hazards on the field.
He also publishes advisories called Notice to Airmen, or NOTAMs, for units that inform them of any projects on the runway and any closures. He also provides flight information publications that act as a map of the area.
“So I manage information flow is basically what it boils down to,” Ramon explained. “But anything and everything that happens on the airfield proper, I’m responsible for managing and maintaining. So if that’s cutting grass, facility maintenance, pavement structure, refueling of the aircrafts — things like that.”
Ramon loves his job, he says.
Gabriel Ramon, aviations operations officer, Yoakum-DeFrenn Army Heliport, Directorate of Aviation Operations, works on his computer Friday at his office at Fort Hood.
“I’ve been over here (at the airfield) for about a year and a half now. And it’s been everything that I wanted it to be,” he expressed. “I’m learning a tremendous amount about the maintenance and upkeep of the airfield, problem solving and the management side of the house, as far as running an airfield. So it’s giving me a plethora of knowledge and experience.
“I love aviation,” he continued. “It’s my passion. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always wanted to be doing something with aviation.”
Ramon grew up an Army brat, and enjoyed traveling on aircraft from station to station. When he went to enlist in the Army, he told the recruiter he would not join if he was not given an aviation-related military occupational specialty.
He ended up serving as an aviation operations specialist for 25 years, retiring as a first sergeant in 2018. Afterward, Ramon worked a few jobs related to aviation operations, including a contracting position with the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force at West Fort Hood and with Robert Gray Army Airfield, before assuming his current position last year.
“Working with the military hand in hand has given me that purpose back, that I had when I was a green suiter, when I was still active duty, as well as my sense of accomplishment, sense of worth,” he said. “It gives me a sense that I’m still a part of the community, and that’s really big for me. That hits home.”
For Ramon, success is overseeing a safe flight, from takeoff to touch down.
“There’s multiple instruments that are making that happen — air traffic control, the airfield operations officer, the airfield manager, … the unit, the maintenance that goes into the aircraft, the pilots, all the school and education that it takes to become a pilot, … the crew chiefs that assist the pilots, the operations of the aircraft and maintaining the aircraft,” he shared. “All these entities coming together as one to safely have an aircraft take off and land back safely — that’s my definition of success.”
Simply working at the airfield motivates Ramon, he says.
“What motivates me day to day,” he said, “is being able to come out here and look out the window and see an aircraft and helicopter and know that I’m part of a mechanism that is in place to be able to manage seeing that thing take off and fly and complete a mission, come back safely.”
In his personal time, Ramon enjoys fishing, playing with his dogs, spending time with his wife and is looking to start the journey of obtaining his pilot license.