To Protect and Serve

Wayne Evans enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1966 at the age of 19. He was assigned to Security Police and spent the next four decades protecting those who protect our nation. 

Air Force Security Police  are asked to guard some of the most powerful weapons on the planet, protect high valued assets, guard launch facilities, and deploy to bases overseas to guard security installations and personnel.

After basic training, Evans went to Security Police Tech School at Camp Bullis, located at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Evans first security assignment was at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base in Belton, Missouri. Two years later, in 1968, he was deployed to South Koreas during the Pueblo Crisis. 

In 1969, Evans was sent to Vietnam, where his job was to guard the perimeter of the base at Cam Ranh  Bay. Evans recalls that the heat was incredible, along with the miles of walking that were required each day. The combination would shed 50 pounds off of him in the first 100 days. 

Evans spent nights in posts that were 65 feet high while looking out into the blackness of the jungles. He and his buddies were frequently exposed to rocket attacks. “When the rockets hit, it looked like someone out there was shooting Roman candles,” said Evans. 

Rockets weren't the only thing that concerned Evans out in the hot and dark jungles. “In Vietnam, I was assigned to an observation tower called Oscar 49. A person's imagination can run away with you when you're alone at night in the jungle. Well, I do not like snakes, and there are a lot of poisonous snakes over there. All of a sudden, I look out, and I see these eyes slinking through the jungle coming towards my area. I thought 'oh my gosh, those are the biggest snakes I've ever seen'.  I would not come out of the tower for  several nights. About the third night, my sergeant ordered me down. I had my 38 in my hand at the ready because I had to walk through the jungle to get to the road. I just knew those snakes were going to get me. Later, I found out that those weren't snakes that I saw in the jungle, they were tigers! I was never more relieved in my life,” laughed Evans.

It was serious business to be found sleeping at your post. The first offense was an assignment to guard the bomb dump or the fuel area for thirty nights. “If the enemy hit that, you were a goner. Good incentive to stay awake,” remarked Evans.

Reflecting on the Vietnam War, Evans stated, “When I was young, I really thought we were doing the right thing by going over there. The government had what they called the domino theory. If one of those countries in Southeast Asia fell, they'd all fall. I look back and we never should have went there. When we finally did pull out, nothing happened. There was no domino affect. We lost 60,000 guys, not to mention the wounded, and scores of civilian Vietnamese killed.” 

Evans got out of the service in 1970 and enrolled in watchmakers school. Not for him at the time, he returned to the service in 1972. Remaining as Air Force Security Police, Evans was then assigned to Andersen Air Force Base on Guam Island.

175,000 Vietnamese refugees came through the base to be relocated when Vietnam fell in 1975. Evans recalls Guam as a beautiful island, rich with World War 2 history, and loved being near the ocean. “It was a really interesting time in my life to see that,” said Evans. 

Leaving Guam in January of 1976, Evans was then assigned as an instructor for security police tech school back in San Antonio. Several months later, he was offered a good job in the civilian sector in his hometown of St. Joseph, as the store manager for Optigan Jewelry at East Hills Shopping Center.

Evans worked for approximately nine years at Optican Jewelry. During this time, he resigned from the Air Force, however, he joined the Missouri Air National Guard at Rosecrans Memorial Airport in St. Joseph. The 139th AirLift Wing was an active duty assignment position, which allowed the unit to travel the world while on missions. 

It was during his time in the Missouri Air National Guard that Evans met his future wife, Julie. They married in 1988 and had three children, Sam 17, Olivia 13, and Jack 13. 

Evans retired in April of 2005 with the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. He faithfully served his country for nearly forty years, 31 years active duty, followed by 8 years in the Missouri Air National Guard. 

“Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought I'd make a career in the military.  However, I found that I enjoyed that way of life and could excel in it,” smiled Evans.

Retirement has allowed Evans to continue doing the things he loves, traveling, spending time with his children, and working in his clock shop.