Golden Gloves, Hall of Fame and a 37-year Air Force career Published Feb. 28, 2018 By Mr. Eric M. White 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- The 910th Airlift Wing (AW) upholds the Air Force values of integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do. Those values are most evident in the melting pot of personnel from varied backgrounds and walks of life that call the 910th their home unit. Master Sgt. Leslie (Les) Parkey, an Aircraft Maintenance Craftsman with the 910th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron is one such exemplar of excellence who proudly wears the Reserve Citizen Airman uniform every day. Parkey, a lifelong resident of Warren, Ohio, was inducted into the Trumbull County African-American Achievers Association (TCAAAA) Hall of Fame on Feb. 24, 2018, recognizing his decades of selfless service to his nation and résumé of community service in his hometown. Parkey spent the first seven years of his life in the projects of Warren before moving in with his dad and stepmom. The turbulence of his childhood led to trouble in school, and he was often under disciplinary actions, even spending some time in a juvenile detention center. Partway through high school, Parkey started thinking about his future and decided it was time to get his life on track. That’s when he discovered boxing. He quickly fell in love. Parkey started boxing after trying out for the football team at Warren G. Harding High School in Warren and ending up on the bench. He excelled at the sport and won the Warren Golden Gloves for his weight class in 1980 and 1981. Around that time, finding a more stable outlook with the outlet competitive boxing provided, Parkey started discussing his post-high school plans with family members. He was considering enlisting in the military but wasn’t sure which branch to join. Several of his family members recommended the U.S. Air Force, so he met with a recruiter and signed up in February of 1981. “I didn’t really know what I was going into,” said Parkey. “I just took the test and they said I qualified for maintenance. I was really just thinking about getting away and seeing some new places.” As a young Airman, Parkey began his Air Force journey on active duty at Edwards Air Force Base, California, where he worked on F-111 Aardvarks. He spent ten years on active duty, including some time at a Royal Air Force base in England. He kept up his boxing career by fighting on the USA Boxing Team and the Air Force Boxing Team. After ten years on active duty, Parkey separated and moved back to Warren, taking a job at a local company and joining the 910th Tactical Airlift Group, which would soon be designated the 910th AW, as a C-130 mechanic to support his young family in 1991. Shortly after Parkey joined the 910th, the Wing expanded from eight C-130 aircraft to 16, providing him the opportunity to join the full-time staff at YARS as an Air Reserve Technician. He has worked here as an aircraft maintainer for 26 years. When he began his Reserve career here, Parkey was the first full-time African-American aircraft maintainer at the unit and remains so today. Parkey joined the 910th AW Honor Guard that same year and has since volunteered his time to represent the U.S. Air Force at hundreds of community events and installation ceremonies and to honor fallen veterans and Service members by providing military honors at funerals. Maj. Scott Allen was the Officer in Charge of the Honor Guard during much of Parkey’s tenure. “As one of the Base Honor Guard’s longest-serving members, Master Sgt. Les Parkey is the epitome of service before self,” said Allen. “He consistently puts the mission ahead of himself and makes sure everyone is taken care of during any honor guard detail. I have counted Les as a friend for more than 13 years, and in my humble opinion, there is no one more deserving of this (TCAAAA) award.” Being a native of Warren, Parkey constantly looks for ways to exemplify the Air Force value of service before self in his community. With an emphasis on mentoring young people who might be in similar situations to what he experienced in his childhood, Parkey coaches several community youth sports teams including basketball, football and boxing. He’s also a member of King Solomon Lodge #87 in Warren and recently began volunteering as a youth mentor with Inspiring Minds, which runs K-12 after school programs for area students. These service-oriented activities, along with his Air Force and Air Force Reserve service, all contributed to TCAAAA’s decision to induct Parkey into their Hall of Fame. After 37 years in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve, Parkey’s career is winding down, and he’s looking toward an August retirement. He says the people have always been his favorite part of military service, and he’s made friendships all over the world. “The crew you’re with make all the difference,” said Parkey, referencing the deployments he’s completed as a Reserve Citizen Airman with the 910th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. “They become like friends and family to you.” Despite his pending retirement, Parkey has no plans to leave his 910th family behind. “I live close, so I’ll still be around to see everyone,” said Parkey. Once he hangs his Air Force hat, Parkey has a dream he’d like to pursue: opening a boxing gym in his hometown so that he can continue to coach young people in the sport he loves. He hopes to help other young kids from the area find an outlet and gain a better sense of direction for their future. He may even encourage some of them to consider a career with the Air Force Reserve. According to their website, the TCAAAA was founded in 1985 with a multipronged mission that includes promoting culture and heritage, hosting events to lessen neighborhood tensions and bolstering education by providing scholarships for Trumbull County student residents.