Serving together leads to as life together Published Aug. 7, 2007 By Tech. Sgt. Bob Barko Jr. 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- Staff Sgt. Kevin Chester and Sr. Airman Sarah Chester never dreamed that their commitment to serve in the Air Force would lead to a life-long commitment to each other. Staff Sgt. Chester, also known as "Chicken Hawk" by his co-workers, a loadmaster for the 757th Airlift Squadron, and Sr. Airman Chester, the former Sr. Airmen Sarah Savel, working in Life Support for the 757th Airlift Squadron, had both been assigned here at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station but had not met each other while on base. "I saw him (here on base), but he never saw me," said Sr. Airman Chester. She said her and Staff Sgt. Chester would not meet each other until a flight to Cocoa Beach, Fl. for a Water Survival Refresher Training Course. "She was going as an instructor and I was going as a student, although we didn't know that until later," said Staff Sgt. Chester. He smiled as he recalled sitting across from Sr. Airmen Chester on the plane. He said she had a DVD player and she invited him to sit with her and watch a movie. He also said they really didn't a chance to talk during the flight. Staff Sgt. Chester shook his head and smiled again as he remembered seeing her again in class and realizing she would be his instructor for the course. However, it would the Sr. Airman Chester that would make the first move to strike up a conversation with the loadmaster known as "Chicken Hawk." "I talked to him first," she said with a smile. She said their first talk after class would lead to spending some time together getting to know each other. "We walked on the beach, we talked and watched the dolphins off the shore," recalled Sr. Airmen Chester. The couple got together again a month after the trip to Florida and has been inseparable since then. "That was about a year and a half ago," said Staff Sgt. Chester. He said he proposed to his wife during a night out at a dinner show. "I proposed to her at the Carousel Dinner Theatre (in Akron). We went to see "Singin' in the Rain," said Staff Sgt. Chester. He said he worked with the staff at the dinner theatre to "pop the question" to the life support specialist he had fallen in love with. "The MC (Master of Ceremonies) brought the microphone to the table and they shone the spotlight on us and I asked her to marry me," said Staff Sgt. Chester as he smiled at the fond memory. After she said yes to his proposal and they picked a date of June 30, 2007, the next big question to be answered was where to hold their ceremony. They both wanted to pick a location that reflected their service together and would be a memorable backdrop for their big day. The answer to the location question was obvious, at least to the newly engaged couple. Staff Sgt. and Sr. Airman Chester decided together that the tail ramp of a parked C-130 would serve as a unique setting for their chapel. Staff Sgt. and Sr. Airman Chester were married here on June 30 in Hangar 295. Pastor Pete Nash performed the ceremony on the tail ramp of a C-130 parked nose first in the hangar. More than 100 guests including the couple's co-workers attended the afternoon ceremony. After the ceremony, the newlyweds were joined by family and friends for a reception at Mahoning Country Club in Girard, Ohio. The Staff Sgt. and Sr. Airmen Chester also said the ceremony site choice reflected the couple's mutual love of aircraft and flying. "I've loved airplanes since I was little girl," said Sr. Airman Chester. "I love flying," said Staff Sgt. Chester. He said he works at the base about 20 days a month and is thinking about a long-term stay with the Air Force. "I want to make a career of this," he said. Sr. Airman Chester's plans for the distant future are centered on staying at home and raising a family as her husband continues his Air Force career. She said with a smile that Staff Sgt. Chester and she looked forward to raising their first child together in their new home in Liberty, Ohio. "I'm going to get out at the end of my time, take care of our family and go back to school," she said. As for the immediate future, both Staff Sgt. and Sr. Airmen Chester will continue their commitment to serve the Air force Reserve here at YARS and begin what will be a life-long commitment to each other as man and wife.