Air Force Now

[music] [music] [music] >> Ron and I both share a love for the trees and the snow and the mountains and I cannot see myself in an apartment in the middle of the city. This is a story [music] about a couple in the Air National Guard in Alaska. They were going to give me money every month for learning how to do what I had always wanted to learn to do and I thought that was one heck of a deal and so I joined. I am the graphic shop on Kulis Air National Guard base. There's nobody else but me. Rose and [music] Ron Swider are assigned to the Air Guard's 176th Tactical Airlift Group at Kulis, Alaska. [music] Tech Sergeant Swider's work on the unit's C-130s takes him all over. Worlds away and a century [music] apart from his normal existence. The toughest thing about our lifestyle right now is we live in two different worlds. We live out there and we live in here. I got into the guard through Palace Chase. Two days a month is uh a lot easier to handle than 30 days a month with the military for me. The career field I got into is a flying job which is prestigious. That's that's a big plus for the guard. >> [music] >> I could see this cabin finished years before it was [music] finished. I come driving down that hill and I saw it finished with lights in the window and it's just exactly the way it looks now. They had a program called open to entry and all I had to do was come out here and put four stakes in the ground, maximum of 5 acres, file a claim on it pay the lease until I got it surveyed. I had to pay for the survey. And after it was surveyed then uh I was allowed to buy it from the state. I've got title on it now. My husband, Ron, is a very deceptive appearing individual. Ron likes to say that that the wood warms him twice. It warms him [music] up once when he's chopping it up but it warms him up again when he puts it in the fire. I feel bad about cutting down a tree. I think [music] trees are beautiful and every time I cut one down I'm taking a little bit of the beauty out of the woods. But I got to do it. I If I'm going to stay warm, I got [music] to cut the trees down, you know. I think you're more in touch with the seasons out here. You have to be because in the wintertime you can keep your food frozen and in the summertime you can't. Uh in the winter we can have fresh meat all the time. We can have frozen vegetables. And it's uh really nice to be able to to uh set a jug of water or a bottle of beer outside and have it just the temperature you want. Hi sugar baby, did you lose all your toys? Here you go. Hey Ron, what's going on? Yeah, get some water. All right. You heading to town? Yeah. Me and Mary are going to go visit and then I'm going to go to town and get some dog food. Want me to get your mail? Yeah, get some mail for me. Okay. When are you going to take me out bunny things? Well, I don't know. Do some running and learn how to do >> What are you doing tomorrow? Uh I ain't got nothing planned yet. >> [music] >> When you live in town, you think of neighbors as the people living next door. But here, >> [music] >> Marmots are 10 miles away and they're neighbors. The sound of runners on white snow and the whine of an Allison turboprop are part of [music] two worlds made one by Ron and Rose Swider. They work together just as the total force of Air Guard and active [music] duty airlifters made it happen for this special guard family. It opened up a new [music] life for the Swiders, a life of commitment and freedom. He's a strong man. He's making it in a place where not everybody can make it and I'm right in there with him doing everything I can. They It's not easy. Yeah. But it's it's great. I >> [music] >> I can't imagine uh living any other way. I like where I'm at. It's the place for me. >> [music] >> Their Air Guard commitment makes it possible for Ron and Rose to [music] continue their pioneer lifestyle.