Page 77 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2020- Online Magazine

AIR FORCE
IRAq

AMARILLO

friendship in spirit. He had a fulfilled life. He
this foursome, died doing the thing he loved. He
which grew was very patriotic.” These two
even stronger elements remain center stage in
following the Nikki’s life, as well.
deaths of their
husbands. She separated from the Air Force
Immediately late in 2004 to work as a civilian
a glacier, and they were soon following contractor, while focusing on a
married. During their deployment the crash of the F-15, the military master’s degree. After completing
in Kuwait, they were assigned discovered the remains; Watkins her studies, she traveled to Kenya
side-by-side tents. Service, would have been buried in a four times to study remote village
though, takes center stage in this family plot in Virginia and Das schools and to work with children
part of their story. Nikki, an in Colorado. However, later, the in the Nairobi slums. In 2011,
intelligence officer, was actually military discovered additional Nikki moved back to Anchorage
deployed to Kuwait. Cpt. Das remains. Because of that intense where her brother and family live
volunteered to be among the pilots bond of friendship, the families with a plan to work with at-risk
augmenting the F-15E squadron. decided to combine the remains children in the foster care system.
Of this time, Nikki says, “I was of both men in one burial plot “My brother encouraged me to
ecstatic that Eric was coming out at Arlington National Cemetery join the Reserve. If you allow the
to see me and do what he was during a ceremony in August 2003. Air Force family to become part
trained to do.” of your fabric, you can’t unstitch
In all stories of Gold Star Families, it.” Nikki is grateful to Col. David
One of the facts alluded to earlier there is an element of service and Piffarerio who “offered me a way
was that Cpt. Das’ boss was Bill sacrifice. Whether Captain Das that helped to start a new chapter
Watkins. Lt. Col. Bill Watkins chose the Air Force or the Air in my life. He let me explore new
was married to Major Mary M. Force chose him is difficult to say, Air Force career opportunities
Watkins, also an intelligence but these two elements prevailed outside of my previous work
officer. Major Watkins was Nikki’s throughout his career. Nikki says, experiences. I am grateful that the
boss. There was a great bond of “He had a wonderful, magnetic Reserve affords me job flexibility
and the privilege to continue to
serve my country in this way.
Our freedom is not free. I try to
carry myself in a way that honors
Eric’s memory – what he lived
and what he died for.”

The author gratefully
acknowledges the 477th Fighter
Group Connect, the Amarillo
Globe-News¸ and The American
Fallen Soldiers Project, all of
which provided information
for this article. A special
appreciation to Rosie and Bruce
Das for providing pictures for
the article.

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