Memorial service held for former squadron commander

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Kim Schaerdel
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  A memorial service was held Jan. 25 at the Church of Aviano for a fallen Airman.

U.S. and Italian family and friends paid their respects and remembered the life of Col. Adrian "KERMIT" Poné. Colonel Poné was assigned to NATO Combined Air Operations Center Five, Poggio Renatico, Italy, and was killed in a traffic accident on his way to work Jan. 20.

Reflecting back on an 18-year friendship, which included operational tours and travelling the world together, Col. Patrick McClelland, 31st Fighter Wing vice commander, was the first to pay tribute.

"Early on, I would have described Kermit as a child in a man's body. His was a gentle nature though, one that was not to be underestimated," Colonel McClelland said. "He was hard working, determined, affable and genuinely sincere...all the time. You only have to look back at his career and count the number of lives he has touched to know this is true."

Brig. Gen. Craig Franklin, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing commander and former 31st FW commander, passed on words for Colonel McClelland to share. The then Lt. Col. Poné served as the 510th Fighter Squadron commander here under General Franklin.

"Most importantly as the Buzzard's commander, Colonel Poné cared about his Airmen. He was a phenomenal fighter pilot and a phenomenal commander," General Franklin said. "He didn't talk the talk; he walked the walk of a warrior and a leader. We will all miss our friend and comrade in arms."

Other friends paid their respects to the colonel, with his wife, Cheryl Poné, giving the last tribute.

"I don't want to talk too long because Adrian always hated when I talked a lot," said his wife. "He was a man of few words but lots of big actions, of love, generosity and kindness."

Colonel Poné entered the Air Force in 1987 as a graduate of the State University of New York, College at Cortland. Colonel Poné was a command pilot with over 3,500 flying hours in the F-16 Fighting Falcon, T-38 Talon and T-37 Tweet. The colonel served at Aviano as the 31st FW chief of safety from November 2004 to January 2006, and later as the 510th FS/CC May 2006 to February 2008.

Colonel Poné is survived by his wife, his sons, Adrian and Christopher, and his brother Daniel. 

The CAOC5 staff created a memorial page within the www.caoc5.nato.int public Website. When the site launches, click on nations, then USA to get to the memorial page.  The Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association set up a Individual Retirement Account 529 Scholarship Savings Account for the Poné children and a link is available on the CAOC5 Website. A memorial page called (Adrian "Kermit" Poné) has also been put on the Aviano Air Base Facebook site for anyone that wishes to send their condolences to the family. Condolence messages can also mailed to the Poné Family by sending them to: Cheryl Poné, CMR 427 Box 454, APO AE, 09630.