Hometown Hero – Thomas Dickerson

Born the youngest of three in Montour Falls, New York, U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Thomas Dickerson felt a strong pull to serve in the United States military. Staff Sergeant Dickerson enlisted into the U.S. Air Force in April 2010, committing to a six-year active-duty enlistment.

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While on active duty, Staff Sergeant Dickerson was assigned to Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, where he served as a Hydraulics Technician on the C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft. In 2012, he was deployed to Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan, supporting the War on Terrorism.

Staff Sergeant Dickerson served honorably on active duty for six years, transitioned out of the active-duty component, and continued his military service by re-enlisting in the New York Air National Guard. He has volunteered several times to support statewide emergency relief efforts across New York, including the 2022 Buffalo Winter Storm Action Team, the Lake Ontario Flood Response Team, and the COVID-19 Pandemic and Vaccination Response Teams. Staff Sergeant Dickerson continues to support New York State today by participating in the state’s Refugee Asylum Seeker Mission.

Staff Sergeant Dickerson’s proudest moment in his military career was when he graduated from basic training and saw the look of pride and happiness on his parents’ and grandparents’ faces.

Today, he serves as the Unit Education and Training Manager in the 174th Attack Wing at Hancock Field in Syracuse, New York.