KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- “Legacy. What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” -Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator and star of the Broadway musical “Hamilton.”
For U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Devin Cobbs, 58th Maintenance Squadron C-130 crew chief, leaving behind a Legacy Wall at the 58th MXS is something he hopes will inspire future maintenance Airmen to bring their absolute best to the workplace every day.
The Legacy Wall consists of approximately 150 candid photographs of the dedicated men and women of the 58th MXS, pushing the mission of the squadron forward, displayed for all to see.
“Every single picture on this legacy wall is candid,” said Cobbs. “None of this is staged. This is how much work we put in every single day in the squadron, day in and day out, to make the mission happen.”
Cobbs said he took more than 3,000 photos and spent more than 80 hours on the project that eventually became the Legacy Wall.
“Whenever I wasn’t working on planes, I was [taking photos],” said Cobbs. “When I wasn’t at work, I was either [taking photos] or editing.”
Cobbs said he hopes that the Legacy Wall photos encourage and inspire current and future 58th MXS Airmen.
“When they see those pictures, they see for one: ‘Bring your “A” game because we are out here working,’” said Cobbs. “Two: ‘Know that people are always watching and expecting the best out of you.’ Bring your best because we have to make a mission happen.”
The idea of the Legacy Wall came from a collaboration between Cobbs and Master Sgt. Michael Sedlak, 58th MXS first sergeant.
“We sat down earlier this year just kind of getting to know each other better and found out we were both into photography,” said Sedlak. “We started talking, and I was like, ‘Hey man, I have this idea and I kind of want to do this.’ From that short, little conversation came this [Legacy Wall].
Once the aim and purpose of the Legacy Wall was decided, Cobbs took off with the project, said Sedlak.
“The idea and intent behind it was to highlight the men and women of the unit,” said Sedlak. “Because it is the men and women of the unit that are out here doing the work every single day, pushing the mission forward and getting aircraft off the ground. Sergeant Cobbs took complete ownership of it from cradle to grave. We talked about it and he ran with it.”
Maj. Jason Stephens, 58th MXS commander, said the Legacy Wall has set a great tone for his command.
“When I first took command, the Shirt told me there was a volunteer that wanted to do something for the squadron,” said Stephens. “Sergeant Cobb set the tone for me for what kind of squadron I was coming into. A sergeant that was [leaving] and willing to give back and using his free time to do this project. This type of stuff is awesome because it makes the squadron so much more personal.”
Cobbs really is leaving behind a garden that he will never see grow. He has been selected to be a crew chief for Air Force One and will be soon leaving for Joint Base Andrews in Washington D.C. His goal is to continue to inspire those he works with and leave his mark and legacy.