Retiring colonel's legacy to son: duty and honor Published May 29, 2014 By Janis El Shabazz Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- Col. Kyle 'Cowboy' Ingham retired May 20 after 26 years and five months in the Air Force, but his story does not stop there. As his last official act, the Air Force Personnel Center Line Officer Assignments Branch chief commissioned his son Austin as a second lieutenant in the Army. Ingham said he had many honors in his life but none more profound than pinning those bars on his son on the same day he retired. In fact, commissioning Austin fulfilled a pact Ingham and his son made when Austin entered ROTC. They agreed to spend at least one day on active duty at the same time. "I do not come from a military family," said Ingham. "My family started out as farmers in the very northern tip of the Texas Panhandle and later my father got into oil and gas. Seeing my son enter the service as I 'step off the stage,' so to speak, lets me know that for years to come my family will continue to answer the nation's call for service." Ingham grew up in Stratford, Texas and followed his father's lead, attending Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. It was during his time at OSU that a good friend introduced him to flying. Ingham said after that he was hooked and could not get enough. "I was enamored with flying and, as a result, became interested in military flying due to the nature of the incredible aircraft," Ingham said. "During my senior year, I visited Air Force, Marine and Navy recruiters to explore the opportunities of each. However, I had a friend who was in ROTC. I was fascinated with what he did and the fact that he was going to go to Air Force pilot training when he was out of school." When Ingham's friend found out he was visiting recruiters, he offered to introduce him to the ROTC unit, which eventually resulted in Ingham joining the two-year ROTC program. He completed ROTC concurrently with graduate school, and accepted a commission and a pilot training slot. Ingham is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours in the T-37, T-38, and B-1. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering Technology in 1985 and a Master of Science in Occupational Education in 1987. The colonel was an OSU distinguished graduate. He attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Reese AFB, Texas from 1988-1989 where he was the first undergraduate pilot graduate ever to receive the B-1 Lancer as his first operational assignment. The colonel said it was hard to name his most memorable assignment because without exception each assignment has been better than the last, but his time as chief of staff, 12th Air Force, Air Forces Southern Command will withstand the test of time as the most memorable. "It was one of those unique assignments where we had all the right people in the right places," Ingham said. "The personalities of all of the colonels, commanders and directors clicked nicely and the staff was incredible. It was one of those environments where we all truly enjoyed coming to work each and every day and folks genuinely liked and respected their co-workers. This made us a very, very effective team. The synergy of the AFSOUTH team was 'indescribable!" Although he doesn't have specific plans yet, Ingham said he hopes to continue working in an environment where he can serve others. Service and commitment are values Ingham learned both from his father and from his first boss, Capt. John "Bubba" Alexander, at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. "He was an amazingly polished and professional officer who took me under his wing and mentored me every moment of every day," said Ingham. "He taught me to be a more professional officer and encouraged me to do things that I may not have wanted to do but that he knew were good for me, as a young officer. We remain the best of friends today and I give him a lot of credit for my success." Reflecting on his life achievements he said two stand out above others. In 1987 the B-1 was the newest aircraft in the inventory and he was among the first crewmembers hand-selected to fly the aircraft. Ingham said he was privileged to be the first second lieutenant selected straight out of pilot training to fly the plane they called The Bone. The other achievement he ranks at the top was having the opportunity to successfully vector his son toward a military commission. Austin made his dad proud, earning distinguished graduate honors and the George C. Marshall Award. The Marshall award honors excellence in scholarship, leadership, physical fitness and community involvement. Austin will serve as a military intelligence officer with the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Norman, Okla. "I could not be prouder of Austin," said Ingham. "He grew up with an Air Force dad, yet he chose to join the Army." "I joined the Air Force because I felt the personality of the service and the opportunities it offered were more compatible with my desires. I raised all my children - Hannah Laine, Houston and Austin - to be their own person, to be true to themselves, and to appreciate the joy of being of service to others." Ingham said Austin made a pragmatic, sound decision. "Austin wanted to be his own man but he also showed me he was really paying attention during all those father-son talks about service, duty, honor and integrity," explained Ingham. "From a practical standpoint, being an officer in the Army allows him to be like his father, without trying to be his father." "Having him commission me as his last official act is easily the most incredible honor I could have on my commissioning day," said 2nd Lt. Austin Ingham. "I cannot imagine a greater honor or more powerful feeling than what I felt when I looked my father in the eye as he administered my oath of office." Ingham feels like he started something. "I believe the Ingham military legacy will be long and proud, whether it is in the Air Force, the Army or whichever uniform they choose," he said, grinning. "Houston already said he wants to be just like his big brother Austin." For more information about other personnel issues, visit the myPers website at https://mypers.af.mil.