Colonel Kent Madison Easty USAF, Retired

Colonel Kent M. Easty, 77, United States Air Force (Ret.), husband to Joan (Irwin) Easty, of Beaufort, South Carolina, passed away on Friday, October 28, 2022.

Colonel Kent M. Easty was the Chief, Logistics Reserve Affairs, Directorate of Logistics, Headquarters Air Mobility Command at Scott AFB, Illinois.

Colonel Easty was born August 29, 1945, in Arlington, Virginia, and graduated from Great Bridge High School in Virginia in 1963. He attended the Virginia Military Institute and received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a Major in English in 1967. Colonel Easty received a Master of Arts in Management and Supervision from Central Michigan University in 1978. He completed Air Command and Staff College in 1984 and the Air War College in 1989.

He was commissioned in the US Air Force through the Reserve Office Training Corps program in June 1967 with an assignment to McChord AFB, Washington, as an Administrative Officer. He attended Undergraduate Navigator Training at Mather AFB, California, in 1968 and upon graduation was assigned to the AC-119G Gunship in the 71st and 17th Special Operations Squadrons in the Republic of Vietnam. The Colonel was then assigned as a C-133A Navigator from January 1970 to April 1971 in the 39th Military Airlift Squadron at Dover AFB, Delaware. In April 1971, he was assigned to the 9th Military Airlift Squadron at Dover AFB as a Flight Examiner/Simulator Instructor Navigator in the C-5A. He was released from active duty in May 1974.

Colonel Easty joined the Air Force Reserve in June 1974 and was assigned to the 512th Military Airlift Wing Reserve Associate as a Flight Examiner Navigator in the 709the Military Airlift Squadron at Dover. In May 1980, he was assigned as Officer in Charge of Job Control for the 512th Military Airlift Wing maintenance complex. In September 1982, Colonel Easty became the Maintenance Supervisor for the 512th Organizational Maintenance Squadron. In February 1983, he became Commander of the 512th Avionics Maintenance Squadron. From May 1984 to December 1989, Colonel Easty was assigned as Commander of the 512th Field Maintenance Squadron at Dover. He then became the Assistant Deputy Commander for Maintenance for the 512th. He assumed his duties as the Chief of Logistics Reserve Affairs, Directorate of Logistics, Headquarters Air Mobility Command at Scott AFB, Illinois in July 1990.

The Colonel had more than 5,000 flying hours including over 800 combat hours in Southeast Asia. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with ten oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Air Force Presidential Unit Citation, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, Humanitarian Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with five stars, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with device, Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with four oak leaf clusters, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hourglass, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. He was promoted to colonel on July 1, 1990.

Colonel Easty married the former Joan Irwin from Dover, Delaware, on July 19, 1974. They started their family with two children, Katherine and Anderw. In 1979, their third child, Megan, came along.

Megan became a swimmer at age 8 and Colonel Easty enjoyed becoming involved in the swimming world. He took the tests to become an official at all levels. He worked swim meets from local, YMCA, neighborhood, high school, college, and even two Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska. He loved working with children of all ages.

After moving to South Carolina, Colonel Easty retired from the Air Force and became interested in boating. He joined the Beaufort Sail and Power Squadron, later to be called America's Boating Club. He taught classes such as the ABC courses, Navigation, and others. He became Commander in 2004 and 2011. There was a joke that he was the only Commander without a boat. He did later have a boat which he enjoyed very much. It was named, "It's About Time." Since he became ill, there was no time for boating.

Kent liked to keep busy, so around 2002 he started working for the Rev. Mitch Huston at Carteret Street United Methodist Church as the Business Manager. After 18 years, he retired again.

His family has grown to include Katherine, her husband James, Kendall, a junior at Liberty University, and Jay, a senior at Atlee High School in Mechanicsville, Virginia, Dr. Andrew Mercer, his wife, Catherine, in Oceanview, Delaware, Emma, Ruby and Jake, a freshman at Clemson University. Megan lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and is a math teacher at Butler High School and a swim coach for their swim team.

Kent will be missed by all his friends, neighbors, and family.

Due to the limit of flowers allowed at the National Cemetery, the family wishes that, if you would like to make a donation in his name, do so to your favorite charity.

Funeral services for Colonel Kent M. Easty will take place on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at Carteret Street United Methodist Church in Beaufort, South Carolina with military honors and inurnment to follow at 12:00 noon in Beaufort National Cemetery.