A Few Minutes With Tom Orifice

Tom Orifice is a familiar face to those who attend local soccer games. Born in Waltham, MA, the volunteer coach moved to Enfield in 1972 from Florida. He graduated from Enfield High School in 1981, and attended Fitchburg State College and Westfield State College. He is a 28-year veteran of the 104^th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, MA. He is a Senior Master Sergeant, serving as the Fuels Superintendent. He is also a Logistics Compliance Inspector for the Air National Guard’s Compliance Inspection team, which has given him the opportunity to travel widely within the U.S. 

Enfield Patch recently spent some time talking with Orifice about his community service and service to his country.

Q: When and why did you decide to enlist? Were there others in your family who had served? Many people will sign up, do their time and start another career. Why did you decide that this would be the right career for you?

A: I joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard in March of 1983 to help pay for college. I am proud to be one of many service members in my family. My great uncle Wilfred fought in World War II, participating in the D-Day invasion in Normandy, my Uncle Reggie served as an OV-10 crew chief in Vietnam, and my uncle Gordon retired as a Sergeant Major from the US Army. My wife’s family also has a very distinguished military history. She served in the CT Air National Guard for 8 years, and her sister and aunt both retired from the CTANG. Her Great Aunt Mona was a nurse in WW II, her father served in Korea during the Korean War, and her uncle Bob served in the Navy. I know that all of us would tell you that there is a shared sense of purpose and mission in the military that you don’t regularly see in civilian life. It is one of the major reasons I chose to make this my career. I work with people that are focused on getting the job done, and don’t let obstacles stop them. It’s amazing to see what the human collective can accomplish when they put their minds to it.

Q: Have any of your three daughters talked about joining the military? Would you encourage them or other young people to explore the options available to them in the armed services?

A: My daughter Chelsea is planning on joining the Guard, and yes, I completely support her and any other young person considering a military career. There are tremendous rewards for those that serve their country or community. Not monetary rewards, but things like pride, a sense of self -worth, and an incredible feeling of being part of something much greater than yourself are some of the best ones.

Q: Can you tell our readers about where you have been sent to serve during your time with the military? How long were you away from home? Many of our readers may know that active members of the military from Enfield, including yourself, served as the Grand Marshals for the Enfield Fourth of July Town Celebration's parade. What are some suggestions you can offer to people in town who would like to do something to support the troops?

A: I have served in France, Italy, Germany, and Kyrgyzstan to mention a few. I deployed in support of Operation Deliberate Force, the liberation of Bosnia, and again to support Operation Joint Forge, enforcing the no fly zone over the Balkans. More recently I deployed in January of 2003 as part of the build up and execution of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and again in November of 2005 to Kyrgyzstan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Anyone interested in supporting our troops should contact the USO at Westover, or the Family Support Office at State Headquarters in Hartford. The folks there will be able to give you all of the information you will need.

Q: Some in town may recognize you from the sidelines of Enfield's various soccer fields. Coaching is a passion of yours and you continue to volunteers despite the fact that your girls no longer play. Did all three girls play at some point? How long did they continue with the game? What age range do you currently coach?

A: My two oldest daughters played soccer. Ashley played in both the Recreational and Competitive programs until she went to high school. At that point she exclusively played field hockey at Fermi, and was named first team all state in her senior year. Chelsea played Recreational program, and then for Enfield High School for two years before joining the cross country team. I currently coach the U14 Girls Competitive team.

Q: What inspires you to continue to volunteer countless hours to the team? What is your role with the Enfield Soccer Club?

A: The players. They love to play, and learn. Enfield has some great kids, and I love to watch their enthusiasm explode when they’ve learned a new skill, or have done something on the field they never thought they could do. I currently serve as the Competitive Vice President.

Q: How can others come on board if they would like to volunteer or register their children to play soccer in the fall?

A: It’s very simple. Just let us know. We are always looking for coaches, assistant coaches, and referees. Go to our website at www.enfieldsoccer.org and e-mail any board member on the contact list.

Q: What are some things that you enjoy doing in the little free time you have?

A: My wife Lisa has been my best friend for over 30 years, and there is no one I would rather spend time with. We’ve been lucky to raise three wonderful daughters, and we enjoy being able to watch them achieve success in all of their endeavors. They are all very active in their schools. Ashley is a sophomore at Syracuse University, Chelsea is a senior at Enfield High, and Mykela is a junior at Fermi High. We watch them perform or compete whenever we can. They also never fail to make us laugh, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not, but either way we love to be around them. Dinner time is one of my favorites because you never know what is going to happen. We may have a philosophical or political discussion, or we just might break out in tears laughing about something we saw or heard that day. It may not always PC, but it is always very funny.

I try to run 3-5 days a week. It is my mental break and stress relief. It also makes it much easier for me to keep up with my players. I had a couple of tough setbacks in 2008 and 2009, but I am healthy and getting back to longer distances again. I also started kayaking last year, and have combined that with a long time love of fishing. It just feels so natural and basic, and it fits my persona very well. I also play golf when I can.