After 40 Years Serving Nation, Local Hero Retires

NORTH FORK, NY - 40 years ago, Mattituck's Kristin Tirelli remembers watching her big sister, Anne, walk out the door of their home on Gagens Landing in Southold — as she headed out to serve in the United States Air Force.

And Wednesday, after four decades of dedicated, selfless service, Lieutenant Colonel Anne Maker retires.

When she first saw her sister leave, Tirelli said, "I thought my heart was broken. I cried every day. Then, over the last 20 years with everything that went on in this world, there were still tears but more worry than anything," she wrote on Facebook. "Thank you Lord for the blessing of my sister and the aero medical evacuation units and all the work they continue to do."

Maker, 61, is a graduate of Greenport High School, and said she knew from a young age that she wanted to join the Air Force. "I felt a calling to help protect our way of life and the freedoms we enjoy. Our country is the greatest and I wanted to help keep it that way with whatever small things I could do. I would do it again. I have no regrets."

Some of the highlights of her career include meeting her late husband Col. Rodney Maker in the Air Force.

Also meaningful, Maker said, were the people she met and had the opportunity to work and serve with, as well as being able to help mold young recruits and basic trainees, and deploying to Bosnia, Qatar, and Afghanistan.

"Knowing I was part of the aeromedical evacuation system to get our injured troops to the care they needed is the greatest," she said.

Some of the moments that held the most meaning personally included being the honor graduate for her military training instructor class, being promoted to Master Sergeant, receiving her commission as a medical service corps officer, and a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. "And working with the greatest airman in the world," she said.

Reflecting on what she will miss the most, Maker said, "The people — and seeing the airplanes."

While there were some nerve-wracking moments, Maker said she learned to cope. "During deployments there are times that things happen that frighten you. I would take stock of the situation, determine if everyone was okay and rely on my training."

To those young men and women just beginning their careers in the service, Maker said. "It's the best job, serving our country and knowing you are helping others. Just like everything in life, you get out of it what you put into it."

Now that she's retired, Maker plans to just relax for awhile, and then plans to visit family and friends.

As for Tirelli, she's bursting with pride. "As far back as I can remember, my sister Anne has been my hero. As a child, they used to call me her shadow — wherever Annie went, Krissy was never far behind. I’m certain, unbeknownst to her, she was always a role model."

Maker, Tirelli said, always excelled academically, was involved in sports at Greenport High School, was in the homecoming queens court and after high school, became the first woman umpire in the local softball league.

"Regardless of what she was doing or involved in, she always included me. Sometimes even on dates," she laughed.

After she came home from basic training, she worked on the base in Westhampton. "She would take me there, too. It was always fun joining her at work," Tirelli said.

Maker taught her sister how hearing and eye tests were performed and explained her other duties — the days always included lunch, with calzone at Baby Moon.

Fears for a sister far from home

"As life moved forward and I grew up and became a young adult, I would always call her to run big decisions by her; her opinion was always so important," Tirelli said. "She taught me so many positive things in life, just by being a good example."

Maker, Tirelli said, joined the Air Force during a time of peace but when Operation Desert Storm arose, "life as a family member of a service person became real, real fast. Then with the attacks on September 11th came Iraqi freedom, and it was more real than ever. After three deployments, one of them an extended one, I told her she wasn’t allowed to go back. I told her if I had to, I would call the White House myself. Thank goodness I never had to make that call."

After Makers' last deployment in 2013, she didn’t get the call to go back, Tirelli said.

The heart of a hero

Ironically, Tirelli said, last year, Anne posted a video on Facebook about AES, the medical Aero Evacuation Squadron, where she was commander while overseas. The video, she said, spoke to not only what their function were, but the feelings that arose once home.

"There was a feeling that there are still missions to be completed and how it felt, to be part of such an integral part of saving the lives of our wounded soldiers. After watching the documentary with tears in my eyes, I told her if they called her, it was okay to go and that I now understood."

Many, Tirelli said, choose fictional heroes from comic books, cartoon or movies, and even celebrities, to laud and celebrate. "I am most proud to say that my sister is my real life American hero," she said.