HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Col. Matthew “RATT” Poisson, individual mobilization augmentee to the 66th Air Base Group commander, retired March 12 after nearly 27 years of service.
Poisson served as a command pilot on active duty, accumulating more than 2,000 flight hours, including 100 combat hours before transferring to the Air Force Reserve.
“When I applied for an Air Force ROTC scholarship in 1994, I was just a 17-year-old boy who liked math and loved planes,” said Poisson. “I figured that an Air Force scholarship in electrical engineering gave me the best chance to get my college paid for.”
He graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts, with a degree in electrical engineering and earned his Air Force ROTC commission in 1999.
He added that not long after starting ROTC, he came to fully grasp the solemn nature of his commitment.
“When I was memorizing Article 1 of the U.S. Military Code of Conduct, I realized that wearing the uniform is much more than any normal job,” Poisson said. “‘I am an American fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.’ It was a gut check.”
Following his ROTC graduation, Poisson was selected for pilot training, where he spent the next three years.
This included time at Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, the world’s only multi-nationally manned and managed flying training program where U.S. service members learn alongside NATO allies.
After completing training in 2002, Poisson was selected to fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
For the next 15 years, he lived and flew around the world, including two combat deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
A graduate of the highly competitive U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Poisson ultimately flew 26 different military aircraft as a combat, test and evaluator pilot.
During his retirement speech, Poisson stressed the importance of balancing duty with personal commitment.
“Your family will always be there for you, assuming you treat them right,” said Poisson. “The Air Force drills into us its second core value of Service Before Self. However, it is up to the service member to realize when to prioritize a personal core value of family before service.”
This realization led him to transition from active duty to the Air Force Reserve.
Later in his remarks, Poisson shared his leadership philosophy, urging attendees to be humble, approachable and credible. He emphasized the role of empathy in leadership.
"Empathy is setting aside your personal biases to see the situation through the eyes of others," he said. "This takes courage, humility and effort to realize that your worldview may not be the only one."
He used his final address in uniform to remind the audience of the connection to the broader military mission.
"Please keep in mind the thousands of Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers and Marines who are willingly putting themselves in harm’s way as we speak," Poisson said. "Remember that the military will never be just a nine-to-five office job. Even if you are not in combat, your decisions can have a life-or-death impact."
Lastly, Poisson gave thanks for a career he dreamed of, and the support others gave him along the way.
“Thank you to the Air Force for letting me live out a little boy’s dream,” said Poisson. “Thank you to each one of you for your belief in me, your sacrifices on my behalf, your unwavering support, and your genuine friendships that made these past 27 years possible.”