Alfred "Al" Welling Tomlin

Alfred W. Tomlin entered Active Duty in July 1960 and served continuously with the United States Air Force until November 1967. After completing basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, he completed technical school at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. His first overseas assignment was an eighteen-month tour at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, returning to the United States Air Force Security Service Headquarters at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas in December 1962. He was assigned in 1965 to Clark Air Base, Philippines, serving eighteen months with duty in the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. He returned in 1966 to Key West Naval Air Station, Florida and left the United States Air Force Intelligence Community in November 1967. In July 1968, he joined the United States Air Force Reserve at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland and served as a communications supervisor for three years, attaining the rank of Tech Sargeant. He joined the United States Army Reserve in July 1971 and served in the Active Reserve until August 1991. Throughout his career with the Active Reserve, he served in various training capacities in Virginia, Wisconsin, Mississippi, and Alabama. His career in the Active Reserve culminated as Command Sargeant Major, 121st Army Reserve Command in Birmingham, Alabama. Beginning in December 1991, Command Sargeant Major Tomlin served for three years as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee Battalion Command Sargeant Major with the Training Brigade at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and he completed three years of service with the Military Police Training Brigade as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee Battalion Command Sargeant Major at Fort McClellan, Alabama. In February 1999, he was honored at Fort McClellan with a retirement ceremony, after 38 years of Military Service. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Air Force Good Conduct Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with three Campaign Stars, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two Hour Glass Devices, the National Defense Medal with Star, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with four stars, the Vietnam Service Medal with Palm and numerous other awards and decorations. He is a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, the American Legion, the Air Force Sergeants Association, the Association of the United States Army and numerous other civic organizations. He has served as a member of the executive committee of the Veterans Affairs Volunteer Services at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama. Command Sargeant Major Tomlin is survived by his wife Betty Sue, daughter Amy Tomlin Cooper (Michael), stepdaughter Sharon Chadwick, stepson Jason Byrd (Stephanie), sisters Wanda Floyd (Wayne), and Deborah Richardson, brother Jeffery Tomlin (Tammy), grandsons Matthew Akins (Angela), Austin Adams (Joy), Justin Byrd, and Owen Glenn, granddaughter Brooke Byrd, and great-granddaughters Olivia and Julie Akins. He is also survived by a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and friends, especially Linda & Jimmy Johnson, Joe & Betty Lett, Robert & Rita Brake, Ricky & Becky Ryan, C.R. & Judy Summers, and John Pace. Services will be held in the chapel at McCalla Memorial Funeral Home on Tuesday, December 19th, 2023. A two-hour visitation will begin at 9:00 AM with a funeral service beginning at 11:00 AM. Friends and family are invited to travel to Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo, Alabama for the committal and interment following the service. Alfred Welling Tomlin will be deeply missed and always remembered lovingly by his family and friends. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the VA Hospital Volunteer Service in Al's name. Donations can be made to: VA Hospital 70019th Street S Birmingham, AL 35233 Attn: Volunteer Services

Alfred "Al" Welling Tomlin

July 21, 1943 - December 13, 2023