Sean Suttell
Chief Engineer
Sean Suttell is the Chief Engineer of AFN Heidelberg. He was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and was a product of Stadium High School in the heart of Tacoma, Washington. He spent a couple years in community college before joining the Air Force in 2001.
Sean was trained in the Air Force as a Visual Imagery and Intrusion Detection Systems apprentice, graduating from basic electronics in Keesler AFB, Mississippi followed by the Defense Information School in Ft. Meade, Maryland.
Sean’s first assignment brought him near Santa Maria, California and the infamous prison in Lompoc. Stationed at Vandenberg AFB, he gained valuable experience working on high speed cameras, production studio equipment, and ENG production equipment for the 30th
Communications Squadron. He attended the Advanced Broadcast Radio and Television Systems Maintenance course in Ft. Meade, MD, where he graduated with honors in 2003. Training was a top priority for Airman Suttell, as he also achieved a certification in fiber optics and LAN technologies.
After two years in the sun, Sean set his sights on moving to Germany and volunteered for an assignment working for the American Forces Network in Frankfurt, Germany. He got his assignment in 2004, but at that time AFN was in the nascent stages of moving its headquarters to a new location in Mannheim. Sean worked diligently alongside other skilled technicians during the installation and wiring of the new facility. He became proficient on network systems and software, through training and hands-on experience. He would later use his experience to teach other AFN engineers to operate and maintain the AudioVault radio automation system during a weeklong seminar called “Engineering Boot Camp”. During his tenure at AFN Headquarters, Sean received a remarkable 2 Army Achievement medals in 2 years, followed by a Joint Service Commendation medal in 2007.
In 2007, Sean received a degree in Electronic Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. He separated from the Air Force as a staff sergeant, only to be hired four days later by AFN Headquarters as a Network Operations Center Controller. Sean continued his duties as a technician, as well as monitoring the incoming and outgoing signals in the nerve center of the network.
Late in 2008, Sean was hired for the position of Chief Engineer for AFN Heidelberg. During the station’s interim move to Mannheim, he constructed wiring diagrams, wired and installed equipment and helped to ensure a seamless transition to the new location.
Sean has a beautiful wife, Danielle, and two crazy dogs. He enjoys music and can play at least 3 instruments fairly well (guitar, mandolin, harmonica).
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