U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION JOINT RESERVE BASE FORT WORTH, Texas -- Q: What is your job responsability?
I manage all of the medical clinic functions for all Active Duty Air Force on the base.
What are some of the exciting things happening in MDS?
Some of those happenings have to do with the new and/or revamped parts of the occupational health program meant to take care of our people. Our crew in the bioenvironmental shop is making huge strides to protect our workers’ health in this wing. As for the medical clinic, we are looking at a new scheduling system that came online in the Individual Medical Readiness process. We are looking at making our availability more transparent and easy to manage. Finally, we have received some additional full time enlisted positions. We are working with all of this to get things running efficiently.
Q: How long have you been with the 301st?
I joined the team here January of 2016 as part of my PCS here.
Q: What did you want to do as a kid?
I wanted to be a doctor or pilot. I had many wild dreams but being in the military wasn’t one of them. It wasn’t until I gave my friend a ride to do a practice Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test that I truly had any contact with the military. The recruiter kept bugging me about taking the test alongside my friend. Then the recruiter was calling me almost daily. Maybe he was reaching to make gold.
Q: Why did you join the military?
I don’t have the most amazing of stories. I joined because I had a dead end job, couldn’t afford college anymore, and I just couldn’t stand still. I wanted to do something. Good thing that recruiter was so insistent. To be honest, I was never a “military lifer.” I was going to do my 6 and be done but here I am 16 years of active service later. That’s why I can never judge for someone who wants to get out or stay in… everyone has their own dream.
Q: What does your job entail? What is your favorite part of the job?
My job is to maintain the health and medical readiness of our units at the highest level possible and to get people ready to do their real-world medical jobs in their deployed setting. My favorite part of my job is the incredible amount of autonomy that being at this unit grants me. I am able to get the job done--people ‘greened up and ready to go’--without worrying [about hindrances] like whose job it is. I also think people appreciate [completing their medical requirements] in a single visit. [All this] makes me feel as though I am actually helping.
Q: What are your career goals?
I hope that those around me will continue to grant me the ability to succeed on my path to 20 years of military service and maybe beyond. I would also like to complete both my nursing degree and commercial pilot training.
Q: What are your hobbies?
My hobbies include woodworking, business (my side hustle), and flying aircraft.
Q: What is something people might not know about you?
I was once a flight liner. It’s one of the toughest jobs I’ve ever had. My job might have changed but [that experience] shapes how I think about those who still work out there.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve used in your military career?
Make sure the paperwork is complete. It can help you pin point the problem. Our memories are not as good as we think they are and our recollection changes based on our subjective feelings. Write it down, make recommendations and work with everyone. This is a team sport.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Get out and do more with yourself. You never know what you might accomplish.