Where did you serve and what did you do?
Hickam AFB, Hawaii 1997-2001, 15th Services Squadron, Services Journeyman, AFSC 3MO51. Taegu AB, South Korea, FOAL Eagle 1997, South Korea, Indy Backfill 1998, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, Sothern Watch 1999.
March ARB, California 2001-2021, 452nd Medical Group, Aerospace Medical Technician, AFSC 4NO91. Ayacucho, Peru, New Horizons Humanitarian 2008, Ramstein, Germany 2009, Joint Base Balad, Iraq 2009-2010, Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan 2011.
How are you #StillServing?
I am a 24 year Air Force veteran. I am #STILLSERVING as an Assistant Superintendent at the 752d Medical Squadron. I recently completed a two-year special duty as a Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge of 452d Joint Medical Training Center. Additionally, I was assigned as the lead wing instructor for Self Aid Buddy Care, National Registry Emergency Medical Technician, Tactical Combat Casualty Care, and a Wing American Heart Association Basic Life Support Instructor. In my civilian job, I am a Critical Care Nurse with over 13 years of experience at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Colton, California. As a Frontline COVID Nurse, I am assigned to the Trauma Department. I am also a member of the Hospital Emergency Response Team and a Stop the Bleed Instructor. I am assigned to the Emergency Department as a Mobile Intensive Care Nurse, First Responder Operator Instructor, and Management of Assaultive Behavior Instructor. I addition I volunteered for the Riverside University Health System COVID drive thru testing sites, helping screen at one of the busiest testing centers in the Inland Empire.
I have an extensive background as an EMT for the Air Force and as a Trauma Nurse at ARMC. Using these experiences, I was able to instruct for the last six years in the SABC, NREMT and STB programs. I trained over 2,000 wing members on SABC, recertified over 200 Air Force Medics on EMT, trained over 300 Airmen, high school students, local law enforcement on STB. I have been certified as the first wing TCCC instructor, teaching over 100 Navy and 20 Air Force personnel in the last two years. I instructed on topics that encompass: anatomy and physiology, airway management, recognition and control bleeding, tourniquet application, shock management, nine-line evacuation, and patient movement.
Why do you do it?
It is a blessing, that I have been able to serve my country for 24 years. I feel it is my duty to give back to our community and make a difference. I would like to make an impact by mentoring, training future leaders, medics, Nurses and Airmen. They are the future, the ones who continue to make a difference in our community and health care in the years to come. I want to give back what my leadership gave me. They empowered me to have self-efficiency, embrace comradery, teamwork and excellence in all we do. Air Force Veteran Vashawn Banks said it best, “Steel Sharpens Steel.”