AL JABER AIR BASE, Kuwait -- The first-year college student was on vacation in Virginia visiting his family when he decided to visit a recruiter’s office for the U.S. Air Force, which he said set him on his path to joining.
Airman 1st Class Sarafil Hamadou, a services journeyman assigned to the 407th Expeditionary Support Squadron, said that after starting school at the University of South Alabama he was unsure of what to pursue.
“I was in college at the time and wasn’t really sure that I wanted to study,” the Nîmes, France, native said. “I changed my major multiple times, so I decided to join. I knew it would give me a job, pay me and school would be taken care of.”
Since joining, Hamadou said he enrolled into a school that is flexible with him and takes courses online, and that joining also surprisingly helped him broaden his horizons.
“The Air Force has helped me,” Hamadou said. “I have taken multiple classes thanks to tuition assistance. Joining has helped me focus on what I want to study."
Hamadou, has fulfilled multiple roles for the 407th ESSPTS and for the Air Force since joining. He has worked as the shift leader for the dining facility, organized events at the fitness center and designed t-shirts and flyers for those events, and worked for the base post office.
“Airman 1st Class Hamadou is one of my troops assigned to me under the Community Services Section and he has truly been wonderful,” said USAF Tech. Sgt. Ashaunti Brown, the community services section chief assigned to the 407th Expeditionary Support Squadron. “Hamadou has such a caring heart. He is always first to volunteer to assist with a project or help an Airman out around base and is always in great spirits.”
Brown stated that Hamadou has encouraged other Airmen stationed at AJAB to take advantage of tuition assistance.
“Hamadou without a doubt will go far in his Air Force career and I can’t wait to see his journey,” Brown said.
Hamadou said he has plans to continue his career in the U.S. Air Force as long as he can, and hopes for an assignment to Germany.
“It would be nice, since France would be so close,” Hamadou said. “I could go home and visit family and friends often.”
For those needing assistance or with questions regarding for how to start utilizing tuition assistance, contact the education office here via email at 386efss.tco@asab.afcent.af.mil or by phone at 318-442-9008.