An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

A Rock Solid Warrior: Airman 1st Class Heather Hickman

  • Published
  • By Public Affairs staff
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  This week's Rock Solid Warrior is Airman 1st Class Heather Hickman. Hickman is a force protection escort with the 387th Expeditionary Support Squadron. The Navarre, Fla. native is deployed from the 2nd Aerospace Medical Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

In her own words:

Q: What is your family's military heritage?
A: First in my direct family to join the armed forces.

Q: What is your mission here?
A: To ensure security while watching other country nationals.

Q: What are some of the best parts of your mission?
A: Communicating with other country nationals and getting to know other cultures that I would never get to meet at home station.

Q: What are some of the challenges you face while conducting your mission, and how do you overcome them?
A: I had to learn a new job outside of my primary job and communicating with the other country nationals. I learn small bit phrases to communicate as well as long hours of on-the-job training. All aspects I have learned will help me when I return home and to ensure mission success while working.

Q: How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base?
A: Office environment compared to outdoor daily work and directly working with different AFSC (SF/CE) to complete a mission task, which changes hourly and daily depending on the mission tasked to complete.

Q: How many times have you deployed?
A: First deployment.

Q: What makes this deployment unique?
A: The nine different career fields mixed together to complete one mission that is new to everyone.

Q: Why did you join the Air Force?
A: To travel to new places and meet a wide range of people and further education in the medical field.


(The Rock Solid Warrior is a weekly spotlight focused on an outstanding member of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing. These unsung heroes have been nominated by their unit leadership to be recognized for their efforts while deployed.)