SOUTHWEST ASIA -- I’m Senior Airman David Garcia, a 386th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aerospace maintainer. I am deployed from the 143rd Airlift Wing out of Quonset Air National Guard Base, Rhode Island. I joined the Air Force to help serve my country.
As a maintainer, my job is to keep aircraft mission ready to the best of my ability. Here in the deployed environment, I get to work out on the flight line to make sure our aircraft completes every mission it’s tasked with. The best part of my mission is working together as a team with the Airmen in my unit.
Some of the difficult challenges I face are being away from home and transitioning over from an isochronal maintenance dock crew chief to a flight line maintainer. I overcome these challenges by understanding that I am here to protect and serve my country and that my job is important. The cargo our aircraft carries is essential to the mission. My supervision and team members have really helped me and have made these challenges easier to overcome.
My professional goals are to get my bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a doctorate in physical therapy. I also want to serve twenty plus years and climb the ranks in the Air Force. My personal goals are to master physical medicine and rehabilitation, and to join the 1000 pound club in the gym.