SOUTHWEST ASIA -- I’m Airman 1st Class Robert Cotoia, a 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron aerospace ground equipment technician. I am deployed from the 143rd Airlift Wing out of Quonset Air National Guard Base, Rhode Island. I joined the Air Force because I have always wanted to serve my country, I was able to join the Air National Guard and still maintain my full-time civilian job.
As an AGE technician, my job requires me to be very versatile. There are many different pieces of equipment that I need to be knowledgeable with in order to properly maintain and repair them. Another big part of my job is teamwork. You can do things by yourself but working with your fellow Airmen makes everything easier, whether its trouble shooting or dispatching equipment to aircraft.
The best part of my mission is the feeling of effectiveness I get from my job in the deployed location. At home, thousands of miles away, it can be hard to see as much value in what I do. Being here gives me a greater sense of pride knowing I am directly helping the fight.
Some of the challenges I face are being away from family and working with new people. Everyone faces different challenges but there are many ways to help overcome those challenges. I overcome them by having a positive attitude in everything I do.
My professional goals are to learn the ins-and-outs of my career field so I can teach and guide the new airmen coming in trying to learn. My personal goals are to get back in school and in the near future become more knowledgeable in my civilian job as well. I believe that will open up more opportunities for myself along the way and I can progress further.