Three Airmen headed for OTS

  • Published
  • By Maj. Roxy Hambleton
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. --  
Three 482nd Fighter Wing Airmen were selected to attend Officer Training School and transition from the enlisted corps to the officer corps this summer.

These Airmen met the Deserving Airman Commissioning Board and came out as best qualified among a group of competitive and deserving candidates.

Thirty-one candidates began the process of putting together a nomination package for the program. The packages included a formal resume, letters of recommendation, scores from the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test, and college transcripts.

Of the 31 candidates that began the process, 15 met the board with three being chosen for two positions at the 70th Aerial Port Squadron as logistics officers and one position at the 482nd Maintenance Squadron as a maintenance officer.

Staff Sgt. Kristy Taylor, a 482nd Operations Group aviation resource manager, was selected by the 70th APS commander for commission as a logistics officer. Taylor, who holds a bachelor’s degree in business, two master’s degrees, and a doctorate in health science; is a health science professor at Palm Beach State College, Florida.

Taylor says it was the mentorship of Lt. Col. Ethel Watson that helped her feel prepared to put in a nomination and prepare for the board.

“I think about the people who have mentored me,” said Taylor. “From Lt. Col. Watson to my supervisors when I was an airman and I am grateful for their belief in me and my potential.”

Her advice to others considering putting in a package is to identify their goals.

“Very early on you have to know what you want if you want to do this program,” said Taylor. “Keep a professional mindset, but have a clear vision of what you want and have a clear path to get there.”

Taylor’s focus as she enters the officer corps will be on bringing out the best in her Airmen.

“As a professor, I spend a lot of time mentoring students. I hope to bring this passion for mentoring others to the squadron,” said Taylor. “When I’m an officer, it will be more about them than about me.”

Senior Airman Michael Hoffman, a 70th Aerial Port Squadron air transportation technician, will join the 482nd Maintenance Squadron as a maintenance officer after Officer Training School.

Hoffman holds an undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Texas and a master’s degree from the University of Miami in Marine Biology and Fisheries. His civilian career is with the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service as a biological science technician.

Hoffman is relying on his four years of active duty experience as an avionics technician to help him make the transition to maintenance.

“I’ve been over to the maintenance squadron and met a lot of the officers and NCOs and I’m excited to join them,” said Hoffman. “The maintenance world is fast paced and a hard job, but I’m looking forward to getting back to it.”

Hoffman says he joined the Air Force Reserve because he missed the military.

“At the time, I had no thought that I would be an officer,” said Hoffman. “I just wanted to rejoin the military. When I first heard about the Deserving Airman Commissioning Program, I was unsure if I could do it because putting together a package is a lot of work.”

Like Taylor, Hoffman credits officers in the wing with helping him prepare and succeed in the program.

“Two officers at my squadron, Maj. Robert Vespe and Capt. Erik Hofmeyer were vital in mentoring me and believing I could do this,” said Hoffman “They were absolutely amazing and helped all of us who wanted to meet the board, even on their off days. They even held a mock board for us. Without their help, I don’t know if I would have made it.”

Hoffman also credited two other officers in the wing who helped all the candidates.

“The process involved a lot of attention to detail—a lot of paperwork and forms. 2nd Lts. Shannon Cameron and Benito Avendano from the FSS (482nd Force Support Squadron) really were a lot of help, they were absolutely amazing,” said Hoffman.

His advice to anybody interested in meeting any future board is simply, “Go for it!”

“You can’t get it unless you try and find a mentor,” said Hoffman. “I had two great mentors. That’s what put me over the top, it was a team effort.”

Senior Airman Isaias Vazquez, a 70th APS air transportation technician, will be returning to the same squadron after OTS.

“I’m going to be a logistics officer in the same unit I was an airman at. It will be a completely different experience, but I am looking forward to being a part of the leadership of ensuring our mission is complete.”

Vazquez holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in database management and is a firefighter and paramedic for Orange County, Florida, for his civilian career.

Coming from a military family, Vazquez always knew he wanted to pursue a career in the military. But after high school Vazquez chose to pursue his education first.

After receiving his degree, he enlisted in the Air Force Reserve in 2013.

Vazquez was applying for Airman Leadership School when he saw an email for the Deserving Airman Commissioning Program.

“I had to try because this opportunity may not come my way again,” said Vazquez.

“Throughout the process I was grateful for 2nd Lts. Shannon Cameron and Benito Avendano for their guidance and mentorship in my package,” said Vazquez. “Also, Maj. Robert Vespe, from the 70th, personally mentored me. Being 33, this was my last opportunity to apply.”

Vazquez, like the other candidates chosen for commission, prepared extensively for the program and the board.

“In preparation for the AFOQT, I took time off work and studied hard to pass the test on my first try,” said Vazquez. “Preparing for the interview, I had officers from the 70th help me with sample interview questions and a mock board.”

Vazquez says his key to success was planning and preparation.

“You do what you have to do,” said Vazquez. “Proper planning gave me the edge in passing the AFOQT and in meeting the board. If you are not prepared for a mission, you set yourself up for failure. Failure to prepare, is preparing to fail.”

Taylor, like the other two candidates, believes anybody can succeed in this program and be chosen for a commission if they believe in themselves.

“When I received the call of my selection, it was not something I was expecting, but I was prepared for success and it came to me. I aimed for something outside my comfort zone and accepted the challenge.”

The Deserving Airman Commissioning Program, run by the 482nd Force Support Squadron, is a bi-annual program that allows squadron commanders to hold a vacant officer position open to be filled by one of the enlisted Airmen selected to commission by the board.

For more information on the Deserving Airman Program, call (786) 415-8284.