TSgt. Jessica Nieves, 439th Force Support Squadron

"I had been out of the service for about a year when a recruiter called, asking if I wanted to re-enlist into the reserve," she said. "When the recruiter told me how the reserve could help me pay for school I decided to re-enlist in 2008." ..."What I really like about the reserve -- camaradrie," she said, "You really get to know the people that you're working with and so the job ultimately becomes more like home." (by SrA. Kelly Galloway)

SrA. Greg Gill

“I enlisted when I was 18,” SrA. Gill said. “My grandfather was a loadmaster on the 141 Starlifter and wanted to follow in his footsteps.” When Gill left active duty and moved back home to Connecticut, he began hunting for a full time position at Westover. “I didn’t want to be completely out of the military,” Gill said. “I came onboard as a full time ART last August.” Jumping from the KC-135 to working on C-5s, Airman Gill remarked that there really isn’t much of a difference from a hydraulic point of view. “It’s a much larger aircraft so you expect more systems to have to keep up with and a lot more to work on hydraulically,” Gill said.

SrA. Lee Belisle

As a guidance and control avionics technician, SrA. Belisle is responsible for the maintenance of all instruments and flight controls imperative to flying the aircraft. “I’ve always had an interest in aviation. My dad is a private pilot, and as far as I can remember we’ve always had family in some part of aviation,” SrA. Belisle said. “I had the desire to carry on the family tradition and with the economy the way it is, I didn’t see myself becoming gainfully employed right after I graduated… so the decision to enlist was easy."

SSgt. Sheila Hazen

“I entered the active-duty Air Force almost 10 years ago because of the brotherhood, education benefits, and ultimately a sense of belonging to something greater than oneself,” SSgt. Hazen said. “I chose to go into security forces because it was the only combat-related position I was interested in.” she explains. “I want to give my daughters, Tailia and Rose, a mother that they look up to. They are the reason why I do what I do every SSgt. Sheila Hazen day.” (by SrA. Kelly Galloway)

SrA. Roberto Figueroa

"I've just always had an interest in the military. We're the good guys against the bad. So it was an obvious choice to enlist with security forces. Even when I was a young kid I always wanted to be a cop because I admired them for doing what they do. I've seen a lot of evil in my life and I want to do my part to stop it.We're the ones people depend on." (by SrA. Kelly Galloway)

A1C. Ethan Rosas

"I've always had an interest in the military, so a year after high school graduation, I enlisted because I was looking for structure, to fulfill my sense of duty, and for financial purposes because I intend on going to college in the near future." (by SrA. Kelly Galloway)