Warrior of the Week: Senior Airman Delayne Griffin

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  
Rank and name: Senior Airman Delayne Griffin

Unit: 319th Force Support Squadron

Duty title: Career Development Technician

Time in service: 3 years, 2 months

Hometown: Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

Why is serving in the Air Force important to you? Coming from a small island in the Pacific, I saw the many opportunities the Air Force offered me that I would not have today had I chose to stay in Saipan (a U.S. territory). I feel it's important to serve in the Air Force as a way of giving back to my country the benefits it has offered me, along with providing a better and safer home to my daughters and people of the United States. I'm proud to serve alongside my brothers and sisters-sisters in arms and defend our freedom.

What moment or accomplishment as a Warrior of the North are you most proud of and why? The moment we gather for base functions and yell, "Grilled cheese to IDs!" Even though I have a little girl voice it shows the pride I have for being a part of the 319th Force Support Squadron.

What is the favorite part of your job? There are several things I enjoy about my job. I enjoy knowing that I'm responsible for assisting with updating a member's promotion in order to ensure he or she gets paid correctly and I enjoy renewing expired or malfunctioning IDs because it helps me make sure people have legitimate access to the base and their computer so they can get their jobs done. However, if I had to choose one thing, I would have to say it's assisting people with their out-processing because of a retirement or separation. I enjoy seeing the expression of pride and relief that shows up on their faces because they know they've fulfilled their military service to their country. It's a nice thing to see especially on a retiree's face after I hand them their ID.

Who inspires you and why? My grandfather, Tiofil, is my inspiration. He taught me that no matter what obstacles come my way, having confidence in myself and God will help get me through anything.

What's the first thing that made you think Grand Forks Air Force Base was a cool place other than the temperature or weather? Honestly, the snow. As I mentioned earlier, I came from an island in the Pacific, so I was accustomed to the tropical weather all year round. We really had two seasons: sunny or rainy. I had never seen snow before in my life. And thanks to Grand Forks Air Force Base, I can say I'm all "snowed" out.