Warrior of the Week: Staff Sgt. Kristina Anderson

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Derek VanHorn
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  More than 425 Airmen were successfully deployed out of Grand Forks Air Force Base in the last year. Ensuring those assignments were processed properly here is Staff Sgt. Kristina Anderson - the latest Warrior of the Week.

When a deployment tasking comes down from the Air Mobility Command, Anderson and her co-workers have only 24 hours to accept it and then 15 days to input into the necessary system. Anderson's meticulous approach to the job ensured a 100 percent system rating - nearly five percent higher than the AMC average - effectively meeting all deadlines.

"We're basically the deployment shop for the base," said Anderson, who has spent her entire four and a half Air Force career in Grand Forks. "I'm responsible for tasking Airmen for their deployments, sending out their orders, making sure there are no discrepancies, and in-processing them upon returning."

Not only does Anderson coordinate the paperwork aspect of deployments, but also the well-being of others as well.

"I enjoy the job because I like working with and helping people," said Anderson, the 319th Force Support Squadron Airman of the Year in 2010. "Deployments can be a scary thing for a lot of people so it helps to know I can talk them and put them at ease about leaving."

Anderson joined the Air Force as an alternative to college, but now ironically finds herself only two classes away from achieving her CCAF in Human Resources - the halfway point in her quest of a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.

"My dream job would be forensics in criminal justice," said Anderson, who added she would like to work the cold case side of the career field. "As a mother I see a whole lot of children get harmed and taken away, and that's why my focus would be there."

Anderson is the mother to 3-year-old Lexie and she's due to have another daughter this August.

"My family is my motivation and huge part of my life," she said.

When it comes to motivating others, Anderson said she encourages people to stay positive through all situations.

"Things will always change day-to-day and you'll want to change your mind daily," she said. "But it's important to keep an open mind and look at the big picture of things."