Warrior of the Week: Airman Dawid Mludzik

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Derek VanHorn
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Besides being well known cartoon characters, what do the Rugrats, Tiny Toons, and Ren and Stimpy have in common?

They were exceptional teachers - at least to one Grand Forks Airman.

"The only English I knew was through the words I picked up from watching the Cartoon Network," said Dawid Mludzik, 319th Civil Engineering Squadron, who moved to the U.S. from Poland when he was 8 years old.

Mludzik and his family made the move when his father took a job as a priest of the Polish National Catholic Church in Scranton, Pa. After spending one year there, Mludzik moved to what he now calls home in Wallington, N.J.

Mludzik called the move from Europe a "culture shock," but also added that it was for the best and provided opportunities for him and his family.

"One of the major reasons I joined the Air Force was to give back something to this country that has provided my family and I with so much," he said. "And the education benefits are great."

As it stands, the structures apprentice intends on serving a four-year term and then taking advantage of the post 9/11 GI bill by pursuing a degree in aeronautical science and eventually becoming a commercial pilot.

"I have always been interested in heavy machinery, and I think that's as heavy as it gets," Mludzik said.

Mludzik already has some experience in the air, piloting short flights on Cessnas, Diamonds and Kolibers.

"When I'm in the cockpit I feel at home - it feels right," he said.

For now Mludzik stays grounded maintaining the entire infrastructure of the base.

"The best part about my job is that I'm in a different place every day," Mludzik said. "One day I can be working in a hangar and the next I can be fixing the commander's blinds."

Like work, how Mludzik spends his free time is often unpredictable.

"I love anything to do with being outdoors and I like meeting and making new friends," he said. "I like to paraglide and I am also a certified scuba diver."

Mludzik got his certification while vacationing in Thailand where he also made his way to a sunken ship. He also enjoys classical music and reading about World War II.