Warrior of the Week: Senior Airman Kenneth Skinner

  • Published
  • By Airman Derek VanHorn
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  With the United States military involved in so many overseas operations, deployments for servicemembers have become a way of life. For Senior Airman Kenneth Skinner, 319th Logistics Readiness Squadron logistics planner, this way of life keeps him busy on a daily basis.

"Our main overall job is preparing people for deployment," said Airman Skinner. "We use many different programs that help organize our duties of deploying both personnel and cargo."

Skinner is happy working together with his crew to support all Airmen on base.

"The best part of the job is seeing the importance of the role our job plays on the base," said Skinner. "All deployment operations have to run through our shop and we play a part with every single deploying piece of cargo or person on base - it is good to know that we're directly supporting the mission."

The sports enthusiast also supports teams outside of work. He helped lead the 319th LRS to win the 2010-11 base basketball championship.

"I love playing sports and staying active," he said. "I also think I am one of the fastest sprinters on base - not long distance, because then I might be the slowest."

Skinner has gotten off to a fast start since joining the Air Force in October 2008, winning 319th LRS Airman of the Quarter for the 4th quarter of 2010 and also receiving a Diamond Sharp award - an award recognizing Airmen who epitomize service before self and strive for excellence at work and off duty. If he has it his way, there is one job that would likely keep Skinner in the Air Force for years to come.

"I really want to become a sensor operator on remotely piloted aircraft," he said. "I plan to submit my re-training package in October, and if I get accepted, I plan on making the Air Force a career."

There is one dream job, however, that Skinner is happy to do without pay and takes part in every day.

"I always tell people I act every day, all day - I'm in constant rehearsal" he laughed. "I'm an aspiring actor, and that would be the best career ever."

Whatever the job may be, the Tennessee Titans fan always puts family first. He is married to his wife, Yazel, and together they raise their one-year-old son, Drayden.

"My family is my motivation, I cannot fail them," he said. "I spend most of my time hanging out with them; my son does a good job of keeping me busy and always making me laugh."