Warrior of the Week: Staff Sgt. Obed Salazar

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Xavier Navarro
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  

Rank & name: Staff Sgt. Obed C. Salazar

Unit: 319th Operations Support Squadron

Duty title: Air Traffic Controller

Time in Service: 5 years, 1 month

Hometown: Clarksville, Tenn.


Why is serving in the Air Force important to you?
The importance of serving in the Air Force has changed throughout my short career. As a younger Airman it was important to serve my country and learn a difficult and technical skill like air traffic control. Now, it's important for me to continue my development as a leader to assist and elevate those around me.

What moment or accomplishment as a Warrior of the North are you most proud of and why?
As a Warrior of the North, I am most proud of two things. First, obtaining my air traffic control "rating" in less than eight months of training. I accomplished this in what the consensus considers the fastest time ever for a three-level at Grand Forks Air Force Base. The second accomplishment is making the rank of staff sergeant because I couldn't test my first year of eligibility and faced the lowest promotion rate in 15 years when I made it the following cycle.

What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of the job is being a line controller. Just plugging in to the workstation and talking to multiple aircrafts. It's a thankless job, but the satisfaction and pride are up there with the best.

Who inspires you and why?
Professionally, my former chief controller and colleague, Mark Wright, has inspired me. He's been retired for more than 10 years and is still sought out by military personnel of all ranks for advice and his expertise. He's a role model leader and controller. Personally, my nine-month-old son, Ezra, inspires me because I never met my father or had a father figure growing up. To have the opportunity and responsibility of being a father brings me great joy and inspiration.

What's the first thing that made you think Grand Forks Air Force Base is a cool place other than the temperature or weather?
The first thing that made me think Grand Forks Air Force Base was cool was how busy we air traffic controllers are. When I arrived in 2009, the base had already reassigned many of the tankers, so to everyone else, controllers weren't thought of as busy. In contrast, our Radar Approach Control facility has consistently been the first or second busiest facility in Air Mobility Command for years. I realized this first assignment was a blessing in disguise.