Warrior of the Week: Senior Airman Sara Guajardo

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Zachiah Roberson
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  
Rank and Name: Senior Airman Sara Guajardo

Unit: 319th Operations Support Squadron

Duty Title: Airfield Management Shift Lead

Time in Service: 2 years, 6 months

Hometown: Austin, Texas

Why is serving in the Air Force important to you?
At first, the Air Force was a fancy word for security and consistency. A reliable paycheck, school paid for, a chance to travel the world, three meals a day and a roof over my head. But the people and my job have made me proud to wear the uniform. When my sister and dad visited last year, you could see it in their eyes that they had entered a world they knew next to nothing about. They were able to go on the runway, drive around the airfield, see military aircraft up close, and were even able to meet personnel from NASA who gave them a tour of the aircraft they were flying during their stay here. I became proud of how different my life is now compared to my civilian life. If someone had come up to me in high school and told me that I'd be in the Air Force I would've laughed, but as Father Oliver Johnson from Saint Catherine of Siena once said, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans."

What moment or accomplishment as a Warrior of the North are you most proud of and why?
Being from south Texas I'm certainly proud of surviving the winters North Dakota has given us. No one in my family has ever experienced some of the temperature readings I've told them. Never thought I'd see the day that I'd be outside in shorts and t-shirt in 30-degree temperatures!

But on a serious note, I'm proud of the friends and family connections I've made. I never thought I'd make the type of relationships I've made in my time here. My dad can sleep a little easier knowing that his daughter has a good group of people looking out for me. If something's wrong with my car, if I need financial advice, or just to talk about miscellaneous topics, there's always someone to talk to here.

I'm also proud of the talent I have been able to carry from civilian life to the military. Growing up with a highly musical family, as well as being raised in the music capital of the world, playing an instrument seemed like a genetic necessity. I've played the trumpet now for about 11 years and occasionally I get to use that talent and travel with the great people that make up the Grand Forks Air Force Base Honor Guard where my job is to play Taps at funerals. The look in the family's eyes and how well you represent and send off their loved one is enough to make you tear up over someone you've never met.

What is your favorite part of your job?
I love those rare occasions when our shop is full of aircrew personnel from transient aircraft. They keep us on our toes filing their flight plans, making phone calls, keeping an eye out for leadership to walk through the door, for us to go out and make sure no wildlife will interfere with landing or takeoff, radio checks, making sure the runway and taxiways are safe for the aircraft, etc. I love it.

The time in-between transients, we have many months of winter which also keeps us on our toes. During this time our shop works closely with the weather shop to keep an eye on various temperatures, any bizarre weather changes and much more. There were a few times last year where we had to work on the airfield during a blizzard and we could hear angels singing when weather would tell us that the storm should pass in a couple of hours. We also have a lot of communication with the Snow Control shop. I hope people around base understand how hard these guys work. Many times when the rest of the base is closed, Snow Control is most likely driving out on the airfield working their hardest to make sure the airfield is in the best condition possible for any aircraft that may or may not even land here. I love this part of my job because we have to learn how to work with other shops. If we're going out on the airfield to get a friction reading on the runway or taxiways, we have to be able to have clear communication with several different shops to make sure that everyone is aware of where we are to ensure no one gets hurt. It's hard to describe without being out there in the truck with us, but I like the interactions greatly.

Who inspires you and why?
Before my Air Force career even began I knew two veterans that had a major role in my choice to join: retired Air Force Col. John Siebert and retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Larry Terrell. I remember admiring the way they spoke and how they carried themselves, and I wanted that for myself.

There are so many people here at Grand Forks who have inspired me, all for different reasons. Master Sgt. Adrian Nigrila has been my supervisor since I first set foot on base and has always been there for me through thick and thin. I hope I can be a supervisor like him one day so that my subordinates know they can always come to me for anything. Master Sgt. Jay Phillips has been very influential as well. No matter what's thrown at him he always seems to be able to stay calm. He's inspired me to take a step back when life throws a curve ball and try to handle the situation as calmly as he does.

Chief Master Sgt. David Tyler has also been an influence in my life here in Grand Forks. Though I never got to work with him, he was my first view of top leadership. Coming into the Air Force my original goal was to become a colonel, but in my time knowing Chief Tyler I've altered my goal to do my best to become chief. I could see how valuable it was for a shop as small as ours to be able to have a man like him be a voice for us little guys. We were always comfortable to be able to go to him and ask any questions or ask for his advice. It's not going to be the same here without him.

Last but not least there's our squadron commander Lt. Col. Jonathan Castellanos. I've never experienced having a commander who was so grateful and encouraging to his squadron personnel. He has an air about him that says you can joke with him but he still expects you to stay on top of your game. I love that. He makes you just want to come to work and do your best so that you can give him bragging rights on his squadron.

What's the first thing that made you think Grand Forks Air Force Base was a cool place other than the temperature or weather?
One major asset I think that Grand Forks has over many other bases is that we're such a small base. It's the equivalent of a small town, which can sometimes work against you since it seems everyone knows everyone, but the camaraderie here is something that I've heard is different from other larger bases. Because the base is so small, it means that people seem to look out for each other better than other bases. At least as far as Operations Support Squadron is concerned, it helps makes us like a tight-knit family.