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Nov. 20, 2015                                             Spotlight                                                                           Thunderbolt
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                                                                     Pediatric clinic Airman aims for success

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                                                                              DEVANTE WILLIAMS

                                                     Courtesy photo                                         56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs  Airman 1st Class Kaitlyn Straight, 56th Medical Group aero-
                                                                                                                                              space medical technician, took her grandfather’s advice and
Treat teeth like                                                        The U.S. Air Force has been a stepping stone for many Airmen.         joined the Air Force.
jewels, not tools                                                    Some people join the Air Force to travel the world while others
                                                                     MRLQIRUWKHPRQH\DQGPHGLFDOEHQHÀWV$LUPDQVW&ODVV.DLWO\Q        NFL players and coaches was something I won’t forget. “
            by Senior Airman                                         Straight, 56th Medical Group aerospace medical technician, had              The switch from civilian life to a military lifestyle isn’t an easy
          BENJAMIN BRIGHT                                            a different mindset before committing her life to the Air Force.
                                                                                                                                              move, according to Straight.
                          56th Dental Squadron                          Straight worked a full-time job while also going to school full          “It requires many long hours and dedication from Airmen,
                                                                     time. The ongoing repetitiveness caused her to seek a change in
   The importance of teeth and how we                                her life, hence signing up for the military.                             EXWWKHH[SHULHQFHJDLQHGLVVRPHWKLQJ\RXFDQ·WJHWRXWVLGHWKH
use them is often overlooked. We tend to                                                                                                      military,” she said. “I hope to receive more opportunities and will
treat our teeth as tools, which can lead                                “The college life wasn’t for me,” Straight said. “I knew it was       continue striving in my career. “
to serious damage. Using teeth as bottle                             time for a change. My granddad said I should look into the Air
openers, scissors and nail clippers are                              Force but I wasn’t too sure about it. Once I got the chance to              ´7KH$LU)RUFHGRHVWKHLUEHVWWRJLYH\RXWKHH[SHULHQFHV\RX
bad habits and can result in oral injuries.                          speak with a recruiter, he convinced me to sign up.”                     need to get you where you want to be,” she said. “The opportuni-
                                                                                                                                              ties that you receive while you’re in are endless, and I hope to
   When you tear open a bag of chips                                    Straight is from a family full of military history. Almost all        continue on the path that I’m on now.”
with your teeth, you are damaging the                                of her family has served in the military at one point, but she is
strength of the enamel and making your                               making history within her family.                                           For Tech. Sgt. Jesus Martinez-Ortiz, 56th Medical Operations
teeth weaker. Using your teeth as a tool                                                                                                      Squadron pediatrics NCO in charge, and Straight’s supervisor,
can cause significant damage and result                                 ´,DPWKHÀUVWIHPDOHRXWRIVL[JHQHUDWLRQVWRVLJQXSLQWKH       he sees her going all the way in the Air Force.
in the loss of one or more teeth.                                    PLOLWDU\µ6WUDLJKWVDLG´,·PDOVRWKHÀUVWRQHWRVLJQXSLQWKH
                                                                     Air Force. Mostly all of my family members served in the Navy.”             “Airmen Straight was born to be in the military,” he said. “Her
   You only have one set of permanent                                                                                                         work ethic, attention to detail, willingness to step into new chal-
WHHWKVRNHHSWKLVLQPLQGWKHQH[WWLPH                              For Straight it was a lifestyle she had to adjust to. She signed      OHQJHVDQGFDQGRDWWLWXGHH[HPSOLI\ZKDWEHLQJDQ$LUPDQLQ
you think about biting your fingernails                              up to be a physician’s assistant, but that job wasn’t available at       the United States Air Force is all about.”
or opening a bottle with your teeth. Re-                             the time, so the Air Force placed her as a medical technician.
member the potential damaging effects
this behavior can cause to your teeth,                                  “It wasn’t the job I originally wanted, but I’m glad I’m still in
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be costly.                                                           assistant one day, so I will use this as a stepping stone to reach
                                                                     P\JRDO,·PDFHUWLÀHGHPHUJHQF\PHGLFDOWHFKQLFLDQso I can
                                                                     work in a lot of places if needed.”

                                                                        Straight’s time in the Air Force has been one of commitment
                                                                     to the job. Along the way, she’s also been winning awards. From
                                                                     being Combat Medic of the Month, Airman of the Quarter and
                                                                     being submitted for nomination to below-the-zone, Straight is
                                                                     hoping to make a full career in the Air Force.

                                                                        “My goal is to stay in 20-plus years,” she said. “I will use my
                                                                     time in the Air Force to apply for the inter-service physician as-
                                                                     sistant program, which is a program to train Airmen to become
                                                                     physician assistants. If I’m selected I will be commissioned and
                                                                     fully trained as a physician assistant.”

                                                                        During her two years of service, Straight has had many mo-
                                                                     ments that she will remember for life.

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