Page 7 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, December 2018

Thunderbolt news December 2018 7
ance, through our 15 years together,” she said. “From the military, where we served together, to college, where he completed his engineering degree, he always had time to root me on, as I continued to climb the educational ladder.”
“My mother is the reason why I work so diligently and practice kindness in my ser- vice to others,” Conner said. “She taught me hard work, compassion and understanding for others. Needless to say, my mom is the one who has inspired me the most.”
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SERVES (from Page 6)
at the same time,” she said. “Despite all the things she was juggling, Renelle was grounded and always had her mind on the big picture.”
In 2009, after a four-year stint, Conner left active-duty and joined the Air Force Reserve Command as a dental assistant. On the civilian side, since 2017, she has been an orthodontic resident and her dream to serve people, represent her Native Ameri- can culture, and become an orthodontist is finally coming true.
As she looks to the future, Conner plans to remain a reservist. She has always had a sense of responsibility to serve.
“I felt like I had a duty to my country to serve. My father set that example,” she said. “It’s so prevalent to join the military when you’re from a native community; my culture was influence in and of itself.”
“Growing up, my father used to ask me, ‘What are you going to be when you grow up? How are you going to get there?’” Con- ner said. “If my father were alive today, I would say to him, ‘Thank you for the example you set. I will never forget your service.’ And I would tell him, I want to be an officer in the Air Force.”
Conner has recently submitted a commis- sioning package to become an officer in the AFRC within the dental career field.
Through everything she has accom- plished, she credits her husband and mother for her success.
“My husband has been a source of con- stant encouragement, support and guid-
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Lavon Meiser, Conner’s mother, also has a heart of service and was active in the Johnson O’Malley Program, which aims to improve the education of Native American students enrolled in public schools.
“I always told my children, education is key to getting out of poverty,” Meiser said. Meiser expressed how proud she was of her daughter and how she knew she would be all right because of who she was and
where she came from.
“I felt it was important my children em-
brace their culture,” Meiser said. “I made sure they knew their history.
Throughout history, Native Americans have persevered and contributed to this country in many ways. Conner now has con- fidence in her smile and has demonstrated her commitment to achieve her goals and willingness to give back to communities in need.
“We [Native Americans] still exist in society and contribute greatly,” Conner said. “People like myself are not invisible and we’re not just on reservations; we are making things happen.”
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