Page 5 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, October 2020

4 October 2020 spotlight http://www.luke.af.mil Thunderbolt news Facebook.com/LukeThunderbolt 5
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October 2020
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Celebrating HispaniC HERITaGE (from Page 4) America is being told to ‘go back home’ and
only speak English,” she said. “People don’t
chopping vegetables and cooking rice while
understand how much we gave up coming
a nice conversation was simmering in the
to the states. Sometimes, all we have left
ALS graduates 46 Airmen in class 20-6 Heritage MontH: kitchen. This was where she learned the is our native language.”
importance of community service and love
Now that she works at IAAFA Izquierdo
for what you do, which is foundational to
speaks her native language as part of her
her life and career in the Air Force.
Staff Sgt. Soleine Izquierdo At the age of 14, Izquierdo and her family job.
Her favorite thing to do is to find a com-
The 56th Fighter Wing Airman 56th oSS Ellis; Senior Airman Derrick Foster; immigrated to the United States and settled mon word that means something different
Leadership School graduated 36 Staff Sgt. Shalala Beaty, Senior Staff Sgts. Christopher Hong, in Long Island, New York. in other Latin American countries. The
staff sergeants and 10 senior airmen Airman Jonathan Bruno and Staff Andrew Moyer-Harris, Anouvong by “My parents moved to the USA in search sheer number of ways to say the word “pen”
Aug. 20 in class 20-6. Sgt. Cody Schneider Souksavath; Senior Airman Donald RACHEL KERSEY of a better future for us,” she said, noting blows her mind, she said.
The award winners are: 607th air Control Squadron Tuten; Staff Sgts. Jordan Varney and 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs that her integration into American life was “I still can’t believe the Air Force pays me
John L. Levitow Award: Staff Staff Sgt. Allan Brown Ruben Wise Jr.; Senior Airman Cody scary. “Freshman year of high school is hard for speaking Spanish,” she said. “It really
Sgt. Cody Marett, 756th Aircraft Wright JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, enough as it is without having a language is a dream come true.”
Maintenance Squadron 56th maintenance Group 56th Civil Engineer Squadron Texas — “I was so afraid when I went to Basic Military barrier.” Meeting other Latinx service members
Distinguished graduates: Staff Sgt. Braden Mathews Staff Sgt. Harold Erwin II Training because it was my first time ever being in When Izquierdo was 16, she started her and people with similar stories and back-
Senior Airmen Garrett Hasten, 56th CmS an environment where everyone spoke only English,” first job doing maintenance work at a state grounds is also one of Izquierdo’s favorite
56th AMXS; Jasmine Smoak, 56th Staff Sgt. Antonisha Crisp, Senior 56th SfS said Staff Sgt. Soleine Izquierdo, international student park. She said her parents did not realize things. Not only does it give her a sense of
manager at the Inter-American Air Forces Academy on
Operation Support Squadron; Airman Kellen Dawson, Staff Sgt. Staff Sgt. Tristen Hernandez people in America put away money for their community, but it also motivates her.
Staff Sgts. Leonardo Campero, Bradley Nibbe, Senior Airman 56th LRS Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. children’s college, so that was not an option “I will never forget the first time I met
56th Component Maintenance James Ober Staff Sgt. Zaranae Jackson “Fast forward to 2020, and seeing how comfortable for her after high school. another Hispanic-female service-member
Squadron, and Luke Gracia, 56th I am with the language, how my communication skills Since she had nothing planned for her from New York,” Izquierdo said. “She was
Security Forces Squadron 56th Equipment maintenance 56th Healthcare operations have improved, and how I’m serving at a special duty; future, the Air Force seemed to be a good smart, caring, hard-working, a great men-
it’s amazing,” she said.
Commandant’s award: Senior Squadron Squadron Born in San German, a small town in Lima, Peru, opportunity, she said. tor, and respected by all, but more than
Airman Garrett Hasten, 56th Staff Sgts. Brayden Burkhalter, Staff Sgt. Erica Purdy Izquierdo has fond memories of being surrounded by “I knew joining the military would make anything, she was familiar. She instantly
AMXS Jonathan Hall Jr. and Brandon 944th maintenance Group family in her neighborhood. my parents proud, especially my father became someone I looked up to. She was
who served over 30 years in the Peruvian
Academic achievement Stoeber Senior Airman Brittney Korte “I grew up surrounded by love, a place where my National Police,” she said. “And, I knew it Sarayuth Pinthong (and is) the person I strive to become one
day: a successful Latina.
award: Staff Sgt. Raul Castro- 56th amXS 944th maintenance Squadron parent’s friends were, and until this day, my aunts and would give them, as well as me, a sense of U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Soleine Izquierdo, Inter-American Air Forces Academy inter- “I’m so proud to be a Peruvian serving
Cavorrubias, 56th Logistics Staff Sgts. Anna Bachochin, Ian uncles still live there,” she said. “Peru is known for its security. It was also a way to thank this national student manager, was born in San German, a small town in Lima, Peru. in the Air Force, speaking Spanish, and
Readiness Squadron Baucant, Drace Bertrand, Jaidon Senior Airman DeMarcus Greene food; it’s an integral part of our culture. I remember my country for the many doors it had opened not being expected to forget my roots,” she
Birath, Robin Cooter, Austin Hill, Phoenix Joint Reserve Intel mother having a soup-kitchen style gig where she and
Other graduates are: Alexander Ramirez, Austin Yelle and Support Element my aunts would cook for more than 100 low-income for us since we migrated.” “I knew English, but I didn’t know mili- for seven years and eight months. She said. “I look back to my first year in the Air
Force and I’m amazed at how far I’ve come.
Izquierdo enlisted but struggled in Basic
56th Comptroller Squadron Dorothy Zurlinden Senior Airman Sarah Hammontree families daily.” Training with the language barrier. After tary English,” she said. “I had to learn all has overcome much, and she knows many I hope to one day be THAT sergeant that
over again and study twice as much just to
people do not understand the significance
Senior Airman Ariel Ciprian and 756th amXS Courtesy of Master Sgt. Bradford Doyon, Izquierdo would sit and watch her family having fun she went to her first duty station, she still make sense of things.” of that, which is difficult. another Latina can look up to thinking, ‘I
Staff Sgt. Christopher Fenton Staff Sgts. Jessica Collins and Dillon 56th FSS See HERITaGE, Page 5 had trouble keeping up, she said. Now, Izquierdo has been in the military “The hardest part of being Hispanic in can do it, too.’”

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