DistrictWON Blog & News

Integration and diversity are crucial to moving the military forward in its strength, Air Force Master Sgt. Lisa Miller said, adding that, as such, today’s U.S. Air Force is an excellent career choice for women. “We all come from different backgrounds, social experiments and family but with that brings a different skill set and a different perspective to the team,” she said. Miller, who has served in the Air Force for more than 17 years, recently visited Bennett High School in Bennett, Colo., to share her experiences in the military and empower female student athletes to explore the opportunities and…

Tech. Sgt. Melissa Davis has spent the last 10 years serving in the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserves, and Air National Guard and describes herself as an “all-around resource” for individuals interested in an Air Force career. “This experience has given me the knowledge and capability to be adaptable to anything that is thrown at me. I initially joined just for school and only wanted to do a four-year contact,” Davis said. “[But] I have stayed as long as I have in the Air Force as it’s pushed me so much more then I could ever imagine as a…

Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Dana Fernkas recounts that she was still trying to find her path in life when the world was thrown into turmoil following the September 11 attacks in New York. “During my second year of college, I dropped my major with no replacement in mind. In the wake of 9/11, I decided it was time to contribute to a bigger picture and enlisted into the Air Force,” Fernkas said. “Since then, it’s been engrained in me that learning and development is always a continuous process that’s never finished, and you should also try to inspire those…

Student athletes from Albuquerque High School’s football, boys basketball, girls basketball, and volleyball teams recently met with Air Force Staff Sgt. Michelle Dayanghirang to hear about her experiences in the U.S. Air Force and the opportunities that come with a career in the military. “I think it is important for high school students of all genders to see as many post-high school options as possible,” said Chad Jones, athletic director at Albuquerque High School in Albuquerque, N.M. “Knowing that the Air Force presenters would be female, I made sure that I invited boys’ teams as well. I think it’s important…

Master Sgt. Lisa Miller recently visited female student athletes from Rock Canyon High School in Highlands Ranch, Colo., to discuss the benefits and opportunities afforded through a career in the U.S. Air Force. Miller presented her career story to members of the school’s volleyball, cheerleading, and soccer teams, sharing her reasons for joining and the positive experiences she has had over her 17 years in service. “I decided to join the Air Force after not really wanting to go to college but wanting to get out of my hometown and make something of myself,” she said. “The Air Force has…

Immigrating to the United States at 11 years old, Air Force Staff Sgt. Michelle Dayanghirang felt a call to military service in gratitude of everything the country had provided her and her family. “As a young immigrant from the Philippines at 11 years old, I was grateful to step into this country and experience the many benefits it has offered me over the years: education, healthcare, job opportunities and freedom,” she said. “I wanted to give back to the country by serving and be a part of the many citizens who keep this nation as the land of the free.”…

Female athletes at Oak Hill High School in Wales, Maine, were recently treated to an inspiring visit from 2nd Lt. Aeris Butler, a Space Force Officer and Admissions Advisor for the U.S. Air Force Academy, aimed at sparking curiosity among young women about career opportunities in the Air Force. Butler, a 2023 graduate of the Air Force Academy, shared insights into her journey and the benefits of military service. “I made the decision to join the Air Force because I really wanted the benefits that came along with it. I did not have the means to pay full tuition at a college, so…

After nearly 10 years of service in the U.S. Air Force, Tech. Sgt. Melissa Davis says the experience has made her capable of handling anything that gets thrown at her. “I initially joined just for school and only wanted to do a four-year contact,” Davis said. “[But] I have stayed as long as I have in the Air Force as it has pushed me so much more than I could ever imagine as a person. I honestly wouldn’t be the person I am today without the Air Force. From a shy and reserved high school girl, to becoming a subject…

Tech Sgt. Mary Quattlebaum said her time in the U.S. Air Force has positively impacted her personal growth, leadership, sense of purpose, and camaraderie and now she shares her journey to military service with students across the country. Quattlebaum, who has been in the Air Force for 14 years, made the decision to join at 21 years old because she wanted to be a part of something bigger than herself. “Both of my parents served in the Air Force,” she said. “My father made the military his career, and I always looked up to him. I always enjoyed the military…

In the world of uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Senior Airman Lindsay Knepp, who graduated high school in 2020, said that having a stable job in the Air Force where she could continue to learn and have her college education covered was an invaluable advantage. “I’ve had the opportunity to do things and see things I never would have if I had taken the traditional college route,” Knepp said. “Overall, my time in the Air Force has profoundly impacted me personally and professionally, shaping me into the person I am today.” Knepp recently met with female student athletes from the…