No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Reserve & National Guard

First female Phoenix Raven graduate comes from North Carolina Air National Guard

AmeriForce Exclusive
by AmeriForce Exclusive
September 2, 2022
Phoenix Raven

Air Force Staff Sgt. Lyndanesha Martin, 145th Security Forces Squadron, proudly displays her Phoenix Raven accoutrements at the North Carolina Air National Guard base, Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. Photo by Staff Sgt. Laura Montgomery

Since its inception in 2007, the Phoenix Raven program, from Air Mobility Command headquarters, has graduated more than 3,000 trained individuals, including Staff Sgt. Lyndanesha Martin, of the 145th Security Forces Squadron.

“Being a Raven in the Air National Guard is like having a special duty,” Martin said. “You are always in security forces but you can get picked up for jobs if they need you. You have to stay conditioned and continue performance evaluations for it.”

The Phoenix Raven program is a four-week training in which a selected few individuals from security forces are chosen to provide security for Air Mobility Command aircraft flying through and landing in high threat areas. The first step to becoming a Phoenix Raven starts at home base by expressing interest in the program, then by completing an indoctrination course that prepares the individual for what to expect at the four-week program.

“The first week we worked on ASP (Armament Systems and Procedures)/ baton training, the next week we worked on combative initiatives and throwing people around, the third week was weapons takeaway, which I enjoyed, and we fought each other that week,” Martin said. “Everyone thought I did well in the small circle fight against a man that was much taller than me. I took him to the ground, which he did not expect. It was hard because he was heavy but I did it. Week four was classroom and field training exercises plus tests and running six miles.”

RELATED: Retired Col. Norma Parsons-Erb: First woman in National Guard was an innovator

With long training days and a packed syllabus, becoming a Raven is not for the faint of heart.

“We started with 36 and dropped to 34,” Martin said. “Raven is a whole different mindset; you have to be mentally ready for that school, it’s not just physical. You have to hold in your emotions while working 14-hour days and missing family.”

Martin had a unique motivator to boost her confidence through the Phoenix Raven program.

“I had a time when I wanted to quit and I didn’t want to do it anymore, but then Master Sgt. Mark Dow, my supervisor at the time, was talking to me while we were running and through his guidance and joining CrossFit, I felt more confident,” Martin said. “It was funny because I felt like I wasn’t progressing physically so I joined CrossFit, and I love it now. I was telling the gym owner the other day that I joined CrossFit to become a Raven and I just went through the school and since I’d been going for so long before attending the training that I forgot that’s why I joined and it helped me so much.”

Now that Martin is officially a Raven, she might be called up to complete her duties.

“I don’t know what’s next,” she said. “I think it will be an easy juggle with my civilian life and military life because I don’t have to go on every mission. There are so many options. I hope to go on a stage which is when you go somewhere that flies out a lot – they’re out of places like Germany.”

While she might be the first, she is likely not the last female Raven to cross into the North Carolina Air National Guard.

“We have another one [female] that might be trying to go into the Phoenix Raven Program soon,” Martin said. “I think if there’s something out there that you want, then go get it.”

This article was written by Staff Sgt. Laura Montgomery and originally published on DVIDS.

Read comments
Tags: 145th Security Forces SquadronAir Mobility CommandAir National GuardMaster Sgt. Mark DowNational GuardNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina Air National GuardNorth Carolina National GuardPhoenix RavenSecurity forcesStaff Sgt. Lyndanesha Martin
AmeriForce Exclusive

AmeriForce Exclusive

Related Posts

AFRC warns of fake social media accounts

by AmeriForce Exclusive
7 days ago
0
Social media

Air Force Reserve Command's social media manager warns of fake social media accounts and urges people to take precautions.

Read more

TRICARE, modernization atop list of legislative priorities

by Joseph LaFave
1 week ago
0
TRICARE

TRICARE, modernized equipment and parity with active-duty service components remain at the top of several military lobbyist’s to-do lists.

Read more

Hokanson to Army Guard Leaders: Tell our story

by National Guard Bureau
2 weeks ago
0
Hokanson

The National Guard is integral to the National Defense Strategy, Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson told Army Guard leaders Jan. 11.

Read more

OPINION: Individual Ready Reserve offers chance to ‘take a knee’

by Emily Solberg
3 weeks ago
0
Individual Ready Reserve

The Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) is a little-known option that could help with retention, according to one reservist and military...

Read more

New format coming to RNG Drill newsletter

by Kari Williams
4 weeks ago
0
RNG Drill

Reserve & National Guard Magazine's bi-monthly newsletter, RNG Drill, will look a bit different beginning this year.

Read more

New veterans head to Congress, including January 6-er

by Military.com
4 weeks ago
0
New veterans

New veterans will begin roaming the halls of Congress next week, contributing to one of the biggest classes of lawmakers...

Read more

Ads

Let's get social

The RNG Drill

News delivered directly to your inbox

Let's connect!

ABOUT US

  • OUR STORY
  • OUR TEAM
  • OUR WRITERS

MAGAZINE

  • GET PRINT
  • GET DIGITAL
  • GET THE NEWSLETTER

GET RESOURCES

  • VETERANS TOOLKIT

ADVERTISE

  • GET OUR MEDIA KIT
  • PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

SUBMISSIONS

  • PITCH US
  • SUBMIT YOUR STORY

Never miss out on the latest stories.

© 2021 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Privacy Policy | Terms | Site by Swiss Commerce

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
  • YOUR CAREER
    • UNIT TRAINING
    • DEPLOYMENT
    • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • RECRUITING & RETENTION
    • ENTREPRENEUR
    • TRANSITION
  • EDUCATION
  • MILITARY LIFE
    • MILITARY SPOUSES
    • MILITARY KIDS
    • PARENTING
  • OFF DUTY
    • ENTERTAINMENT
    • TRAVEL
  • HEALTH
    • FITNESS
    • MEDICINE
    • MENTAL HEALTH
  • OPINION
  • HISTORY
  • MONEY
    • PERSONAL FINANCE
    • BENEFITS
  • GET THE MAGAZINE
    • PRINT MAGAZINES
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINES
    • GET THE NEWSLETTER
  • RESOURCES
    • VETERANS TOOLKIT
  • ABOUT US
    • MEET OUR TEAM
    • OUR AUTHORS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
    • PITCH US
    • CONTACT

© 2022 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW