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Gearing Up for a Successful Military Career

by Airman 1st Class Jason Grabiec

AmeriForce Exclusive
by AmeriForce Exclusive
June 12, 2018
Changing roles from employee to military member to student is a lot to keep straight, but it is also rewarding for Staff Sgt. Samantha Palacios who transitioned to officer training school earlier this year. Photo credit:  Airman 1st Class Jason  Grabiec.

Changing roles from employee to military member to student is a lot to keep straight, but it is also rewarding for Staff Sgt. Samantha Palacios who transitioned to officer training school earlier this year. Photo credit: Airman 1st Class Jason Grabiec.

Changing  roles  from  employee  to  military  member  to  student  is  a  lot  to  keep  straight. Rushing  from  class  to  class,  then  off  to  work  and  adding  in  military  service  can  be  overwhelming. But, it is also rewarding  for  the  type  of  person, like Air Force Staff Sgt. Samantha Palacios, who  likes  to  get  the  most  out  of  life. The airman recently transitioned to officer training school earlier this year.

This  is  how  Palacios,  an  aerospace  propulsion  specialist  at  the  182nd  Maintenance  Squadron,  explains  her  path  to  finishing  a  degree  in  mechanical  engineering  at  Southern  Illinois  University  Edwardsville  while  serving  in  the  Air  National  Guard  all  at  the  same  time.

“With  that,  you  don’t  ever  really  get  a  break,  but  you  can  always  see  the  light  at  the  end  of  the  tunnel,  so  I  just  kept  going  for  it,”  said  Palacios.  “The  hardest  part  was  always  having  three  things  going  on  at  once.  I  enjoy  being  busy,  so  as  long  as  I’m  busy,  I’m  happy.”

Setting  priorities

Education  is  something  that  is  very  important  to  Palacios  and  although  she  already  has  one  degree  under  her  belt,  she  plans  on  earning  more  through  a  master’s  degree  in  business  administration  as  well  as  a  professional  engineering  license  in  the  near  future  through  the  assistance  that  is  offered  to  Guard  members  through  the  Illinois  National  Guard  Grant.

“When  trying  to  earn  your  degree,  there  is  some  great  help  out  here  to  help  manage  your  GI  bill  and  your  benefits,”  said  Palacios.  “You’re  given  these  great  benefits,  [so]  use  them  to  the  best  of  your  ability.  Don’t  lose  determination  and  keep  moving  forward.  Keep  the  end  point  in  mind  and  push  through,  and  you  can  finish  it  one  step  at  a  time.”

Paying  for  school

Illinois  National  Guard  members  are  eligible  for  free  college  tuition  at  any  Illinois  state-supported  school,  and  some  are  eligible  for  additional  financial  assistance.  This  allows  many  to  focus  on  education  and  take  off  some  of  the  financial  burden  that  comes  with  pursuing  a  degree.  Each  state  has  its  own  guidelines,  and  many  states  offer  free  or  greatly  reduced  tuition  for  that  state’s  Guard  members.

“It  definitely  helped  me  be  comfortable  knowing  that  I  was  getting  a  little  bit  of  money  every  month  to  help  with  expenses  and  knowing  that  my  tuition  was  going  to  be  paid  for.  I  knew  I  wasn’t  going  to  come  out  with  a  whole  lot  of  student  loans,  and  that  was  a  nice  stress  relief  to  have,”  said  Palacios.

It  is  that  continual  desire  to  learn  that  helps  empower  Palacios’ development  and  drives  her  to  improve  as  a  person.  Pulling  on  skills  learned  through  military  service  helps  to  make  her  a  stronger  student.

Guard  training

“Being  part  of  the  Guard  and  taking  part  in  all  of  the  training  processes,  like  [basic  training],  forces  you  to  get  along  and  with  the  50  other  people  you  live  with,”  said  Palacios.  “Now  I’m  working  on  planes  together  with  a  team  of  people,  and  we  have  to  understand  each  other  and  effectively  communicate  what  we  are,  and  I  was  able  to  go  back  and  bring  that  into  school. Working  as  a  team  definitely  helps,  and  I  think  that  came  from  getting  the  military  comradery  that  I  learned  in  the  Guard.”

Palacios looks through a tool box in the machine shop at the 182nd Airlift Wing. Photo by Airman 1st Class Jason Grabiec.

Being  someone  that  is  always  looking  for  what  the  next  step  is,  Palacios  set  the  goal  to  commission  as  an  officer  and  will  be  leaving  for  Officer  Training  School  in  early  April.

“As  a  commissioned  officer  in  the  Guard,  I  hope  to  be  someone  that  people  can  look  up  to  as  a  good  example  and  be  able  to  help  people  in  any  way  they  need,”  said  Palacios.  “I  want  to  make  sure  that  the  Airmen  underneath  me  can  always  reach  out  to  me  for  help.”

Being  a  role  model

As  Palacios  prepares  to  take  off  for  OTS,  she  is  keeping  her  philosophy  on  education  and  learning  in  mind.  She  said  that  she  hopes  to  develop  as  a  leader  throughout  the  nine-and-a-half-week  program  and  will  draw  on  her  degree  as  she  transitions  into  her  new  role  as  a  civil  engineering  officer.

“For  me,  there’s  always  something  to  learn  and  my  whole  goal  is  to  continually  learn  and  use  that  in  my  day-to-day,” said  Palacios.  “I  can’t  say  that  I  use  much  thermal dynamics  anymore,  but  the  process  of  teamwork  in  my  classes  that  require  critical  thinking  applies  to  my  everyday  life.  I  think  education  is  very  important  to  keep  moving  on.”

Palacios  said  she  plans  to  work  tirelessly  as  a  leader  to  help  the  Airmen  and  NCOs  that  are  underneath  her  in  any  way  that she  can  and  will  always  encourage  development  as  well  as  education.

“Don’t  be  scared  to  take  the  next  step,”  said  Palacios.  “If  you  are  looking  to  go  officer,  talk  to  your  recruiter  to  get  your  package  set  up  and  take  the  steps  that  you  need  to.  Complete  your  school.  I  think  it’s  really  important  to  finish  your  education.”

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Tags: Air National GuardIllinois National GuardOfficer Training School
AmeriForce Exclusive

AmeriForce Exclusive

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