When Senior Master Sgt. Mercedes Suber stepped up to bridge a first sergeant shortfall in the Air Force Reserve’s 512th Maintenance Squadron, assisting four different squadrons and 550 personnel, she saw the special duty as an important new responsibility in her 16-year career. She was not expecting to be recognized as the 512th Airlift Wing First Sergeant of the Year before the end of her first year wearing the diamond pin.
Suber was presented with the award on Feb. 4 at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
“It’s a humbling experience,” Suber told Reserve + National Guard Magazine. “I was honored that my leadership saw something in me to be able to nominate me.”
“She stood out because she was ambitious,” said Maj. Melissa Greenwood, commander of the 46th Aerial Port Squadron and Suber’s commander at the time of her nomination. “As a new first sergeant, she sought opportunities to learn as much as she could.”
One of the first opportunities Suber seized on after donning the diamond was reorganizing the family care plan program for her airmen, making sure that everyone had a custody plan in place to care for their dependents in the event of a deployment.
“As reservists, we have the capability of deploying with short notice, within 72 hours,” Suber explained. “So even though I personally don’t need one, I know the importance of having it for each airman who does have dependents because we want to make sure that they are able to do their mission and know that their families are taken care of while they’re away.”
Suber conducted an online survey of the airmen in the 46th Aerial Port Squadron and discovered multiple gaps and errors in family care plans for the unit.
“I just kind of went through it on my own merit to make sure that everything was OK,” she said.
“We knew our family care plans needed some attention,” said Greenwood. “Our unit grew a lot over a time when we didn’t have a first sergeant. I was glad to have a diamond-wearing first sergeant to take that on.”
Her eagerness to backfill the sudden shortage of first sergeants in the unit, along with the initiative she showed by tackling the flawed family care plans, garnered strong praise from her chain of command, ultimately resulting in the First Sergeant of the Year award.
“Senior Master Sgt. Suber earned it,” said Maj. Kathryn Barnhart, who is currently the commander of the 512th Maintenance Squadron. “I’m proud of her, as well as our other annual award winners. We’re fortunate to have her taking care of our airmen!”
Suber takes great pride in her ability to take care of those airmen. “The first sergeant motto is, ‘People Are Our Business,’” she said. “As a first sergeant, we do so much for our airmen. We’re like the parents of the unit. We are there for our airmen on their worst days, and we’re there for them on their best days. It helps build that unit cohesion and culture.”
The role of first sergeant comes with a four-to-six-year term, and although stepping outside her career field after 16 years was a big change, Suber is just getting started.
“My airmen have 24-hour access to me,” she said. “I’m a phone call away no matter what. If a call comes at 2 in the morning, 3 in the morning, I am the one who’s going to pick up the phone. I don’t have the luxury of having my phone on Do Not Disturb. I’m going to be there as their first sergeant.”
