July 2010 Portrait Of A Professional

  • Published
MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD, Calif. --  Portrait of a Professional is a monthly profile of an outstanding Staff Sgt. and below. Staff Sgt. Silvia Bacon, a knowledge operations apprentice with the 129th Mission Support Group is featured as this month's Portrait of a Professional.

What is your favorite memory in the AF?
I got to deploy to Sicily when I was stationed at Travis AFB. I was the person that got to take these big firearms, essentially escorting a carrier of weapons into Sicily. It was funny because the people at the terminal had never seen a female military member, so they didn't believe. They thought I was just a girl trying to take this weapon into their country, so I sat in the terminal for hours. They had to take my ID, they called supervisors and people back in the States to make sure I was cleared to go. When I was finally able to leave the terminal I had a really good time, I was there for a week and met a lot of great people.

What motivated you to enlist in the AF?
I was born and raised in Miami, Florida and Miami is a huge party spot. I was kind of at a dead end, and I didn't want to follow my friends and what they were doing. My family couldn't afford to send me to college and the. My older brother is in the Army so the Air Force seemed very interesting at the time, like a good thing to do.

How has being an Airman changed your outlook on life?
It shows responsibility for sure. I love the Air Force. It gives you a sense of stability, especially in the economy we're in right now. Responsibility is so huge, you don't realize until your deployed and it hits your right in the face, you're part of something big. You don't really realize it as an Airman, or going to basic training until you do your job when you're needed.

What's the most important lesson you've learned in the military?
Definitely comradery. This is your family when you're away from home. For me, being from Florida and my husband from Arizona, both in the military, you have to embrace your co-workers as family because that's all you have. Especially as a young Airman, coming to a new duty station and not having anyone, you really have to lean on co-workers for support.

If you could deploy anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I would go back to Italy, I loved it there. I really had a great time. I also visited my husband while he was in Turkey, and that was great too, so I'd love to be deployed there.

If you could choose any AF job, which would it be? Why?
I would love to go into the finance field. I'm studying to be an accountant, so I believe if I worked in finance it would give me a lot of the experience that I need. So that way when I do retire I can say that I have experience, not just a degree.

What is your job in the civilian world?
I'm currently on temporary AGR orders.

What would people be surprised to know about you?
I'm a really good runner, and highly competitive in all sports. Another one that always gets people is how much I know about football.

What are your hobbies?
I go to school full time and a mother of three, so I don't really have a lot of hobbies. I do like to sleep every time I get a chance though.