I'm an Air Force mechanic. It's a very stressful job, but I love it — here are the best and worst parts.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Raymond Pendergraph, a 35-year-old E6 technical sergeant in the United States Air Force who's working on a military air base in Italy. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Because of my dad's experience, the idea of joining the military wasn't super scary for me, and I knew that what I was learning about engineering would be useful in the Air Force. I also liked the idea of working abroad — seeing different places and experiencing different cultures.After enlisting I went to San Antonio, Texas, for nine weeks of basic training. I'd wake up at 4 a.m.
Then I was assigned to Misawa Air Base in Japan, where I stayed for two years. I lived near the water and ran on the beach every day. Japan had the best snowboarding I've experienced. I also climbed Mount Fuji, which was one of the most miserable things I've ever done. At the moment we're still living here in a town not far from Venice. Living in Italy has given us a chance to travel all over Europe.People working in administration or finance have pretty standard, set schedules. But my role needs to be covered 24 hours, meaning my shifts tend to change weekly.
I enjoy puzzles, so I like taking an airplane apart and figuring out what's wrong. After I fix a plane, I'll watch it take off and think,"I fixed that airplane, and it's flying now." I feel really good about myself.
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