Photo By Staff Sgt. Joseph Morgan | 124th Medical Group Operational Readiness Superintendent, Senior Master Sgt. Virginia...... read more read more
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Following a legacy of family military service, 124th Medical Group Operational Readiness Superintendent, Senior Master Sgt. Virginia Holmgren received a Stripes for Exceptional Performers II Program promotion to chief master sergeant after seeing her oldest son, Nathan Holmgren enlist in the Idaho Air National Guard the same day at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, March 4, 2023.
Holmgren began her military career with the Colorado Air Force Reserves at Peterson Air Force Base in 2003. After deploying to Iraq in 2008, and seeing the critical care air transport team in action, she became a respiratory therapist and joined the CCAT mission. She joined the IDANG in September of 2017.
“I come from a long-line of military service,” said Holmgren. “My Dad retired after 23 years in the Army, my husband retired from active duty Air Force service last year and my brother works in the 124th Fighter Wing’s Cyber Operations Squadron.”
According to the 124th MDG Commander, Lt. Col. Lora Bennett, Holmgren has been instrumental in the development of the unit’s CCATT mission from organizing joint medevac training with the Idaho Army National Guard’s State Aviation Group to recruiting and training cardiopulmonary technicians and volunteering as the CCATT Sustainment and Training Manager for the National Guard Bureau.
“She is truly an amazing leader, organizer and manager,” said Bennett. “She truly deserved this STEP II promotion.”
The Air National Guard STEP II Promotion Program was developed to provide promotion opportunities to exceptionally performing guard enlisted leaders. According to Lt. Col. Bennett, STEP II promotions happen only twice each year across the wing.
“I came in for the benefits and stayed for the people,” said Holmgren. “We have some of the brightest Airmen here in the medical group and I’m grateful for this opportunity to serve them.”
As Holmgren finds herself at the top of her military career, she now has the opportunity to pass the torch on to her son as he begins his own career in the military.
“I told him that while he’s trying to figure out life, you can join the guard, receive money for education and get a good job,” said Holemgren. “His surgical tech job will be viable outside of the guard as well.”
As Nathan continues in the footsteps of those generations of family members who served before him, he says he’s never felt pressured to join in spite of his family's legacy.
“Since World War II, I’ve had family members serving in the military,” said Nathan. “So my decision to join was, in part, motivated by that. It’s a family tradition. But they’ve always been supportive of anything I’ve wanted to do and I made the decision to join. This is going to help me progress in life. I’m excited to see where it takes me.”
Over the next several months, Nathan will be shipped off to Air Force Basic Military Training where he’ll learn the basics of being an Airman before attending his technical training to become a surgical technician. From there, he’ll return to Gowen Field to work with the Ground Surgical Team, a self-contained six-person ground surgical team designed to provide damage control, resuscitation and surgery in austere environments.
Receiving a military education in the medical career field is just the start for Nathan.
“I’m hoping to get my master’s in nursing and the guard is going to make that possible,” said Nathan. “I’ve always wanted to help people. Now, I’ll be able to do that through the military and then on the civilian side.”
Serving in the Air National Guard will help Nathan reach his life goals and will allow him to continue his family’s legacy of service.
| Date Taken: | 03.04.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.10.2023 17:02 |
| Story ID: | 440190 |
| Location: | IDAHO, US |
| Web Views: | 135 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Carrying the torch: chief promotes, son enlists., by SSgt Joseph Morgan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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