Photo By Airman Shanel Toussaint | U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Casara Pines rides a horse at the age of 11 at a farm on...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, Washington, D.C.-- For many, home is more than just a place—it’s where the roots of identity are cultivated through the influence of family, tradition, and values. For some, home will always call back no matter how far life pulls them away.
For Staff Sgt.Casarah Pine, a flight instructor for the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard at JBAB, that place is Pine Ridge, a Native American Reservation in South Dakota.
Pine, deeply influenced by her family's long-standing military tradition, answered the call to serve after earning a degree and teaching on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
“Growing up on the ‘res,’ I never felt out of place,” Pine recalled with a smile.
Pine Ridge is the 8th largest Native American reservation in the U.S. and is home to more than 17,000 people. Pine’s heritage is a mix of Oglala Sioux and Santee Sioux. The Oglala Sioux is a subtribe of the Lakota people and historically lived as nomadic buffalo hunters on the Great Plains. The Santee Sioux are a group of Native American people who belong to the larger Sioux Nation.
“I had a lot of fun as a kid,” Pine shared.
She recalled spending hours playing with the water hose in the summer with her five siblings, running through the grass and splashing each other.
“I know it sounds cliche, but we always knew it was time to come back home when it got dark out,” she said.
She remembers coming home to the smell of dinner cooking and the aroma of Indian tacos or fry bread greeting her when she got home after a long day of play.
“I loved when my mom made those,” she shared, smiling. “And we always ate dinner together as a family.”
From an early age, Pines developed a deep love for learning and excelled at school. One of the most impactful experiences of her education was the opportunity to learn the Lakota language, which helped her develop a deeper sense of pride in who she is and further embrace the values and traditions of her culture.
“I remember being proud of myself for knowing the language,” she said.
As she got closer to graduation and considered her plans for college, Pine realized that she had a choice to make. She felt a sense of duty to serve as her grandparents and uncles did, but also wanted to follow the path she felt called to in teaching at Pine Ridge.
“I always wanted to join the military because it was so big in my family,” she shared. “But I decided to go to college first.”
Leaving Pine Ridge to attend college in Kansas was a culture shock for Pine, one that forced her to confront her own identity in a way she hadn’t before. She said that it felt like a different world.
She eventually learned to navigate the transition by recognizing that her heritage was deeply ingrained in her. It was a valid piece of her identity that she did not have to defend.
She graduated and returned to Pine Ridge to teach at her childhood school, Red Cloud. She loved teaching and felt fulfilled in her daily life shaping and guiding the minds of the youth.
“I loved my job, but I still felt a pull to answer the call that my family had answered,” she reminisces of her grandparents, uncles and cousins who had all served in different branches of the military.
Acknowledging the importance of honoring her family’s legacy of serving her country, Pine began the recruiting process to enlist in the Air Force.
“I joined in 2015 and haven’t regretted that decision,” she said. “In a lot of ways, being a flight instructor feels similar to being a teacher, and I love having the opportunity to help and guide younger Airmen and supporting them on their path to success.”
Pine continues to make a difference in the lives of her Airmen and her intentions shine through.
“I don’t know that my [technical]school experience would have been as positive as it was without Staff Sgt.Pine,” shared U.S. Space Force Specialist 2nd Class Terrell Atcitty, an honor guardsman who trained under her instruction. “You can tell she cares deeply about the job she does and she wants to make an impact.”
Pine has served for nine years and plans to reach 20 years of service. While she is currently fulfilled in her role as an instructor, her ultimate goal remains to return home to teach or coach at Red Cloud, guiding young minds toward achieving their goals and playing a helping role in their lives.
“I want to be there for the kids like my teachers were there for me,” Pines said.
As she is now a mom, she feels that her journey has come full circle. From her childhood on the reservation to serving her country, she dreams of giving back in ways that honors both her ancestors and the community that raised her.
For Pine, the compass is not just a symbol, it is the truth she follows that points her back to Pine Ridge. Her story is a testament to the enduring strength of home, heritage, and legacy and a reminder that no matter how far one roams, the compass of family and tradition always points home.
| Date Taken: | 11.15.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.15.2024 12:06 |
| Story ID: | 485404 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Hometown: | PINE RIDGE, SOUTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 84 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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