Photo By Staff Sgt. Jovante Johnson | A firefighter assigned to the 378th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron packs up a...... read more read more
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Setting fear and uncertainty to serve in the U.S. military isn’t an uncommon thing to see but for one Airman the path to join was slightly more difficult than your average person.
Puerto Rico-born U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Alfredo Garcia, 378th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, set on a journey to join the U.S. Air Force at the age of 23 and did not let his determination be wavered even though he did not speak any English prior to starting his journey.
“The biggest life barrier that I ever had was not being able to speak English and attending basic training,” said Garcia. “You learn quickly when you’re getting scolded and need to fix things fast.”
Garcia gives a lot of credit to his wingmen from his Basic Military Training flight who taught him English daily and answered any questions about the language or day-to-day life. Frustrated by the language barrier, he constantly looked to his fellow wingmen for direction when given orders from the Military Training Instructor. His wingmen would explain what they were doing and what the English instructions meant in Spanish, where he learned to recognize the words spoken in English.
As time passed, Garcia’s peers would teach him how to read and write using the BMT Handbook. This soothed his frustration and ultimately led to an easier basic training experience.
He is grateful to all of them but gives the ultimate appreciation to his wife and daughter.
“After having my daughter at the age of 21, I knew I wanted my daughter to grow up in a better area and have things I didn’t have growing up,” said Garcia. “My wife and daughter being in a better situation and experiencing the life I set out for them when I started my military journey is what gets me out of bed in the morning. The Air Force made a better life for not only myself but for my family. Without the Air Force, I’m not sure where I’d be.”
Garcia continues to stay motivated by his career choice in the Air Force. Being a prior registered nurse in Puerto Rico, Garcia thought he found his life’s calling; until he became an Air Force firefighter.
“I didn’t speak English when I joined the Air Force, so I was not able to take the National Council Licensure Exam for registered nurses to become a registered nurse in the U.S.,” said Garcia. “So, I thought to myself, what job could give me the same satisfaction of helping others and make me feel like I impact their lives as much as being a nurse.”
Firefighting was his answer. Garcia’s peers and leadership recognized his passion for his job and determination for being an inspiration to others. He conveys a can-do attitude for any situation he is approached with, and has inspired those around him to pursue their dreams as well.
“Garcia’s thirst for knowledge is amazing and something I have never seen at his age,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Cody Brady, 378th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron assistant chief of operations. “He is one of my main inspirations for going back to school to pursue my master’s degree. He exemplifies what it means to be a U.S. Air Force member and I am glad he is a part of our team.”
Garcia’s unwavering determination inspires those around him and his impact on day-to-day morale is another reason people are grateful he is a part of their team.
“Airman Garcia brings joy to the job every day,” said Airman 1st Class Xavier Pinto, 378th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter. “He is constantly willing to help people achieve their goals, keeps our morale up and he is someone I aspire to be like.”
Receiving praise from his team is great, but Garcia recognizes he couldn’t be where he is without the team he has surrounding him.
“I would like to give a shout out to everyone who has helped me to this point in my career,” said Garcia. “My team here has taught me so much and I look forward to taking all that I have learned here back to my home station and making an even bigger impact on those around me.”
| Date Taken: | 12.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 01.09.2025 11:45 |
| Story ID: | 488690 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 35 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Nurse turned firefighter makes impact while deployed, by SSgt Jovante Johnson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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