Photo By Vanessa Adame | Capt. Maria Fernandez-Gomez, student at the Inter-American Air Forces Academy, holds...... read more read more
The Department of the Air Force continues to set the standard in resilience, empowering mission ready Airmen and Guardians through innovative training designed to support national security objectives. The DAF’s diverse workforce is an enabling factor in one Air Force Medical Service Airman’s opportunity to complete professional military development while employing her personal and professional skillsets to build relations with service members from partner nations.
U.S. Air Force Capt. Maria Fernandez-Gomez, a psychologist and mental health element lead at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, completed the eight-week Inter-American Squadron Officer Course December 2024; a unique opportunity for professional development and broadening international relations. She is one of the few Air Force medics in her field to attend the course.
ISOC is a premier eight-week Inter-American Air Forces Academy program, hosted at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and is strategically designed to forge resilient leaders capable of excelling in a complex global environment. Established in 1995 and fully accredited by the Air University, the course focuses on leadership, communication, warfighting, and strategic thinking. It is taught entirely in Spanish and aims to build cross-cultural awareness, international leadership skills, and security cooperation.
“ISOC offers everything that SOS [Squadron Officer School] provides, which is important for our students to ensure they receive PME [professional military education] credit for their O-4 boards,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. James Aguilera, international professional military education flight commander,837th Training Squadron. “Both courses are exceptional, creating an environment that equips officers with vital experiences, preparing them to lead and excel in any mission.”
Aguilera said the ISOC fosters engagement with international military students from 24 Latin American countries.
“The fellowship and camaraderie forged during the eight weeks here create lifelong friendships and professional connections” he said. “These international students impart as much knowledge to us as we do to them. This is key for young Department of the Air Force company grade officers to learn as they grow into tomorrow’s senior leaders.”
For Fernandez-Gomez, attending ISOC is more than just professional development. It’s a chance to bring her unique background and skills to an international audience while enhancing her ability to support a culturally diverse Air Force population as a psychologist.
A multicultural approach to resilience and mental health
According to a 2022 report on DoD demographics, 31% of active-duty service members identify with a racial minority group. Fernandez-Gomez believes adapting mental health strategies is essential to being culturally sensitive.
“Understanding the cultural background of our Airmen is crucial,” Fernandez-Gomez said. “I have encountered a wide range of cultural perspectives in my clinical work, each adding a strategic advantage to how we support our force. Sometimes, an effective psychological approach must go beyond what we traditionally learn. It’s about incorporating a multicultural perspective to truly connect with and support our service members.”
Born in the Dominican Republic, Fernandez-Gomez moved to the United States for educational opportunities. Her personal experience in adapting to different cultural environments has shaped her worldview, providing her with insights she now applies to her work in mental health.
“If I were to apply what I’m learning through ISOC to the treatment of our Airmen or other service members, it would be about understanding how health is perceived in different cultures,” she said. “It’s about respecting cultural differences and not framing it as ‘changing them’ but rather understanding cultural significance.”
Learning from international partners
One of the key benefits of ISOC is the interaction between DAF members and military personnel from Latin America, which helps build bonds and new perspectives.
“The course goes beyond leadership skills, strengthening our ability to collaborate seamlessly with international partners and enhancing our operational effectiveness,” Fernandez-Gomez said. “Learning from officers across different countries and cultures is invaluable. It allows me to think more broadly and apply culturally informed leadership and communication styles, which is essential in my role as a psychologist.”
The ISOC curriculum offers cutting-edge training, from team-building exercises to strategic decision-making, ensuring leaders are prepared to navigate and succeed in any mission-critical scenario.
Fernandez-Gomez hopes to inspire other Air Force medical personnel to pursue opportunities beyond traditional clinical roles.
“Being in the clinic is important, but I want to show that there are many ways to serve and make a broader impact,” she said. “We have the opportunity to carve out impactful careers, using our unique skills to strengthen and elevate the Air Force’s mission.”
As she continues through ISOC and beyond, Fernandez-Gomez remains committed to promoting a culturally informed approach to mental health care within the Air Force. Her work strengthens the resilience of Airmen and fosters a deeper understanding of the complexities of serving in a global, multicultural military environment.
| Date Taken: | 01.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.21.2025 16:58 |
| Story ID: | 489291 |
| Location: | FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 36 |
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This work, Air Force psychologist attends ISOC, promotes diverse approach to mental health, by Maristela Romero, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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