Photo By Staff Sgt. Nichole Sanchez | Staff Weather Officer, Senior Airman Gillian Moore of the 123rd Combat Weather Flight...... read more read more
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PORTLAND, Ore.--Opaque clouds filtered the sky. Senior Airman Gillian Moore’s hair collected rain droplets as her fingers moved steadily against the metal equipment of the Tactical Meteorological Observing System (TMQ-53). Even in adverse conditions Moore’s defining characteristic, her zest for life (in every sense of the word), has led to excellence in a short amount of time in the Air National Guard.
Moore currently serves in the 123rd Combat Weather Flight at Portland Air National Guard Base as a Staff Weather Officer. Her career in the Air National Guard is symbiotic with her goal of becoming a Warrant Officer in the Army as a med-evac helicopter pilot.
“Med-evac draws me in because of the importance of the job and the mission,” said Moore. “Through my time working in weather, I have supported med-evac missions, and I would love to be able to be the one flying those missions.”
Although she has a clear vision of what she wants out of her life and career now, at 18 years old, she was uncertain of the trajectory of what was to come after high school.
“I knew I didn't want a nine to five, that I wanted to travel. I was talking to my mom, I [said] I think I want to be a flight attendant. My mom suggested I think bigger, ‘why not be a pilot?’"
Thus began her journey of enlisting in the Air Force, requesting Combat Weather--- to learn the sky in one capacity, aiding her ability to maneuver through it in the summer to follow.
While waiting for a date for her basic military training, she went to her local airport in pursuit of becoming a pilot. It was there she stumbled upon the program, Discovery Flights---which enables the public to go on a Cessna 172 Skyhawk with an instructor for an hour to the learn the basics.
“Flying was an incredible experience. While it could be stressful at times, it was also incredibly peaceful,” said Moore. “I remember practicing my maneuvers and catching glimpses of various sights on the ground. I especially loved spotting the cows in the fields and the boats gliding across the lakes.”
Post flight, her certified flight instructor educated her on BogiDope, a veteran run program with pilot opportunities. It was here she discovered various scholarships to obtain a pilot's license. Two days after graduating high school, Moore received a Chief of Staff of the Air Force scholarship to the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Flight Academy.
In eight weeks, she was able to obtain her private pilot's certification with the Spartan College of Aeronautics & Tech in Tulsa, Okla. The scholarship covers monetary expenditures such as room and board, tuition, and travel to the participating university.
As the speed of sound is exercised in the air, so were the efforts of the young airman. In two years, she was certified as a pilot, had graduated basic military training and technical school, and then was tasked to her first assignment abroad--- a deployment to Germany.
"The nice thing about weather is essentially there is a big pod of people needing weather support...weather guardsmen can go anywhere supporting Airmen or Army,” said Moore.24-hour operations in an active-duty capacity allowed her to hone her skills in a more dynamic and innate way. Thriving in an environment that emboldened her to be outside her comfort zone, she recalled a favorite memory.
"One moment that stands out is walking along a road on the Amalfi Coast, with the ocean stretching out on one side and lush, vibrant mountains and greenery on the other."
While memorizing these impactful landscapes, she has obtained her Associate of Science at Klamath Community College, knowing that to make it as an Officer in the air, she needs her bachelor’s degree.
These cinematic adventures have given her a preview of what more lies ahead as she awaits a deployment to Kosovo in September. Moore’s version of waiting is not complacent, however. With a full color palette, we know she will be painting the sky soon enough.
| Date Taken: | 02.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.11.2025 10:12 |
| Story ID: | 490532 |
| Location: | PORTLAND AIR GUARD STATION, OREGON, US |
| Web Views: | 227 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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