Photo By Airman 1st Class Alicia Campbell | U.S. Air Force Airman Deborah Oluwafemi, an air transportation function apprentice...... read more read more
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MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – It was the crisp uniform and the way she moved with confidence and authority that inspired this Airman to join the military. Her sister seemed to radiate the kind of strength and resilience that commanded respect and appreciation, and she wanted that for herself.
Airman Deborah Oluwafemi, an air transportation function apprentice assigned to the 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron, admired her sister for a variety of reasons but seeing her excel in her military career and how she could support her family set the tone for Oluwafemi’s desire to serve. “My sister is my role model, she’s always been that person that I looked up to, I admire her work ethic and strength,” she said. “She brought five of us to the U.S. by herself, it’s incredible that one person could do that.”
Oluwafemi is originally from Lagos, Nigeria. In 2015, when Oluwafemi was 18, her sister brought her to the U.S. along with four other family members. For the next eight years, Oluwafemi went to school, got married and held various jobs to include catering and modeling, but she wanted something more substantial: to join an organization with an honored heritage that she would be proud to serve.
Oluwafemi thought back to her sister’s service, the stability the military created and the opportunities it gave her sister to serve. “My sister was serving the country and helping in any way she could,” she said. “It takes a lot to say you’re going to give your life to this thing, and that was what I saw in her, that is why I decided to join.”
Her sister, a U.S. Army soldier, recommended she join the Air Force and that was the path she followed, joining in January of 2024.
Oluwafemi reflects on how joining the Air Force gave her the structure and discipline needed to stay committed. “With the military you cannot just walk out, which was what I needed. I needed something that would ground me and give me some direction,” she said.
As an air transportation function apprentice assigned to MacDill Air Force Base, Oluwafemi has found a new purpose and direction in being proficient at her job. “I get to wake up and come to work and help in any way I can and I’m grounded in that,” she said.
The Air Transportation Unit at MacDill AFB is a small team of approximately 10 personnel responsible for passenger, ramp, cargo, special handling and fleet services. Air Trans personnel at MacDill differ from other bases because they perform all of these functions collectively, while Airmen at other locations are typically assigned to one specific service. This creates a small, close-knit team of Airmen capable of performing a wide range of air transportation activities.
As an air transportation specialist, Oluwafemi has had many opportunities to develop professionally and cites her leadership and coworkers as strong fixtures for her growth. “I’m grateful that MacDill is my first base. My NCOs and coworkers are great; they are amazing leaders,” she said.
With the support of her NCOs and peers, Oluwafemi has become one of the lead instructors for increment monitor training, a class that teaches personnel how to properly pack, weigh and stage cargo for inspection before loading onto U.S. military aircraft.
“The Air Force is helping me to get out there, they're putting me out in front of people to speak,” she said. Although public speaking is uncomfortable for her, she embraces the challenge and appreciates her leadership for giving her these opportunities to grow.
As she excels in her career, Oluwafemi is looking forward to providing a greater impact to her peers. She currently serves as vice president for the LRS booster club and expresses interest in serving as an honor guardsman. The reminder of her sister’s commitment to serve and one of the Air Force’s Core Values, service before self, fosters Oluwafemi’s innate desire to give back, giving her direction.
As she looks to the future, Oluwafemi hopes to one day become a Military Training Instructor (MTI) and mentor the next generation of Airmen. “I had an MTI that was amazing. Don't get me wrong, she was strict, but she was one of those MTIs that you could still go and talk to and she gets it,” she said. “I want to give that back to other people.”
Not only did Oluwafemi find stability in life but she discovered that the Air Force provided a sense of discipline, a sense of community and opportunities to serve.
| Date Taken: | 02.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.24.2025 09:11 |
| Story ID: | 491354 |
| Location: | FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 463 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Rooted in service: How the Air Force gave one Airman purpose, by A1C Alicia Campbell, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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