By Air Force Airman 1st Class Brittain Crolley
4th Fighter Wing
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C., April 2, 2014 – The
auditorium was filled to capacity; more than 500 people, all wearing the same
camouflage-patterned uniform. It was easy to blend in with the masses, which
was her strategy to survive basic military training. A tiny spec in a sea of
green, she thought she was undetectable.
But in an instant, she went from flying under the radar to
being directly in the spotlight. For Air Force Senior Airman Amber Coley, a 4th
Medical Operations Squadron physical therapist here, it was the moment that
completely upended her military career and set her on a journey from being just
another face in the crowd to being one of the faces of the U.S. Air Force Honor
Guard.
Coley watched as members of the Honor Guard took the stage
to demonstrate what being part of the elite group required. The recruiter spoke
to the crowd, explaining not only the professionalism and dedication it took to
fill the shoes of an honor guardsman, but also the physical prerequisites. He
mentioned that females must be at least 5 feet 6 inches tall.
"I heard the recruiter say the minimum height, but he
never said the max," Coley explained. "I knew the idea was for
everyone to look the same, so I raised my hand to ask. I didn't even get a word
out before he asked how tall I was."
She replied, 5 feet 11 inches.
Without hesitation, the recruiter encouraged her to apply
for the Honor Guard. She made the cut.
After completing basic, Coley was sent to Joint Base
Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. for eight weeks of disciplined training.
"It was like BMT on steroids," she described.
"We were on the bus to the base and we weren't even allowed to look out
the windows -- eyes straight forward at all times."
From the moment she got off the bus, Coley said they were
constantly pushed to their physical limits. She had to carry all four of her
bags from BMT, which included her uniforms and gear, a half-mile from where
they were dropped off to their dorms without letting any item touch the ground.
The recruits were also tested on their military bearing,
which Coley said was difficult to adapt to at first.
"Until you've gone through it, you just can't
understand the feeling of standing at attention, staring at your roommate, for
almost three hours straight," Coley said. "But when you're performing
at a funeral and you see a toddler crying and you can't budge, you go back to
that training."
When she finished training and began full-time as an honor
guardsman, Coley was one of only seven females in a group of approximately 260
members. She was also the only female selected to be in the colors flight,
which presents the colors at Air Force specific and joint service events.
During ceremonies, she was responsible for displaying and
guarding the Air Force flag, which carries battle streamers from every conflict
the Air Force has been involved in since its birth as the U.S. Army
Aeronautical Division in 1907. According to Coley, the flag can weigh upward of
40 pounds with all its decorations.
"I gave my blood, sweat and tears to Honor Guard,"
she said. "But at the end of the day, it's a brotherhood and I will
remember the people and the experiences for the rest of my life."
For three years, she performed in countless ceremonies,
retirements and funerals as the standard for discipline and military
professionalism.
"As one of seven, we were the face of women in the Air
Force," Coley said. "We were the example for every little girl who
saw us at a football game or ceremony. It was a lot of pressure, but it just
pushed me to be the best I could be."
After her assignment with the Honor Guard, Coley was
rewarded with a career field of her choice. She opted for physical therapy,
where she continues to set an example for other airmen to follow.
"Senior Airman Coley is an extremely confident young
woman who exemplifies the standards for discipline and military
professionalism," said Air Force Maj. Jana Weiner, a 4th MDOS medical
services flight commander. "She has superb attention to detail in both her
work in patient care as well as the administrative tasks she is asked to
perform."
Whether as an honor guardsman or a physical therapist, Coley
continues the standard on which the Air Force is built upon.
No comments:
Post a Comment