Career Focus: Three life lessons learned

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Mariana G. Sobolewski
  • Team Kirtland career assistance advisor
It is with great honor that I introduce myself to you as your Team Kirtland career assistance advisor. I am Master Sgt. Mariana G. Sobolewski, originally born and raised in a small town northwest of Bakersfield, Calif., named Wasco to a die-hard Tex-Mex father and an immigrant mother from Mexico.

My parents wanted more for their children than the rough conditions of the grape harvesting and agricultural employment of the San Joaquin Valley. Their struggles to raise their children with the little resources they had available provided the opportunity to demonstrate no matter what the situation, you can surely overcome it.

Above and beyond our hardships, they taught me three life lessons: the importance of hard work, family first, and obtaining an education. As a result of their leadership and the guidance from my father, who was a veteran of World War II, I decided to enlist in the U.S. Air Force in June 1994. I was born and raised in the aviation resource management career field, which is commonly referred to as 1-Charlies. It is not a job that is well known throughout the Air Force unless you are an aircrew member who appreciates their flight pay and the accuracy of tracking flight hours.

I have worked hard to support many missions such as major command instructor duty, incentive flight program coordinator, along with flight records management and aircrew training from the following airframes: F-111, EF-111, B-1B, T-6 Texan II, T-38C and most recently HC130 and MC130 aircraft assigned to the 550th Special Operations Squadron here.

The diverse experiences I have gained by supporting these different missions have allowed me to sharpen my customer service skills to better serve you while I hold this position.

As your newly assigned career assistance advisor, I will always strive to do just that - provide you with the best service available.

As a young Airman, I have been fortunate to work with and be supervised by some of the most outstanding noncommissioned officers, staff noncommissioned officers, and officers alike; people like my own former supervisor retired Senior Master Sgt. Rose Dalipe and my previous squadron commander Lt. Col. Kevin Mastin who displayed and carried out core value leadership, continuously leading by example on a daily basis.

They could be seen demonstrating to their subordinates that people are your No. 1 asset and by taking care of them you are setting your team up for success.

I have taken something away from each and every influential leader in my career and have made it my own. Make no doubt about it, I will continue to honor the principle of "people first" by providing my Kirtland Team the career counseling and professional enhancement education necessary.

I look forward to my next three years as your career assistance advisor. If you would like career assistance or desire more information about enlisted professional development classes or benefits, please contact me at 846-6636 or email mariana.sobolewski@kirtland.af.mil.