Serving through the season: Airman 1st Class Ricardo Torrez Jr.

  • Published
  • By Maj. Dani Johnson
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) --  He is asked to save lives and property with no hesitation and he does it no matter what the day, no matter where in the world he is located.

Airman 1st Class Ricardo Torrez Jr. is a firefighter with the 18th Civil Engineer Squadron here and this year he is spending his holiday knowing what it means to put service before self.

He has only been in the Air Force for 10 months but this Airman knows what he does makes a difference not only to his fellow Airmen and the Air Force but to his wife Krystal and their 8-month-old son Ricardo III.

"This holiday I will be at the firehouse waiting for the call and hoping it doesn't come," said the San Antonio native. "I will also be preparing for my deployment to Iraq in January."

The 2004 graduate of Robert E. Lee High School wishes he was in San Antonio with his parents Ricardo and Cindy as well as his twin sisters Jessica and Jennifer.

"It's hard being away from family and friends for the first time but I have my wife and son to keep me happy so in a way it is like I never left home," Airman Torrez said. "Jessica just got engaged to her boyfriend Bobby so it would be great to be there and tease them because they have been going out forever and now are finally taking the next step."

While being at home would be nice, he admits there is nothing he'd rather be doing (than serving in the Air Force).

Like Airmen in Iraq, Afghanistan, Europe, the Pacific, other world hot spots and across the nation during the holiday season, Airman Torrez knows about sacrifice. Airmen are warfighters. They are highly trained, skilled and valued members of the force fighting the war on terror. They are always ready to do their job, no matter what day it is. Also, Airman Torrez won't be alone; he will turn to his Air Force family for support.

"The guys in the fire station are like another family to me," explains Airman Torrez.

As he celebrates the holiday with his wife and son, he knows soon he will be heading to Balad Air Base, Iraq, and will truly understand the meaning of being an Airman.

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