Serving through the season: Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Eggel

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Francesca Popp
  • U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs
CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti, Africa (AFPN) --  Elizabeth Eggel has one more helmet and survival vest to inspect before she can call it a day. But, she'll do the same thing tomorrow and during the rest of the holiday season, ensuring the aircrew equipment is ready to go at a moment's notice.

The staff sergeant would like to be at home with her family, husband and dogs, but knows she is one of many Airmen deployed around the world supporting the mission.

"Being Hispanic, all the cousins, aunts, uncles, grandma, grandpa, Mom and Pop get together during the holidays and make tamales in an assembly line. On Christmas day, we eat them and it's really good," Sergeant Eggel said, adding that she will celebrate the holidays when she returns home in January.

"I hope my parents are proud of me and that my husband is safe."

The 24-year-old aircrew life support technician with the 79th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron has a unique assignment. She is the only Air Force member in her career field deployed to the camp and said she feels "confident" filling this position. The six-year Air Force veteran from San Jose, Calif., also supports the Navy and Army here by downloading frequencies and inspecting each service's survival radios.

"Working in a combat and rescue unit provides unique challenges," said the sergeant, who supports 42 servicemembers here. "Lives are at stake, and the survival and communication equipment must work properly. I serve to keep our aircrews ready to fight another day."

Sergeant Eggel, a 2000 graduate of Oak Grove High School, is a member of a rescue unit that flies HC-130P Hercules aircraft. She is responsible for maintaining and inspecting life support equipment used by the aircrew members.

She and her husband, Staff Sgt. Ivan Eggel, are no strangers to deploying. This is her fourth deployment and her husband, who is an Air Force pararescueman, is currently deployed to Afghanistan. Even though she is separated from her husband, Sergeant Eggel said she communicates with him often via e-mail and phone calls.

"I think it's a good thing that we're both deployed right now," she said. "We don't mind being away from each other during the holidays, because we know when we go back home we can celebrate."

Sergeant Eggel, like so many other Airmen deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Ecuador, South Korea and other hot spots around the world during the holiday season, knows about sacrifice. Airmen are warfighters. They are highly trained, skilled and valued members of the interdependent force fighting the war on terror. They are always ready to do their job, no matter what day it is.

While the self-proclaimed "people person" is a little bummed out about not being home, she said it's not stopping her from completing the mission at hand. "I don't want to dwell on it."

Sergeant Eggel said deploying with her squadron from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., and staying busy is helping her get through the holidays. Additionally, squadron members will have a holiday party, play board games and exchange gifts.

"I have my friends, my extended family, to spend the holidays with," she said. "Since our crew is on alert, I'd rather be here for them just in case they do get launched or need me."

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