Serving through the season: Senior Airman Ayoca Peters

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mikal Canfield
  • 305th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. (AFPN) --  Senior Airman Ayoca Peters knows better than anyone that the Air Force mission does not take a break during the holidays.

While others will be opening gifts or spending time with family and friends, she will be continuing to do her job to ensure Air Force aircrew members can continue to dominate the skies over Iraq and Afghanistan.

"This holiday season I'll be inputting flight data, creating flight orders that support our aircrews to do their jobs in the air," she said.

Airman Peters is an aviation resource management journeyman with the 32nd Air Refueling Squadron here and has been in the Air Force four years.

Although her home station is at McGuire, Airman Peters is one of thousands who will spend this holiday deployed to Southwest Asia supporting operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Being away from her family and friends is tough, but this Brooklyn, N.Y., native and graduate of South Shore High School says she has found a way to make the time easier.

"When I'm away from my family, pictures and music helps me get through the holiday blues," Airman Peters said.

Like anybody else, she would much rather be with her family during this time of year. However, don't feel too sad for her. Airmen just like her are serving around the globe and most would not have it any other way.

"It's always sad being away from my family and friends during the holidays," she added. "But it's all worth it because I and a lot of other servicemembers know what we do contributes to their freedoms so they can enjoy their holidays back home."

Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link)

Click here to view the comments/letters page