Joining the other blue side

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amber Ashcraft
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  "I, Jane Doe, having been appointed a second lieutenant, in the United States Air Force, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States, against all enemies, foreign and domestic..."

Two Airmen, having once repeated the Oath of Enlistment, will soon have to change a few words for their Oath of Office.

Senior Airman Megan France and Staff Sgt. Annabel Monroe, both from the 2nd Operations Support Squadron, recently found out they were accepted to begin schooling to become Air Force officers.

"We were having a safety briefing, that turned out to be just a guise, when our squadron and group commanders, chief and first shirt walked in," said France, Intel Analyst with the 20th Bomb Squadron. "They played it off like I was out of regulation at first about my rank, and having just sewn on Senior Airman below the zone, I was kind of freaked out that maybe I hadn't really made it. But when they pulled out two gold bars, I realized what was happening."

The two Airmen spent eight months preparing their packages to become officers and then another four waiting to see if they were accepted.

"After awhile, the doubt started to set in on whether we had done everything right," said Monroe, NCO-in-charge of the 2 OSS analysis section. "It was stressful waiting; but as soon as I saw those bars and everyone was excited, it hit me. When they asked for a speech, all I could get out was that I hadn't gotten there by myself and I thanked everyone for believing in my potential. As soon as I said that, the tears came."

Both France and Monroe, who are in a critically manned career field, worked together to get their packages completed. The friends were able to support each other through the process, exchanging e-mails and phone calls even while France was deployed to Guam.

"Some days, I'd be awake until 3 a.m. just to speak with her about what needed to be accomplished," said France.

In the very beginning though, the thought of becoming an officer was an internet search history away.

"I've wanted to become a nurse for awhile, so since I didn't know where to start, I simply looked up on the internet 'how to become an officer'," said France.

The search led to several Reserve Officer Training Corps websites and minimal information about other programs available.

"We decided to just set up an appointment with the education office to get more details about trading in our stripes for bars," said Monroe.

Alejandro Vega, Education Services Specialist, worked with the Airmen to find out what programs they qualified for and showed them other packages that had been submitted for becoming an officer as examples.

Out of the five programs offered to enlisted Airmen, the Scholarship for Outstanding Airmen to ROTC and the Airman Scholarship and Commissioning Program were awarded to France and Monroe respectively.

"We had originally thought we wouldn't be competitors," said France. "But when there is only one slot Air Force Global Strike Command funds and 20 slots the Air Force ROTC funds, it was pretty inevitable."

The recipients of both programs will separate from active duty and have an obligation with ROTC while attending college.

"I separate 30 days before my first day of class, which is Aug. 13," said France. "We have to report to our ROTC detachment in Ruston immediately. I'll be attending North Western State University College of Nursing in Shreveport so I will be a cross-town ROTC student."

Both France and Monroe will be attending the same ROTC detachment, so their journey will still continue together.

"Though I'll be attending Louisiana Technical College, we'll still see each other at ROTC engagements," said Monroe. "It will be different for sure, since we both know what it's like to be active duty. But it's an obligation we're gladly taking, since it leads the way to becoming officers."

While the Airmen's day-to-day duties will soon be changing, the support they received in their current jobs was overwhelming.

"I'm sincerely grateful for everyone in my shop," said France. "Our lieutenants really had our backs as well and everyone's excited for us so it has made the journey worthwhile."

After all the medical clearances, studying and testing for the Air Force Qualifying Test, interviews with commanders, several recommendation letters, more than 10 signatures needing to be routed and plenty of hurry up and wait time, the two Airmen are confident in their longer, commissioned commitment to the Air Force.

"I would like to become a clinical social worker," said Monroe. "I'm also hoping my enlisted background will help me as an officer, because I'll know what it's like to be an Airman and NCO. As an officer, I get to lead in a bigger, broader and more strategic level. Before, I wanted to be a chief; now, maybe a general."

France is also excited to finally have the opportunity to work towards her dream job.
"I would like to become a combat nurse and be stationed in Germany," she said. "I always wanted to be in the medical field and before I joined the Air Force, I volunteered in hospitals and worked in a neonatal intensive care unit with the babies. Someone has to do it; someone has to help those who can't do it for themselves. What better way than to help our wounded warriors?"

Monroe and France have become successful examples of trading in their stripes. With other Airmen asking questions and wanting to view their packages to see how it's done, they've become an inspiration for those wanting to advance their Air Force careers as well.

In the end, both women will be joining the other blue side of the Air Force and continuing their duty.

"...that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, so help me God."