Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas -- “I joined the Air Force because I wanted to travel and get a college education,” and an opportunity to get a college education at the U.S. Air Force Academy is what she got.
Senior Airman Samantha Parkhurst joined for the same reason many do, and like many, she has received much more than expected.
The Scottsville, Kentucky, native graduated Basic Military Training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and followed on to Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, for technical training as a bioenvironmental engineering technician.
“Technical school made me feel like I would be doing things no one else would even imagine doing,” said Parkhurst. “It made me aware of how everything I did would affect not only my future, but also everyone else’s future in the Air Force.”
She arrived here in August 2014 as a 47th Medical Operations Squadron technician and has since strived for growth not only as a person, but as an Airman in the Air Force.
“I love what I do and I love the Air Force, and I wanted to do more,” said Parkhurst. “My supervisor’s encouragement helped me accomplish my goals. There were times that I just wanted to give up, but with my supervisor’s motivation and mentoring, I pushed through.”
She has proven herself time and time again as an Airman and as a medical technician.
“Whether managing the wing's respiratory protection program or the industrial engineering control program, Parkhurst has stepped up to the plate and has knocked it all out of the park,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Wittman-Havens, 47th MDOS NCO in charge of Bioenvironmental Engineering and Parkhurst’s supervisor. “It can be overwhelming coming to Laughlin as a new bioenvironmental engineering technician. We ask a lot of our Airmen, and every time, Parkhurst went above and beyond to ensure her programs were spot on. She will do great things, just as she has done over the past two years here.”
Since at Laughlin, Parkhurst has volunteered much of her time to the local community, become president of the Base Airmen Against Drunk Driving program and completed her Associate of Applied Science in Bioenvironmental Engineering Technology.
“I love learning,” said Parkhurst. “This degree is the first of many stepping stones in my path to achievement.”
Parkhurst exceeded the standards of an Airman and plenty could see it. The proof of her excellence came not only from achieving Senior Airman Below the Zone, but in other areas of her professional life. Her hard work was paying off.
“I was on leave in April of this year when I got phone call,” said Parkhurst. “My supervisor had been trying to get a hold of me to tell me my squadron commander wanted to ask me a question about my [enlisted performance report]. I was scared something had gone wrong or that they were calling me back from leave. But then I got another call and was asked, ‘how would it look on your EPR if it says you are a graduate of the Air Force Academy?’”
Parkhurst was left speechless as she found out she had been selected to attend the Academy Preparatory School through the Leaders Encouraging Airman Development program. The commissioning program, LEAD, was started to give unit commanders the opportunity to recognize and nominate their highly qualified and deserving enlisted Airmen to attend the Academy or the Academy Preparatory School.
“There’s so many things I want to do,” said Parkhurst. “I want to be a doctor (probably an Anesthesiologist) but I also want to be a pilot. If you ask me again in a few days, my answer will probably be different.”
While Parkhurst is excited for her future in Colorado and looks forward to the adventures she’ll experience, she doesn’t deny she’ll miss Laughlin.
“I’ll miss the friends I’ve made here, and the close knit community we have here,” she said. “I hope to bring that kind of attitude and sense of belonging to my next Air Force calling.”
As she continues onto Colorado Springs, Colorado, for prep school and awaits a future as an officer in the Air Force, Parkhurst is overwhelmed with the endless possibilities in the selection of a new job.