Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska -- Some Airmen who wish to further their education can’t find the time in their day on top of their workload and taking care of their families.
A handful of Airmen, in different parental situations, share a glimpse of their busy lives to show others that working toward a Community College of the Air Force degree, working full-time and raising a family is possible with discipline and support.
“I feel like mil-to-mil is tough because we both work at the same time and juggle school work while working together to take care of our child,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Quintin Lacewell, 673d Security Forces Squadron vehicle control officer in charge. “It’s all just time management, getting all your work done on time and not waiting for the last minute – or two days before it’s due – because anything can happen, like if your child gets sick, they will obviously take precedence.”
He said that one technique to help manage their time is to switch into an almost robot-like mode to complete tasks as quickly and effectively as possible. As soon as Lacewell would get home, he would start making dinner and when his wife would get home, she would put their child to sleep, to make time in the evening to do homework.
“I experienced a lot of challenges during the time I was finishing my degree,” said Senior Airman Jennifer Cuadro Sanes, 90th Fighter Squadron command support staff. “One of them was being a single mom. Another challenge was the fact that English is my second language … Some of the classes were very challenging for me, like public speaking for example.”
She was able to trudge through those difficulties with the support of her leadership, drive to learn, and the motivation to secure her daughter’s future. Cuadro Sanes is a life learner who earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice before joining the Air Force. Now that she finished her CCAF, she plans to focus on getting a Master of Education.
“Some of the classes were very beneficial for me to be a better Airman, [and even though] getting better at public speaking is still a work in progress, taking these classes for my CCAF definitely made my skills better and boosted my confidence,” Cuadro Sanes said. “I always felt like I didn’t have enough time during the day to finish all my tasks, but I found motivation in my daughter every time I felt like giving up.”
There are a lot of obstacles to getting back to school while working full time. Air Force Staff Sgt. Cassandra Jones, 673d Force Support Squadron unit deployment manager, had several obstacles, but after the birth of her second child, she decided it was time to finally earn her CCAF degree. She only had a few college courses before joining the Air Force and took a break on her studies while she worked and took care of her family.
Jones said she was motivated and pushed by her family and coworkers. Her parents especially wanted their daughter to exceed academically because she would be the first in her immediate family to earn a college degree. She was also driven by coworkers going through similar courses to try her best and keep up.
“If you’re now getting back through the door and didn’t have the hottest scores, don’t let that deter you -- I went from the bare minimum GPA in college before the military, to now graduating with honors,” she said. “It’s hard, but it’s 100 percent doable, through exercises and 12-hour shifts.”
It may be difficult taking the first step toward a higher education, but every Airman is provided the tools to succeed if they apply themselves and don’t stop.
“Do your [career development courses] first, do them well, because the sooner you get them done, the sooner you can pursue schooling,” Jones said. ‘Even if you’re not a fan of your job, getting the CCAF degree in your field will only take two years.
“It’s free through tuition’s assistance, and – if not all – most of those credits will be transferable,” she said. “When you’re done, you’re halfway through to your next degree.”
The CCAF degree take credits from Basic Military Training, technical school, professional military education, Airman Leadership School and the Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, making up almost half of the degree depending on the Airman’s Air Force Specialty Code for all active-duty, Reserve and National Guard Airmen.
The first step is always the hardest, but for Airmen, it was already taken at BMT. Taking one class a semester or more after finishing CDCs is just another step in being a life-long learner.