|
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. – Many airmen discover their path
early in life. Some join the Air Force after graduating high school,
and others wait a few years before making the decision to enlist.
For one airman assigned to the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration
Squadron, deciding to join the Air Force took 11 years.
Staff
Sgt. McGarry Lansiquot, 38, an Aircrew Egress Systems specialist
assigned to the Thunderbirds, was born and raised in Castries, St.
Lucia, an island country located in the Eastern Caribbean Sea. After
graduating high school in 1991, Lansiquot and his twin brother,
McGarret, both decided to leave home.
|
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. McGarry Lansiquot, an aircrew egress technician, holds a portrait of his older brother, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class McGarret Lansiquot, at his home in Las Vegas, Nev., May 16, 2013. Sgt. Lansiquot and his twin brother, McGarret
are both from Castries, St. Lucia, an island country located in the
Eastern Caribbean Sea. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Larry E.
Reid Jr.)
|
“We left home to go live with relatives in the U.S.
Virgin Islands. We stayed there for a year and, decided to
move to New York City to live with our father. It was there
where both my brother and I became U.S. citizens,” Lansiquot
says. “At first, it felt really strange because of all the
tall buildings and the way of life, but after living there
for about a decade, I can honestly say New York is my
favorite city,” he said.
Lansiquot and his brother
spent the next 10 years living in New York City. During that
time, he worked various jobs and went to school. Eventually,
he became a shipping manager for a textile company, but
realized he was ready for a change.
Lansiquot's
brother enlisted in the Army in 1997 and continues to serve
today. He said it was around that time he gained his own
interest in the military, but had reservations.
“After working as a shipping manager for a few years, I had
no sense of fulfillment sitting behind a desk all day,”
Lansiquot said. “I didn't have any job satisfaction so I
decided to do something that I had always thought about, but
was too afraid to do. I decided it was time to join the Air
Force.”
Lansiquot graduated Basic Military Training
in September 2002. He joined at age 27, making him a lot
older than most 18-year-old enlistees, but still right on
time.
“If I would have waited longer to make my
decision, I wouldn't have been eligible to enlist,” he said.
“So I'm glad I finally decided to join.”
He became
an Aircrew Egress Systems Specialist and was stationed at
Beale AFB, Calif., for his first assignment. It was there he
started his Air Force career, he said.
“When I first
started in the Air Force, I didn't fully understand what I
was part of until I started deploying,” he said. “While
stationed at Beale during a six year period, I was deployed
many times. After my second deployment, I really gained a
true understanding of how important my job really was. I
gained a sense of pride and felt accomplished, which was
something I never felt sitting behind a desk in New York.”
As an Aircrew Egress Systems specialist, Lansiquot is
responsible for ensuring aircraft ejection systems are
reliable. He performs equipment maintenance and conducts
periodic inspections.
After six years at Beale,
Lansiquot was stationed at Osan Air Base, South Korea, and
from there moved to Spangdahlem AB, Germany. While stationed
in Germany, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom. After three years in Germany, he
was selected to be part of the Thunderbirds and arrived to
the squadron November 2012.
“I really enjoy being
part of the Thunderbirds team. It's unlike any other unit I
have been assigned to,” he said. “We work together well, and
there is a great sense of unity here. Even though
sequestration has impacted our normal flying operations, we
still have the opportunity to go out and inspire others, and
it feels good to know what we do still impacts so many
people.”
Since his arrival to the Thunderbirds,
Lansiquot has managed to help coordinate the squadron's
oxygen gaseous system upgrade. His flight chief said he's
been a great addition to the team.
“Staff Sergeant
Lansiquot came to the team poised to re-define the term
‘teamwork,'” said Master Sgt. Javier Sari�ana, non
commissioned officer in charge of the Thunderbirds
Specialist Section. “He's extremely dependable. He's a huge
asset to this team because of his knowledge and work ethic.”
Lansiquot is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in
Information Technology. He tries to make trips back to Saint
Lucia every three years or so because many of his relatives
live there. He hopes to continue with his Air Force career
and serve until he's able to retire.
“I am happy I
made the decision to join. I have been extremely fortunate
to be given the opportunity to travel all over the world,”
he said. I recently was able to give my mom a tour of the
Thunderbirds hangar during her visit here and it's a good
feeling to know how proud my family is of me.”
By USAF Tech. Sgt. Alice Diddle
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2013
Comment on this article |
