Photo By Tech. Sgt. Wesley Jones | Maj. Kamisha Smith becomes the 117th Maintenance Squadron Commander at Sumpter Smith...... read more read more
Subscribe
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-- Failure is an inevitable experience everyone will face at one point or another. Often, it is also the catalyst for our greatest success stories. For Maj. Kamisha Smith, failing out of pilot training and taking a job at Waffle House was the beginning of her story.
Smith is a military child. As the oldest of four siblings, Smith had to move as her father’s naval career dictated. Despite seeing her dad’s career it wasn’t until college that Smith felt like she wanted to make the military a part of her life. She joined the Georgia Tech ROTC program while attending Morris Brown College.
The military was the vehicle but not in the way Smith had anticipated. Morris Brown lost its accreditation during her senior year. Creating a roadblock to her plans. Still, ROTC led to her enlisting in the Air Force and taking that path.
Despite this setback Smith became a Boom Operator for the KC-135 stationed in Grand Forks, ND. She learned after a few short years that her duty station was shrinking in numbers and the next location didn’t seem promising. She was going to quit. With her out-processing papers in hand, she received a call asking her if she wanted to join the 99th Air Refueling Squadron in Birmingham, AL as an alternative assignment. She said yes.
Smith still longed for more out of her career. She wanted to be a pilot. Determined, she finished her degree while stationed in Grand Forks and was eventually selected to go to pilot training while stationed in Birmingham. Four months into the program she found herself failing and knew it wasn’t the right place for her to be. It was the first time that her own actions led to failure in her life.
“I got in my own head,” said Smith. “I didn’t believe in myself at that point in my life and my actions followed.”
Smith was now a commissioned officer and she couldn’t go back to being a boom operator without resigning her commission and being a pilot was out of the question. There was nowhere for her to go.
“I went to a job fair and ended up working at Waffle House as a unit manager while I came to drill as a traditional guard member at the 117th Air Refueling Wing,” said Smith. “It was the lowest point in my life.”
Smith knew there was more for herself and her career. Even if it was not obvious at that point in her life.
While figuring out her next step, the then 117th Maintenance Group Commander, retired Col. Scott Grant, called and offered her a position in the group. Just the opportunity that Smith needed.
She worked extremely hard in maintenance and was eventually selected to be the Wing Executive Officer under Grant’s command in 2019. This is where Smith says that she figured it out.
“The Wing Executive position was extremely difficult,” said Smith. “But it allowed me to build relationships and allowed me to get an idea of where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do.”
It was a front row seat or as Smith calls it a “peak behind the curtain” into everything that went on at the base. Smith said she used her intuition to learn from the other group and squadron commanders. She picked out their strengths and weaknesses, forming her own ideas and goals.
Her responsibilities grew over time and so did her vision. In the Spring of 2022, Smith was chosen to be the 117th Maintenance Squadron Commander.
She still keeps a ballpoint pen from the Waffle House where she worked to remind her of where she’s come from but also where she’s going.
“That pen is a great reminder and it’s very important to me,” said Smith. “I’ve learned that people want you to shoot them straight, to tell them the truth.”
As a new leader and mentor, Smith said she uses her honesty and transparency to influence her Airmen.
Smith would remind any young Airman who has failed that it’s not about the failure, but more about how you respond next leading you to the key to success.
| Date Taken: | 09.15.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 09.15.2022 16:13 |
| Story ID: | 429418 |
| Location: | BIRMINGHAM, AL, US |
| Web Views: | 241 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, From Waffle House to Commander: How one officer overcame waves of adversity to achieve success, by TSgt Wesley Jones, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT