Photo By Staff Sgt. Micah Coate | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Hugo Asencio Aragon, a career development technician with...... read more read more
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. — Before taking the Oath of Enlistment and becoming a U.S. Air Force Airman, Senior Airman Hugo Asencio Aragon was already known by another title: “Doctor.”
A tenured professor with a Ph.D. in public administration and policy, Asencio’s resume reads more like that of a university dean than a junior enlisted Airman. He’s published research, taught college students for over a decade, and held faculty positions at respected institutions. But in 2021, despite his academic achievements and professional status, Asencio made the deliberate choice to enlist in the Air Force Reserve—not for a title or promotion, but for something deeper: service.
“My Ph.D. gave me knowledge,” he said. “But I realized I needed something more. I wanted to serve. I wanted to give back.”
Now working as a Career Development Technician with the 452nd Force Support Squadron, Asencio brings his passion for excellence and personal growth to the personnel office at March Air Reserve Base. His journey—from academic to Airman—is a reminder that service can take many forms, and that sometimes the highest calling is found by starting from the bottom.
Asencio was born and raised in Guatemala and played soccer on Guatemala’s U17 and U20 national teams. He arrived in the United States in 2005 to attend Auburn University at Montgomery on a sports scholarship, but due to an injury during his first collegiate season he shifted his focus permanently toward academics.
“I couldn’t play anymore, so I poured myself into my studies,” he said. “Academics became everything, my passion.”
He earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies in 2007 and the week he was set to return home to Guatemala, one of his professors alerted him to a newly available scholarship for a master’s program in political science. This sparked a new chapter where Asencio completed his graduate degree in international relations—attending most of his classes at Maxwell Air Force Base alongside U.S. military officers. Although he had no plans to join the military at the time, that academic environment planted a quiet seed.
The next opportunity came as a surprise. Asencio was offered a full assistantship to pursue a Ph.D. at Auburn’s main campus. He and his wife, who had traveled to the U.S. with him, were prepared to decline the offer due to housing costs. But two faculty mentors—whom Asencio calls “angels”—privately offered to cover his rent until he finished his degree.
“I was speechless,” he said. “They told me this country needed people like me. That support changed everything.”
He went on to complete the Ph.D. program in just three years—a process that can usually take eight to ten—while teaching American government courses to undergraduate students and being husband and a father to two young sons. He says he wouldn't have been able to accomplish this feat without the support of his wife, Myriam.
"My wife had left her career in Guatemala," he said. "She was sacrificing so much for me. Yes, I took the classes, but she took care of everything else."
After accepting a faculty position at California State University, Dominguez Hills, Asencio settled into life as a professor. He earned tenure, published research on leadership and ethics, and taught graduate and undergraduate courses in public administration. By many measures, he had “made it.” But something still felt incomplete.
“After I got promoted to associate professor, I started asking myself what it all meant,” he said. “I had the title, the job, the credentials—but I was restless.”
That internal shift eventually led him to explore a new form of service—one that, at first, felt completely at odds with his academic identity.
“I woke up one morning with the words ‘Air Force’ in my head,” he said. “I couldn’t explain it, but I knew I had to pursue it.”
Despite being initially disqualified due to a medical issue in his record, Asencio persisted. After follow-up testing, he was cleared and enlisted in the Air Force Reserve. Because he was not a U.S. Citizen at the time, commissioning as an officer was not an option. He became a naturalized citizen during basic military training.
The transition from professor to Airman wasn’t easy. Asencio admits he wrestled with pride and doubt.
“I had moments where I thought, ‘What am I doing here? I’m a Ph.D., and now I’m at the lowest enlisted rank,’” he said. “But once I let go of that ego, everything changed.”
He credits his experience at basic training and tech school, as well as his supervisors Master Sgt. Ritalynn Gonzalez and MSgt. Kristopher "Motivate" Davidson here at March, with humbling him—and deepening his sense of purpose.
“Through the structure, discipline, and the people I met, I saw exactly why I had been called to this,” he said. “It was about shedding pride and choosing service.”
Today, Asencio sees his role in career development as a direct extension of his calling. He works behind the scenes to ensure other Airmen have access to the benefits, promotions, and opportunities that will shape their careers.
“I don’t seek to change anyone’s life,” he said. “I just try to be excellent in what I do—and if that helps someone, then I’ve done my part.”
To those who ask why someone with a doctorate would join as an E-4, Asencio offers a simple answer: “Because this is where I’m supposed to be.”
He still teaches at CSU Dominguez Hills during the week and wears his rank proudly on drill weekends.
“Being a Senior Airman reminds me that rank doesn’t determine your worth,” he said. “Service, humility, and doing the job well—that’s what matters.”
Asencio hopes his story encourages others to pursue excellence in their own path, whether through education, military service, or both.
“Whatever you do, don’t waste your time just going through the motions,” he said. “Work on yourself. Be the best version of who you were created to be. And serve with integrity.”
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2025 18:31 |
| Story ID: | 501504 |
| Location: | MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 99 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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