MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. – It’s freshman year of college for Airman 1st Class Desman Martin, 22nd Security Forces Squadron patrolman, at the University of South Carolina. The track scholarship he earned drove him during classes and especially his training. A few years later he would find himself in a completely different environment with a much different lifestyle.
Martin had been running track since he was seven years old, but during his third year of college he decided to leave it all behind.
“When our coach that recruited me left and we got a new coach, all of our team chemistry and morale fell apart,” said Martin.
The negative effect on the team led Martin to make one pivotal decision that would change his entire career path.
“Honestly, I saw myself finishing college and getting an endorsement deal for track because I didn’t want a regular job,” said Martin.
“I wanted to do more with my life,” said Martin. “I didn’t want to work a regular nine to five, working for minimum wage with bad hours,” Martin continued.
Since Martin had ties with people in the service, he went to the thing he knew best, the military. He then decided to visit a recruiter. Martin said growing up with a father and brothers that had served in the military gave him the structure he needed to be successful.
“After talking with my [Air Force] recruiter, he explained what security forces does, and since I was almost done with my degree in criminal justice it just made sense to take that route,” expressed Martin.
Martin explained that security forces stood out to him because of the deployments, installations and the special duties that were available.
After leaving for Basic Military Training April 3, 2018, Martin would go on to complete Security Forces technical school and eventually end up at McConnell.
Martin, with a love and passion for running, continued to strive to do more. He applied to become a Phoenix Raven.
The Air Mobility Command’s Phoenix Raven Qualification Course is a vigorous three-week course, where security forces Airmen face 12 hour days training in a multitude of areas including combative classes, live-fire training, physical training sessions, Armament Systems and Procedures Baton training and 15 academic classes.
Airmen that complete the course become a part of a prestigious program who perform their duties flying and protecting AMC aircraft globally.
Martin was accepted to attend the qualification course in September 2019, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. He has achieved a goal he’s strived for since joining the Air Force.
Martin expressed that joining the military and being able to go to this training has given him a sense of purpose that he always wanted. He looks forward to the challenge of the Phoenix Raven training and is excited for all of the opportunities to come.