"I just love knowing that I'm part of taking care of this country and making sure that we keep all the freedoms that we have now," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Georgina Baldwin. "I just love it. I love the military. It's just like one big family."
Baldwin, an allergy and immunization technician, serves in the 347th Medical Operations Squadron at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Ga. She grew up living the military life with a stepfather in the service. She also grew to love it.
"Ever since I was probably a sophomore in high school, I'd always wanted to join the military," Baldwin said. "That was just something I'd always, always, always planned on doing."
Baldwin is part of a team that works to ensure active duty personnel are up to date on their vaccinations, or "worldwide qualified" for deployment. If personnel are deployed on short notice, Baldwin and her team give needed vaccinations on the flight line.
Her team also vaccinates the families of those active duty personnel, and, of course, she takes care of the ever-needed allergy shots, too.
Baldwin said she joined the Air Force to work in the medical field and is working toward the ultimate goal of getting her nursing degree. She said she is thinking of using that degree to become a part of the Air Force Nurse Corps.
After having been in the Air Force for seven years, with plans to make it a career, Baldwin still does not feel that she has sacrificed anything to serve her country.
"Fortunately for me, my job has been pretty stable," Baldwin said. "I haven't had to do anything out of the ordinary other than attending school here and there and going out of town for different things."
Her husband also is an Air Force staff sergeant and therefore very understanding when her job sends her out of town, she said.
Baldwin has a memory or two that will always stick with her.
"I got to participate in the presidential inauguration when President Bush was inaugurated," Baldwin said. "I was part of the cordon."
While she has not yet been sent to any of the current hot spots, Baldwin said she would like to go. But whether she'll go any time soon is unknown.
Story by Samantha L. Quigley, American Forces Press Service