JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. -- February’s #VoicesoftheVaANG is Tech. Sgt. Keith Whitter, 192nd Maintenance Squadron fuel technician. He shared his story about coming to the Guard and his experiences since:
Q: Where do you call home?
A: I was born and raised in Norfolk.
Q: How long have you been in the Virginia Air National Guard?
A: Since December 2019. I was in the Air Force Reserves, with the 512th MXS in Dover. I moved to AMXS and they were offering me a position there. Then I saw positions here, so I was like Dover or stay local? I was with Dover for about 12 years making that commute.
Q: How did you hear about the Guard?
A: When I was supposed to be applying for the civilian technician position in Dover, I saw all the technician spots that were showing in Langley. So I put in for those positions as well. I got calls back from them, but someone had already applied and filled that slot. But they said they had these AGR slots coming open for the FTU.
Q: What is valuable for you about military service?
A: The camaraderie, experiences. You get to see different walks of life. We have people from different states and different countries. We get to travel. I’ve been to Japan, Scotland, Turkey twice, and Germany. I get to provide for my family. It just has a lot of benefits I enjoy.
Q: Do you have any hobbies or passions that the Guard life makes possible?
A: My daughter is in the age now where she’s doing sports. I’ve coached her t-ball teams. We’re getting into softball this season. I may end up coaching her on softball teams. With the Guard, it really gives you flexibility to do that. It has allowed me to really have the time to be there with her and guide her.
Q: Any advice for fellow Airmen?
A: Don’t be afraid to say hello. You’d be surprised by the people you can meet. We have people here that do electrician work, HVAC, home building, there are so many different avenues. I have met great people, that we have become best friends, I’d almost call them my brother. You miss out on that if you don’t say hello.