JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. -- Staff Sgt. Keiana Joyce Bales represents the multifaceted lives of Virginia's citizen Airmen. The 28-year-old personnel specialist and 192nd Operations Group Commander Support Staff member with the 192nd Wing, Virginia Air National Guard, seamlessly balances her military career with the roles of devoted wife and doting mother.
Bales' father, a veteran with over 25 years of Air Force service, planted a seed that would grow into her own passion for military service.
"My dad is my biggest inspiration," Bales said. "I wanted to be able to provide for my family like he did."
This inspiration would create an early military calling and a long-standing legacy of service for Bales and her family.
"When I graduated high school, I wanted to join the military right away because I saw the great opportunities it can provide for you and your family," she said.
Bales joined the VaANG in November 2019 as an intelligence analyst and later cross-trained into her current role as a personnelist.
"Outside of the VaANG, I am a wife to fellow National Guardsman Master Sgt. Jeremy Bales. I am also a mom – I have two sons, Jackson (7) and Kai (1), with a baby on the way," Bales said. "We spend a lot of time playing sports and traveling when possible."
Her ability to thrive in different spheres makes Bales a compelling example for younger generations considering possible military futures for themselves.
"Whether you are going to school or still deciding your direction or purpose in life, this is a great place to start," she said. "And it may just be where you create a legacy of your own."
In fulfilling the dual roles of Airman and family anchor, Bales allows her community a window into the lives of Virginia's citizen Airmen who stand ready to serve.