Master Sergeant
Brenda Rodriguez
U.S. Air Force
“When I first joined, I had put some thought
into building a career serving in the Air
Force, as I had a spirit of discovery,” states
Master Sergeant Brenda Rodriguez about
her beginnings in the military. “Along the
way, I figured I would take it year by year
and then see. As time went by, I had many
great experiences, met some great friends, and traveled to many places
around the world. Ultimately, I decided that serving my country was my
calling.”
She has distinguished herself by meritorious achievement while
participating in sustained aerial flight as Presidential Flight Attendant
Flight Chief of Operations Support, Presidential Airlift Squadron,
Presidential Airlift Group, 89th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Andrews,
Maryland. She exhibited professionalism and superior performance
beyond normal expectations while amassing 241 flight hours
transporting the President of the United States of America to 50 states
and 10 countries, and was essential to the Presidential Airlift Group’s
100 percent departure reliability rate.
Additionally, she managed $45,000 in service requirements, supported
48 presidential missions, and assured the quality and safety of over 2000
meals for over 1200 passengers aboard Air Force One.
Captain Amparo E.
Romero Ortiz
U.S. Air Force
“I joined the military because I always
wanted to serve my country,” says
Captain Amparo Elizabeth Romero Ortiz,
U.S. Air Force. “I wanted to be part of
something greater than myself and have
an impact on others.”
Captain Romero Ortiz is recognized
of her outstanding leadership in combat
and on sensitive reconnaissance
missions, and her tireless efforts to continue her education and promote
the STEM field to the younger generations. In addition, she was voted as
the Student Council President for her six-week Squadron Officer School
training, where she organized several hours of volunteer and community
service to the city of Montgomery, Alabama.
In addition to excelling at her primary duties, she has been
working toward a graduate degree in Astronautical Engineering. “Being
one of very few Latinas gives me the strength to continue to
represent my community and what all we can bring to the table,” she
shares. “It is important for Latinas/Latinos to feel like they are being
represented in the military, and hopefully it gives them the courage to go
for it and pursue their dreams. Si Se Puede, you can accomplish
anything you set your mind to.”
Martha P. Flores
U.S. Air Force
Martha P. Flores distinguished herself as
Systems Element Chief, 453d Electronic
Warfare Squadron, Joint Base San
Antonio-Lackland, Texas. She managed
a $12.8 million threat detection system
capable of processing in excess of
nine million worldwide signals per
month with minimal interruptions or
maintenance down time.
Her efforts ensured national databases were provided high-fidelity
updates for newly discovered threat system changes. Additionally,
she led an 11-member team that enhanced geolocation and site
processing algorithms for a revolutionary automated flagging analysis
system. These new algorithms saved over 1,500 labor-intensive
man-hours per year.
Her initiative to modernized coding resulted in a more efficient
database allowing the systems core processes analysis to go from
multiple hours to five minutes. The system’s automated anomaly
detection is able to eradicate millions of redundant signals which was
key to her section’s success in light of dire manning constraints. She
directed a critical system software deployment which is capable of
validating 6.6 million signals and 10,500 modes.
Xiomara Torres
Coast Guard
Exchange
Xiomara Torres has been working at the
Coast Guard Exchange for 22 years,
beginning in 1997. Through the years, she
has been an excellent asset to the Coast
Guard Exchange System. She has worked
in almost every department in the
Borinquen Coast Guard Exchange. Her
dedication and commitment to be the very
best that she can be has greatly contributed to her successful rise in the
company to her current position as Department Manager at the Borinquen
Coast Guard Exchange.
She drives sales results, delivers excellent customer service and
always looks for the opportunity to keep growing and developing herself
as a professional in a healthy environment. Torres is very proactive,
participating for 10 years in the Morale Committee as the Vice-Chair and is
currently the Chairman of the Morale Committee.
She has continually participated in National Heritage Celebration events
and has partnered with many different community organizations to collect
donations of food, clothing, gifts, books and other fundraisers for the needy
and less unfortunate. Her passion and dedication was highlighted in the
aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico.
30 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle Vol. 25, No. 6, 2019
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