Spotlight on Airmen: Aerospace Medical Services Specialist

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Patrick P. Evenson
  • 139th Airlift Wing
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. --  Name: Airman 1st Class Chayla Hurd

Job:  Aerospace Medical Services Specialist

Unit:  139th Medical Group

Why did you join the Air National Guard?

"I joined for school.  I needed help through that.  I also joined for the healthcare experience.  I joined here at the 139th specifically for the Homeland Response Force (HRF).  I thought that was a really neat mission. "

The Department of Defense set up 10 military response forces across the country to help civil authorities in the case of natural or manmade disasters.  The Missouri National Guard is the host command of this region's HRF that comprises Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.

Each HRF is composed of 570 Guardsmen that specialize in decontamination, search and extraction, security, and in the case of the 139th Medical Group, medical care.

What do you like best about your job?

"I like the patient interaction; getting to know the patients, helping them through the cycle, and getting them back on their way."

"I'm working to get into physician assistant school, so this gives me the healthcare experience for that."

"The Air National Guard in general is a good opportunity for the experiences, for the finances, and for the people you meet. "

"It was a neat experience getting to travel this past year more than I have ever done before.  Being able to go places and seeing things that I probably wouldn't have been able to see otherwise."