SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- The Weasel of the Week series asks Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, heroes, experts, and all-around great Airmen to share their likes, dislikes, Air Force spirit and personalities. We sat down with Staff Sgt. Amanda Gorbet, 20th Fighter Wing Command Post emergency action controller, to get to know her. Gorbet manages all console operations, to include the maintenance of 110 checklists. Please explain your career field and job.
I manage and perform activities within fixed ground, mobile and airborne command and control facilities such as installation and expeditionary command posts, operation centers, rescue coordination centers, and Combatant Command and Major Command centers. Here at Shaw, we are an installation command post. We are the hub for all critical information and emergency actions on base; to include, but not limited to, emergency weather alerts, base lockdowns, in flight and ground emergencies and security measure changes. We are also responsible for up channeling all message traffic to the commanders via operational reporting and commander’s discretion reporting. Lastly, we track all transient aircraft arriving and departing the base.
How do you affect the wing’s mission capabilities?
We are a 24/7 manned asset. Our job requires us to be alert at all times in case emergency actions are required.
What inspires you to strive and excel at your job?
My inspiration is from seeing how my leaders lead others making a difference in my Airmen’s lives and careers.
What advice do you have for people coming into your career field?
Always be ready to be on your “A” game. We have to be ready to respond to any situation and take the correct actions. Our reactions can save lives.
What is your proudest moment since you arrived here?
My proudest moment was when I won Airman of the Year, for my career field. All of the work I did at the Air Mobility Division really helped me understand the importance of our job.
How do you define success and how does this definition of success help you succeed in your career field?
I define success in two ways; personal and professional. Personally, I like to help people, and I really like to help my troops progress in their careers. If I see them progressing, I see that as success. Professionally, I define success as completing taskers that I set for myself as well as improving the overall functionality of the Command Post.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, I see myself with a Bachelors in homeland security and emergency management. I also see myself still being stationed at Buchel Air Base, Germany with the next rank and to have another baby. I currently have an assignment to Buchel, and I am very excited for the opportunity.
What is one change you wish you could make to the Air Force or your career field?
One change I think would help a lot of families is a 24/7 childcare facility. Being a shift worker, I definitely feel the struggles of trying to find childcare while working nightshift. I know a lot of other families struggle with this as well.
What is one thing you wish people knew about your job?
We are not the base operator! Kidding, we are happy to connect personnel to where they need to be patched through to whomever they need. I do wish people knew how much we effect the mission.
What is one thing that is taken for granted about your job?
One thing I took for granted at previous bases was not being in school. While I was at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, the mission tempo was slower and I could have gotten a lot of school work complete.
What impact have you made in your career field and at this base?
One impact that I have made to my career field is that I was the first controller to conduct agile operations. Agile operations gives our career field the opportunity to become mobile, which has never been done in this career field before.