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Senior Airman Aldridge: Airman to the core

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Daniel Blackwell
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Growing up in a single parent home where his mother worked three jobs while attending night school, and with two brothers (one younger and one older) who depended on him to pick up the slack, Senior Airman Alexander Aldridge, 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle operator, learned the Air Force core values early in his life.

The Air Force core values; integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do, cannot be learned overnight. In Aldridge's case, his childhood served as a means to understand and master these values.

Aldridge was born in North Carolina, raised (and spent the majority of his childhood) in Connecticut and frequently visited his family in Jamaica.

His parents were separated, so Aldridge spent the majority of his life with his mother, but often visited his father and family members in Jamaica.

After making the decision to go back to school to provide a better lifestyle for Aldridge and his brothers, his mother maintained working two to three jobs while attending night school to make ends meet.

Through doing so, she displayed to Aldridge the value of hard work and commitment to achieve one's goals in life.

Hard work and commitment are synonymous with Air Force core values and the dedication and perseverance that the Air Force mission requires, Aldridge said.

"I learned, from watching my mother work like she did," Aldridge explained. "That diligence and persistence is the key to success in life."

Outside of a strong work ethic, Aldridge also witnessed his mother illustrate the values of selflessness and personal sacrifice.

The military is a lifestyle full of sacrifice, Aldridge explained. It calls for personal sacrifice, and requires spouses, children and family to sacrifice as well.

Growing up seeing his mother work much more than she rested, required Aldridge to pick up a lot of the slack around the house. He learned firsthand what sacrifice looked and felt like.

"Even though she never had the fanciest clothes or the newest things, she always made sure my brothers and I had the latest and greatest of everything."

"It wasn't until I got older that I recognized what my mother was sacrificing for us," he continued.

Aldridge attributes much of his professional success to his father as well. Through structure, discipline and accountability he came to accept the core values of integrity and excellence.

"When I visited my dad, it was more structured than with my mom." Aldridge said. "Everything had a schedule and he wanted to know where you were and what you were doing before you left the house. I guess that's where I got my militant discipline for structure from. His structure taught me to be accountable for, and deliberate in, my actions and whereabouts not only for my sake, but for the sake and peace of mind of those around me."

"He always pushed me to do better at everything I did," Aldridge explained. "I might be happy to get a B on my report card, but he would ask why I didn't have an A. He always supported me, but pushed me to strive for excellence in everything I did."

"Being great or good at something isn't enough for me," he continued. "My father taught me that once you make it to the top of your mountain; you look for another one to climb."

Aldridge internalized and lived these values throughout his childhood.

After finishing high school, Aldridge pursued a pharmaceutical degree through North Carolina Central and Saint Augustine College.

"I feel like because I learned the Air Force core values at a young age, it gave me a leg up on a lot of my peers in more than one way."

After finishing his degree, Aldridge felt that he had a lot to offer his country and wanted to serve.

"I really feel like everyone should serve their country for at least one term, so they can better understand the freedoms we enjoy each day as Americans," Aldridge explained. "After thinking it over and talking with my father, I felt the Air Force had the most to offer me. And the Air Force had pretty cool commercials too, which helped."

"Before I even arrived at basic, I lived and respected the Air Force core values," Aldridge explained. "Everything my parents instilled in me really set me up for a great Air Force career. I can't thank them enough."

Aldridge went to technical school for operations intelligence and joined the Air Force as an operations intelligence analyst.

After spending a few months in this career field, Aldridge cross trained into vehicle operations.

"I sometimes feel like (in vehicle ops) we're the ninjas of the Air Force, forgotten, working behind the scenes in the shadows to get the mission done," Aldridge said. "But coming here taught me that everybody has an important job in the Air Force. No one can do it alone; it takes us all working together."

In his new career field, Aldridge performs daily duties from 'tracker trailer runs,' (moving various vehicles and equipment around base as needed) to detailing government vehicles and administrative office work.

"Aldridge is a very hard worker with awesome work ethic," said Tech. Sgt. Clyde Rankins, 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron equipment support supervisor. "He's an outstanding senior airman, who always puts the mission first."

"I'm really enjoying my Air Force experience so far," Aldridge explained. "I hope to have many more years ahead of me."

Aldridge continues to act on the core values instilled in him by his parents and reinforced by the Air Force. Even though it is not required of him, he personally strives to achieve beyond the call of his rank and assigned duties and give back to the Air Force community.

Of his own initiative, Aldridge has set out to innovate the Air Force through the creation of a program(s) that can help cultivate Airmen (on both personal and professional levels) to reach their full potential in new ways.

"I'm currently working on creating a peer-based open forum program (online and or at a physical venue) where Airmen can offer advice and encouragement to their peers (rank aside) and pay forward any life lessons or guidance, both professional or otherwise, they've learned over the years," Aldridge said.

"My idea is still in the budding stage, but I really feel like we have to focus intently on the new generation of Airmen," he continued. "If we can find better ways to invest in our young Airmen, encourage and inspire them to achieve in all aspects of their life, in and out the uniform, we'll ultimately mold a stronger Air Force."

"I feel like this young generation of junior-enlisted Airmen will soon be the face of the Air Force," he added. "The more we can do to help them, the better."

Aldridge is currently working closely with base agencies and hopes to make his program a reality in the near future.

Aldridge feels that the values and opportunities the Air Force offer line up seamlessly with his upbringing.

"Whether I knew it or not" Aldridge explained. "The Air Force core values have been a part of my life since a very young age; and they haven't steered me wrong yet."