Duty title and unit: Contract Administrator, 733rd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
Primary duty responsibilities: I deal with contracts for medical services for the Northwest and Southwest Air Force installations. I mainly deal with administering contracts to make sure our medical facilities have the aseptic cleaning they need to stay safe.
What’s the best part of your job?
The flexibility to tackle contract requirements in my own order, and sometimes in my own way, if I can see opportunities for process improvement. I also really enjoy the teamwork aspect (of my job). Anything contract related you do will have at least one more person you can work with and rely on to help you.
Why are you and your job important to the Air Force and AFMC?
Contracting is a very important career field because it gives AFMC the ability to leverage third-party resources and capabilities. With enough money, there is almost no limit to the impact contracting personnel can make on the mission. For example, at the 773rd ESS, just four people are managing medical facility sanitization for 56 Air Force bases in the continental U.S. Without contracting, we would need to pull hundreds of people from their primary duties for this one task.
There are so many ways that contractors are leveraged to support the mission. I still learn new ones all the time. Contracting also provides supplies – desks, computers, new servers for the network, combat simulators and land mobile radios are just a few I’ve been involved in procuring. Construction is another very important facet of contracting, responsible for new building construction and modifications.
What’s a recent project that gave you a great sense of accomplishment?
The project that comes to mind is when the COVID pandemic started some co-workers and I coordinated with FEMA to create and vet a list of vendors that could supply the government with PPE and disinfectant items to mitigate risk of infection.
Any claims to fame?
I’m not sure I have anything too extreme, but I do have a very strong motivation to ensure that the people that rely on the 773rd ESS are taken care of and have everything they need to accomplish the mission.
Do you follow any mantra?
Fortune favors the bold!
Which AFIMSC value do you identify with the most and why?
Family and Fun. Family is very important to me. The main reason I joined was to receive skills and life experience that would enable me to make a positive impact, especially for my family and loved ones.