JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – “Work smart, play smart.”
For Master Sgt. Benjamin Sambolanay, that motto has taken him through a successful and rewarding career that’s given his family a chance to see the world. With assignments in Turkey, Japan, Qatar, Canada and Europe, he’s spent most of his career serving his country outside the U.S.
“The Air Force gave us the opportunity to live in different countries, to experience different cultures and their ways of life,” Benjamin said. “That allows us to serve as good U.S. ambassadors for our host nations and represent the USA.”
Today, as the engineering and installation command manager for the AFIMSC Detachment 4 at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Benjamin advocates for USAFE-AFAFRICA requirements needed to project power across air, space and cyber domains. He recently helped the command land $7.9 million for 64 communications projects at 14 installations for fiscal year 2023. And while he’s proud to support projects critical to enabling the mission and protecting U.S. interests, it’s the people and relationships made along the way that really motivate him.
“What I like most about supporting the Airmen and their mission at USAFE-AFAFRICA is that I get to work with everybody around Europe,” he said. “The interaction, teamwork and friendships we build along the way - with Airmen, civilians and local nationals - is something I will always remember and treasure.”
Benjamin also finds time to serve as the president of the Filipino-American Association of the Kaiserslautern Military Community. During Operation Allies Refuge in 2021, the group supported the largest non-combatant evacuation operation in American history, preparing and delivering food to 35,000 Afghan refugees.
“It's important to me and my team to provide for those in need to save lives, reduce suffering and ensure human dignity is protected even during times of crisis.”