JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – It’s Mission Monday. Meet Airman 1st Class Jessica Espinoza, a commander’s support staff technician at the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center headquarters.
Espinoza and the CSS team provide administrative support to local directorates, detachments and primary subordinate units by performing a variety of tasks like customer service, staff support (to include decorations, evaluations, in-processing, out-processing and milPDS products), office management duties and managing postal and official mail functions.
We asked Espinoza, who was born and raised in Modesto, California, to tell us a little more about herself and her work in support of the Air Force.
What do you love about your job?
Interacting with customers. When assisting a customer, it makes my day knowing that I’m capable of answering their questions, helping them with issues or guiding them to the right person who can help. My most favorite part of the day is taking the extra mile to build connections with the people I am servicing.
When it comes to your job, what keeps you motivated?
I’m motivated by completing a mission. Not many people see what the CSS does behind closed doors. It may be a simple task from an outside perspective, but there can be many challenges when carrying out a task. It’s always a win when completing a task, especially while working alongside teammates who are also determined to complete the mission.
Why are you and your team important to the Air Force and your customers?
We are important because we make sure our Airmen are ready for their individual mission. We help support our wingmen by setting them up for success; from in-processing upon arrival to out-processing the organization. Additionally, we facilitate every administrative action needed to upkeep personal records to allow time back for our customers to focus on their roles in the AFIMSC organizational strategy.
Describe a project/event you and your team worked on recently that gave you a great sense of accomplishment:
With major changes being made to the Air Force Evaluations program, the transition from MyEval 1.0 to 2.0 has been challenging. The task of getting affiliated with new processes, all while simultaneously servicing customers in relation to the program, has been a tough transition for our team. I have witnessed my teammates take charge in producing the standard operating procedures to guarantee success to meet both the CSS roles and responsibilities and our customer needs. As a newcomer here at AFIMSC, I have gained a sense of accomplishment through their keen actions and education being provided.
How does what you do support AFIMSC’s strategic priorities?
By performing organizational excellence. We go above and beyond to resolve any issues that our customers face with effective communication, decision-making and collaboration. We acknowledge that what we practice within our own environment, will project on how well we serve our Airmen. Therefore, we prioritize building an inclusive, empathetic and equitable culture within so that we can deliver enhanced support to our customers and warfighters in the field.