JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – Master Sgt. Gary Waters Jr. began his career in vehicle maintenance.
"I was turning wrenches, hurting my knuckles and getting dirty for the first 6 1/2 years of my career," he said.
He enjoyed those days, but he wanted to be in contracting since day one. On the very day he planned to leave active duty, a last-minute acceptance into the contracting career field changed his trajectory.
"Retraining was a dream come true,” he said.
Today, as an award-winning contracting officer with the 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Gary is living that dream by building a better future for Airmen and Guardians. His work directly supports the Department of War's Barracks Task Force, an initiative to ensure every warfighter’s home meets the highest standard. He and his team are working to cut design timelines in half to demolish old dorms and build new ones faster.
“To be a part of an initiative this big is pretty cool,” he said.
Gary’s drive is fueled by a personal loss that forged his resilience early in his career. Just 10 days into basic training, he got word his sister passed away. In her honor, he was determined to make it through that difficult time and succeed.
“That's something I always carry with me,” he said. “If I could make it through that hard time ... I felt like I could get through anything else.”
Once a quiet Airman, Gary credits an early mentor for helping him find his voice and now pays that forward by leading by example. It all comes down to a simple, core belief about what true dedication requires.
“You can't just look the part, you have to be the part,” he said. “You have to put in the work, day in and day out, even when nobody's looking. You've got to want it.”