Meet Randy Saldivar
“Humility and teamwork are the values of success in a leadership position”Randy Saldivar, of Mexican ancestry, is the Commander of the Mission Support Group, 168th Wing, of the Alaska Air National Guard. He has been in the military for 36 years. He maintains “I’ve been very fortunate to be in the Air National Guard. I feel God had plans for me long ago and I won’t say I necessarily heard Him, but I was just smart enough not to resist where he was pointing me.” Now in the latter part of his career, he takes pride in saying one of his jobs is to build his replacement.
Tell us about your Hispanic roots? I am from New Mexico, along with my mother, and my father is from Mexico. I grew up in a small town called Estancia. It is an hour southeast of Albuquerque. My dad and my mom divorced when I was 12, and he left, so I stayed with my mom, who is also Mexican. There are many fond memories growing up in the small town. For example, Christmas time was very special. The food was incredible, visiting and spending time with relatives was wonderful and I really enjoyed the traditional Catholic church Christmas mass. What does your job as a commander entail? Our federal mission at the 168 Wing is to fly KC-135s, an aerial refueling tanker. We provide in-flight refueling capability to aircraft like the F-35s, F-22 and others. As members of the Alaska Air National Guard, we have a state mission under the leadership of the Alaska governor. For instance, if there is a natural disaster, we have airmen and equipment there to help the local communities. We are a quick response force for the state and local communities until civilian agencies no longer need our assistance. What was or is your professional life like in the Air National Guard? At 18, I enlisted in the Coast Guard for about 5 years, and then I joined the Air National Guard as an HVAC journeyman. In 1998, I received a scholarship through the Texas Air National Guard and studied History and Architecture at the University of Texas in San Antonio. Upon graduation, I was promoted from Staff Sergeant to Second Lieutenant. As time went on, throughout my career, I’ve had several wonderful assignments in the Air National Guard. One of my most memorable experiences was working for the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, a four-star general, in the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The position is on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest military position in the Department of Defense. What are the values you learned while in the Air National Guard? Humility and teamwork. The most important value a military member can have, particularly those of us in leadership positions, is humility. We all get places in our lives, not through our own efforts alone, but with the help of others. I also mentioned teamwork. In the military, we are part of a team. We meet and work with people from all over the world, and yet strive to meet a common goal – our mission. But I also have a family, so I realize that no matter how much I love my job, it’s not my life, it’s not who I am. It is just what I do. Family, that’s different. They are who I am. My wife and kids are the greatest gift I can ever have. |