BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California -- “My childhood dream was to become a racecar driver or an astronaut. When I was in sixth grade, my class made a time capsule and a friend of mine wrote he was convinced I would become a NASCAR driver. But reality set in. After high school, I wasn’t firmly committed to college, so I joined the Air National Guard. A few years in, I started to seek direction. It wasn’t my dream to become a pilot; ironically, it was my brother’s. But after being around airplanes and realizing it was more tangible, I got excited about it and pursued it. I went back to school and commissioned. My dream has always been something fast and quick-moving… It just turned out to be working with airplanes, as opposed to space ships, rockets and racecars.”
Col. Craig C. Peters, 940th Air Refueling Wing commander
Hometown: West Springfield, Massachusetts
(Each month, we will share a story of a reservist through a photo, simple quote or article. The goal of this project, similar to the 9th Public Affairs' Faces of Beale, is to learn more about Citizen Airmen. Whether traditional or full-time, every reservist has a unique story and adds to what makes us part of the world's greatest Air Force.)