“I feel like an explorer …”

“I was born in Orlando, FL and raised mostly in North Carolina. I served in the Air Force from 1979-83 as administrative support. My first assignment took me to Germany.  I loved every bit of it though it was only four years. It was a great place to be.

My husband was in the Air Force for 27 years. My dad was also in the Air Force so I am an Air Force brat, it’s in my blood.  I love my current job as a secretary for the 940th Air Refueling Wing Commander.   One of my hobbies is scuba diving. I was scuba certified when my husband was stationed at Clark Air Force Base, Philippines in 1987. It was a wonderful place to go diving. It had lots of sea life and even shipwrecks.

Scuba diving is like being an explorer, a water based astronaut. I feel like an explorer because the sea is ever changing and you never see it all. There is so much to see out there because of the variety of sea life. It’s an adventure. The first time diving I was a little nervous but I adapted easily. You get instructions that dispels the fear but I adapted quickly. Now my husband and I do most of our diving in the Caribbean. My favorite place so far has been Roatan, one of the Bay Islands near Honduras. Rarotonga off of New Zealand was another great place to explore. I would like to go to Australia and Fiji in the future. I would encourage anyone to scuba dive because it’s a fun couple sport.

Tina Poe, 940th Air Refueling Wing Secretary for the wing commander

Hometown: Orlando, Florida

(Each month, we 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.)