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HICKAM WARRIOR: Senior Airman Stephanie Tapia

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Lauren Main
  • 15th Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii-- --  Senior Airman Stephanie Tapia, a crew chief with the 15th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, is this week's Hickam Warrior.

Prior to joining the Air Force, Airman Tapia worked at a chicken farm in North Carolina as quality assurance.

"I was a chicken inspector. I hated it," she said. "I went to the Air Force recruiter and told him I'd take anything. I just wanted to be in the Air Force."

Shortly thereafter, in January of 2008, she shipped out for basic training with open mechanical as her career field.

"I really love my job. It's always something new," she said. "I like the feeling that what I'm doing is really important and the people that I work with are awesome. I love that I'm not just working in an office all day."

Airman Tapia worked on the C-130J aircraft at her previous base, Ramstein Air Base in Germany. She switched to the C-17 when she received her assignment here.

"Though Airman Tapia only has six months on the C-17, she has consistently exceeded all expectations," said Tech Sgt. Eric Hunt, Airman Tapia's supervisor. "In fact, her recent aircraft forms refresher course directly contributed to the 15 AMXS' 95.3% quality assurance pass rate."

Airman Tapia enjoys being a part of the Air Force. However, there is one thing she would like to change.

"I wish we had lighter weight uniforms and more durable boots," she said. "Our boots get destroyed on the flightline and they [uniforms] are too heavy for working in the office all day."

Airman Tapia stays busy at work with her numerous responsibilities. Some of the tasks she is responsible for are overall maintenance of the C-17s, servicing the aircraft and launching and towing.

"Airman Tapia routinely sets the standards for peers to follow and is more than willing to share her expertise, "Sergeant Hunt said.

Airman Tapia also stays busy off duty by enjoying the Hawaiian sunshine and beaches.
"I like to hang out with my friends and be outdoors," said Airman Tapia. "The weather here is perfect for that. It's a very relaxing place to be. Some of my favorite things to do on the island are snorkeling and hiking."

Airman Tapia's knowledge and successful instruction that helped her squadron pass its quality assurance inspection, as well as her ability to lead other Airmen is what makes Airman Tapia the ideal candidate for Warrior of the Week.