Amanda DeSmith, MN National Guard – U.S. Air Force
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Amanda DeSmith
By Missy Klatt
Amanda grew up in the Sheldon/Gilman area but has called rural Downing her home for many years now. Amanda who was attending UW-Stout signed up for the Minnesota National guard after her freshman year when she was 19 years old. She missed the first semester of her sophomore year to go to basic training. She remarked that it was easier for her to travel to the cities to be in the Minnesota guard rather then joining the Wisconsin National guard which was out of Madison. Her father, Walt Lang was a member of the Minnesota National guard for 20 years. Amanda stated that it took her an extra two and a half years to finish her college education due to her deployments.
Amanda went on to to explain that the MN guard is under the U.S. Air Force and that during her six years in the guard, she was active Air Force for three and a half years. She served from 1999 to 2005.
The biggest event that happened during that time was the attack of the twin tours. She was a part of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. For her first deployment she was stationed in Oman, which is located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and overlooks the mouth of the Persian Gulf. She was there for 120 plus days, came back for a very short time. During that time she remarks “I was fortunate enough to go to my sister’s wedding.” Amanda then got redeployed to a small country, Qatar, also in the Arabian Peninsula for about 60 days. When she returned state side from that deployment she stayed on active duty till the end of her enlistment.
Her job while she while she was in the Air Force was called air crew survival. She’s had POW training, resistance training, survival training, water training. Basically she was an instructor and she would instruct air crew, give refresher courses and training, and issue equipment, weapons etc. She would also have to maintain the equipment. “Anything I did for my job, you better hope I knew it really well and taught it well because you would never need anything I gave you unless it was like a worst case scenario.” She goes on to say that fortunately during that time they never had a plane go down. She was attached to a unit that had C130s which were heavy cargo aircraft. She said they would haul anything from people to equipment to food throughout a variety of countries. She didn’t actually fly with the planes but what ever base the plane was assigned to, she had to be there.
Amanda DeSmith shown here when she was stationed in the mideast.
She said her job required a lot of training and she was actually at a level where she required a lot of clearance to do her job. “It’s like one of these jobs where you don’t feel like you’re the most important person but if something happened, your job all of a sudden became very important because those people need you to survive. Whether it’s how something was packed, or issued or how they were instructed to use it.” Amanda continues, that she still thinks there are things that she has learned through the years that impact her day to day life. All those experiences that you normally wouldn’t have shaped her life. “I’m glad I did everything I did.”
Prior to any deployments, Amanda did her basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antnio, TX. This was followed up with her AFC (military code) training at Shepherd Air Force Base also in Texas.
Besides going to Oman and Qatar, during her time in the service Amanda also traveled to Puerto Rico, Italy, Scotland, Newfoundland, Maine, Washington. Some of these places were for training and some were stops on her way to other places.
For Amanda the best thing about being in the military was the people she meet and the places she got to go. “You’re building relationships with so many people from all over the place.” she comments. She relates that someone she had met from the Royal Air Force during her service, she later met again in their civilian life at a mutual customer in Minnesota.
She also noted that her fellow soldiers become like a family. The bond that was built during their service has kept them connected even now.
The worst thing about being in the service for Amanda was the things that she missed doing with her family. She said another hard thing was when she got deployed that first time her Dad was working at the same base and he was one giving her a hug goodbye. She also said that some of the training was challenging and some of it she can’t talk about.
Amanda had considered staying in the guard longer and even interviewed to be an air crew member during her last 6 months but had she gotten that job she would of had to commit for another eight years so she decided that was a bit too long and she decided she was done. She went on to explain that the training for that job is extensive, up to two year so if they take you on they want that commitment.
Overall she said it was a great experience and she was glad she did it. As for recommending the military for others she said she would however she said you need to have the right mind set.
Besides her dad, Amanda’s brother, Jason was also in the Minnesota National guard. He was in avionics, her dad, the engine shop and Amanda was operations. She also had an uncle and several cousins who were also in the military.
Amanda is the mom to Blake, a sixth grader at Glenwood City middle school.