Angela Minnich, Air Force Veteran

Angela Minnich jokes that she selected the United States Air Force (USAF) because the recruitment office was the closest to her house. In the years to come, she was glad she made that choice.

Minnich was a Security Force Member, working mainly on the law enforcement side. For more than six years she served her country in this role, both stateside and throughout a deployment to Bahrain. She enjoyed her career, but she also had two small children at home and didn’t want to miss watching them grow up, so she left the service.

In 2015, Minnich joined American Medical Response (AMR) in Glendale, AZ. In her role as a dispatcher and emergency and interfacility taker, she utilizes many of the skills she attained in the Air Force in addition to dispatch experience.

“My military training gave me discipline, compassion, honesty and integrity,” said Minnich. “It taught me how to be a team player. I enjoy helping people behind the scenes and working as a team at AMR to complete a successful mission.”

What does a USAF Security Force Team member do?

According to the Air Force, it is the job of Security Forces to protect, defend and fight. They are responsible for missile security, defending air bases around the globe, law enforcement on those bases, combat arms and handling military working dogs. It takes a combination of mental and physical toughness because it’s up to them to protect fellow Airmen.

What do you miss about the USAF?

Minnich misses the comradery of her time in the service, as well as the structure and the discipline it instilled.

Most Difficult Experience in the USAF?

Minnich served during the 9/11 attacks on New York and the Pentagon. At the time, she was stationed on the West Coast and her family was on the East Coast. “Just being away from my family at that time was a difficult experience,” she said.