12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Warfighter of the Week: Master Sgt. Leah Chavez

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(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Adam Grant)

Master Sgt. Leah Chavez, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) A1 contingency operations and planning manager, was recognized as the Warfighter of the Week, July 10, 2015.

Chavez, a native of Houston, Texas, has been serving in the Air Force for 12 years. She served five years with the Air National Guard and seven years with the Air Force Reserves. She has always known that serving in the Air Force is what she wanted to do so after graduating high school she enlisted.

As an A1 contingency operations and planning manager for 12th AF (AFSOUTH), she works with the Installation Personnel Readiness office and Unit Deployment Managers to make sure Airmen have all of their pre-deployment requirements taken care of before being deployed. She also keeps accountability for all Air Force personnel that travel through the United States Southern Command area of responsibility.

“Being a contingency operations and planning manager can be a very complex job, you have a lot of responsibility and there are a lot of moving pieces that go in to getting the job done,” said Senior Master Sgt. Dorothy Cole, 12th AF (AFSOUTH), A1 superintendent. You have direct influence on the livelihood of our Airmen and there’s no one better for the job than Chavez; to put it simply she’s amazing and we’re happy to have her as a part of our team.”

In her personal time, Chavez loves challenging herself both physically and mentally. She loves to workout and run marathons, and has found ways to inspire others through these hobbies.

“I love to motivate people and I love fitness, so being able to workout with my fellow Airmen, or pace them during their physical fitness test, means a lot to me,” said Chavez.” “No Airman left behind truly means a lot to me.”

In the future Chavez would like to become a First Sergeant and also plans on pursuing her education by getting her Master’s Degree in Homeland Security.

Warfighter of the Week is an opportunity for the Airmen throughout 12th AF (AFSOUTH) to share their story. The Warfighter of the Week initiative aligns with the 12th AF (AFSOUTH) commander’s priority of creating a work environment where someone knows you both professionally and personally.  These outstanding Airmen are selected by their directors based on their contributions to the Air Force’s mission.