Col. Sebrina Pabon is the first female to serve as commandant of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. She is also a graduate of Desert High School at Edwards.
As part of our observance of Women’s History Month, Aerotech scheduled a Q&A session with the colonel.
Aerotech News: What year did you graduate from Desert High School?
Colonel Pabon: 1995 — We moved to Edwards the summer before my junior year of high school. The opportunities and experiences going to high school here were amazing. I was able to see space shuttle landings, watch the B-2 fly during softball practice, hear hundreds sonic booms, and even intern at NASA during the summer before my senior year.
Aerotech News: Were you focused on STEM in high school, or did that come later? What influences encouraged you to focus on STEM education?
Colonel Pabon: Yes. I was always interested in math and science in school but wasn’t sure what I wanted to do for work when I grew up. I eventually decided that engineering was the way to go since I liked math and science but wasn’t sure what type of engineer I wanted to be at first. I did some research after my junior year of high school and selected electrical engineering. I wasn’t sure that was the right choice until I was in college and taking electrical engineering courses. Although difficult at times, I enjoyed the classes and realized I had picked the best discipline for me.
Aerotech News: Where did you go to college, what did you major in, and were you enrolled in ROTC?
Colonel Pabon: University of Notre Dame on an Air Force ROTC scholarship. Majored in Electrical Engineering
Aerotech News: Why did you choose a career in the Air Force, and what drew you to this particular career path? I understand you come from a military family; did this affect your career choices?
Colonel Pabon: I grew up in an Air Force family, but I actually never planned on a career in the Air Force. In fact my father spent many years as a recruiter and I only learned about ROTC scholarships toward the end of my junior year of high school from a career fair at Air Force Plant 42. I only planned to pay back the four years I owed for the ROTC scholarship for my education. However, once I was in the Air Force, I had amazing jobs and opportunities and was happy to continue my career. I did not see a private sector job or opportunity that could compare to the work I was doing and the experiences I had.
Aerotech News: Edwards has played a major role in both your life and your career. What other assignments have you had, and are there any highlights you’d like to share.
Colonel Pabon: I have been very lucky with the assignments in my career. I spent the first six years of my career at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, as an electrical engineer. I had the amazing opportunity to do hands-on work using my degree both at NASIC and at AFRL. The supervisors and mentors at those assignments encouraged me to stay technical if that was what I wanted and I appreciated their support to allow me to stay in the labs as a developmental engineer.
I was also lucky to serve a staff tour at INDOPACOM in the J8 supporting future capabilities for the Indo-pacific and working directly for my mentor Dr. George Ka’iliwai. Being able to see and understand the challenges we face in the Indo-pacific region and working with the Services and Department of Defense organizations to find ways to resolve some of those issues was a very rewarding experience.
Aerotech News: What made you apply to be a student at the Test Pilot School?
Colonel Pabon: At Wright-Patterson, I enjoyed the hands-on engineering work I was conducting and was informed by my mentors that if I wanted to stay technical throughout my career, the best way to do that was to get go to Test Pilot School and become part of the flight test community.
Aerotech News: Can you describe your experiences as a student at TPS?
Colonel Pabon: TPS was a very challenging, yet very rewarding experience. I often tell people that I was not sure exactly what I had signed up for until I was at the school. I learned so much at TPS, and the best thing about it was that I found a career path that I really enjoyed and could not imagine doing anything more rewarding and fulfilling as an engineer in the Air Force.
Aerotech News: After graduating TPS, you were assigned to the 416th Flight Test Squadron as chief of flight test safety, and flight commander. What were you responsibilities in those positions?
Colonel Pabon: At the 416th, I had some amazing test opportunities testing everything from avionics upgrades to engine controller upgrades. As chief of flight test safety, I assisted with developing the safety plans for all of our test programs and making sure that once approved we followed the agreed upon risk mitigation procedures identified during our tests.
Aerotech News: You then returned to TPS as an instructor. What was it like being on the other side of the teaching experience?
Colonel Pabon: Returning to TPS as an instructor was a very rewarding experience. I had just sat in the same seat as the students only two years prior so I could add some of my recent flight test experiences to the instruction and also still relate to the student’s experience. It was also a privilege to work with the entire TPS Staff and continue to learn and grow.
Aerotech News: You are the first non-pilot commandant at the TPS. Does that present any challenges?
Colonel Pabon: Actually, I am the second. The first non-rated Commandant was Dr. Ka’iliwai in 2001 who is also one of my mentors. No major challenges presented by that. There are a few things by regulation that I am not allowed to officially approve/sign for as a non-rated officer, but we have an amazing staff at Test Pilot School and great support from the OG to minimize the impact.
Aerotech News: You sit in a chair occupied by many aerospace legends. Can you talk about that continuing legacy, and if and how it affects your leadership of the school?
Colonel Pabon: It’s a very humbling and rewarding experience.
Aerotech News: What advice do you have to high school students, both male and female, who may be considering an Air Force career, especially in flight test?
Colonel Pabon: My advice to high school students is to work hard to follow their dreams and goals. It is not always easy to achieve your goals, but as long as you do the best you can you will be successful. There are so many opportunities available to students to explore and experience possible careers through internships or even volunteer opportunities but it takes time and effort to find them.
If they are considering flight test, I highly recommend students pursue an engineering degree as that will set them up for success and open many doors for them within the community.
Aerotech News: How did you get your call sign ‘Poco?’
Colonel Pabon: I am Puerto Rican and not very tall so my TPS classmates named me Poco for ‘un poco’ which translates to ‘a little bit’ in English.
Aerotech News: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Colonel Pabon: Thank you for the opportunity to share some of my experiences.
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