KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Airman 1st Class Kelsey Carlson, 250th Intelligence Squadron, was born in Albuquerque and grew up in Edgewood and Moriarty, N.M. She joined the New Mexico Air National Guard in part because of the benefits it offers.
“I watched my older siblings struggle through college, trying to pay and then graduating with a load of debt,” she said. “I realized that I wanted to try to stay away from that as much as possible. So I realized that the Air National Guard was very good way to do that.”
Carlson also joined to get a little life experience before attending college.
“I wanted to learn a whole another different skill set. I also wanted to learn more interpersonal and leadership skills that I felt like I hadn't learned through high school,” Carlson said.
Her goal is to earn a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of New Mexico in the next five years and possibly secure a job at Sandia National Laboratory. She also plans to buy a house “either in the mountains or by the Rio Grande” and adopt a dog or other animal because “I really like animals.”
Carlson enjoys outdoor activities when not at work. She’s been a ski instructor, enjoys horse riding and is a member of a polocrosse team, a sport like lacrosse, only on horseback.
“I am very excited to be a part of the New Mexico Air National Guard and part of the 250th Intelligence Squadron,” she said. “I'm very thankful for the experiences I've had through tech school and BMT (Basic Military Training) and I'm having here now. I'm excited to see what the future brings.”