IN FOCUS: Tech. Sgt. Heath Weber Published Feb. 29, 2012 By Bryan Magaña 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- Tech. Sgt. Heath Weber, F-16 crew chief in the 419th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, joined the wing in 2009. Since then, he's racked up months of dedicated training and become a valuable asset to the wing. Those who work with Weber note his commitment to learning and perfecting his job, so public affairs recently sat down with Weber to learn more about him. What did you do before the Air Force Reserve? I was in the Army National Guard here in Utah for nine years. I worked as a counter-intelligence agent. We dealt with protecting information, operational security education, and investigations that dealt with compromised information. I deployed twice with the Army, once to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. Why did you join the AF Reserve? I worked with Air Force people during my last Army deployment, and had an easy time working with them. They seemed to stick to protocol and were really open to our ideas. Also, the Air Force has shorter deployments, so I could be home a little more often and spend more time with my family. When I joined the AF Reserve, I spent about eight months doing AGE [air ground equipment], but then I got an opportunity to be a crew chief. I wanted a job where I could be outside, work with my hands, do mechanical stuff, something where I could see immediate results--just a change of pace. What's your civilian job? I'm a corrections officer for the state. We're in charge of physical security of the prison and ensuring public safety. You can think of us as law enforcement inside the prison community. We're not just prison guards; we also try to manage personnel and encourage good behavior. Are their similarities between your civilian job and your Reserve job? We're encouraged to stay physically fit in the Air Force, and they definitely want that in the prison, too. Also weapons training; we use a variety of different weapons in both jobs. Tell me about your family. I have a wife, Emily, and three children--two girls and one boy. We live in Gunnison, right about in the middle of the state--a 150-mile drive to the base. Do you hope your children will one day serve? If they were passionate about it, I think it would be great. I would encourage them to go into the Air Force, just having experienced what I've experienced. What are your hobbies? I ride horses. I've got three. That's a big part of my life, always has been. It's becoming a part of my family's life, too. I like working with animals and wildlife. Also, any kind of outdoor activities, like riding my dirt bike in the mountains and desert. Stay connected -- Join the 419th on Facebook and YouTube