HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – Senior Airman Annette Herbert was already married and raising three teenagers when she joined the Air Force Reserve. She made her decision at 36, was sworn in at 37, and turned 38 while at basic military training.
“Some of the girls at BMT were pretty young, had just graduated high school, so there was quite the age difference,” Herbert said. “They would call me Big Sis or Mama Herbert.”
She said her husband, Brady, who serves in the Air National Guard, was a huge inspiration to her joining the Reserve.
“Just seeing him progress throughout his career, that gave me the courage to say, ‘I can do that too,’” Herbert said. “And when they increased the age limit from 36 to 39, I looked at my husband and said ‘I’m going for it.’”
Now Herbert works on the commander support staff in the 67th Aerial Port Squadron – the first woman in her family to serve in the military.
“I wish I would have joined sooner, but my circumstances were different back then,” Herbert said. “I think it’s a good lesson that if you’re fit to fight and you want to do it, then go out there and get it.”
When not working or studying for her bachelor’s degree in business administration management, Herbert said all her time goes to family – everything from golfing to hiking to shooting.
Herbert would also like to commission someday, saying she’s “very competitive” with her husband (a chief master sergeant) and brothers who served in the Navy.
She also describes herself as a motivator.
“I especially want to motivate other women who are interested in joining,” Herbert said. “Sometimes there’s a double standard when it comes to moms who join, even though dads do it all the time. I want to break that mold and remind people that there’s nothing bad about choosing to serve.”