HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- As Hannah Pettersson came closer to completing her college education, she found herself unsure of what step to take next.
“I felt like I needed something more than just a job to pay rent,” said Senior Airman Hannah Pettersson, 419th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. “My fiancé was already in the Air Force, so I thought that would be a good route to take.”
In October 2019, the Utah native joined the 419th Fighter Wing as a Reserve crew chief and eventually joined the 388th Fighter Wing as a full-time AGR, or Active Guard Reserve. After a two-year journey to join the Air Force, she returned to college to complete her degree in general studies.
“As of May 2020, I have a degree which is really nice,” Pettersson said. “Eventually I’d like to get my bachelor’s or master’s degree in something that I can apply in my current job within the military or in the civilian work force.”
With her degree complete, she’s taking advantage of her free time – planning for her upcoming wedding, buying a house, and working out. When she isn’t doing any of those things, you’ll find the avid reader immersed in a book.
“The last book I read was Daughter of the Pirate King,” Pettersson said. “I’m really into fantasy novels.”
Although Pettersson still finds herself learning her role as a crew chief, she discovered during a recent Temporary Duty Assignment to Savannah, GA, that she possessed more knowledge than she thought.
“It’s kind of weird that I’ve only been at Hill about a year and a half, but already have the skills to work on my own and teach others,” she said. “I’ve definitely been challenged, but never realized how truly capable I was until now.”
The “In Focus” series is a monthly feature that puts the spotlight on some of the 419th Fighter Wing’s best and brightest Reserve Citizen Airmen. Find it on Instagram @419fw and Facebook @419th Fighter Wing