Serving the homefront: peace time service just as important as time of conflict

The other day… By Donna Culotta

Veteran’s Day is Wednesday, Nov. 11. This is a story of one veteran who served her country in peace time.

Serving in the military is more than picking up a rifle and marching into battle. Only 10% to 15% of U.S. military personnel experience direct combat. Roughly that leaves 80% to 85% who serve in non-combat or support roles.

Judy James of Mansura entered the Air Force and was assigned to one of those non-support roles right after graduating from Mansura High School in 1983.

The question about what she was going to do after graduation, was regularly put to her at family gatherings.

When she took the ASVAB, (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) and did well; after she knew she wanted to join the Air Force, “I couldn’t wait to tell my uncles, who served in different branches, that I wanted to go in the Air Force,” Judy recalled.

There was another reason that was closer to her heart. “I am the youngest of 14 children and I saw all my parents, Leroy and Alzica James, did for brothers and sisters in college. If I joined the military I could go to college when I got out.”

Always thinking things through, Judy also decided that after six weeks of basic training at Lackland in San Antonio, she wanted to go to her duty station at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi.

“I chose this way because we were allowed to go home after basic training but what happens when the recruit would go home for a visit and when it was time to leave they became homesick, and it was harder.”

Judy jumped into her position with both feet and didn’t visit her Mansura family until later.

Her assignment was in administration and specifically in personnel, “With a lot of paperwork,” she repeated, “A LOT of paperwork.” If it had to do with paperwork and personnel, Judy probably had her hands on it.

“And there was a lot of typing, like on a typewriter, we didn’t have computers,” she said.

Because she took typing class in high school, Judy could keep up with the paperwork.

“If given the opportunity, I would have gone into combat but at the time Personnel Specialist was the only opening,” Judy explained.

Perhaps the best part of her time in the Air Force, besides serving her country, Judy was able to be on the basketball and baseball teams.

I really wanted to go overseas and her chance came when she was stationed in Comiso, Sicily, where Judy played on the women’s Comiso Air Station basketball team. “I played basketball in high school,” she pointed out.

In fact, during a high school game, “I went up for the rebound; I got the rebound and she (the opposing player) got my leg.”

She was obviously good at basketball because Judy was chosen to be on the team consisting of the best players in the Military Air Lift Command.

That team traveled to places like France, Germany and beyond to compete.

Another aspect of her sports life while serving was the opportunity to coach a man’s basketball team, “The Colonels.”

Here’s the quirk, “I was coaching my supervisor and he thought he was going to get special treatment,” which he didn’t. But when it was all said and done, Judy had to go back to the office where he was the boss.

“I played basketball, baseball and soccer,” she said, “until I got hit in the face with a soccer ball.”

Her life in the Air Force was busy and full between her assignment, sports and taking some college courses when she had the opportunity.

“The only reason I got out of the Air Force it was peace time and they were cutting back and I wasn’t needed.”

At the same time, Judy’s father was sick and she got out to help him.

“More than likely I would have stayed in; I enjoyed being in the military.”

She went on, “The military gave me so much and it changed me. No telling what I would have been because back then it was easy to get in trouble. I really appreciated the discipline I learned in the Air Force.

“I needed someone to be hard on me and I had to let some friends go. I learned a lot and how to communicate with different people and adapt to different cultures.”

Then Judy mentioned teamwork. “We came together. We weren't in a war but still had to look out for each other.”

Today Judy is a strong advocate for veterans and volunteers to help them. She has been a correctional officer, is an LPN, has worked in retail, is involved in politics and active in her church.

“I salute all our veterans and families and God bless our troops defending our country.”