michael thomas artis cryptologic linguist air force

MICHAEL THOMAS ARTIS CRYPTOLOGIC LINGUIST AIR FORCE SERIES

Additionally, in the future, she would like to become an instructor within her squadron.

This summer, Airman Hagerman will deploy for the first time, something she has been looking forward to. Earning my bachelor's degree will be such a huge accomplishment.' 'Since coming into the Air Force, I have become thankful for three things: my security clearance, language training and money for college. 'This entire experience has been a tremendous opportunity for me,' she said. When it became apparent she couldn't work and attend class, it was Kim who encouraged her daughter to look at the military because of the benefits. Prior to visiting the recruiter, Airman Hagerman worked as an office manager for a computer programming company and attended community college. 'My mom encouraged me to go into the military and both of my parents instilled in me at a young age the importance of education,' she explained. She's also pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science from Wayland Baptist University, with a double major in Korean language studies and communications of applied technology.Īirman Hagerman credits her mom, Kim, and dad, Lee, for all of the support they have provided her. The award recognized her outstanding scholastic achievement and admirable endeavor in Korean language studies.Īround the squadron, Airman Hagerman's colleagues regard her as a consummate professional, striving to improve herself on a day-to-day basis, approaching each new task with dedication and resolve above her rank.Įach week the 24-year-old Airman keeps busy maintaining her language proficiency, ensuring the intelligence vault is current with information about the Compass Call's weapons and tactics, and flies, either aboard the aircraft or in a simulator. I also came to appreciate the value the Koreans place on education.'Īirman Hagerman was presented with an award from the Korean Consul General of San Francisco upon graduation from DLI in April 2008. 'I loved the culture and the food, especially the kimchi. 'I attended school there just like a regular student,' she said. If I got a 99 percent on an exam, they'd ask me why I didn't score a 100 percent.'Īirman Hagerman also participated in a 30-day immersion program at a university in Korea. 'They pushed us a lot and focused on excellence. 'I was successful at learning the language because of my teachers,' said Airman Hagerman. Her instructors were native speakers who not only taught the language but also brought traditional Asian culture into the classroom.

While at the DLI, Airman Hagerman obtained a high proficiency in her newly acquired language and also become knowledgeable about the Korean culture. and parachute training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. an airborne cryptologic language analyst course at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas survival, evasion, resistance and escape training at Fairchild AFB, Wash. 'Her knowledge has made her one of the go-to analysis operators in our weapons and tactics section.'įollowing Air Force basic training, Airman Hagerman attended a 64-week Korean foreign language course at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif. Lance Benson, 43rd ECS assistant operations officer.

MICHAEL THOMAS ARTIS CRYPTOLOGIC LINGUIST AIR FORCE SERIES

'Senior Airman Hagerman made an impression as soon as she arrived at the squadron, taking the initiative to present a series of threat briefs on her target country,' said Maj. and coalition tactical air, surface and special operations forces. The Compass Call system employs the offensive counter information and electronic attack, or EA capabilities, in support of U.S. The system disrupts enemy command and control communications and limits adversary coordination essential for enemy force management. This platform is operated by the 55th Electronic Combat Group, comprising the 41st, 42nd and 43rd Electronic Combat Squadrons, and is only based here.

The EC-130H Compass Call is an airborne tactical weapon system using a heavily modified version of the C-130 Hercules airframe. She is also a subject-matter expert for specific enemy orders-of-battle and is responsible for educating other aircrew about enemy capabilities and tactics. Eager for the challenge, she took the Defense Language Aptitude Battery exam, scored well and entered into a three-and-a-half year training pipeline to become an analysis operator on an EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, fluent in Korean.Īssigned to the 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron, based here, Airman Hagerman specializes in targeting voice signals of interest for a given enemy threat environment.

(AFNS) - In August 2006, Senior Airman Heather Hagerman confidently walked into her Air Force recruiter's office in Baltimore, Md., and told him she wanted to become a linguist.

Michael thomas artis cryptologic linguist air force