Branch: Air Force
Duty: Aircrew Life Support
By Emily Wunderlich
Tamara Stainton was about to turn 19 when she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. It was October 2003, and like many other veterans, her desire to serve was driven by family history.
Though her military service was cut short, her service of others was not.
In Aircrew Life Support, Stainton’s job was to service equipment, communications units, helmets, visors and survival kits. She also loaded and unloaded equipment on aircraft.
Stainton, now 33, left the service as an E-3, or Airman First Class.
“Because of my service-connected disability, I did not serve even one full year, and that is the part that I’m shy to discuss,” she said in an email.
After enlistment, Stainton went on to pursue various telemarketing and customer services jobs to make ends meet. Those jobs, she says, were “embarrassing” to discuss.
Then, she went to school to become a pharmacy technician, where she worked for about six years before deciding to pursue her master’s degree in social work at USF Tampa. Her anticipated graduation date is in 2021.
With her degree, Stainton hopes to become a licensed clinical social worker with her own practice.
In August, Stainton joined an online support group for veterans, first responders and blue-collar Americans. As a veterans affairs officer, she says she’s given “tons of advice” and helped two people “make moves” toward progress. It’s not a paid position, but she spends much of her time wired in and answering questions.
Humans aren’t the only mammals Stainton cares about. She also fosters three dogs: Willa Jean, Cooper and Kenzie.
When it comes to helping others, Stainton prefers to work on a case-by-case basis. Since she’s still learning coping skills herself, she hasn’t found any overarching advice to get others through difficult times.
However, with the help of therapy, Stainton says it gets easier every day.
“I love to help others,” she said. “I live by it.”
Photo courtesy of Stacy Pearsall (resized for web)
