LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- Before the sun rises, Tech. Sgt. Steven Boatright is already preparing to wear the first of three uniforms he’ll don that week — each demanding discipline, resilience, and a commitment to others.
As a 944th Security Forces Squadron combat arms training and maintenance instructor, a Department of the Air Force Civilian Combat Arms Training and Maintenance Specialist, and a reserve deputy sheriff with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Boatright’s life is a high-tempo balance of military readiness, public safety and community service.
“No matter the uniform, my mission is the same — serve, protect and uplift others,” Boatright said.
Building a career of service
Boatright swore into the Air Force in 2006 as an active-duty security forces defender. In 2012, he cross-trained into combat arms at Luke AFB, serving until 2019 when he transitioned to the Reserve to keep his family rooted in Arizona.
While continuing his Reserve duties, he joined the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, serving five years on patrol before accepting a Department of the Air Force (DAF) civilian combat arms position in 2023.
Now, his weekly schedule includes four 10-hour shifts on the range, patrol duties on Fridays or weekends, and monthly Reserve responsibilities. He does all of this while balancing being a husband to a middle school assistant principal and a father of three daughters, to which he credits his focus to.
“Family support is what gets me through it,” he said. “You keep them at the forefront, and everything else falls in line.”
Three hats, one mission
In the range house, Boatright ensures Airmen meet strict weapons qualification standards. As a DAF civilian, he fills a critical manpower gap in the active-duty combat arms team, which recently saw staffing cut in half. On the streets, he responds to calls on some of the hardest days in people’s lives.
“On the civilian law enforcement side, they’re calling because it’s their worst day ever,” Boatright said. “I’m there to help — it’s a calling within me.”
His supervisor highlights Boatright’s ability to balance these demanding roles is what makes him invaluable.
“I believe Tech. Sgt. Boatright’s resilience and hard work ethic helps him balance all of his responsibilities,” said Master Sgt. Jeffrey Seastrand, 944th Security Forces Squadron CATM section chief. “He is level-headed and does not let things overwhelm him. Steven is someone I heavily rely on when running a busy CATM shop and ensuring the mission is accomplished.”
Heart for the community
Boatright’s commitment to others extends beyond the Air Force and the sheriff’s office. For the past five years, he and his wife have opened their home as licensed foster parents, caring for children from difficult or abusive backgrounds.
One of his most memorable experiences began on patrol in Tonopah.
“There was a young juvenile, 15 years old, who ran away from a group home,” Boatright recalled. “I found him miles away in the desert. He was noncompliant, didn’t want to come, but I finally negotiated with him. I got him in the back of my car and returned him safely.”
Instead of ending the call there, Boatright offered something more.
“I told him, ‘Hey man, my wife and I foster. So, if you’re interested, then you can come stay with us.”
He and his squad went a step further, pooling money to buy the teen clothes and essentials that he desperately needed. Boatright said moments like these are why he and his wife continue to foster.
“We’ve had boys, girls, twins, kids who’ve been through a lot,” he said. “We just figure — if we have more to give, why not give it?”
Boatright’s dedication to others, whether on duty or at home, illustrates the spirit of today’s Reserve Airman — ready to serve whenever and wherever needed.
A Reserve Airman’s role
Boatright’s story reflects what Lt. Gen. John Healy, chief of the Air Force Reserve and commander of Air Force Reserve Command, describes as the unique strength of Citizen Airmen.
“The AFR is a combat-ready force of 67,000 Airmen committed to defending the Nation, deterring aggression and – should deterrence fail – defeating our adversaries,” Healy said in recent testimony to Congress. “We are an efficient, accessible, experienced, and above all, lethal force.”
His supervisor agrees, pointing out how Boatright embodies the Total Force ethos.
“Steven embodies the Air Force’s core values,” Seastrand said. “He represents Reserve Airmen in an outstanding way by his work ethic, character and actions promoting the mission in a positive manner. I am proud to serve with Tech. Sgt. Boatright and all that he represents.”
Looking ahead
Boatright will deploy in the future for his final mission before retiring from the Air Force in late 2026. He plans to continue his civilian law enforcement career and stay active in community service.
USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)