1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,710 - [Interviewer] Why a maintainer? 2 00:00:01,710 --> 00:00:04,220 - [Lacey Matthews] Do you want the honest answer? 3 00:00:04,220 --> 00:00:07,380 I originally chose to be security forces, 4 00:00:07,380 --> 00:00:10,620 but I was told by my recruiter that my ASVAB score 5 00:00:10,620 --> 00:00:12,830 was high enough to be an aircraft maintainer. 6 00:00:12,830 --> 00:00:14,930 I had no idea about turning wrenches 7 00:00:14,930 --> 00:00:16,290 and he told me I would learn all of that 8 00:00:16,290 --> 00:00:19,210 in technical school, so here I am. 9 00:00:19,210 --> 00:00:21,660 I am Technical Sergeant Lacey Matthews, 10 00:00:21,660 --> 00:00:25,030 a Crew Chief with the 403rd AMXS. 11 00:00:25,030 --> 00:00:27,140 Being a female maintainer is a challenge. 12 00:00:27,140 --> 00:00:30,970 It may take a while for some people to regard you 13 00:00:30,970 --> 00:00:32,690 as an actual maintainer, 14 00:00:32,690 --> 00:00:35,450 so it takes a lot of hard work and dedication 15 00:00:35,450 --> 00:00:36,540 to prove yourself. 16 00:00:36,540 --> 00:00:39,800 Some of the stereotypes of being a female maintainer 17 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:41,820 is that I may be tomboy, 18 00:00:41,820 --> 00:00:44,270 or that I'm not strong enough to do the job. 19 00:00:44,270 --> 00:00:46,440 None of those are true, actually. 20 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:47,570 I'm not a tomboy. 21 00:00:47,570 --> 00:00:48,660 I may seem like it at work, 22 00:00:48,660 --> 00:00:51,410 but at home I wear dresses sometimes, 23 00:00:51,410 --> 00:00:53,210 I wear makeup, I wear my hair down. 24 00:00:53,210 --> 00:00:55,640 You know, so definitely not a tomboy. 25 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:57,160 The strength portion. 26 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:00,510 Now I will say that if I need help, I will ask for help, 27 00:01:00,510 --> 00:01:03,810 but I feel like as far as preforming 28 00:01:03,810 --> 00:01:06,340 everyday tasks that my job requires, 29 00:01:06,340 --> 00:01:07,940 yes, I can do it all. 30 00:01:07,940 --> 00:01:11,210 It's fun, and challenging and also rewarding. 31 00:01:11,210 --> 00:01:13,670 It definitely gives me a sense of pride. 32 00:01:13,670 --> 00:01:16,800 I've taken an aircraft by myself through 33 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:18,970 an isochronal inspection. 34 00:01:18,970 --> 00:01:21,240 I brought it out and I watched it fly 35 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:23,340 and that was the best feeling I've ever had in my life 36 00:01:23,340 --> 00:01:25,280 besides having my children. 37 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:26,520 It hasn't always been easy. 38 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:30,384 It's still not always easy, but Mom... 39 00:01:30,384 --> 00:01:33,260 that's the most challenging job. 40 00:01:33,260 --> 00:01:34,490 It's nonstop. 41 00:01:34,490 --> 00:01:37,670 My day doesn't end until nine, ten o'clock at night. 42 00:01:37,670 --> 00:01:42,070 I live 45 minutes away from here, so I wake up early. 43 00:01:42,070 --> 00:01:44,460 I start getting ready, I get my kids up to get ready. 44 00:01:44,460 --> 00:01:47,040 I drop them off at either daycare or school, 45 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:49,560 and then I drive all the way here and my day starts, 46 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:51,053 eight hours, go home. 47 00:01:51,910 --> 00:01:53,550 You still have a job when you get home. 48 00:01:53,550 --> 00:01:56,870 You have kids to take care of, a household to maintain, 49 00:01:56,870 --> 00:02:00,290 dinner, dishes, laundry, cleaning, 50 00:02:00,290 --> 00:02:05,240 projects, homework, loving, just spending time. 51 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:08,130 What keeps me motivated to come to work every day 52 00:02:08,130 --> 00:02:11,630 is to make sure these aircraft are ready to fly storms. 53 00:02:11,630 --> 00:02:13,950 Also, my children... 54 00:02:13,950 --> 00:02:17,490 I joined the Air Force mainly for my children. 55 00:02:17,490 --> 00:02:20,110 They needed a role model and someone to look up to 56 00:02:20,110 --> 00:02:21,870 because I'm the only parent 57 00:02:21,870 --> 00:02:23,933 and I also wanted to serve my country. 58 00:02:25,090 --> 00:02:28,050 Advice that I would give to a woman 59 00:02:28,050 --> 00:02:30,580 on being a maintainer would be: 60 00:02:30,580 --> 00:02:33,880 One, you don't have to know how to work on a plane, 61 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,110 the Air Force trains everybody. 62 00:02:36,110 --> 00:02:38,960 Also, it's a different culture, I think, 63 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,180 than most other career fields. 64 00:02:41,180 --> 00:02:44,050 It's very strenuous sometimes, 65 00:02:44,050 --> 00:02:46,290 but it's also very rewarding 66 00:02:46,290 --> 00:02:48,370 and you have to have thick skin. 67 00:02:48,370 --> 00:02:49,230 Period. 68 00:02:49,230 --> 00:02:51,000 Whether you're female or not. 69 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:52,600 Over anything else, 70 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:56,280 I think that I absolutely chose the right career to go into. 71 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:57,653 I do love it.