BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- In 2013, Tech. Sgt. BreAnna Martinez was ready to return to civilian life. She wasn’t ready to give up the Air Force.
Turning to the Air Force Reserve gave her the opportunity to have the best of both worlds.
The command and control Airman was out-processing when she logged into myPers to visit the Reserve Vacancy finder in AFPC Secure. She found a job opportunity posted there for an Individual Mobilization Augmentee with Special Operations Command Africa, based out of Patch Barracks, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany.
“I knew nothing about the IMA program, but after all the details were explained to me, I realized it was exactly the kind of service commitment I was looking for,” she said of the position which allowed her to continue working with her active-duty counterparts.
In her IMA position as a joint operations center watch non-commissioned officer, Martinez is responsible for maintaining 24/7 command and control for special operations forces operating in the U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility, battle-tracking SOF teams working with African partner nations during contingency and crisis operations, and funneling reports from four operating units in Africa to higher headquarters.
Martinez said that working for SOCAFRICA is different from the work she was doing on active duty, where she never saw the end users for the missions she coordinated. In her Air Force Reserve job, the frontline operators are brought directly to her. She said she has met Navy SEALS, Army Special Forces and SOF Airmen who depend on the work of command and control Airmen.
“I'm able to see, firsthand, the significance of my work and how each situation report or request for forces document I send really does make a difference to someone down the line,” she said. “This information informs decision makers; missions change and plans are adjusted with each new piece of data.”
In addition to coming face-to-face with those she serves, Martinez has also found herself working alongside Soldiers, Sailors and Marines. She said the joint environment was a steep learning curve at first but it has changed her understanding of the military’s warfighting capabilities.
“As an NCO, I'm really lucky because I have the opportunity to… draw knowledge, perspective and experience from the sergeant majors, chief warrant officers and chief petty officers in my directorate,” she said.
Martinez said she also appreciates the flexibility inherent in the IMA program.
“I meet my Air Force Reserve requirements every year and I'm given the opportunity to complete my Annual Tour and Inactive Duty Training days at times that work best for the unit and me,” she said.
She added that the ability to complete all of her annual requirements at once brings stability to her training and allows her to focus on honing her command and control skills.
IMAs are Air Force Reservists assigned to active-component units and government agencies. They are managed by Headquarters Individual Reservist Readiness and Integration Organization located at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, and serve over 50 separate major commands, combatant commands and government agencies.
Unlike traditional Reservists, who are assigned to Reserve units that regularly perform duty together, IMAs work with their active-duty supervisors to create a custom duty schedule that helps their unit meet mission requirements.
To learn more about the Individual Reserve, visit www.arpc.afrc.af.mil/hqrio.aspx.