7 May 2024

The Sounds of Freedom

Follow the white buses marked U.S. Air Force as they pick up new recruits from San Antonio International Airport and transport them to a tucked away location on Joint Base San Antonio. This hidden gem sits on almost four thousand acres of land designated for training the newest enlistees of the Air Force for the next eight and a half weeks. Over the course of their basic military training, you can hear groups of individuals become one voice as they chant the melodic sounds of freedom — “Everywhere I go-o, there’s an MTI* there, hut, two, three, four,” to signify unity and the wingman concept.

16 Feb 2024

Full Circle Moments: An Interview with Vanessa Pellegrino-Badell

As a project engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vanessa Pellegrino-Badell has coordinated many construction projects, but none as close to her heart as the U.S. Air Force’s Airman Training Centers located at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Growing up, Pellegrino-Badell always had a passion for service, and when faced with the opportunity to enlist in the Air Force, she felt it was a natural step toward this. Her military service opened her eyes to new levels of possibilities and gave her the tools to be prepared for any challenges that lie ahead. We sat down with Pellegrino-Badell to discuss joining the Air Force, and how her training and military service prepared her for a new chapter in her career of becoming a project engineer for USACE.