First Person: My Air Force Career in Government Contracting
The early morning pounding at my door produced a major an adrenaline jolt when the voice on the other side yelled, “Out of bed Airman, you have twenty minutes to be in class!” Any time a brand new airman hears someone yelling about where they need to be, a mixture of adrenaline, fear, and confusion over how they messed up generates the instant ability to be in full uniform and out the door in a matter of minutes.
The year was 1981, but the memory is one that sticks solidly in my mind. Just one day prior, I had arrived at Lowry Air Force Base to attend a technical training school. It was my first day away from basic training at Lackland Air Force Base and being yelled at was not the way I wanted to start a new assignment.
My confusion came from being previously told my job had a three month training class back log and I would be on clean-up detail until a spot was available. Marching to class, I remember thinking there was a big difference in twenty minutes and three months but I’d take class over mopping, buffing, and picking up trash any day.
On that day, as I started class, I had no idea my first step on the road to the best career in the Air Force was all a mistake. The Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) I was training for was 6C0X1, Contract Specialist. I had entered the military without a specific job but knew it would be in an administrative field. I was ready to graduate and move on to my first duty location before I learned that the knock on my door had been an error.
Moving through the four week training, my love for my new job developed quickly. All the training held my interest and I could not wait to put my knowledge to use. When my duty assignment didn’t show up the day it was due, my instructor made a few calls to find out where I would be headed. What he found out was a shock to everyone.
For four weeks, I had poured my heart into learning everything I could about government contracting. When the duty runner pounded on my door the first day of class, she had grabbed the wrong person. My job assignment was in a totally different field and I should not have been in class. I was devastated because I knew being a contract specialist was what I wanted but the decision on my future would be based on the needs of the service.
Fortunately my instructor went to bat for me. Since I had top test scores in my class and he felt confident I could handle the job, he made phone calls to the assignment and job coordinators. He was able to get my AFSC changed in the system so I could be a 6C0X1 Contract Specialist and move on to my first assignment. That was more than thirty years ago and I still love the job.
I retired from the military after twenty years in the contracting field. During my active duty time, I served as a purchasing agent, follow up clerk, contract specialist, buyer, contract administrator, and contracting officer. I transitioned to an industry job after retirement, beginning as a contract administrator and progressing to program management for government contracts. Recently, I moved back to federal government employment, still in the contracting career field, as a civil service employee.
For me, becoming a contract specialist was an accident, but it was the best possible accident which could have happened. I recommend the field to anyone interested in a business related specialty. I cannot imagine enjoying another career field as much as I have this one.
