From serving Fairchild to serving the president Published June 5, 2007 By Tech. Sgt. Larry W. Carpenter Jr. 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- From a young girl in Baltimore, to a ROTC graduate, to commander of the 92nd Services Squadron at Fairchild, and now on to be the Air Force military aide to the president of the United States. These are just a few achievements that have taken Maj. Gina Humble, 92nd Services Squadron commander, around the country and finally landed her in the White House. Major Humble grew up as a pretty normal kid who enjoyed playing soccer and softball in high school and began working at the age of 16. She was the youngest of three children, the only girl, separated by seven years from her older brother. "I was a pretty boring kid," said Major Humble. "Growing up the only girl had unique challenges but it was nothing out of the ordinary." Living so close to Annapolis and the U.S. Naval Academy provided Major Humble her first exposure to the military. Right out of high school, the major knew she wanted to get out of her hometown and branch out. "Everybody was going to the University of Maryland and it felt just like an extension of high school. I wanted to get away from that," Major Humble said. After her initial interest in the U.S. Naval Academy she decided that the Air Force would be a better way to go in terms of quality of life and what they had to offer. "I ended up going to ROTC in combination with Penn State University and the College of Charleston," said Major Humble. The Major received her undergraduate degree in mathematics but through continued education has garnered three master's degrees: one in secondary education with a math specialty, one in organizational management and one in strategic intelligence. Even though the major was not a military brat and the only military affiliation her family has is her father's one tour in the Marine Corps, her family stands behind her military career. "I think my family is very proud about what I do and they have been 100-percent supportive from the time I told them what I wanted to do," she said. "They continue to be there every step of the way for me." Throughout her career, Major Humble has prided herself on not being a stove-pipe, one-career-field type of person. She has served in command and control assignments, information management positions, as a squadron section commander, an intelligence officer and as the current services squadron commander. "I have a lot of breadth, not a whole lot of depth," the major said jokingly. "But I have a very diverse skill set nonetheless." As the major prepares to move on to her next assignment, she reflects back on her time as the 92nd SVS commander and what she enjoyed most about it. "I impact lives every single day in my current job and that's what I enjoy most about what I do - being able to serve the families and Airmen of team Fairchild and make an impact on their lives." The current chapter of Major Humble's career has landed her in a position as the Air Force military aid to the President of the U.S. The application process started with a nomination package to Air Mobility Command and recently ended with an interview in one of the situation rooms at the White House. The interview process in itself was "just absolutely amazing," said Major Humble. From the first round of interviews in the east wing, sitting in the first ladies reception area and then the actual interview, it was an incredible experience. "I still wake up and look at what's going to happen within the next six months and I still can't believe it," she said. "It's truly an honor and certainly beyond my wildest dreams." Squadron commanders have been known to work pretty grueling hours keeping their organizations running smoothly, so she spends her limited amount of free time with her two children. That quality time includes going to the movies, playing board games and jumping on the trampoline. "There's not a whole lot of free time as a squadron commander," she said. "So I spend as much time as I can with my two kids, Jacob and Rachel." Oddly enough, even with the higher deployment tempo currently facing the Air Force, Major Humble has not yet had to deploy. "I haven't deployed yet just based on timing," said Major Humble. "I was either pregnant with my children or I arrived on station after my deployment cycle and left before my deployment cycle." Highlights of Major Humble's career include her selection to be part of the Air Force Intern Program, selection as a military aid and being a squadron commander. "Being a squadron commander is one of the most rewarding jobs in the Air Force - leading people and taking care of them," Major Humble said. "It doesn't get any better than that; definitely the best job I've had and I'll truly miss it." With a smile, Major Humble said, "I could retire tomorrow and be happy, but I'm not ready yet."
