MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- SENIOR AIRMAN JESSE NAVA: "I DECIDED I WANTED TO JOIN THE MILITARY BECAUSE I WANTED A POSITIVE CHANGE IN MY LIFE. I WANTED THE ADVENTURE, THE TRAVELING, ALL THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THE MILITARY HAS TO YOU.
(IN SPANISH) "MY NAME IS JESSE NAVA. I AM PART OF MALMSTROM'S 341ST MISSILE MAINTENANCE SQUADRON.
"I WAS BORN IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. WHEN I WAS AROUND FIVE YEARS OLD I WENT TO LIVE IN MEXICO. I LIVED THERE FOR TWENTY FOUR YEARS. I JOINED THE MILITARY WHEN I WAS TWENTY NINE YEARS OLD.
"FOR ME, DOING THIS JOB IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND I'M PROUD OF IT; NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WORK AROUND THESE ASSETS. I THINK THERE'S ONLY AROUND SIXTY PEOPLE WHO DO THE SAME JOB I DO. COUNTING THE OTHER BASES, MINOT, F.E. WARREN AND HERE, THERE'S ONLY 60 TECHNICIANS WHO DO THIS JOB. WE INSTALL THE MISSILES AND MOVE THEM. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COUNTRY BECAUSE THEY RELY ON US, AND NOT ONLY OUR COUNTRY BUT OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL.
"WORKING FOR THE MAINTENANCE SQUADRON IS AWESOME. I LIKE WORKING WITH THE GROUP OF PEOPLE I HAVE HERE. I LIKE THE JOB I HAVE. SOMETIMES WE DON'T GET TO SEE THAT MUCH BECAUSE WE GET USED TO IT. BUT KNOWING HOW IMPORTANT MISSILES ARE FOR THE COUNTRY IS AMAZING.
(IN SPANISH): "FOR ME TO WORK WITH THE GROUP OF PEOPLE I WORK WITH, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET ALONG WITH EACH OTHER. WE HAVE MADE GOOD FRIENDSHIPS AND I HAVE HEARD THEIR DIFFERENT STORIES. EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT STORY AND EACH ONE OF THEM HAS A DIFFERENT GOAL IN THIS JOB. SO, FOR ME, THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
"I DON'T REGRET JOINING THE AIR FORCE. I LOVE WHAT I DO, WAKING UP EVERY DAY, DRIVING THESE VEHICLES, I LOVE IT! DRIVING AROUND THE MISSILE SITES IS AMAZING. YOU ENJOY ALL THE SIGHTS HERE IN MONTANA. I LOVE IT!"