Behind the Uniform: Tech Sgt. Adamseged Tedla-Boyd

Article by Senior Airman Danielle Lofton, 175th Wing Public Affairs

Photos by Senior Airman Danielle Lofton, 175th Wing Public Affairs

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Adamseged Tedla-Boyd, 175th Civil Engineering Squadron non-commissioned officer in charge, was born in Ethiopia and came to America when he was only 11 years old. He joined the military in 2007 because he loved to be challenged and wanted to be able to see different places and meet new people.

Being the first in his family to join, Tedla-Boyd faced speculations from his family who had doubts that he was making the best decision. Deciding to join in 2007 at the height of the war in Iraq, made some family members extremely upset.

“I had some family members cry over my decision to join. They had this wrong perception of the military so I wanted to prove to them that they were wrong.” said Tedla-Boyd. “I had to put my foot down and say no, this is what I want to do and I’m doing it, and respect my decisions and they finally came around.”

Tedla-Boyd loved that the Air Force gave him the opportunity to visit new places and connect with new people that offered him new perspectives on life that he would have never met if it wasn’t for the Air Force. Not only did Tedla-Boyd love to travel but he also liked that he was able to be a part of missions that had a huge impact on people’s lives.

In July of 2021, Tedla-Boyd was tasked to be a part of the Innovative Readiness Training Program mission to help build homes for Cherokee Veterans in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. This joint mission put Tedla-Boyd in a training environment that allowed him to hone in on his skills while also cross-training in fields he normally would not have the opportunity to work in.

“It’s very fulfilling. It gives me so much satisfaction to be able to come to a place and be part of a mission where we’re actually creating something from nothing, from the ground up.” said Tedla-Boyd. “We’re building houses, and those houses will be at some point be occupied by Native American veterans. So to know that what I’m doing will come full circle is great.”

Tedla-Boyd plans to stay in the military until he retires and will tell anyone who is thinking about joining to look into themselves and see if the military is a good fit for them.

“The military has its own challenges, and its own advantages and has its own sets of rules and guidelines and traditions. If you’re the type of person who does not want or is not willing to be a part of that then this is not for you.” said Tedla-Boyd. “But for those who do, the military will give you great discipline. It’s a supportive organization. If you’re that type of person that’s driven and wants to get somewhere then this would be great for you and I would say do it.”