Sr. MSgt. Jennifer Blood Airman Spotlight

MIDDLE RIVER, Md, — 

Name: Senior Master Sergeant Jennifer Blood

Location: Middle River, MD   

Unit: 175th Civil Engineer Squadron

 State you serve in: Maryland   

Military Occupational Specialty: Readiness and Emergency Management Flight Superintendent (3E991) 

What is your role in the Maryland Air National Guard?

As an Emergency Management Specialist in the MDANG, I get to play a role in planning, training, responding, and recovering for emergencies of every kind. This includes domestic incidents as well as overseas/military ones. From creating plans to address threats, training personnel on actions needed to prepare, respond, and recover from disasters/events, performing surveillance and reconnaissance, and especially offering command and control abilities through our emergency operations center… EM plays a significant part in the installation’s abilities to perform at it’s best in every situation. This position is different than others in the way it interacts with every other agency in the wing and interacts with our community and state partners to ensure that we are ready and able to assist them in times of need. I act on behalf of the wing as a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) representative, establishing strong relationships with our civilian agencies and making sure they understand our mission and abilities to support.

What do you see as the most important thing about your MOS/AFSC?

This job contributes by providing training and education to all wing members, so they are better prepared to perform their unique tasks in all levels of environments – both positive and negative. We are the USAF CBRN experts! Our job is to make sure everyone else understands the possible threats and knows how to continue the mission within those various threats. Overall, we strengthen the wing’s performance.

What made you want to pursue this career field? What keeps you continuing your service?

I was initially intrigued by the planning and review process of this job which looks for lessons learned and then figures out ways to avoid them in the future. I’m not sure I realized what I was asking to join back then! Now, I love seeing the “aha” moments airmen have when something I’m teaching them sinks in and starts to make sense. Ultimately, it’s the positive impact I can have with everyone that makes me thankful I am here.

What do you enjoy most about your service?

I love people and service! We only get a short moment of time here but the impact we leave once we’re gone can last for ages. I get to meet and work with so many people from so many levels of life. Whether it’s training new airmen, advising senior leaders, networking/coordinating with outside agencies, etc… my job gives me the opportunity to continue to interact and impact everywhere.

What’s the biggest obstacle that you face in your field?

Change seems to be a big obstacle the EM community faces overall, but one I have faced here at the 175th. I joined the wing and immediately started a sprint to change the EM culture and processes which can be exciting but also very exhausting. Continuing to maintain your expertise in the CBRN world while accepting/implementing the ever-changing environment is also an on-going hassle, but if it’s too easy, it’s not worth it in the end – right?!