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Behind the Uniform: Major Christina Mayo

Article by Spc. Christina Chang, 29th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Photos by Staff Sgt. Sarah M. McClanahan, 175th Wing Public Affairs

In late May, 2021, U.S. Air Force Maj. Christina Mayo sat with her two younger daughters in the outdoors stadium of the U.S. Air Force Academy located in Colorado, their spirits undamped by the sweltering humid heat of early summer, as they proudly watched as Mayo’s eldest daughter Ariona took the stage.

“Ariona is the first in our family to graduate from the USAFA,” Mayo said. “I am thankful that Ariona was able to reach her full potential in completing her [chosen] career path.”

Maj. Christina Mayo (left) stands with her daughter Ariona (top middle), Zaria (right), and Sophia (bottom middle) the day before Ariona’s graduation ceremony on May 25, 2021. Photo courtesy by Maj. Christina Mayo.

Mayo said her daughter’s choice to follow in her footsteps by specializing in systems engineering didn’t surprise her, since Ariona had visited the engineering labs where she worked ever since she was two years old, and supported her mother’s decision to join the military.

“I feel like my children mentor me and I mentor them,” Mayo said. “it’s a dual sided relationship.”

While Mayo may be a proud mother and influential figure to a family of three, she’s also been helping to clear the path for other women aspiring to work in new fields like engineering, cybersecurity, and the military service. As a cyber operations officer with the 175th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, she has worked to build a successful civilian career for herself before she joined  the Maryland Air National Guard in 2011.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Christina Mayo, cyber operator for the 175th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, Maryland Air National Guard, poses for a portrait April 22, 2021, at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, Gulfport, Mississippi.

“I care about people, that’s what makes me [get out] to talk to people. I’ve always said ‘never leave an airman behind [or my team member].’” said Mayo, who spoke of having a shy personality.

Growing up as an African-American woman in Baltimore made Mayo want to change the world around her, which pushed her to always be a leader wherever she went. She helped start the Institute of Industrial Engineers academic organization at school while working towards her undergraduate degree in at Morgan State University, and also worked on the Diversity and Inclusion Council at Lockheed Martin Corporation. 

While Mayo worked for Northrop Grumman, an Airman from the 175th Wing told her that she needed to join the National Guard because it needed more officers like her. 

“[That] pretty much challenged me to take the opportunity,” Mayo said. “I followed through, and here I am in the military.” 

After she joined the National Guard, Mayo continued to see the importance of her values in diversity and her advocating for inclusion.

“Since I graduated from college I’ve been around mostly men,” Mayo said. “I’m usually the only African American female in the room [during the officers and leadership meetings].” 

She recently returned from Mississippi as the project officer for Southern Strike 2021, a joint exercise where she coordinated the 175th Wing’s cyber operations support of different U.S. and international military elements in March, 2021.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Christina Mayo, cyber operator for the 175th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, Maryland Air National Guard, briefs 175th Cyber Operations Group members participating in Southern Strike 21 on April 22, 2021, at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, Gulfport, Mississippi.

“I really appreciate [how] she’s been providing us with an abundance of opportunities to be able to go out and see what special forces are doing and be able to see the different aspects so we can gain understanding,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Gianna DeJong-Kaiser, an operations intelligence analyst for the 275th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, Maryland Air National Guard, who provided intel support and analysis for the Blue Cell (defense) team in Southern Strike ‘21. “Then [we] can create those relationships and establish them […] so it will be kind of a constant.”

(From left) U.S. Air Force Maj. Christina Mayo, cyber operator for the 175th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, Maryland Air National Guard, pose for a photo with U.S. Air Force Col. Cindy Smith, the exercise director of Southern Strike 21, on April 22, 2021, at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, Gulfport, Mississippi.
(From left) U.S. Air Force Maj. Christina Mayo, cyber operator for the 175th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, Maryland Air National Guard, and U.S. Air Force Capt. Stephen Shambra, cyber warfare officer for the 275 Cyberspace Operations Squadron, work on a computer April 22, 2021, at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, Gulfport, Mississippi.

In addition to helping to provide the military with the different knowledge from other occupations, Mayo has also helped to appreciate and emphasize the importance of respecting the diversity of the people she has mentored, including the historically undervalued cultures and backgrounds. She is one of the first female African Americans amongst the leadership of the 175th Cyberspace Operations to lead a team on larger scale joint training exercises like Southern Strike 2021.

“To hear these comments that are made to me from different perspectives, from an army officer to an air […] enlisted member, makes me understand how important it is for me to be out there [leading in the] front,” Mayo said. 

Mayo said she witnessed the change in diversity within her unit in cyberspace operations as more women and other Service members from different ethnicities joined their ranks. Her personal experience with overcoming challenges in the military taught her the importance of issues like transparency in authority and promoting equity throughout her career. Her personal experiences with also helping her Airmen with these issues pushed her to start the Wing’s first diversity council.

Major Christina Mayo (right) presents a citation on starting the 175th Wing Diversity Council to Brig. Gen. Paul D. Johnson (left), commander of the 175th Wing, and to Senator Cory McCray through an online conference call (right).

“For me, loyalty to the right thing [and] not the wrong thing and my transparency and accountability also play a major role in […] being in the military,” Mayo said.

Mayo also led the 175th Wing’s family day celebration in 2019, is an active member of the National Guard Association of Maryland (NGAM), and started the Wing’s first running team. Her experience in spearheading these exercises and events had her recommended by U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead, Maryland Army National Guard commander, to join the Maryland Vaccine Equity Task Force established by Governor Larry Hogan. 

Major Christina Mayo (center) meets with Governor Larry Hogan (left) and Brig. Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead (right) in 2021.

By staying committed to both the military and her personal values, Mayo said she could set a better example for both her family and her peers. She has accomplished this goal by helping to clear their way forwards towards their opportunities and their futures.

“Because for me, it is not [just] the color of [your skin], it’s a human issue,” she said. “We [humans] need to love each other, and care for each other, and make sure we believe in each other.”