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Her Own Path

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Javier Cruz
  • 14th Flying Training Wing
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  

When Tech. Sgt. Marisa Bender received her new assignment orders to Columbus, she wondered what the weather in Ohio, would be like in the summer. Turns out the weather at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, is slightly different than she imagined. 

Bender arrived on station in March 2024, and began the process of obtaining her Contracting Officer Representative nomination to qualify her to perform the Maintenance Authority Quality mission, but her path actually started 12 years ago. 

“I knew I wanted to join the Air Force; I didn’t want to work a regular job or go straight to college,” said Bender. “Plus, my grandpa was in the Air Force, and I have a cousin in the intelligence career field. It’s not what I thought I would be doing, but I love it now. I think I realized that I like to work with my hands and aircraft maintenance is very hands on. I just like tearing jets apart and putting them back together.” 

Originally, she wanted to be an Intelligence Analyst, but her mechanical aptitude had other ideas; she enlisted under open mechanical. 

“My grandpa was in an aviation career field. Every time I would go home it was like a super pride thing for us,” said Bender. “I would tell him about my job, and he would actually understand it; all the maintenance terms, I didn’t have to explain it. He would say, let me see your nails and they would be coated black; he’d be so proud.” 

Bender was stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, as part of an aircraft maintenance unit responsible for maintaining aircraft that were being used to test avionics and other flight related systems.  

“For nine years I was a dedicated crew chief, then I moved to Quality Assurance for two years. Once I put on Tech. Sgt., I moved to the expediter position to make sure aircraft were launching safely on time.” 

A dedicated crew chief is a title earned by U.S. Air Force crew chief personnel who demonstrate superior performance, initiative and technical knowledge of their assigned aircraft. They manage and supervise all maintenance on their assigned aircraft, including cleaning, inspecting, servicing and performing scheduled maintenance. They also mentor and train new crew chiefs. 

“Hands down Northern Edge deployments were my favorite experiences throughout my career,” said Bender. “My third tour as a DCC shift lead was the most rewarding. Making sure the jets got up even when everything changes and we’re all scrambling or when something needs to be fixed, it’s a little chaotic, but that was the best experience.” 

Northern Edge is a joint and combined training exercise, sponsored by the Indo-Pacific Command and led by Headquarters Pacific Air Forces. The exercise integrates land, air, sea, space and cyberspace domains for joint, interagency and multinational training. Approximately 150 aircraft participated in Northern Edge 23-1 in 2023. 

As the only female crew chief in her unit, Bender described how she overcame gender barriers. 

“It was kind of hard to fit in as the only female crew chief, you kind of feel like you’re on the outside sometimes,” said Bender. “I didn’t always get useful feedback, so I just decided to create my own opportunities and I did the work, next thing you know I was just kind of accepted. A coworker told me one time that I was never going to be as strong as the guys and that I needed to learn how to use leverage to my advantage, so I did, and I was able to do things by myself that others couldn’t.” 

Bender reflected on how her support system contributed to her resiliency and desire to help others. 

“We (female aircraft maintainers) stand out more because there are so few of us, so it’s noticed more when we mess up or when we’re successful,” said Bender. “Understanding what you’re doing and why you’re doing it can really make the difference mentally and it impacts your work. Working as a crew chief and having my name on the jet was special to me. I took pride in the work I was doing every day with my jet, and it was something I earned. I loved that jet and I still miss it.” 

“I’ve never had a real mentor, I’ve done most things on my own but when we got a new female Airman at Eglin, I wanted to give her what I didn’t have,” said Bender. “Along with mentorship, I helped her with Below the Zone (early promotion for eligible airman first class) and we still keep in touch regularly. We have a running joke that she is like my daughter and then we also adopted another new female Airman from the unit into our little family.” 

During her four-year controlled tour as a COR, Bender plans to make the best of the stabilized position.  

“I am trying to make Master Sergeant my first-time next year around the same time that I’ll be finishing my bachelor's degree and then I plan to submit my Officer Training School package as a maintenance officer,” said Bender. “I’d like to be in-charge of my own maintenance unit one day. I want to lead.”