TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- “I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people,” Maya Angelou once said.
Meet Airman 1st Class Katlin Hightower, a 325th Medical Operations Squadron mental health technician. Hailing from Mooresville, Missouri, a town of 83, she is a graduate of the Southwest Livingston County R-1 School District located in Ludlow, Missouri, and the first person in her family to join the military.
“While in high school I was a part of a group called ‘Stand for the Silent,’ which was really one of the things I enjoyed most about high school,” Hightower said.
The program was put in place to prevent and deter bullying. Hightower was the acting president for the group during most of her time in high school.
Aside from the “Stand for the Silent” program, Hightower also participated in various extracurricular sports activities. One of which was track and field.
“I would definitely say track and field was my favorite sport to play,” Hightower said. “I had a really good chance of actually running for a team in college. But I respectively declined from the possibility of risking injury because you never know what could happen.”
Everyone’s story for joining the military is never same. This is also true for Airman Hightower.
“It was about the time in mid-elementary that the military really caught my attention,” Hightower said. “It was at that point I was sure I wanted to join. I had considered the Army and becoming a combat medic at first, but I was only 17 at the time. Later on I decided on the Air Force, and I haven’t regretted my choice at all.”
As a mental health technician, Hightower is responsible for assisting service members who may find it hard to balance and cope with military life.
“Just being in high school and seeing kids and their families struggle was enough for me to consider the job,” Hightower said. “What really attracted me to being a mental health technician was being a person who could just help.”
During her final year in high school she studied various subjects including sociology and psychology.
Since August 2015, Hightower spends her spare time working as a certified volunteer for American Red Cross. As a volunteer, she visits houses on weekends and installs fire alarms for those who may not be able to afford them.
“As it stands now I’ve visited 50 homes and installed 150 fire alarms around the Panama City area,” Hightower said. “So it’s a lot of fun and helpful to others.”
When not installing fire alarms and keeping homes safe, Hightower’s hobbies include horseback riding.
“I’ve gone out to a ranch somewhat close to the installation and rode a few times,” Hightower said. “Bike riding is another hobby of mine. I get together with a couple of friends, and we ride along the 30A highway. We’ve biked as far as 30 miles.”
Hightower will be PCSing to Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom. As she takes her next step in exceling her Air Force career, she shows a concrete plan in her future endeavors.
“I plan on staying in the Air force for as long as I can and eventually making a career of it by completing 20 or more years,” Hightower said. “There are also a lot of things I plan on doing while in. I have thought of applying as a military training instructor ever since completing basic military training, since I view that as a helping hand kind of job in a sense. Having that outlook I really want to see what it’s like to actually mold people into the Airmen they can become.”
Sometime after her Air Force career is complete, she also has aspirations of becoming a veterinarian.
“My advice to anyone just starting or have been in for the long haul is to never lose your flame,” Hightower said. “No matter what job you’re in there are always going to be good times and bad times. Finding comradery amongst your peers can be reassuring, especially in the military.”