Meet Lt. Col. Grazulis Published Aug. 9, 2011 By 2nd Lt. Melanie Holliday 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Quitting has never been an option for this Airman, and it isn't an option for his students either. Lieutenant Col. Robert Grazulis, 325th Air Control Squadron commander, was born in San Angelo, Texas to an Air Force master sergeant. From a young age he knew he wanted to go to join the United States Air Force. "It was a natural instinct to join the military because my father was in the Air Force. It had been a part of my whole life and I didn't know anything else," said Colonel Grazulis. In 1986, Colonel Grazulis graduated from Judson High School and started college at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He also began his first year of Reserve Officer Training Corps. By 1990, he graduated from college with a bachelor of arts degree in political science and commissioned into the Air Force. In July 1991, he started Air Weapons Controller School at Tyndall. Since graduating from Air Weapons Controller School, Colonel Grazulis has served as an instructor, senior director and Mission Crew Commander on board the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., duty controller and surveillance officer at a NATO Combined Air Operations Center in Larisa, Greece and executive assistant and action officer on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. As the 325th ACS commander, Colonel Grazulis oversees the training of all active duty Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard Air Battle Managers and trains international officers from 55 countries in basic command and control skills. Colonel Grazulis spends two hours with each incoming class on their first day, where he explains his and the Air Force's expectations for them as outlined in the core values. "I expect excellence in everything they do," said Colonel Grazulis. "I expect for each student to put forth their best efforts and not quit when things get hard. Quitting isn't giving your best and it isn't putting service before self." He also discusses how to overcome challenges students face while attending the school. "One of the biggest challenges I've noticed among students here at the school is they become discouraged because there aren't many opportunities to lead," Colonel Grazulis said. " I can't stress to them enough that putting on the uniform within itself is leading. It doesn't matter if you have one stripe or four stars, you're still a leader in our nation." To date, Colonel Grazulis says being the 325th ACS commander has been one of the most satisfying jobs of his career. "To me, watching 180 students graduate each year with a firm grasp on air battle management and seeing all the improvement within the school has been extremely rewarding," he said. Colonel Grazulis married his high school sweetheart, Mari and they have three children, John, 11, Ellie, 7 and David, 6 months.