Airman Spotlight: Staff Sgt. Chad Thompson Published June 7, 2011 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- Unit: 51st Fighter Wing Staff Job title: 3N071 Public Affairs Job description and its impact on the overall mission: I am a cross-trainee from back-shop avionics, and before I was in public affairs I had no idea what PA was. Here at Osan I am the NCOIC of Internal Information, which basically means I am the eyes and the ears of the base. I get to visit all of your units and tell your amazing Air Force stories to the world by highlighting all the great things our Airmen and base members do on and off duty. Time in the military: 13 years, 6 months Time at Osan: 4 months DEROS: Feb 2012 Hometown: Dothan, Alabama Hobbies: Photography, traveling, volunteering, golf, video games, sports, working out, eating the amazing food here in Korea and yes I have played basketball once or twice. Why did you join the military? I joined the military to see the world and I have been around and back almost four times now. It's a great life and I love what I do. Where do you see yourself in 10 or 20 years: In 10 years I hope to be retired from the Air Force and hopefully working with National Geographic or Sport Illustrated -- that's my dream anyway. If that doesn't work out I hope to own my own photography business and maybe teach Math or Science at a high school somewhere. It would be great to be doing something I love, where I can't wait to get up and go to work. What do you do for fun here? I know this might sound cheesy but I find this job fun. I get to see and do almost anything I want to. I can be a firefighter, a security forces member, a weatherman, a doctor, or dentist - anything I want to be in a day. When I finally go home I do just about anything to unwind. I'm working on writing a book and I always love showing my family and friends the cool stuff I do and see through the lens of my camera. What's your favorite Air Force memory or story? I got picked for a humanitarian deployment to Soto Cano AB, Honduras in the summer of 2009, which was the best experience of my life. Not only did I grow as a PA but I got to experience some things that I will never forget, and I made several life-long friends while I was there. What accomplishment are you most proud of? Being in the military for 13 years has taught me a lot about life and I am very proud of all the great things I have experienced in my career and look forward to every new challenge. Who are your role models? My mom and dad for sure. They brought me into this world and raised me right. There isn't a day that goes by that I am not thankful for the things they taught me. Love you mom and dad!