WESTHAMPTON BEACH, N.Y. - Air Force Senior Airman Tara Langella, a recent Combat Arms Training and Maintenance Academy graduate, is the 106th Rescue Wing's first female combat arms training and maintenance instructor, but that's not a fact she wants emphasized.
Her job is to teach other Airmen how to properly handle, clean and fire their weapons, and said she doesn't just want to be known as the first female CATM instructor on base; she wants to be known as a competent, capable instructor who will show the men and women of the 106th how to fight and win on the battlefield.
"My mentality on this is that I just want to do my job and go home like anybody else" Langella said. "I don't like the attention [being the first female instructor brings] just because I feel like everyone else."
As a veteran of Afghanistan, Langella's positive work ethic helped her stand out from the crowd.
"When I was in the AOR, I got a lot of attention, earning Airmen of the Year and the Diamond Sharp Award twice; I put in over a hundred volunteer hours at the on-base hospital. I didn't think I was going to get a medal for the work; I just did it because I wanted to help. I'd rather be known for doing good work and doing my job the way I'm supposed to, rather than getting recognized just because I'm a female."
This attitude served well during her time at the CATM Academy.
The Air Force CATM program is in place to ensure that Airmen knowledgeable in the handling and care of weapons are present in all units in the Air Force.
"It was pretty difficult - really it was much harder than I expected, but I got through it in the end."
Through three different training blocs, Langella had to learn how to clean, fire, and clear almost every firearm in the Air Force's inventory, including the M9 Beretta pistol, the M4 carbine and M16 rifles, as well as the M249 light machine gun and the M203 grenade launcher.
"Believe it or not, the hardest part [was] the presentations - talking in front of everyone was much harder and more nerve wracking than I would have thought. After a while, though, you got used to it," she said.
Of course, it didn't hurt that she's always had a fascination with weapons, Langella said.
"I know it's not very 'girlie' of me, but it's one of the reason's I wanted to join Security Forces," she said.
The Air Force's Security Forces Squadrons are responsible for the ground security of Air Force facilities around the world, and they go through the same training Army Soldiers do.
While Langella said she may enjoy certain aspects of the job, she understands the serious responsibilities that come with her position.
"If you don't know your weapon, especially in a hostile environment, you're going to die. It's as simple as that, "she said.
During her deployment, she noticed that a fellow service member's weapon seemed a bit light. When Langella asked about it, the service member stated that "the weapon was too heavy," so she kept it unloaded.
"I was shocked! Here I am, carrying almost 90 pounds of gear [including 210 lethal rounds, 6 nonlethal rounds, crowd dispersal and stun grenades,] and the only thing she had to carry was one rifle and one magazine! If we got into a firefight, and she didn't know why her weapon wasn't firing or had to take the time to load it ... what was she going to do? Hide behind me?" Langella asked.
One major lesson that Langella brought back was that you always have to be prepared, regardless of your situation or location.
"Langella is the epitome of what a Security Force Airman stands for and her professionalism stands out amongst her peers," said Air Force Maj. Celestino J. Martinez, commander of the 106th Security Forces Squadron.
"We are all proud of her accomplishments in the past year in Afghanistan and at CATM school, and we have high expectations for her ... as they say cream always rises to the top and there is nowhere to go but up for this young Airman," he said.
With Airmen getting ready for future deployments, Langella understands how important her job is.
"I know my weapon inside and out, and I'm going to teach what I learned throughout my training. I've always wanted to join the military, and my family wasn't surprised when I enlisted. The Air Force is my second family, and I'd do anything for them," she said.