STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. – Alexa Reeves never expected that her decision to join the New York Air National Guard after high school would lead to becoming a member of Air Mobility Command’s specially trained Phoenix Raven program.
It was time to answer the age-old question: “What am I going to do after high school?”
With the help of her family, Reeves decided to join the New York Air National Guard. Reeves searched for a recruiter and expressed her interest in enlisting in the Guard while she was a senior at Pine Bush High School. At the time, she was also a volunteer firefighter and was obtaining her certification as a medical assistant.
She knew she also wanted to continue helping people as a first responder in her role in the Guard. She decided to pursue law enforcement, and in October 2021, a few months after graduating and enlisting, Reeves went to basic training and technical school to become a defender.
Three years into her time working in the 105th Base Defense Group as a defender, providing security and law enforcement around the base, Master Sgt. Sean Rowe, 105 BDG Raven program manager, recommended Reeves apply for one of the few available National Guard Raven slots.
The Phoenix Raven program, implemented in 1997 by AMC for their aircraft, consists of specially trained Security Forces personnel who provide protection for aircraft and crews transiting through austere locations where security is unknown or additional security is needed to counter higher threat levels.
Her first step in applying was ensuring she met the physical fitness standards. Reeves took four Air Force physical training tests over drill weekends from March to June 2024 and achieved a score of more than 90% three consecutive times to meet the application standard. From there, Rowe ensured her application was complete and submitted her name for selection.
“I got a phone call on a Thursday in July from Master Sgt. Rowe, and he asked me if I was ready to leave for Raven school that Sunday,” Reeves said. “I was very nervous because I knew I was going to have to push myself a lot during the course.”
Reeves trained for 12 hours a day during three weeks at the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to earn her title as a Raven.
Throughout the training, Reeves said they spent a lot of time getting “smoked” with workouts and running, doing various combative exercises and other training scenarios, and participating in peer-to-peer fighting. They also trained in cross-cultural awareness, international legal considerations, explosive ordnance awareness and tactical combat care to ensure lethality and readiness during any real-world missions.
Despite her nerves and the challenges she faced before and throughout Raven school, Reeves pushed herself and graduated. She said she often considered if she had what it takes to continue pushing herself.
“I found it in myself to keep pushing, with encouraging words from Master Sgt. Rowe and my family,” Reeves said. “I didn’t want to give up and I didn’t want to go home without the Raven tab.”
Now, she proudly wears the Raven tab, a small patch worn on the left shoulder of her uniform, identifying her as a specially trained member of the Raven program.
Reeves is one of 12 Ravens at the 105th Airlift Wing and the only female on the team who has the mission of protecting the wing’s nine C-17 Globemaster IIIs on missions. Reeves and other Ravens in the program are entrusted to detect, deter and counter threats to the wing’s aircraft on missions. She conducts airfield security assessments and is a subject matter expert regarding force protection measures. Reeves can get notice two weeks or as few as 12 hours before these missions.
Her first mission as a Raven was in February when she flew to Zambia as part of the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program. She provided security for the C-17 when members of the Zambian military boarded the aircraft for a tour. Reeves has several missions lined up throughout the year and says more missions also could happen.
Outside of her career as a defender in the 105th Base Defense Group, Reeves is trying to transition from a volunteer firefighter to a paid firefighter in Middletown, N.Y., to make a career out of helping people in the New York Air National Guard and her civilian life.