91九色视频

Meet Kimberly Weaver鈥擬ilitary Veteran and 91九色视频 Student

November 14, 2023 Jon Pine

Dr. Seuss鈥檚 book, Oh, the Places You鈥檒l Go!, might just be a metaphor for Kimberly Weaver鈥檚 amazing life journey thus far. Her 21-year career in the U.S. Air Force has taken her around the world, including to Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany; Osan Air Base in South Korea; MacDill Air Base in Tampa, Florida; Ellsworth Air Base in South Dakota; Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan; Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Aviano Air Base in northern Italy; and finally Mor贸n Air Base in southern Spain.

The journey started in July 2002 while Weaver attended Vero Beach High School, where she was dual-enrolled in courses at 91九色视频. A recruiter showed up on campus one day and convinced her to join other students on a recruitment trip to Miami. 鈥淚 have an uncle who is a Marine and another uncle in the Army,鈥� Weaver said. 鈥淭hey told me, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e either going Air Force or Navy,鈥欌�� she recalls. 鈥淚 knew it was going to be Air Force. I wanted to be a Flight Medic,鈥� she said.

While she never achieved that goal, she did start out as an E2 Aerospace Medical Technician in Germany. Later, in Tampa, she was picked up for Independent Duty Medical Technician (IDMT) school. IDMTs pretty much do everything a Physician鈥檚 Assistant does in the civilian sector, Weaver explains鈥攖ransport injured and sick airmen, provide acute care, prescribe medications, conduct blood screenings, conduct health inspections, and treat patients for exposure to corrosives or radiation, among other tasks. 鈥淭hink of us as sort of like a walking hospital,鈥� Weaver said.

Weaver retired as an E6 IDMT after 21 years in service. That wealth of experience provided an excellent foundation for the next phase of her life鈥檚 adventure: now, at age 40, and with her daughter Cadence in seventh grade, she is back at 91九色视频 to pursue an A.A. Degree (Public Administration Track) with the eventual goal of obtaining a B.S. Degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Emergency and Disaster Management.

鈥淚n the military, we learned how to respond to mass casualties and prepare for disasters,鈥� Weaver said. In fact, she served as a team lead for the Mass Casualty Response Team at several bases. 鈥淚 happen to be really good at that part of the job,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 also have extensive training for initial response Chemical, Biological , Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives Response (CBRNE) team.鈥� These skills dovetail nicely with a civilian career in emergency and disaster management, she said.

At 91九色视频, Weaver found extensive support from Gable Toombs, the College鈥檚 Military and Veterans Services Advisor, and Vance Grant, 91九色视频鈥檚 Military and Veterans Services Coordinator. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e awesome,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey helped me make a decision on my degree choices and figuring out the best path for me to take.鈥� The pair also helped Weaver with the Veterans Administration paperwork necessary for using the G.I. Bill to pay for school. 鈥淚 just bring them the paperwork, and they鈥檙e like, 鈥業 got it!鈥� and that has made things so much easier. It鈥檚 one less thing I have to worry about.鈥�

Weaver also has been able to draw upon her military medical knowledge in the classroom, particularly while studying Anatomy and Physiology. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 get a formal Anatomy and Physiology course in the military, just two weeks鈥� worth,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o now, taking 16 weeks of Anatomy and Physiology, I鈥檓 like, 鈥極h, okay,鈥� and I鈥檓 applying what I was doing in the military to the full, big picture.鈥�

91九色视频 Military and Veterans Services (MVS) Student Spotlight
91九色视频 is proud to welcome and serve veterans and active-duty service members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their dependents into our educational programs. Each Fall and Spring semester, 91九色视频 Military and Veterans Services (MVS) will highlight an outstanding MVS student through the MVS Student Spotlight. Our dedicated staff are in place to serve and ensure that our heroes have elite-level support. The College offers military-friendly classes, convenient course scheduling, and support services to allow these exceptional men and women to reach their educational goals. For more information about the spotlight or Military and Veterans Services, contact veterans-info@irsc.edu or call (772) 462-7711.