Manpower Analyst highlighted by Team McConnell Published Aug. 20, 2009 By Senior Airman Laura Suttles 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs MCCONNELL AIR BASE, Kan. -- Staff Sgt. Stephen DeGuzman 22nd Force Support Squadron Manpower Analyst Staff Sergeant DeGuzman is from Sacramento, Calif., and has served in the Air Force for eight years. He has been stationed at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., for 21 months. When he's not at work, he enjoys spending time with family, volunteering, working out, and playing rugby with the local Wichita Barbarians. What do you enjoy most about McConnell? All my military and civilian friends. Why is serving in the Air Force important to you? Serving means that I'm doing my part in the defense of my country and ultimately securing a future for all those I care about. What would you like to accomplish during your Air Force career? I joined when I was 17. I'd like to retire under 40 as an officer with various degrees, one hopefully in the field of Industrial Psychology, so that I can come back to serve the military in that profession. Who is the most positive influence in your life and why? My mom. Coming from the Philippines to the U.S., she raised two kids by herself knowing less than 10 words of English and on a budget of a few hundred dollars. She embodies hard work and stubborn determination. What would you be most proud to tell your parents? I'd tell my mom that I became a good man because of all her sacrifices. What would you like to tell someone who is considering joining the Air Force? It's not a job, it's a duty. The uniform is about the military, not a trade. If you join, you'll be serving your country, not the other way around. Many have died to protect our way of life, so if you don't understand that, please don't join.