Spotlight!
Osan AB Mustang of the Week: Staff Sgt. Reika Samuel
By
51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs December 8, 2024
Staff Sgt. Kahdija Slaughter
51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs December 8, 2024
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Reika Samuel, 51st Maintenance Group maintenance training scheduler, poses for a photo at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Dec. 5, 2024. Samuel was recognized as Mustang of the Week for building classes that awarded 679 maintenance personnel with qualifications essential to performing their primary duties – all within the first 3 months of her being stationed at Osan AB. (Staff Sgt. Kahdija Slaughter, U.S. Air Force)
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Reika Samuel, 51st Maintenance Group maintenance training scheduler, was recognized as Mustang of the Week at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Dec. 5, 2024.
Samuel joined the military to develop organically as a leader and hoped to live abroad as she did in her youth. Being a military child to an Army retired father in Okinawa, Japan, she knew at a young age that she wanted to serve.
Her career began as an F-35 avionics maintainer; now, as member of the education and training career field, she ensures all personnel assigned to the 51st MXG are knowledgeable about the airframes they will work on upon arrival at Osan AB.
“I make sure that maintainers coming to Osan get the training they need prior to arrival. As it is a short tour here at Osan, it is important for them to be ready to work as soon as they land. Essentially, my job helps save valuable time – instead of focusing on training while here, maintainers are focused on executing the mission.”
Since her arrival in September, Samuel has coordinated with Pacific Air Forces to ensure 233 members from 93 units across the Korean peninsula attend mission required training. She also coordinated last minute training for maintenance personnel diverted from Kunsan Air Base to Osan AB – all of which yielded the highest scheduling rate in the last five years, 93%.
Samuel seeks to continue growing as a person and as a valued member of the Air Force.
“As a unit training manager, I can work for any career field within the Air Force. My first assignment after cross training into the career field was at a squadron level, but at Osan I’m working at the group level. So, growth opportunities such as these were a really big push for me to join this career field.”
Aside from immersing herself in the unified operations of the Air Force, her eyes are now set on completing her graduate degree, becoming a commissioned officer, finding opportunities to use her 7 year study of Hangul, and finding new ways to contribute to the high tempo mission that’s greater than herself.