Air Force Senior Airman Julie Breault said the desire to serve in the military was instilled in her at a young age.
“I wanted to be security forces. I know a lot of people go into the Air Force and get weeded into security forces, but I chose it because I feel like as security forces I can truly make a difference,” said Breault, who is a 4th-generation service member.
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kevin Smith, Breault’s supervisor at the 97th Security Forces Squadron, noted that her performance is exemplary and said she performs her duties just as well, if not better, than many of her peers in the same career field.
“I wish more airmen would try to emulate her. She does things the best way she can and learns how to do things properly so she doesn’t have to do them again,” Smith said of Breault’s duty performance. “She’s a very hard worker. She’s one of the best that I’ve had work for me.”
Breault said she’s often asked about why she chose to join the military.
“Nobody has blatantly come up to me and said I shouldn’t be in the military because I’m a woman, but I have had people question why I wouldn’t want to do something else instead, like teach, or stay home with the kids,” she said. “I don’t have children currently, but I’ve seen many strong women who make it to the ranks of chief master sergeant or general. Many of them are mothers and wives and they do just fine. Someday I want to be a strong role model for my children as a woman in the military.”
Breault described her experiences and expectations as promising and sees a bright future for herself in the Air Force. She joked that she plans on staying in the Air Force until she has to be wheeled out as an old lady.
“I could see her being a chief someday,” Smith said. “She has that type of drive and motivation. You don’t have to give her a task if she knows something needs to be done. She’ll just go ahead, take the lead, and knock it out. She’s top-notch.”
Breault said she does aspire to reach the top of the enlisted ranks.
“I have a huge plan. I not only want to make chief, but if no one beats me to it in the near future, I would like to be the first female Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force,” she said. “I know I have what it takes.”