MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Many Department of Defense civilians fill non-deployable positions and act as point of continuity when their active-duty coworkers deploy in support of operations around the globe. They are the rock in a sea of shifting manpower, and it can be hard to be the in-garrison support and bid farewell to friends across the base when taskings come down.
Some, however, have the opportunity to embed directly into deploying units to truly provide hands-on impact while being the boots-on-ground support to combatant commander requirements.
For Luzmeilyn Camper, 23rd Wing Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Coordinator and Helping Agency Team director, that realization came when she heard of a volunteer request to fill an Expeditionary Air Base Wing SAPR position for the 23rd WG’s last deployment cycle. The deputy SARC position was unfilled, so a request for civilians to step up and volunteer to deploy was made.
“I was always curious as to how deployments worked and wanted to do it one day, and as a GS civilian I knew that I could potentially do that,” said Camper.
The Department of the Air Force has been making strides to update their deployment model to make it easier to allocate forces and provide a better deployment tempo for Airmen. The XAB model was one of the stepping stones from the legacy wing deployments leading up Deployable-Combat-Wing capabilities. A simple explanation of the DCW concept is one wing responsible for all elements of a deployment location, staffed by the same Airmen at a wing who train together every day.
That daily training at home station allows for a hone team of experts to take over deployed-location mission sets easier, even through the unease of arriving in an unfamiliar area with an ambiguous and complex mission.
“My first reaction coming off that plane was ‘Oh my gosh, what did I just sign up for?’”, explained Camper. “After that initial thought, the next best thing was walking down those stairs and being greeted with high fives from all the commanders, first shirts and everybody.”
That level of support and knowledge of teammates is important, because each person struggles with their own unique personal problems, oftentimes alone. Camper had lost her mother the month before she was slated to deploy, but she still made the decision to step up and answer the call.
“Even with knowing my mom’s passing, I was like ‘I really could use a deployment to just reset,’ and I was picked up,” said Camper. “When I’m investing in other people, it gives me less time to focus on the tragedies in my own life. Serving others gives me purpose, and that purpose gave me life.”
As the only civilian SARC deployed to support Airmen, Camper channeled her own pain into purpose, finding strength in service to others. From the very moment she stepped off the plane, she realized the mission wasn’t about the location, it was about the people standing beside her.
“We can’t expect our young Airmen to know everything right away, we need to give them the tools and mentorship to succeed,” said Camper. “If everyone picks just one person to mentor, then we are truly making an impact.”
Her drive and focus to support the wing through that tough time paid off. During that deployment, there were zero reported sexual assaults
Wing leadership was impressed by her active engagement throughout the deployment cycle and ultimately presented her with an Air Force Civilian Achievement Award upon their return to Moody. This achievement recognizes civilians who have provided outstanding service, exceeding expectations in their roles within the Air Force.
“I feel honored to be able to receive the award,” Camper said. “It was the coolest thing to have an opportunity to be recognized alongside the same peers who I worked with for these last six months.”
Her story stands as a reminder that one person’s dedication can create a culture of trust and protection, and that it’s ok to seek out opportunities to deploy and volunteer to be a part of something bigger than oneself.