Medical Airman selected for OTS Published Nov. 30, 2007 By Airman 1st Class Kasey Zickmund 18th Wing Public Affairs KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Few enlisted members get the opportunity to join the officer corps each year. This year however, a Kadena Airman will trade her stripes for bars through Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. For Tech. Sgt. Mimi Byrd, an aerospace physiologist with the 18th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, being accepted to OTS has been a long-term goal that took hard work and dedication to achieve. "When I first joined the military, I was looking into the officer corps, but I knew that I would have to get my schooling done first," said Sergeant Byrd. "I was definitely interested in getting my degree, and completing my education." As an aerospace physiology technician, Sergeant Byrd instructs pilots and aircrews to include medical personnel on dealing with the hazards of high-altitude flights. She advises them on the symptoms of hypoxia, more commonly known as oxygen deprivation which is a deficiency of oxygen in the body's tissues. Sergeant Byrd, an eight-year Air Force veteran, started by getting her associate's degree from the Community College of the Air Force in 2002. She went on to earn a bachelor's degree in science from Hampton University in 2003 before finally earning a master's degree in business administration from Troy University in 2006. The sergeant had a lot of encouragement from family, friends and even former supervisors who went through the same process before becoming officers themselves. Her husband, an 18th Maintenance Operations Squadron NCO, told her to be patient and OTS would happen in due time. After deciding it was the right thing to do and knowing she had all the blocks filled for education, Sergeant Byrd started the process for applying into the program. The sergeant had to gather three letters of reference, obtain her official transcripts from every education institution she ever attended, have a valid Graduate Record Examination test score on file, get a quality force review letter from a squadron commander and turn in her last five enlisted performance reports. "I'm very thankful everything worked out because it was a long process just getting everything together," Sergeant Byrd said. "It took nearly a year to complete this process, so I was happy when everything was said and done. I was lucky to have a lot of support from my husband and supervisors." Sergeant Byrd is scheduled to attend the 12-week school between January and March 2008. She will also remain in the medical career field by becoming a hospital administrator after attending technical training in Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas. "This is a fantastic opportunity for her and is well-deserved," said Master Sgt. Troy Trevino, 18th AMDS aerospace physiology technician. "Sergeant Byrd is an outstanding performer. I've known her for about three years now and she has always excelled in everything she does. This is another opportunity for her to continue to excel." Sergeant Byrd doesn't know if she will return to Kadena as a second lieutenant or move onto another location, but she said her job and her experience here has prepared her for the future. "I love my job now but I think it is only the start of what's to come," she said. "I'm grateful for all the support I received from my family and co-workers because I couldn't have done this without them."