Sergeant Booe is a Meteorological Technician assigned to the 145th Combat Weather Flight at New London Air National Guard Station. She has served close to 17 years in the military and is presently the flight’s sole full time meteorological technician. She is responsible for supporting over 50 personnel in every way that properly equips and trains them. As the sole full time member, she manages approximately 15 additional duties outside of her primary responsibilities. Functionally, she fulfills the role of a Chief Operating Officer but has only a fraction of the rank (and therefore pay) typical of such a position. She deployed to Iraq in 2009-2010 and takes on deployed duty about five weeks a year. In the words of her commander, she is a “good example of underpaid and overworked.”
Sergeant Booe is a single mother of two children. She is pursuing a degree in her limited off-time and sets the example in professionalism and work ethic for her unit. In Sergeant Booe’s words,
“I joined the military almost 17 years ago and I am a single mom with two teenage children, ages 14 and 13. I began my military career as active duty and have transitioned between statuses and states. In 2016, I finally ending up back in NC where I was born and raised. I am the sole full-timer at the 156 weather flight located in the New London Air National Guard Base in Stanly County, NC, and manage a flight of 19 guardsmen. I love my job, my kids, my home and I hope to retire here and would like to begin my Master’s degree after I reach my 20 years of service. After I finish my Master’s degree, I plan to become a counselor, working with children and/or adolescents who have experienced trauma. I would like to help young people set and attain goals while also learning how to cope with tragedy. That has been my long-term goal since the death of my mother at an early age, but the military provided me with the structure and motivation that I needed to create a life for myself. I worked as a volunteer Guardian Ad Litem for the State of Florida for three years and began the training process here in North Carolina for Montgomery and Monroe Counties last year but had to delay training due to high ops temp at work. I plan to resume GAL training again early next year.”
Every year, Sergeant Booe and her two kids donate to Angel Tree, a foundation that supports children with parents in prison. The family was unable to participate in this annual tradition this year because they could not afford it. Sergeant Booe needed to undergo surgery and was burdened to pay for portions of the procedure out of pocket.
Homes for Heroes Specialist, Toni McIntyre wanted to give this hard working mother and hero a Christmas Miracle for her selfless service to others. Toni presented Sergeant Boone with a $500 gift on behalf of Homes for Heroes. The family will be using this gift to pay it forward.
“My children and I understand the importance of giving back and worked the Thanksgiving before last, serving meals to homeless members at the shelter. I have discussed the plan to donate to Angel Tree with my kids and they are in agreement. We hope that we can hep to make a child’s wish come true this year.” ~ Sergeant Booe
