John Arnold

How did you pick your career? Did you know all along?

As a young man I didn't know what I wanted to do. I was only certain that college was expensive and that electronics had some interest to me. I looked at apprenticeships, trade schools, and universities, but the Air Force obviously ended up being my choice. The Air Force provides quality housing, money for food, pays college tuition expenses, and the job training is paid and regionally college accredited. A long story short after aptitude testing and being accepted into the Air Force, I went to Basic Military Training where I learned the traditions of our great Air Force. It was also there that I found out that I qualified for all the electronics jobs I was interested in. I applied to open electronics positions and ended up getting my first choice as a Precision Measurement Equipment Lab (PMEL) Apprentice.

When you were a student, did you do anything outside of school to build skills or get knowledge that has helped your career?

I took classes in everything that I wasn't good at. Instead of shop class electives you would find me in math and science classes. I struggled through a few of them but felt very accomplished after. Little did I know that the classes I took would all apply to my current career.

In layperson terms, what do you actually do at work?

If you were in a vehicle and your speedometer said 50 mph; How do you know speedometer is right? Or if you plug your phone into wall outlet; How do you know the voltage output is correct? Our modern word relies on accurate measurements and science. My career field verifies all kinds of measures like mass, voltage, force, pressure...etc. If you want to know how the world works this is the career.

When did you get your first Big Break? How did you get it? How did it go?

I wouldn't call it a big break, but more of a decision of what I wanted. Once I determined I met the minimum eligibility requirements, I prepared. I studied for the entrance exams and tried to in better physical shape.

What is the one piece of career advice you wish someone gave you when you were younger?

I don't think it was advice I needed but better tools to explore careers. The internet was a new technology and we had "dial up"...basically it was very slow. A single search on google might take 5-10 minutes to produce and load the page. This platform is amazing and I would have been thankful to have it if I was young again.

How did you start building your network?

You get to travel a decent amount while in the military and I've met people from all over the United States. I've lived in 4 states so far, and some of my friends have lived in Italy, Germany, and Japan.

Did anyone ever oppose your career plans when you were young or push you in a direction you did not want to go?

My mother didn't want me to join the military. She was concerned for my welfare and not truly understanding what the Air Force does or could provide. After she came to my graduation and observed my high quality of life she became one of my biggest supporters.