Duty to deploy: Senior Master Sgt. Rohauer’s story

The Rohauer family is no stranger to the military life.  Senior Master Sgt. Joy Rohauer, 913th Airlift Group safety superintendent, recently returned from her first deployment. Throughout her career she has supported her family while her husband deployed many times.

“I feel as military members, it is our duty,” said Rohauer. “Due to timing and the particular jobs held, I’ve never deployed and it was weighing on my conscious. I’ve served for more than 20 years and it was the very least I could do.” 

Rohauer served as the Air Force Central Command’s occupational safety superintendent, evaluating health and safety programs that maintain health, safety and increase productivity of the fighting force. During her deployment, she conducted site visits to various installations located throughout Southwest Asia to include Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait. 

“My deployment broadened my experience to the various safety programs and interest items unique to each mission and location,” Rohauer said. “There is always more to learn and I’m engaging with other units to remain knowledgeable of those programs.”

She went on to discuss how her deployment experience was unexpectedly, fun and rewarding with time passing by quickly, and encouraged others to deploy if given the chance. 

“The opportunity to be a part of something bigger than yourself, to represent big Air Force, and the USA, is a privilege.”