Airman turns childhood pastime into career

Airman 1st Class Jordan Artis, a vehicle management analysis journeyman with the 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron, performs a yard check on Hurlburt Field, Fla., Jan. 12, 2016. Yard checks are conducted to ensure vehicles are accounted for. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Krystal M. Garrett)

Airman turns childhood pastime into career

Airman 1st Class Jordan Artis, a vehicle management analysis journeyman with the 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron, speaks with a unit Vehicle Control Officer on Hurlburt Field, Fla., Jan. 12, 2016. The Sterling, Va. native is in charge of the VCO program. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Krystal M. Garrett)

Airman turns childhood pastime into career

Airman 1st Class Jordan Artis, a vehicle management analysis journeyman with the 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron, performs a yard check on Hurlburt Field, Fla., Jan. 12, 2016. There are approximately 100 different types of vehicles assigned to units at Hurlbrt. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Krystal M. Garrett)

Airman turns childhood pastime into career

Airman 1st Class Jordan Artis, a vehicle management analysis journeyman with the 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron, performs a yard check on Hurlburt Field, Fla., Jan. 12, 2016. A yard check is conducted to ensure all vehicles are accounted for. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Krystal M. Garrett)

Airman turns childhood pastime into career

Published Jan. 14, 2016
By Senior Airman Krystal Garrett
1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Airman 1st Class Jordan Artis, a vehicle management analysis journeyman from the 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron, turned his childhood of playing with cars, into a career when he joined the Air Force in 2013.

He was born in Queens, N.Y. but raised by his mother along with his two sisters in Sterling, Va.

“As the only male in my immediate family, I knew I needed to do something honorable and life changing,” Artis said.

He joined the Delayed Entry Program his senior year of high school and a month after graduating he was off to Basic Military Training.

Thus began his Air Force career as a vehicle management analysis Airman.

After finishing BMT, Artis spent two more months at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, learning and training for his job.

He quickly adapted to Hurlburt after arriving in January of 2015.
“I kind of wanted to be in Florida, my family moved to Orlando so I’m close to them, that’s a plus,” he said.

While stationed at Hurlburt Field he met his wife, Diamond, and now has a one-year-old daughter, Kimberly.

“I met Diamond through a mutual friend who we both knew from [tech school],” he said.

When he isn’t working hard ensuring all units know how to properly care for the government vehicles, Artis enjoys spending time with his family. He also likes to play football and pool.

Artis has started his career off well. He served as an honor guard member for eight months, earning an achievement medal, and won the Diamond Sharp Airman for his squadron.

As a vehicle management analysis journeyman, he’s in charge of the Vehicle Control Officer training program.

“I hold trainings every Tuesday for each unit VCO,” said Artis. “I also conduct the annual refresher course for unit VCOs.”

Every unit on Hurlburt Field has a VCO and they all have to be properly trained on the use and maintenance schedule of government vehicles.

“He is a good Airman,” said Staff Sgt. Aridia Bennington, 1 SOLRS vehicle management analysis craftsman. “He gets the job done without me having to stay on him to do so.”

According to Bennington, Artis’s best qualities are his communication skills and his initiative.

Making the most of his career and the benefits he has gained from the military, Artis is less than 20 credits away from earning his Associate’s Degree in Maintenance Production Management from the Community College of the Air Force.

Two years into his initial six-year enlistment, Artis has already determined that he plans to make the Air Force a career and complete at least 20 years.