BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Master Sgt. Ashley Henderson accepted her position as the 307th Bomb Wing Development and Training Flight chief, February 17, 2025. As a former young recruit herself, this position to appeal to her inner self by providing trainees with experience and knowledge, ensuring a smooth transition into Basic Military Training.
Henderson is a 15-year Air Force Reservist and a lifelong maintainer. As a native of Benton, Louisiana, Henderson pairs her knowledge of the Shreveport and Bossier City area with her professional experience to provide trainees with a unique introduction to the Air Force Reserve Command.
She took a break from her daily duties to share some information about her journey to becoming and her experience as DTF chief.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your professional career within the Air Force?
Henderson: I joined the military when I was 17 years old, and my mom signed for me. I would like to contribute a lot of my growth in the military and that thick skin to maintenance.
So, a lot of the things I’ve learned, a lot of the things that I have seen, definitely have come from maintainers, their resiliency, and their ability to bounce back from so much. I have had the opportunity to work in other areas, such as Air Force Global Strike, and at Eighth Air Force, but a lot of my resiliency comes from being put in a maintenance unit.
Q: What led you to join the military?
Henderson: I was not eager to join, but my mom told me during my senior year of high school that I had two options: “You’re going to the military or you’re going to college.” At the time, I had no idea what I wanted to go to school for. We have a lot of nurses and educators in my family, and I thought it sounded cool, but it wasn’t what I wanted to do. However, I did know that I wanted to help people, but at that age I just didn’t know how or what that would look like.
Then, being from a small country town in Louisiana, I am used to communities and being around people, and I grew up in church, as well. So, my uncle happened to know a recruiter at that time, and he came and talked to me, let me know the benefits, and laid out all the options for me. I didn’t know what I wanted to go to school for, but I decided if I joined the military, it would be paid for. So, that was my motivation, and almost 15 years later, I’m still here.
Q: What improvements do you hope to make to the DTF program?
Henderson: The previous coordinator gave me a good foundation to start with.
I do have a desire to ensure that each trainee is properly prepared and informed before they leave Barksdale and to know now only what they’re getting ready to get themselves into mentally and physically when it comes to leaving and going to basic training and tech school, but to give them a little bit of exposure of what they will come back to after they graduate from tech school.
So, I definitely look forward to reaching out to the units to have them come out and speak to the different career fields, because we have all the agencies represented within the program. The trainees are very eager to be able to have some type of opportunity to speak to somebody that’s in their specific career field.
Q: Where does your emotional investment in your current position stem from?
Henderson: Probably the younger me. When I got here, I didn’t know much, and this program wasn’t a thing when I joined. So, to be able to have this wealth of knowledge or insight before getting ready to go and prepare myself would have been useful. I had no idea what I was getting myself into!
So, to be able to pour that back into them and give them little nuggets or just giving them the opportunity to see these people face to face that they’re going to see when they in-process and that they’ll be working with, is important to me so that they can be set up for a successful career.
Q: What is the most rewarding part of this new title for you?
Henderson: They [the trainees] do message me after drill and tell me thank you. They say that they appreciate the hard work that I put in, and they do appreciate how hard I push them. I even get emails saying that they appreciate their time here and that they’ve learned so much.
I don’t respond to them because I don’t want it to seem like I have favorites, but that’s rewarding to me.
Q: How do you feel that your current title impacts the 307th Bomb Wing?
Henderson: I had an opportunity to go out to the Basic Military Training summit and see what the intake process looks like. There was a chance for us to speak to the MTIs [Military Training Instructors], and they said that the reservists stand out from all their trainees because they have this program. And so, to be able to have an impact like that speaks volumes.
So, my goal is to set a good foundation of what the standards and expectations are before you even get in. That way, when you walk into training and into your unit, you carry yourself with those same high expectations and high standards.
Q: Would you like to add anything else?
Henderson: If anybody wants to support, volunteer, or help, feel free to reach out to me. I need all the help and support that I can get being in this position, especially for those waiting for BMT dates.
They’ve been in the program for a long time and are eager to leave, but seeing the faces of the people that they will work with when they get back helps. So, if you’re able to come out and volunteer, give them a little bit of time, or just introduce yourself, that encourages them to keep going and to not give up.