Wild Weasel of the Week: Staff Sgt. Kenneth Rivera Each week a member of the 35th Fighter Wing is selected as the Wild Weasel of the Week. This individual is recognized based on superior performance, outstanding work ethic, and overall good conduct and discipline. The 35th Medical Operations Squadron chose Staff Sgt. Kenneth Rivera, a physical medicine journeyman, to be their Wild Weasel of the Week. What is your daily mission? To provide comprehensive care for patients with musculoskeletal pain and injuries through exercise rehabilitation, pain modalities and manual therapy. What do you enjoy about your job? I enjoy the day to day interaction with patients and seeing the progression of their treatment to maximal function. Why did you choose to serve in the Air Force? I chose to serve the military for the educational benefits. I chose the Air Force because I was directly influenced by my best friend's father. I quickly learned that I made the correct choice. What is your favorite thing about living in Japan? My favorite thing about living in Japan is the opportunity to experience the rich culture and see first-hand the humility of the Japanese people. Snowboarding is always a big plus since I am here in Northern Japan. Who has been your best mentor and what have they taught you? The biggest mentor in my Air Force career is Master Sgt. Mack McCarthy. He taught me that you can never choose your supervisor, but you can always choose a mentor. He told me that I have to envision big things for myself in the future and find someone that can show me the path to get there. Ironically, that turned out to be him. How long have you been stationed at Misawa? Approximately 2 years How long have you been in the Air Force? 8 years What goals do you want to meet while at Misawa? I plan to achieve the rank of technical sergeant and further pursue my educational requirements for the Inter-service Physician Assistant Program. What goals do you want to meet during your Air Force career? I want to retire as an established Physician Assistant in the Air Force and help people along the way. Supervisor's comments: "Staff Sgt. Rivera has a very charismatic personality with the ability to appeal to all who come in contact with him, whether at work or play. He has a strong and positive demeanor that consistently lifts the mood like a ray of sunshine after a storm. Patients constantly rave how wonderful and caring he is and how much attention he puts on their needs. He is a great person and I have been very fortunate to not only supervise him but to work along-side him in our field." - Tech. Sgt. Liz Torres, 35 MDOS.