Wild Weasel of the Week: Senior Airman Norman Cordero

  • Published
  • By 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  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 Aircraft Maintenance Squadron chose Senior Airman Norman Cordero, avionics technician, as its Wild Weasel of the Week.

What's your daily mission?
As an avionics technician it is my duty to assist in producing mission-capable aircraft. To meet this goal we first have to fix what is broken on the aircraft. Sometimes we perform simple fixes when a part goes bad and we have to replace it, but other times the problems are more complex and must be traced all the way down to a single wire. After replacing or repairing a problem within the aircraft, we run tests to make sure the system works as advertised. We work on a variety of systems, and our job can be explained by a popular quote used in our career field: "If it navigates, communicates, radiates, designates or aviates -- it's avionics."

What do you enjoy about your job?
My favorite thing about my job is executing reconfigurations, which is basically setting the aircraft up for whatever specific requirements the mission calls for. Doing this provides the aircraft increased capabilities such as jamming and enhanced targeting and sensing.

Why did you choose to serve in the military?
As said by many others, I joined to military to see the world.

What is your favorite thing about being in Japan?
My favorite part of being in Japan is exactly that -- being in Japan. I'm halfway across the world from home experiencing new things and visiting places I've only seen in books or television ... it's great.

Who is your favorite mentor and what did you learn from him/her?
Tech. Sgt. Robert "The Hunt" Delahunt; he has provided me a foundation of how to be a good avionics technician. It has made my job much easier doing all tasks from troubleshooting to wire maintenance. Sergeant Delahunt has also showed me that working hard and keeping out of trouble can get you far.

Time in Misawa: 1 Year, 8 Months

Time in military: 2.5 Years

Goals you want to achieve or meet while in Misawa?
My biggest goal at Misawa is to experience what this country has to offer. I want to taste foods I have not yet tasted and continue to explore this wondrous land.

Supervisor's remarks:
"Airman Cordero arrived at Misawa with a mission of his own and it did not take long for him to distinguish himself. From day one he has shown an endless drive to learn everything about the F-16 airframe, always dissecting how aircraft systems work and leaving no question as to his ability to generate war-ready aircraft to defend the Pacific. I'm exceptionally proud, but not surprised, that he will be representing the 35 AMXS as a Wild Weasel of the Week." - Staff Sgt. Jesse Simmons, 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron integrated avionics technician.