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Search and Rescue Airman uses her training to fly Alaska's smallest planes | INDIE ALASKA

A woman wearing a military uniform stands in front of a small plane.
Air Force SSgt Jasmine Chavez rides in the back of a C-130 as a loadmaster.

Staff Sergeant Jasmine Chavez is a Loadmaster in the Alaska Air National Guard stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska where she works with the 211th Rescue Squadron to perform Search and Rescue operations across the state. Years of riding in the back of C-130's and being around aircrew and flight operations helped her when she decided to pursue her private pilot certification at the University of Alaska Anchorage's Aviation Program.

Now when she looks to the future she dreams of carrying people and cargo into Alaska's rural communities as a bush pilot and of flying U.S. Air Force jets as a commissioned officer.


Video and story by Valerie Kern

Additional footage from DVIDShub.net, Jasmine Chavez, Dylan Johnson, John Sievert, Travis Gilmour, Hanna Craig, Eric Keto, Kaysie Ellingson

Music from Universal Production Music

Valerie Lake worked at Alaska Public Media from 2017 to 2025. She was the managing producer for Indie Alaska, director for Alaska Insight, and led the video production team. Valerie Lake has previously gone by the names, Valerie Lloyd and Valerie Kern.