Correspondent photo / Nancilynn Gatta
Tiffany Starling of North Bloomfield is an Air Force veteran. She served for 20 years, from 2000 to 2020.

“Because of COVID, I could not have a retirement ceremony,” said Starling, a United States Air Force veteran.

Retirement ceremonies normally include family, friends, fellow service members and the commander who gives remarks about the military veteran’s career. Often, a gift is given that commemorates the years of protecting America.

The closest thing that Starling had for a gathering at a military ceremony with her superior officer was when she was promoted to master sergeant.

“My family was able to attend my promotion ceremony,” she said.

Her military service began at a young age from her home state.

“I grew up in Florida. I joined the military at 17 in 2000. I graduated high school and I went to basic training the summer after I graduated,” Starling said.

Her older brother was already in the United States Air Force when she decided to enter the same branch of service.

“He wanted me to join, but he also gave me advice to not trust the recruiters,” she said. Military recruiters have quotas for how many people they sign up.

She joined the military with future goals in mind.

“I wanted to learn a skill that would help me later in life,” she said.

After she completed her basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas — which is now part of Joint Base San Antonio — Starling left for further training in administration and computer skills at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado. Buckley Air Force Base is now a U.S. Space Force installation. Buckley became her home base for four years.

Not all of Starling’s time in the service was stateside.

“I was stationed in Aviano, Italy. I deployed three times, once to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan,” Starling said.

She learned Italian while stationed there.

“A lot of people speak English but they think since you are in their country, they prefer you speak their language,” she said.

According to Starling, traveling was not her initial reason for joining the military, but she saw it as an added benefit to visit so many different countries and cultures.

During her time in the service, Starling became the mother of two sons, Anthony and Ollie.

“My older son remembers me being in the military and he was at different bases. My younger son was so young he does not recall his mom being in the service,” she said.

After completing her initial military commitment in the Air Force, Starling re-enlisted because of the experiences she had while on active duty.

“I stayed in because I loved my job and I loved the military,” she said.

Starling remained in the service for 20 years, which is the minimum amount to retire.

“I told my mom that I was in the military longer than I lived in Florida,” she said.

She left the service as an E7 master sergeant, which is one of the highest noncommissioned officer ranks in the United States Air Force.

Starling said that she would encourage her sons to join the Air Force and although he is only 10, her younger son has military career aspirations.

“My son, Ollie, wants to be a military chaplain and then become a politician,” she said.

When it came time to choose a locale for her post-military life, Starling decided to move to Trumbull County.

“When my brother retired from the Air Force, he decided to stay here. I wanted to be near my family, so I moved here,” she said.

She left the military with numerous skills that she can apply to her civilian life.

“I learned self-discipline, organization and people management skills,” she said.

Altogether, those traits will help her as she navigates this new phase of her life, which involves homeschooling her younger son.

Tiffany Starling

AGE: 43

RESIDENCE: North Bloomfield

SERVICE BRANCH: Air Force

MILITARY HONORS: Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, AF Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, AF Organizational Excellence Award with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, AF Good Conduct Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 1 Service Star, Iraq Campaign Medal with 1 Service Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, AF Overseas Ribbon Short, Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border, AF Longevity Service with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, USAF NCO PME Graduate Ribbon with 1 oak Leaf Cluster and AF Training Ribbon.

OCCUPATION: Retired from Air Force

FAMILY: Two sons, Anthony, 21, and Ollie, 10