April’s Guest Speaker

Bio for Debora Kay Esque, Col retired after 35 years in the Air Force Reserves 

Deb is a mother of four, two girls and two boys.  Her and her husband moved here in 1990 after he retired from the AF to teach at Summerville High as one of two ROTC instructors. 

Deb joined the AF Reserves in 1977 after graduating from college as a Medical Technician (MT), assigned to the 65th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AE) at Travis AFB as an AE MT, she earned her wings in 1979 after completing all required training and achieved the rank of Tech Segreant (TSG) prior to relocating.  She cross trained to a 906 and moved to Washington State where she was oversaw a clinic at McChord AFB, Washington. 

While stationed at McChord AFB, she received her commission as a Medical Service Officer (MSC). Once qualified, she returned to California and back to flying unit, as a Lieutenant she was an Operations Officer with the 65th AE squadron.  She has deployed multiple times, her first major deployment was to Desert Storm, receiving an Air Medal for this operation.   She remained with this squadron till she was a Major flying mission around the world.  She became what is known as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) which found her stationed in Tucson and South Carolina, prior to her activated after 9/11.  She was assigned to General Franks staff at CENTCOM, rank, Lieutenant Colonel.  

From there she had many jobs around the world from Hawaii, to  Morocco, making rank of Colonel.  Her career progressed further; she was the first non-physician assigned as the IMA to the theater Surgeon at Osan AB, Korea.  Her best job and the most challenging was that as a Commander with the, 349 Air Staging Squadron at Travis AFB, where she again deployed as a Commander of a deployed  ASTS during Operation Enduring Freedom. 

She retired as a Colonel in 2012. 

Presently she’s the Veteran Service Officer for Tuolumne County and a register nurse, licensed in California and Nevada.