JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- The 514th Air Mobility Wing is home to a diverse group of more than 2,000 Airmen and civilians who each have a unique story and contribution to the mission. The ‘We Are The Freedom Wing’ series was created to highlight these Reserve Citizen Airmen.
Master Sgt. Costantino LaMarca, the senior Air Reserve Technician at the 514th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, was just getting settled into the position when the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“That's when COVID was gifted to me as being the POC for the wing,” LaMarca said. “But I just kind of treated it as like running a business.”
The former active-duty aircraft maintainer became the go-to guy for all things COVID-19 related at the wing. Eventually, he took charge of the long-awaited vaccine program.
“I have that experience of running a business,” LaMarca said in reference to his family’s restaurant. “So I kind of equated it the same way and just instead of vaccines and medical, I kind of made it like a catering hall. This is a party and people are coming in, and instead of food, it's vaccines.”
LaMarca said seeing the excitement of the Freedom Wing’s Airmen and civilians at the vaccine clinics after a long and exhausting 2020 was really rewarding.
“That part of it was really cool for me,” LaMarca said. “When I look back, I'll definitely be proud of what we did here with the wing. And it's not just me, it's a team effort. Everybody that's contributed is the reason why we were getting this done.”
The South Jersey native said he’s grateful for the Air Force Reserve because it has afforded him new opportunities and has also brought him home.
“It's funny because I talked about it with my wife and I'm like, ‘I can't believe I'm actually doing this and I'm here,’” LaMarca said. “But, it took that course for a reason. I am glad to come home and be close to my parents and be close to family and still be able to continue my career full time.”
If you or a wingman would like to be featured in the We Are The Freedom Wing series please send an email with details to 514amw.pa@us.af.mil.