From the Frontlines: Staff Sgt. Jesse Soderberg

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Bryan Crane
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  When many think of deployed locations their first thought is Iraq or Afghanistan, but deployments happen all across the world.

For Staff Sgt. Jesse Soderberg, 509th Comptroller Squadron finance customer service technician, it was a deployment that took him to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, from August 2011 to February 2012.

While on his deployment, Soderberg was tasked with new duties that he never experienced before. He was in charge of remote location PCSs and worked in customer service for the first time.

"Customer service became a huge part of my job which was all new to me," Soderberg said. "It was different but it felt good to help people with their concerns."

Soderberg and his unit worked 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., doing everything from exchanging money and cashing checks, to helping customers pay bills at home.

"It was important for us to keep the troops minds off of their money matters so they could stay focused on the mission at hand," Soderberg said.
This was Soderberg's third deployment in his 10-year career, but it was his first since cross-training into finance from flightline maintenance.

"My first two deployments were tough being away from my wife, but this one was really difficult being away from my two children for the first time," Soderberg said.

It was nice to have social media and Skype to be able to keep in touch with his family and see them, he added.

Overall Soderberg enjoyed his deployment as he has with all of them.

"It is always going to be what you make of it," Soderberg said "You can go out there and be angry the whole time you're deployed and away from your family or you can make the best of it and enjoy that you're helping defend your country"

For the first time while deployed Soderberg had a chance to pay his respect to fallen Soldiers who had lost their lives in the line of duty.

"It's sad to see people getting ready to be transported back home," Soderberg said. "But to get the chance to pay your respect to them for the things they did was a good feeling."

As hard as it was being away from his family for so long, he credited the people he worked with for making the time go by fast.
His former supervisor Tech. Sgt James Mitchell, 509th CPTS deputy dispersing officer added "He is a hard worker. He always does a lot of important work and doesn't expect much in return, he's a silent hero."

Now Soderberg is happy to be home again and watching his children grow.