CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
First Lt. Steven Schuldt is a member of the 437th Civil Engineer Squadron and has been stationed at Charleston AFB for more than two years.
Currently, Lieutenant Schuldt is deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as Civil Engineer Squadron Commander Advisor for the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing in Afghanistan. While deployed, he is responsible for assessing, training and advising Afghan civil engineers. He also assists in development of plans, policies and procedures supporting Afghan infrastructure and facility construction.
While stationed at Charleston AFB, Lieutenant Schuldt is the chief of Simplified Acquisition of Base Engineering Requirements for the 437 CES. In this position, he leads development of statements of work, specifications and cost estimates for facility construction requirements. He also facilitates design review processes, linking engineers with craftsman to ensure facility and infrastructure maintainability.
This "warrior of the week" hails from Hampshire, Ill., and joined the Air Force more than 2 years ago.
"I joined the Air Force to help pay for college, serve my country, see the world and to do something that I could be proud of," Lieutenant Schuldt said.
His immediate goal is to be selected as an instructor for the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. If selected for this position, he would be sent to a civilian institute to complete his master's degree and then return to AFIT to teach in the Civil Engineering and Services School.
"Lieutenant Schuldt works tirelessly to figure out how to take our western orientated processes and make them work for the Afghans and then sell it (or show it) to his Afghan counterparts," said Lt. Col. Jeff Meyer, Mission Support Group team lead with the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisor Group. "He has a great way of making suggestions and providing advice that within a few days are accepted as if his counterpart had the idea on his own ... and this is the secret to success. When we get our counterparts to take ownership as if the idea is their own, the process is more likely to take hold and work."