Humans of USU: Air Force veteran swims with sharks
The Utah Statesman interviewed Willem VanZeben, a junior in law and constitutional studies, from Eden, Utah.
Utah Statesman: What made you want to join the Air Force?
Willem VanZeben: It was after high school. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do and I thought it would be a good way to get some direction and get my college paid for. That worked out.
US: Are you currently on active duty?
WV: I am a regular ready reserve now, which means that I separated from active duty and that was around the end of 2011. I was with the Air Force for 4 years.
US: How many times were you deployed and to where?
WV: Three. The first one was to Afghanistan and the second two were to the Horn of Africa.
US: Which was your favorite place of those?
WV: I mean they’re not great places, but the Horn of Africa was interesting. I went swimming with whale sharks on one of the planes — that was really exciting. Right off the coast of Djibouti there are coral reefs and stuff that you can go snorkeling in and stuff. Not all of your time is spent like that, just once or twice.
US: What training did you undergo to serve?
WV: Well I had to do basic when I first started out, and then I had about a year of tech school in the Air Force to learn how to use the equipment, and really just everything I needed to know because I worked in Intelligence. And then after that, on-the-job training. Got kind of thrown into the fire with the deployments. It’s hard to really prepare.
US: What was your favorite experience while serving?
WV: The people I served with; the friends that I made there. A couple of them I am still pretty good friends with.
US: What was the hardest part about your service?
WV: The deployment frequency, how quick our rotations would be. We would only be home for a few months before we would have to go back out again and figure everything out. It wasn’t a lot of stability.
US: Who has been your biggest support in all of this?
WV: Now my wife is definitely my biggest supporter. Back then, it was the friends that I served with that helped me get through it all. And I wasn’t married back then so. …
US: What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?
WV: Turkey. What am I? Am I not American? Turkey.
US: What is your favorite thing about this time of year?
WV: Oh, it starts to cool down and be crisp and nice after the hot of summer. I love it. I love winter.
US: What is something you’re thankful for?
WV: The opportunity that I have to go to school and to better myself and to still be alive and healthy and everything. Everything.