On any given day, one could easily overlook Sgt. 1st Class Maria Caulford, U.S. Army Africa's air cell/operational support airlift action officer, as just another noncommissioned officer walking the grounds of Caserma Ederle. At first glance, she looks like every other Soldier; nothing about her small frame stands out among the sea of maroon berets of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team dominating the post.
At closer glance, the unassuming, self-confident Caulford has a commanding, yet calm presence. A self-proclaimed chatterbox, Caulford's tenacious, ambitious and determined personality stems from growing up in a rough neighborhood. Her leadership style and work ethic are a direct result of her Peruvian heritage and strong family ties.
Not one to 'just do her job and go home', Caulford goes above and beyond to achieve mission success. Because of her work ethic, Caulford was awarded the Military Order of Stain Christopher, Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command's Excellence in Traffic Management and most recently added U.S. Army Transportation Corps Regiment NCO of the Year to her impressive list of accomplishments.
Todd Johnston, USARAF G-4 mobility chief, holds Caulford in high opinion, calling her one of finest transportation NCOs of the entire regiment. His first impression of Caulford was one of an NCO who was aggressive, as well as technically and tactically proficient.
"I worked with Sgt. 1st Class Caulford for the last three years. U.S. Army Africa is pioneering some methods and procedures to do distribution on a continent three times the size of the United States," Johnston said. "That takes a lot of outside-of-the-box thinking, a lot of initiative and a lot of tenacity. She demonstrates all those characteristics on a daily basis. I think it speaks well of U.S. Army Africa that we have such quality personnel in our ranks and I think it speaks well for the transportation corps regiment for recognizing the outstanding abilities of Sgt. 1st Class Maria Caulford."
Of course, Caulford has a humble response to being titled Transportation NCO of the Year, due to how much she enjoys the challenge of her job and her humble childhood roots.
"It's actually a really great privilege and honor, especially when there are so many other deserving transporters who have worked really hard. Transportation can be challenging, I'm honored for the opportunity to be selected for this award. It's a great accomplishment not just for me, but for my family. It shows my family's hard work has paid off too," Caulford said.
Born in Lima, Peru, Caulford moved to the states when she was 6-years-old, not knowing any English. Aside from the culture shock, Caulford remembers the financial challenges her family faced.
"I grew up in a low-income household in Patterson, New Jersey, which is not the most upscale city to live in. We lived in this tiny little first floor apartment with a family of five. My brother slept in a closet, but my mother turned it into a room. My sister and I shared one bed in another room. My parents had a pullout couch, so every night their bedroom was the living room. At the time, I didn't realize how poor we were. I have so much respect for my mother because she never showed us we were hurting. If we were eating bologna and rice, it was the most amazing bologna and rice," Caulford recalls.
In her neighborhood, Caulford said there was a lot of poverty and drug use, which led to crime. Despite the hard times, Caulford said her parents made sure she was taken care of, regardless of the amount of money coming in.
"My parents fought so hard to give us something better than they ever had. I feel like my upbringing was rough, however it showed me how to survive. My parents always instilled our roots, to never forget our language or where we came from. That helped me with who I am today," Caulford said.
So when presented with the opportunity to join the military, the decision more than spoke for itself. Caulford saw the Army as an opportunity to pave the path for a better future and to have pride in her new country.
Throughout her 16-year career, Caulford always stays connected to her roots.
"When I wear this uniform, it's such a sense of pride for me because my parents fought so hard to get to this country and to give us something they would never have. I bought my first house when I was 22 years old. My parents just bought their house at the age of 42, so whatever they did to get us here, I can't throw it away. I've got to do better. I do this by, of course, protecting my country because that's what I signed up for, and it's my way of thanking America."
When Caulford speaks with pride about her childhood and military career, her facial expression remains serious. However, when she talks about her husband and her daughters, her expression softens. Caulford says she is all business at work, but a softie at home.
"My family, my girls are my biggest accomplishments. My husband, he's a great man and a great father. He's always so supportive. I think for all Soldiers, if your family and your household is strong and solid, it's a foundation that will get you through anything."
With retirement in the not so distant future, Caulford wants to to spend more time with her family and work as a licensed psychologist helping families overcome emotional obstacles. Until then, she hopes to get back to her true passion as an NCO: training Soldiers.
"The only time I feel I earn my paycheck is when I have Soldiers. Because when I go home that day, I can say 'I did this with so-and-so, I was able to talk to so-and-so about his problems'; I feel like I accomplished something. In USARAF, I might do a great push of transportation load, but it doesn't feel the same. Hopefully the Army will be kind to me and give me some Soldiers in my last three years. I love what I do, hence why I've never become a warrant officer," Caulford said.
Living by Army leadership value of "Be-Know-Do" Caulford continues to walk the grounds of Caserma Ederle, encouraging Soldiers to always have pride in wearing their uniform as her roots remind her to stay humble no matter what she achieves.
"Being humble goes a long way. Yes there's always gonna be that rank structure difference, and there will always be that respect, but you earn respect by respecting somebody else. That Soldier will respect your rank, but do you want him to respect that Velcro piece on your shirt, or do you want him to respect you?"
As she continues to set the standard, Caulford shares some advice:
"Stay motivated, don't lose focus of your goals in life, both professional and personal. Always be ambitious and do the best you can because throughout life, that's how you get ahead. You maintain your motivation, and you always try to do the best you can and have pride in it."
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