Team Edwards Spotlight: 2nd Lt. Arely Silva

  • Published
  • By 412th Test Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  It's summer and dozens of temporary hires have joined Team Edwards. These summer hires come from various age groups and backgrounds. From engineering technicians to laborers, new faces are showing up to help at many departments throughout the base. In particular, 412th Test Wing Public Affairs gained a new summer hire who is beginning her Air Force career in business attire before putting on a pilot's uniform.

Arely Silva started working in the Public Affairs office at the beginning of June. During her in-processing interview she disclosed that her help at Edwards would have to end before September 6, unlike most other summer hires who stay until the 30th. This is the day Silva enters active duty.

2nd Lt. Arely Silva commissioned into the Air Force May 6 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, May 7.

Throughout her years at Embry-Riddle she served as the treasurer of the Student Government Association, the president of the Theta Zeta Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta Women's Fraternity, and as the Cadet Wing commander for AFROTC Detachment 028. She was also a cadet training assistant for the Second Field Training Unit in the summer of 2014. Silva also volunteered with many philanthropic organizations such as Autism Speaks, United Blood Services and Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Born in Mexico and raised in Southern California, Silva was eager to start making an impact on the mission before her effective active duty date. She was thrilled to accept a summer hire position here at Edwards AFB where two of her Embry-Riddle Alumni and Air Force officers are stationed here as engineers.

In the past weeks at Edwards, Silva in public affairs in the Civic Outreach Branch. She has participated in several base tours, aided in administrative duties and has received crucial public affairs mentorship. Being a summer hire at public affairs has given her that much needed exposure to the real Air Force and she hopes to take this experience and apply it towards her active duty career.

Silva will be stationed at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas to start her career as a remotely-piloted aircraft pilot. Her childhood dream of being an astronaut put her in the path of engineering and military service. Through her years at Embry-Riddle, she pursued a pilot slot, but was initially disqualified due to her height. However, after receiving a waiver, Silva has the potential to cross train to any non-ejection seat aircraft in the future.

She plans to pursue her master's degree at Texas A&M and maybe one day return to Edwards for the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School. She remains open minded about her military career and is excited to see what opportunities she'll have as an RPA pilot.