Stay Current PSA Newsroom

November 11, 2024

Stories of Honor: Coleton Clavijo, A&P Mechanic, Army

November is National Veterans and Military Families Month, a time to honor the bravery and dedication of all who wear the uniform and to the love and support of all who serve alongside them.

As a salute to our military veterans and their families at PSA, we are sharing stories of Stories of Honor throughout the month.

In our first installment, we recognize Pensacola-based A&P Mechanic Coleton Clavijo, who shares the lessons he learned about leadership, adaptability and motivation during his time in the U.S. Army that he carries with him today.

“My six years in the Army were spent being a Mechanic and Crew Chief on the UH-60L and HH-60M Blackhawk Helicopter. In doing that job, I eventually found myself with more responsibilities and in a variety of roles as time went on.

One day I could be leading maintenance on one aircraft with two to eight soldiers, the next I could be pulling 24-hour medical evacuation coverage for an entire installation and its surrounding areas. The next week I could be asked to assume the role above mine and manage maintenance for the entire company’s fleet of 15 aircraft and supervising 23+ soldiers.

There are quite a few things I learned while being in the Army that helped me become successful both while I was in and after. The biggest one is finding motivation when you don’t have any. If you’re not motivated and you fake being motivated to get through, then by the time you reach the end of whatever you are doing, a lot of the time you and the team members working with you will actually be motivated. The second is that nothing is as bad as it seems unless I let it be. Third is to never ask someone to do something that you aren’t willing to do yourself. You will build trust within your team. And lastly, take every opportunity to learn from those around you, regardless of their title. Everyone can teach you something and help you see things from a different perspective, and someone else’s way may be more efficient in completing the task at hand. Go Army!”