SPRINGFIELD, IL -- For Tech. Sgt. Cassandra Coplea-Seidensticker, serving in the Illinois Air National Guard is more than a career—it’s a way to give back to the country that gave her a home. Born in Mexico, Coplea-Seidensticker was adopted by American parents at the age of 12, a move that brought her to the United States and introduced her to new opportunities and a future full of promise.
Today, she serves as an Aerospace Medical Service Specialist with the 183rd Air Mobility Operations Squadron (AMOS). She brings a unique skill set and a spirit of dedication to her team. When discussing her role within AMOS, she says, “I think I fit into it by bringing a different perspective. Anytime we have exercises, I tend to see things in a different point of view, because I am medical and everyone sitting in the rooms are either pilots or work on flight line.”
Within the AMOS, Coplea-Seidensticker’s job centers on preparing medical patients, both military and civilian, for medical transport. This responsibility involves stabilizing individuals and ensuring they’re ready for safe movement by air. Her work supports the unit’s larger mission of delivering critical logistics, planning, and command capabilities for air operations worldwide. Over the course of her military career, spanning both full-time active duty and with the 183d, she has assisted with the transport of over 700 patients.
Reflecting on her military journey, Coplea-Seidensticker shared that her favorite part of the job is “being able to say that I’m a medic. Patient care has always been something that I’ve loved.” Her decision to enter the medical field was driven by a desire to help others, a calling she’s pursued throughout her career. Now, as she balances her service at the 183d with her studies in a doctoral program for clinical psychology, Coplea-Seidensticker remains committed to service and growth.
“Being in the Guard has given me a better sense of family,” she said. In every assignment, she continues to build on that foundation, offering her skills and experience to make a meaningful impact, and help those around her.