Rachel Wood

Rachel Wood sat down with me for Heroes I Know. Fifty-five minutes. United States Air Force. Presented by FormerForce.com. We were on a C-130 together going into Haiti.

Born in California. Grew up in Texas. Enlisted in Arizona. Seven states now. She beat the recruiter's door down after 9/11. Did not actually leave for basic until February of 2002.

Signed up to be an airborne radio operator. Six-week school in Wichita Falls. Six-month school in Biloxi. Passed both. They were switching security clearance companies when she graduated. Top secret for the job. The main hub for operating in Afghanistan. She said the deployment was a lot of fun. She was not actually in a combat zone.

The tribute slideshow is still here. The conversation is the story. Thank you, Rachel. That is why we hit record. Get the story on tape before we are too old or too sick to tell it.