1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:01,450 >> My name is Zoe Cunningham. 2 00:00:01,450 --> 00:00:03,030 I'm stationed at McAllen Air Branch. 3 00:00:10,510 --> 00:00:12,980 I started flying when I was 17 years old. 4 00:00:12,980 --> 00:00:15,550 I had always had an interest in aviation, 5 00:00:15,550 --> 00:00:17,420 but it wasn't something that I ever thought 6 00:00:17,420 --> 00:00:19,160 that I would be able to do, 7 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:21,720 until I was coaxed along by my family 8 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,120 to take an intro flight at my local airport. 9 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:26,520 And from there, I began flying fixed wing. 10 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:28,620 I transitioned into rotor wing. 11 00:00:28,620 --> 00:00:32,340 I instructed in both before I ended up applying for this job. 12 00:00:32,340 --> 00:00:34,060 I can remember when I was very young, 13 00:00:34,060 --> 00:00:35,800 probably seven or eight years old, 14 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,480 I saw a movie that had the Blue Angels in it, 15 00:00:38,480 --> 00:00:40,920 and I thought, man, that looks awesome! 16 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,100 So after I saw that movie, 17 00:00:43,100 --> 00:00:45,370 there was always an interest there in flying. 18 00:00:45,370 --> 00:00:49,550 When I was in college, they always held a fall career fair. 19 00:00:49,550 --> 00:00:52,390 I believe it was my sophomore year that I was there. 20 00:00:52,390 --> 00:00:53,810 I did see Customs and Border 21 00:00:53,810 --> 00:00:55,090 Protection there with a booth 22 00:00:55,090 --> 00:00:56,930 for air interdiction agents. 23 00:00:56,930 --> 00:00:58,630 I remember thinking to myself 24 00:00:58,630 --> 00:01:00,500 that I would never have the flight time 25 00:01:00,500 --> 00:01:02,810 required for a job as cool as that. 26 00:01:03,330 --> 00:01:06,890 But years later, actually, I think it was 2015 27 00:01:06,890 --> 00:01:08,260 when I saw this position open. 28 00:01:08,260 --> 00:01:10,680 I thought, well, I have the flight time for it now. 29 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:12,630 In July, I attended FLET-C, 30 00:01:12,630 --> 00:01:15,040 the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center for the Air 31 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,050 and Marine basic training program. 32 00:01:17,050 --> 00:01:20,120 That was about 16 weeks long. 33 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,330 That included everything from immigration 34 00:01:22,330 --> 00:01:25,550 and customs laws to firearms training, 35 00:01:25,550 --> 00:01:28,610 to basic PE training as well. 36 00:01:29,260 --> 00:01:32,390 My career aspirations are to stay with CBP, 37 00:01:32,390 --> 00:01:34,870 and to really get the full benefit 38 00:01:34,870 --> 00:01:36,350 out of working at a job like this. 39 00:01:36,350 --> 00:01:37,610 This really included everything 40 00:01:37,610 --> 00:01:39,560 that I ever wanted in an aviation job, 41 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:41,520 from flying rotor craft, 42 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:42,970 to flying airplanes, 43 00:01:42,970 --> 00:01:45,730 being able to use my skills to their fullest ability, 44 00:01:45,730 --> 00:01:47,420 while enforcing the law. 45 00:01:47,420 --> 00:01:49,080 My family is proud of me. 46 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,160 I didn't come from an aviation background 47 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:52,510 or a law enforcement background, 48 00:01:52,510 --> 00:01:53,750 so this is all new to them. 49 00:01:53,750 --> 00:01:56,500 So they're just as excited for me as I am.