Paso grad joins Air Force to fulfill dream of being a cop
Cristina Cruz plans to be deployed in August
Cristina Cruz
Paso Robles High School graduate Cristina Cruz knew early on that she wanted to serve as some sort of law enforcement officer. That desire led her to join the Paso Robles Explorers Post her junior year of high school. As a volunteer, she would ride along with police officers and work their shift with them. Now, Cruz is a security forces members in the Air Force, which is equivalent to military police.
“I like the rules, I like being in charge,” Cruz said.
Cruz is the daughter of Angel and Martha Cruz of Paso Robles and the younger sister of George Cruz of Los Angeles. After graduating from Paso Robles High School in 2009, Cristina Cruz went to Cuesta College for criminal justice. At that point she thought she’d go work for the Sheriff’s department, until she talked to her cousin, Walter Chavez.
“I have a cousin also in the Air Force, he doe the same job. He said [going into the Air Force was] a good route to go,” Cruz said.
After two years at Cuesta, in 2011, Cruz joined the Air Force, doing her basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Her first, and current, duty station is at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina. Cruz said she will remain at her current station until the Air Force transfers her elsewhere. At this time, she is expecting to be deployed in August.
As a security forces member, Cruz, said she patrol base, writes tickets and protects the airplanes on base. “I’m basically a cop on base,” Cruz said. “I like the daily experience — have to deal with people, crime.”
Cruz’s family has been in Paso Robles since 1991, her whole life. She went through her schooling in Paso Robles and participated in soccer and volleyball.
