Monica Abril Aragón, MSCM

I attribute my success to several different things, but first and foremost, my children. When I began my military journey, I was a single mom raising two kids. My ultimate responsibility was making sure their needs were met and that they never felt the effects of growing up in a household supported by one income. That became one of my greatest motivations. I did everything I needed to do, and often more, to continue progressing in my career. Every decision, every school, and every career move was made with them in mind.

I also attribute my success to my family and the legacy behind my name. A strong work ethic was instilled in me from a very young age. My great-grandfather immigrated to the United States from Mexico and worked incredibly hard to give his family the opportunity to experience the American dream. I have always felt a tremendous sense of gratitude for his sacrifices. I know that the opportunities I have today were made possible, in part, because someone before me was willing to work and sacrifice for a future he might never personally experience. That stays with me. It’s why I give 110% in everything I do, and why it’s so important to me to set that same example for my children and now my grandchildren.

Another significant part of my success has been the military leaders who have invested in me throughout my career. Their mentorship, guidance, honest feedback, and sometimes difficult advice helped me navigate more than 23 years of military service and ultimately attain the rank of Chief Master Sergeant, E-9, the highest enlisted rank in the Air Force. Only about 1% of the enlisted force reaches this rank, and women represent an even smaller percentage of that group. I don’t take that accomplishment, or the people who helped me get here, for granted.

And finally, there is my family. From my parents and extended family to my incredible husband, they have stood behind me throughout this entire journey. They have filled in when I couldn’t be there, understood the constant travel, celebrated the successes, supported me through the disappointments, and accepted that sometimes the obligations of military service had to come before the things happening at home.

None of them wear the uniform, but in many ways, they have served and continue to serve right alongside me.

So when people look at my career and see success, I don’t see it as mine alone. I see my children, the sacrifices of the generations who came before me, the leaders who invested in me, and the family who continues to stand beside me. My name may be on the accomplishments, but there are a lot of people behind this name who helped me get there.

The best career advice I’ve ever received actually came from my husband, who I deeply admire and whose advice I value tremendously. Throughout my career, there have been many periods of self doubt, times when I felt like I had failed, questioned whether I was good enough, or walked into a room and wondered if I truly belonged there. What we now commonly call imposter syndrome.

During those moments, my husband would always tell me, “Don’t give anyone a reason to tell you no.”

That advice has stayed with me throughout my career. To me, it doesn’t mean that you’re never going to hear “no,” because you will. It means controlling the things you can control. If there’s something within my ability to accomplish, improve, or prepare for, I don’t want that to be the reason someone tells me I’m not ready for an opportunity.

When I went back to school to earn my bachelor’s degree, I didn’t just want to earn the degree, I challenged myself to graduate summa cum laude. When I take my military physical fitness test, I don’t want to simply meet the standard; I strive for an excellent score. And after earning my bachelor’s degree, I continued my education and earned my master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School, becoming the first enlisted Maryland National Guard service member accepted into that program.

Over time, though, that advice has come to mean something even bigger to me. It’s no longer just about preparing myself for the next opportunity. It’s about continually striving to become the best version of myself because I know other people are watching.

My children are watching. The Guardsmen I have the privilege of leading are watching. Other women serving in a predominantly male profession are watching. And there are people I may never even know about who are silently watching and wondering whether something is possible for them.

I want my example to tell them that it is.

You can’t control every decision someone else makes about you, and doing everything right doesn’t guarantee you’ll always hear “yes.” But you can control how prepared you are when opportunity comes. So I continue to live by that advice: don’t give anyone a reason to tell you no, and don’t be the person who tells yourself no before you’ve even tried.

The advice I would give to a young woman entering the military is this: you are capable of anything you set your mind to. You can absolutely put on the uniform with confidence, serve alongside every other uniformed member, and build an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling career of service.

There may be times when you’re the only woman in the room. Don’t let that make you question whether you belong there. You earned your place in that room just like everyone else. Learn your profession, become technically competent, work hard, maintain a strong work ethic, and commit yourself to being the very best at what you’ve been entrusted to do.

Success is entirely up to you, but that doesn’t mean the journey will always be easy. Will you experience struggles, failure, disappointment, and probably even some self doubt along the way? Of course. We all do. I’ve experienced all of those things throughout my own career. But some of my greatest growth has come from the moments that didn’t go the way I wanted them to. Learn from those experiences rather than allowing them to define you. They will make you more resilient, more confident, and ultimately a stronger leader as you progress through the ranks.

I would also tell her not to wait for someone else to decide she’s ready. Raise your hand. Apply for the position. Go to the school. Take the challenging assignment. Use your voice. When an opportunity comes along and you find yourself wondering, “Am I really ready for this?” change the question to “Why not me?”

Most importantly, never believe that you have to change who you are to succeed in a predominantly male profession. Being a woman isn’t something you have to overcome to be successful. Bring your own strengths, experiences, perspective, and leadership style to the organization. Those differences have value.

And someday, when you’ve progressed in your career and earned your own seat at the table, remember the young woman you once were. Reach back and help another woman find her way into the room.

Because ultimately, success isn’t just about how far you go. It’s also about making the path a little easier for the women who come behind you.

I think one of the biggest challenges we face as a military organization right now is simply the uncertainty of the world around us. The global security environment continues to change, and the type of warfare many of us grew up understanding is evolving right along with it. Advances in technology, cyber warfare, artificial intelligence, and the speed at which information moves have completely changed the environment in which our service members are expected to operate.

With that uncertainty also come challenges in recruiting and retention. Raising your right hand and committing to military service is a significant decision, and I think people today are asking different questions about service, sacrifice, quality of life, and what military service will mean for their future. As leaders, we have to understand that and be willing to evolve while still maintaining the standards, discipline, and commitment required of our profession.

We also have several generations serving alongside one another, and I see that as both a challenge and an incredible opportunity. Our more experienced service members bring years of institutional knowledge, leadership experience, and lessons that simply can’t be learned from a textbook. At the same time, our younger service members have grown up with technology at their fingertips. They often approach communication, innovation, and problem solving very differently.

Sometimes those differences can create friction. But imagine what happens when we stop viewing those differences as a divide and start seeing them as an advantage. One generation doesn’t have to replace the other. We need each other.

And that’s where I think our greatest opportunity lies, our people.

The military really is a family. The camaraderie and sense of belonging that come from serving alongside people who will stand beside you during some of the most difficult moments of your life are difficult to replicate anywhere else. We take care of one another. We lift each other up. Whether you call that person your battle buddy or your wingman, you know you’re part of something bigger than yourself.

As a senior leader, one of the greatest privileges I have now is the opportunity to shape and mentor the future leaders of our military. I can share not only my successes, but also my failures, disappointments, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. Someone once took the time to do that for me, and now I have the responsibility to do it for someone else.

That’s what excites me about the future of our military. The technology will continue to change. The threats will change. The generations serving will change. But our greatest advantage will always be our people.

We belong to an extraordinary profession of service. For anyone considering it, I would say: take the chance. Raise your hand. Serve. Because there is an incredible opportunity waiting for you, not only to build a career, but to become part of something bigger than yourself and, eventually, to help shape the people who will lead long after you’re gone.

The values that are most important to me, both professionally and personally, are integrity, humility, service, family, and treating people with dignity and respect.

Integrity has always been incredibly important to me. In the military, we’re taught “Integrity First,” but for me, integrity extends far beyond an Air Force core value. It’s about who you are when no one is watching. I believe your word should mean something. If I tell someone I’m going to do something, I’m going to do everything within my ability to follow through. I believe in doing the right thing even when it’s difficult, unpopular, or when there is nothing personally to gain from it. Ultimately, your character becomes part of your legacy.

Humility is equally important to me, and it’s something I have tried very hard to instill in my children. I believe that when you forget where you came from, you risk becoming the kind of leader no one wants to follow. Your rank or title should never define who you are, and if you have to rely on either one to command respect, then I believe you’re doing something wrong.

Respect is earned when respect is given. I make it a point to speak to our younger service members as the respected adults and professionals they are. Their rank may be different from mine, and our experiences may be different, but that doesn’t make their voice or their perspective unimportant. In fact, some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned as a senior leader have come from simply listening to the people I’m entrusted to lead.

I’m incredibly proud to have earned the rank of Chief Master Sergeant, but wearing the rank is the easy part. Putting forth the effort every day to epitomize what that rank represents is the responsibility. To me, that’s what ultimately makes people want to follow your lead, not because they’re required to, but because you’ve earned their trust and respect.

Service is another value that has shaped my life. After more than 23 years in the military, service means something different to me today than it did when I first raised my right hand. Early in my career, I thought service was primarily about serving my country and accomplishing the mission. I still believe that, but I’ve learned that service is also about serving people. It’s taking care of the person beside you, advocating for someone who may not have a voice in the room, mentoring the next generation, and sometimes putting someone else’s needs ahead of your own.

Family is the foundation behind everything I do. They remind me why the way I live and lead matters. I want my children and grandson to see someone who worked hard, treated people well, kept her word, remained humble regardless of what she accomplished, wasn’t afraid to fail, and used whatever position she had to make a positive difference for someone else.

And all of those values ultimately come back to how we treat people. Rank, title, education, and accomplishments may tell you something about what a person has achieved, but they don’t determine that person’s worth. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.

At this point in my life and career, success isn’t just about what I accomplish. It’s about how I accomplish it, how I treat people along the way, and what I leave behind in the people I’ve had the privilege to influence.