AAPI Heritage Month Spotlight: Master Sgt. Gloria Florentine Siliako-Nautu

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Abbey Rieves
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs

This month’s observance is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The 17th Training Wing recognizes this culture and diversity and how it makes the force stronger. Each week in May, the 17th TRW will highlight service members of different backgrounds and experiences. This week we are highlighting Master Sgt Gloria Florentine Siliako-Nautu, 17th Security Forces Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge of operations. 

What is your job? 

I am currently deployed to Ramstein Air Base, Germany.  I am working at the Deployment Transition Center (DTC) as the mission set manager flight chief.

I am a Defender by trade and back at home station, 17th Security Forces Squadron, I was the noncommissioned officer in charge of operations at Goodfellow Air Force Base.

Tell us about your Asian or Pacific Islander Heritage.

I am Samoan.  I come from the beautiful island of American Samoa located southwest of Hawaii.

What does Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month mean to you?

It means remembering that I’m Samoan and to be proud of who I am.  It also means sharing my culture and the Samoan history with those around me. 

 What’s one aspect of your heritage that you feel very strongly about? 

The Faa-Samoa or the Samoan way.  We are deeply rooted in our culture despite where we go.  We were taught at a very young age of the traditional and customary way of life in Samoan culture.

What Asian or Pacific Islander public figure, past or present, inspires you and why?

Congresswoman Uifa’atali Aumua Amata Coleman. She was the first woman to represent my island in the U.S. Congress.