PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- Lt. Col. Juan Araoz took command of the 314th Training Squadron, June 16, located at Presidio of Monterey in California.
Araoz was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but calls Miami, Florida, home as he spent most of his childhood and graduated high school there.
Araoz began his Air Force journey when he was accepted into the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School, then transitioned to earn his commission at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is the first person in his family to have joined the military.
Having recently taken over command, Araoz plans to maintain the legacy of the 314th TRS while striving to find improvements where needed.
“My goal is to create an environment of mutual trust, understanding, and respect,” said Araoz. “But above all, a place you can call home with leaders, supervisors, and peers you can call family.”
While leading 750 permanent party staff and students at the Department of Defense’s designated foreign language training school, Araoz plans to implement his “BE TRUE” mantra: being trustworthy, respectful, upstanding and encouraging.
“At the end of the day, the most rewarding impact I hope to impart for Airmen is to be fulfilled and proud to have served under the 314th TRS,” said Araoz. “Knowing they were an integral part of advancing the world’s premier language Airmen in order to strengthen the world’s greatest intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance force.”