WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) - Air Force veteran Cynorra Jackson was introduced to Wichita through McConnell Air Force Base and has now made it home. Jackson is now a successful leader at Wichita State University's Ablah Library, but things were a bit tougher in 2000. "I had no job prospects. I had a huge crack in my windshield. I had, I think, maybe a flat tire and no gas, and I called my uncle, and I was just crying, and he said, 'I'm coming.' He fixed my car, and he said, 'We're going to see the Air Force recruiter the next day,'" she said. After making it through basic training, Jackson was flying high while staying on the ground. "Little known secret … no, it's a big known secret. I hate flying. I joined the Air Force, but I hate flying so much," she said. Instead, Jackson went up into services, focusing on keeping service members comfortable through meals, lodging and entertainment. In the process, she and her teammates became pretty popular. "We were loved by a lot of the squadron because people always need food, and then when you deploy, people want to be entertained, and we handled that too. People need lodging, so we had the best blankets, the best pillows, the best rooms we saved for the people we liked," she said. Goddard Air Force veteran proud to have followed in his parents’ footsteps During her eight years of service, Jackson did plenty of work outside of the mess hall, and she says even though she doesn't drink, she had a lot of fun working the beer tent while deployed. "Ice truck came in. It was all hands on deck. They were like tossing bags of ice and just trying to have fun in kind of an almost dire-type situation. But you know, making the best of where you are, but yeah, there was a lot of entertainment in that beer tent," she said. Jackson's time overseas certainly made an impression, and so did her time at McConnell. She may be a D.C. native, but her service made her fall in love with Wichita, deciding to stay and raise a family here. "Seeing Wichita for what it is. It's very different from the DMV. It's not as busy. There's no hustle and bustle. People aren't slow, but it's slower-paced. I'm not worried about being shot every day," she said. Jackson left the Air Force in 2008 as a staff sergeant, but not the Air Capital. She's found success working as a library leader and says the Air Force gave her the guidance and discipline she needed to succeed. "I wanted people to be able to trust me with their facilities, with their products, with their children. Being in the Air Force gave me that maturity in that way. I was able to grow up and learn to serve and also learn to be a leader," said Jackson. If you want to nominate a veteran for our Veteran Salute, send an email to [email protected] or fill out our online contact form!