RAF MILDENHALL, England, Oct. 26, 2016 — After work, Air Force Senior Airman Regine Labarda, a relocation technician with the 100th Comptroller Squadron here, grabs her brushes and canvas and heads to the countryside in her adopted home of England.
“I love to paint scenery,” Labarda said. “I’m trying new things with painting such as light and texture.”
She said she sees painting as a parallel to many elements of her life, including her career.
“It’s a blank canvas, like starting out in your career with new energy,” Labarda explained. “You put the color into the painting, just like you put effort into what you want to do -- the training and time -- and you can see the painting coming to life, or your career take off. You see the rewards of the energy you put in. The colors blending well and shapes forming, just as you see your life coming together.”
As a scene emerges, she sees the results unfolding.
“Like with life, the results can be amazing,” Labarda said. “After the time I spend enjoying the process of painting, I also enjoy the end result. But you can never rush the painting or you miss out on the journey you took to get there.”
Life for airmen can be busy, but Labarda knows the importance of taking time to relax and unwind to stay balanced. Her painting also allows her to get out and explore her surroundings.
“While painting I take time to find something that interests me, then I take in the whole picture -- the whole scene -- and try to recreate that on the canvas,” she said. “It’s like my start with the Air Force. I was bagging groceries in the commissary, and I didn’t want to join the military at first, but after talking to my recruiter, she told me about the opportunities, so I gave it a try and have been in for almost three years. So when I see something that grabs my attention, such as a beautiful countryside, I take the time to look at the scene, from every angle, then give it a try.”
See the World
Her love for the countryside doesn’t stop at the British borders.
“I also love to travel different places with different people,” she said. “And it helps me gain inspiration for my paintings.”
Her desire to see the world started young, when her journey with military life began.
“I was born in the Philippines and my mom remarried, so we moved to Germany and I went to school there,” Labarda said. “That’s where I heard about the Air Force. My stepdad was in the Army. He encouraged me to join the Air Force.”
Labarda’s leaders are enthusiastic about her career progression and recognized her efforts by putting her forward for the 100th Wing Staff Agency’s Airman of the Quarter award.
“Airman Labarda has been a great addition to our finance family,” said Staff Sgt. Michelle Anderson, 100th Comptroller Squadron relocations supervisor. “She has brought her passion and dedication to our office.”
Her hard work helps those newcomers to England feel reassured about their finances, knowing their vouchers are in good hands. It takes hard work and dedication to make a painting, and she puts this same effort into her work.
“My main role on base is to help new military members in-process and help them file their travel voucher,” Labarda said. “We mostly deal with customer service and face-to-face interaction. I enjoy helping people, so it’s perfect for me.”
Her work ethic ensures she takes care of the service before self.
“I really work hard; I’m a very organized person,” she said. “If something needs to be done, I work hard until it’s finished, just like I keep going with a painting as I look forward to seeing the end result on the canvas. I try to help people as much as I can, or ask for help from someone who can. I’ve met so many people, and I’m learning new things every day.”
It is people who have shaped Labarda into the airman she is today, and people who make her want to serve for many years to come.
“I enjoy painting landscape scenes in my spare time, but it’s the people who put color into my life. They are the bigger picture, and no scene is complete without them,” she said.