WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. – The dream of becoming an astronaut usually begins by looking at the stars but for Senior Airman Kendall Cubero, the journey to the cockpit and beyond started in a Westover Air Reserve Base hangar with a pair of electrician’s tools in his hands.

Cubero, an electrician with the Electrical and Environmental shop, 439th Maintenance Squadron, was recently selected for the highly competitive Leaders Encouraging Airmen Development (LEAD) program, earning a coveted appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy. The LEAD program empowers unit commanders to nominate the military's top junior enlisted personnel for entry to the academy or its preparatory school. Unlike civilian applicants who require a congressional nomination, LEAD candidates rely on the endorsement of their chain of command.

Cubero, a New Jersey native, who moved to Massachusetts for an Air Reserve Technician position, initially joined the military to learn a trade and earn military tuition assistance benefits. However, the goal of becoming an officer was always lingering.

“The big dream is becoming a pilot,” Cubero said. “I remember seeing this program, but it was completely out of my mind until my wing leadership sent an email about it.”

Applying was a rigorous process and Cubero admitted he initially had doubts about his chances, noting that the academy only accepts about 1,000 students each year.

“It was kind of like a coin toss,” he said. “There are people from all over the country that are smarter than me, more athletic than me, just better than me in every single shape or form.”

Despite this humility, his unit recognized his potential early on. Tech. Sgt. Matthew Kirk, who supervises Cubero, saw his drive from day one.

"Cubero has a great personality and is a highly motivated individual," Kirk said. "When he joined our shop, he hit the ground running and quickly became a key member of our team."

To help Cubero reach his goal, Kirk ensured he had the backing he needed at the shop level to balance the mission with the demanding application requirements.

"I tried to be a good mentor and assisted him to the best of my ability," Kirk said. "I gave him ample time to navigate the long application process and pursue his dreams." Cubero’s advice to other junior enlisted members aiming for similar heights is simple: start working hard the day you arrive.

“You have to ask yourself what you need to change to get to that point,” he said. “One of the things that helped was just setting up a meeting with my supervisor and building a plan to reach those goals.”

Looking ahead, Cubero plans to carry the lessons he learned as an enlisted maintainer into the officer ranks. He aims to emulate the "selfless leadership" modeled by his current commander.

“Leadership is about serving those you are in command of and helping them advance their careers, just as my leadership did for me,” Cubero said. “Because of them, I’m able to achieve heights I never thought possible. If I’m given a position of leadership in the future, that’s exactly what I want to do to cultivate the next generation.”

As Cubero prepares to trade his tools for a cadet uniform, his journey serves as a reminder of the foundational strength of the Air Force. The Air Force Reserve is ultimately about its people; Airmen like Cubero who choose to serve, stay ready, and bring lethality to the fight.