Thomas Fotos was 22 years old when he discovered his calling.
"My father when I was growing up he told me that if you find yourself going to work and it doesn't feel like work that’s what you need to be doing and I found it," Fotos told First Coast News.
Before joining the Air Force he worked in the food and beverage industry but wanted something better for himself and his family.
"At the time my fiance, who’s now my wife, took me to my first airshow and I fell in love with aircrafts and that led me to the Air Force," he said.
Fotos said it was the best decision he ever made. He recalls his first deployment overseas in Saudi Arabia where he served as an aircraft mechanic.
"At first, it’s kind of scary, but then you know your first time doing something like that you’re a little nervous, but it starts becoming routine," Fotos explained.
Fast forward 18 years later, he's still living out his passion in the same line of work at Naval Air Station Jacksonville.
"It’s a lot of fun," he said. "It’s the most rewarding experiences ever had."
Only now he has the opportunity of working both as a civilian and as a serviceman with the Air National Guard.
"I missed wearing the uniform so much that I had to do it, you know. I couldn't not wear the uniform," he said. "There’s a sense of pride you get when wearing the uniform."