Some people say they’re “shooting for the stars” as a figure of speech, but Amy Goodman took that literally.
While many graduates will soon land their first job, Goodman will land in New Mexico’s history book.
Come graduation, the Albuquerque native will be walking across the stage and soaring straight to new heights as the first female to be commissioned into the United States Space Force (USSF) from any New Mexico university.
“I did not come into this with the intention of being able to walk around and say I am the first to do this and the first to do that, but learning those things along the way has furthered my passion even more,” Goodman said. “It doesn’t feel like it, but I know I am making history here at The University of New Mexico, making history in the Space Force and for females in the military like the Space Force.”
While Goodman is defying gravity now, it didn't start that way. With a long family history in the military, she knew early on that she wanted to join the armed forces and The University of New Mexico's ROTC program. Her father and grandfather served in the Army, her other grandfather served in the Air Force, and her grandmother was even in the Air Force Military Police, a rare job for a woman in the 1970s. Initially, Goodman planned to follow in her family's footsteps by joining the Air Force as a college freshman. However, halfway through that program, the newest branch of the U.S. military came to fruition, offering a unique opportunity she couldn't ignore.
“During my sophomore year, they opened up boards to join the Space Force, and nobody else in my class wanted to go Space Force, so I thought I would be a little different and try something new,” she said.
After a lengthy interview process, Goodman was accepted into the branch and shortly thereafter attended the first-ever U.S. Space Force field training. Since then, she has participated in a separate space program at the Air Force Academy with other cadets and has had endless opportunities. While she is not following the exact family tradition, she believes her loved ones could not be more proud.
“When they found out I was going to be the first female to be commissioned from a New Mexico university into the Space Force, they were ecstatic and happy for me," she said. “It’s a very nice feeling knowing that I am making my family proud and they’re proud to see what I have accomplished and all the great things I’m on my way to doing.”
But it's not just her family she credits for her success; she says the military program and the people a part of it are just as important. Between 5 a.m. wake-up calls and a physically demanding schedule, she acknowledges that the armed forces can be a rough and tough career. However, she says UNM's program and its instructors prepared and trained her for this next journey to take flight. Goodman says there was plenty of one-on-one training and describes the program as a big family.
“It definitely can be overwhelming, but at the end of the week, it’s rewarding to look back and see what you accomplished," Goodman said. “When you look at these past four years, there’s a lot we have done as a program, so it’s busy and time-consuming, but it’s all worth it in the end.”
After graduating with a Bachelor of Integrative Studies & Innovation with a concentration in Global & National Security and a Minor in Military Studies, Goodman will head to Colorado Springs this summer, where she will train for the next year, learning the ins and outs of the Space Force. The training will be broken down into three-month blocks, trying different core jobs within the branch. Then, in her final few months, she will train on the job assigned to her, officially becoming a Guardian. Goodman's flight plan? She hopes to be an Acquisitions Officer, ensuring everybody has the necessary equipment and tools to complete their jobs and seeing the overall process from start to finish.
“A lot of people ask me if I got the chance to go to space, would I, and I 100% would. It’s cool to think about how small we are compared to the universe and galaxy," Goodman said.
According to the United States Space Force, since its establishment in December 2019, more than 14,000 military and civilian Guardians are scattered between 46 bases and installations in 18 states and territories across the world. The branch focuses on the space capabilities of the U.S. military, organized under the Department of the Air Force.
