Service member spotlight: broadens horizons Published April 25, 2013 By Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Petty Officer 1st Class Eric Tomaszewksi, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team electrician's mate, is the joint base's featured service member of the week. Tomaszewksi hails from Hoyleton, Ill. Q: Why did you join the military? A: The military offered me an opportunity to serve my country, obtain an education, and experience different parts of the United States. Q: What is your job and what is its impact on the mission? A: I am an electrician's mate in the Coast Guard the Atlantic Strike Team. The AST is part of the National Strike Force. The NSF mission is to develop and provide highly trained and experienced personnel and specialized equipment to Coast Guard and other federal incident commanders. We are able to provide incident command and response management support, oil and hazardous chemical response, weapons of mass destruction response including radiological and bio-terrorism incidents and preparedness exercise & event planning support. As a strike force member, my goal is to be a qualified and efficient responder. As an electrician, I am involved with engineering and electronic equipment maintenance. Q: Do you have any past or current family members in military? A: I actually have a couple of uncles who served in each branch of the military except the Coast Guard. Q: Who most inspires you? A: My family inspires me the most. My father raised me with good family values and respect. He maintains a hard work ethic, and is enjoyable to be around. My wife and daughter have become the highlight of my life. They maintain a wonderful family environment. We enjoy the ability to grow and experience life each day. Q: What is one thing you'd like your fellow service members to take away or understand about the military? A: The military has offered me the ability to travel and live in some areas I would have never gone to on my own. The experiences have been very beneficial to opening my horizons. Being able to work with many different individuals of many different backgrounds and learn from each one. Remember to set goals and try hard to stay on track to meet them. There will be hiccups and bumps in the road, so try your best to learn from them. Stay positive and pass on what you learn to your fellow service members.