Meet the Litterals

  • Published
  • By Airman Leandra Garcia
  • 33rd Fighter Wing

 

A brother and sister duo from the 33rd Fighter Wing proves that though it is unlikely to be stationed under the same command as your sibling, it can happen. Tech. Sgt. James Litteral, 337th Air Control Squadron, command and control battle management operator, is stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base while his sister Senior Airman Amber Litteral, 33rd FW, public affairs journeyman, is stationed on Eglin AFB. The 337th ACS is one of the 33rd FW geographically separated units.

“I am ecstatic to serve with my sister, not only in the same wing but living only 60 miles apart,” said James Litteral. “Coincidence is something I am used to, working in this small of a career field, but I would have never expected to have the opportunity to directly be involved with my sister's career or help provide a seldom experienced viewpoint from a leadership perspective that Airmen typically would not get.”

The 33rd FW is a tenant unit on Eglin AFB, Florida. The wing has two GSU’s, one at Tyndall AFB and the other at Hurlburt Field AFB, Florida, making this wing unique in more ways than one. The 33rd is in charge of training, developing, and graduating the world’s finest. 

Amber Litteral chose a public affairs career because she felt she could make the biggest impact by telling stories and documenting events that would one day be a part of U.S. military history.

“I am so proud of how far I have come in my career, becoming increasingly proficient in my primary duties and skills is something I've been working hard for,” said Amber Litteral.

James Litteral was guided into his career field with help from his recruiter. He chose this job because he wanted something that would push his abilities to the limit.

“I take pride in my current assignment at the 337th, training the world’s best air battle managers, and the years of effort it took to make it here,” said James 

Litteral. “I feel like I am passing down a legacy of control to the future generations of officers that are going to be leading the Air Force in years to come.” 

The Litterals are a military family, their father served in the Air Force for 24 years. They became accustomed to the fast-paced military lifestyle and are now both following in their father's footsteps. 

“I joined the Air Force to travel since my life revolved around moving from place to place, being an ‘Air Force brat’ myself, I could not imagine sitting in one place for too long,” said James Litteral. “My father has had a huge influence on my career, to put it simply I am trying to live up to the legacy he laid out over his Air Force career.” 

Even as a child Amber Litteral was able to recognize the sacrifices her father was making for her country and how impactful those sacrifices are to the world. Their father Joshua Litteral, retired USAF SMSgt, was an electronic warfare technician for half of his career and then went into AF recruiting. 

“I’ve known since I was about 8 years old that I wanted to serve in the Air Force,” she said. “I saw what my father did as an Airman and knew that I wanted to be a part of the military. I might not have understood the full scope of our forces and our missions, but I could tell that serving in the military meant being a part of something larger than yourself, protecting and serving the United States.”

Growing up, the Litterals never considered that they might be serving in conjunction with one another. The idea of them serving so close together was not something they had ever thought of. Now nothing makes Amber Litteral more proud and humbled than to say she serves alongside her brother in the same wing. Their family takes pride in their service and has always been supportive of their decisions.

“Being on this journey, in this wing, with my brother has been an amazing experience that I wouldn’t trade for the world,” said Amber Litteral.