Adventures
LIMITLESS
By Celeste Edenloff
Alexandria graduate fulfills a calling in Air Force
A
Serving is about brotherhood and sisterhood. It’s about giving back and the sacrifices we have to make. It’s so much more than I ever thought it would be. LEAH LEHMKUHL MEYER
Commander, 5th Contracting Squadron U. S. Air Force
fter getting in more than her share of trouble in high school, Leah Lehmkuhl Meyer said a conversation with her softball coach led her down a path she never expected. A 2001 graduate of Jefferson High School in Alexandria, Maj. Meyer, who has been serving on active duty in the Air Force for the past 14 years, is the commander of the 5th Contracting Squadron stationed in Minot, North Dakota. She was recently selected for the rank of Lt. Col. and will be pinned on Dec. 1. It was Coach Orin Schueler, she said, who got through to her about the choices she was making. After getting in trouble once again, she remembers having a conversation with him. “He told me, ‘This isn’t you. You’re meant for bigger things,’ ” said Meyer. “He is one of the main reasons I
Maj. Leah Meyer (front, right) is pictured with the 5th Contracting Squadron. The organization is made up of two-thirds military members and one-third civilians.
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chose this path. I wanted something that was going to push me like Coach Schueler pushed me and I chose the Air Force.” Meyer said when the decision to join the military was made, she never considered any other branch. The Air Force was always her No. 1 pick. Although she doesn’t come from a military family, Meyer said she had an uncle who flew B-52s and told her that the Air Force takes the best care of its people. She believes her decision to join the Air Force was a calling. She knew she wanted a career where there would be a potential for leadership, one where she could positively impact lives, and a career that would challenge her. The Air Force did all that and more. “When I joined, I thought I could offer something to the Air Force,” said Meyer. “But what the Air Force has taught me, what it has given me is so much more. It started out as a dream to lead, but I have learned so much about myself, my strengths, my weaknesses. Serving is about brotherhood and sisterhood. It’s about giving back and the sacrifices we have to make. It’s so much more than I ever thought it would be.” Meyer said serving in the military is something special and that she is a different person than when she first joined ROTC and she is so grateful for that. She currently is the commander of 40 people in her squadron, which does all the purchasing for the base she and her husband, Keith, are stationed at. He also serves in the United States Air Force. In essence, she and her team buy items that keep the base running and operational. Throughout her career, she has bought everything from office supplies to major weapon systems
