While Connie Moses has never been sworn into office or put on an Air Force uniform, she’s been part of the military lifestyle at Virginia Tech for 12 years now.

May 12, 2014 – Moses, who works as a program support technician for the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), has run races alongside the cadets, gone hang gliding, and jumped off the high dive at War Memorial Hall more than once, despite her fear of water and her inability to swim. She’s also gone scuba diving alongside the cadets.

“Col. Montgomery makes me believe I can do anything. He doesn’t accept I can’t,” said Moses. Col. John Montgomery is the commander of the Air Force ROTC at Virginia Tech and a professor of aerospace studies. He is also her direct supervisor.

Moses came to Virginia Tech in 1974 as a typist for the Carol M. Newman Library. She left about two years later, but returned in 1979. For more than 23 years, she served in that same role for the Department of Account and Information Systems and Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Mathematics.

When her current position came open in 2002, she was excited about the opportunity. She wasn’t too worried about working in a military environment, but she was terrified of working with students – something she hadn’t done in any of her previous positions.

Ironically, the students, she says, are what have kept her in the department for so long. Moses plans to work in the department until she’s ready to retire.

“I just fell in love with them,” said Moses. “Our cadets are just awesome. People brag all the time about how well behaved they are; how polite they are.”

The feeling is mutual.

“As the only civilian in an otherwise all military team, Connie could be viewed as an outsider, but she is an integral part of the team,” said Geffrey Moy, assistant professor of aerospace studies. “The Air Force has a saying, ‘Mission First, People Always,’ and without trying, Connie lives it.”

During her 12 years in the department, Moses has worked for four different supervisors. Commanders are typically assigned to Virginia Tech for a four year stint before they are reassigned.

“Montgomery, she says is the best boss she’s ever had in her entire life. “He’s tough, he’s fair, and he’s very forgiving.” Unfortunately, he’s retiring in July when the Air Force will assign a new commander to run the program.

The department is full of big personalities, according to Montgomery. After all, the Air Force ROTC program includes fighter pilots and officers. And yet Moses stands out in the middle of that environment.

“There’s this 5’1 blonde in the middle of all of that who is the heartbeat of the whole place. Her bubbly attitude, love of life, ability to solve any problem - makes her an invaluable friend and co-worker,” said Montgomery.

Moses’s job responsibilities including serving as the liaison between the Air Force ROTC program and the university. She is the only employee in the program who works for Virginia Tech. The others all work for the federal government.

She works with more than 250 cadets and their families, coordinates events for cadets and the staff, handles all of the fiscal and administrative tasks necessary to run the program, and assists with the uniform closet.

And, she’s known to go above and beyond her job responsibilities on a regular basis.

She recently spent countless hours making pennants for the cadets, saving them thousands of dollars, according to Moy.

“She doesn’t believe in how much she is an absolute bird dog at getting stuff done,” said Montgomery. “It’s Connie that makes it happen around here. If she left, we’d be non-mission capable for a year until we got someone into place.”

The softer sideWhen Moses isn’t at work in the Military Building, she spends much of her time at the Fairlawn Church of God, where she and her husband of 33 years are members. They attend services on Wednesday and Sunday nights and Moses teaches Sunday School every week.

On Monday evenings, she mentors a group of about 10-15 local teenagers who have fallen on hard times.

“She’s a caring lady,” said Montgomery. “She brings out the very best in people.”

She also volunteers to assist with multiple other activities and events, most notably the churches annual Easter performance. From February through April, she spends several additional nights at the church every week making costumes and assisting with production rehearsals. The play, she says, is one of the best kept secrets in the New River Valley. About 450 people attend each of the performances held on Easter weekend each year.

The love of sewing is something that was instilled in her at a young age by her grandmother. It was something they did out of necessity. Reams of fabric were a much more affordable option for her family than buying new clothing. Moses is the youngest of six children; three girls, three boys.

The wild sideIt wasn’t so long ago that Moses and her husband enjoyed the thrill of riding motorcycles. In addition to short weekend trips, the couple has biked through five different states as part of their time with the Rolling Thunder motorcycle group. They’ve also ridden through Nova Scotia.

That came to a halt in 2009 though, after the couple, who have two children and five grandchildren, was in an accident that could have cost them both their lives. Several hours into a group ride along a curvy two-lane road in Hillsville, Va., her husband Frank took a turn too fast and went flying down the mountainside through an open field and ended up on the ground, under his motorcycle. She was “vision locked” and followed right behind him.

Frank broke his ankle in three places, and she walked away with bumps and bruises – all minor injuries given the severity of the crash. She’s certain though, that a higher power was at play that day.

The couple rode for a few months afterward, but eventually gave it up. The accident didn’t scare them away, she says, it just made riding motorcycles less of a priority.

“You can’t live your life fretting about what will happen because you miss all the cool things that do happen,” said Moses.

In 2009 they took their biggest trip to date, she says. They went to Maui where they rode bicycles down the Skyline Trail on Haleakala Mountain.

When she’s able, Moses enjoys fast paced walks and she likes to read Christian novels. She’s also hoping to earn a bachelor’s degree from Revelation Message Bible College.

“I’ve always wanted to do it, but I’m going to make the time for it now,” said Moses.

First published on May 12, 2014. www.hr.vt.edu/extraordinary_employees/2014/connie-moss

Laura Neff-Henderson, APR, is the employee communications manager at Virginia Tech

Connie Moses is the heart and soul of Air Force ROTC programby LAURA NEFF-HENDERSON, APR

The Air Force has a saying, ‘Mission First, People Always,’ and without trying, Connie lives it.”

Geffrey Moy, Assistant Professor

of Aerospace Studies

About this seriesThe Extraordinary Employee series highlights the achievements of Virginia Tech employees who go above and beyond, making a difference in the lives of others on campus and in the community.

Despite not knowing how to swim, Moses has put her trust in the cadets and offers she works alongside more than once, including on this scuba diving physical training session.

It’s not all work all the time in the Military Building. Moses (second from left) enjoys spending time with her colleagues who goof off from time to time.

Moses works with more than 250 cadets and their families, coordinates events for cadets and the staff, handles of all of the fiscal and administrative tasks necessary to run the program, and assists with the uniform closet.