Being a Latina in a predominantly male military definitely has its challenges. I am a senior airman serving in the U.S. Air Force as a security forces member, currently deployed to Southwest Asia.

I grew up in Taos, N.M., in a traditional Hispanic household. My mother, Judy, is three-quarter Spaniard and a quarter Native American. She is not only my best friend but my hero, who I can always count on to support me. My father, Robert, is also of Spanish decent. He’s not only a handy man but a great influence to me and my little sister, Micayla.

Military service definitely runs in my family. My father and a few of his brothers all served in the armed forces. During my decision to enlist, my family supported me every step of the way.

I left for Air Force Basic Military Training in May 2009 and my security forces technical training followed. I essentially blended into the crowd and never needed to stand out. I quickly realized women need to work hard to keep up with or outperform their male counterparts. At tech school I was taught everything about law enforcement and security protection, including how to handle and take care of all the weapons we would come in contact with.

It wasn’t until I arrived at my first duty station where I began my transformation to grow as a person and overcome personal and professional challenges.

Being a new Airman, in a place where I didn’t know anyone, was a big test for my first, and biggest, personal challenge – shyness. I was always soft spoken growing up, so it wasn’t a shock when military instructors made it a personal mission to try and break my shyness.

I was placed in a two-week training class with other defenders in our squadron. We covered different fighting techniques, procedures for different situations, fired weapons and got certified on CPR and nonlethal weapons.

While learning about these nonlethal weapons, the day came where we had to get tased in order to be certified. I laid face down on the mat with my hands out in front of my head as my instructor placed an alligator clip connected to the taser on my uniform near my right ankle.

A few seconds later he yelled three magical words, “TASER, TASER, TASER!” My body instantly locked as electricity flowed throughout. It was a long five seconds where I felt absolutely helpless. Once the five seconds was over, my instructor said, “Gonzales, you better yell or you’re going for another five seconds.” Instantly I yelled “NO!” as everyone laughed, including me. The clips were removed and the training day continued.

I really came out of my shell during my first deployment to Southwest Asia. Not only did working there make me understand other aspects of the security forces career, it introduced me to many new people. It certainly helped me come out of my shell and overcome my shyness.

By the end of the deployment, I was more comfortable talking to and being around leadership and higher-ranking individuals. The time between being tased and the end of that deployment has made a very positive impact on my life.

I have since explored different jobs within my career field, which have allowed me to interact with people on a continuous basis. Being a Latina in the military has proved to be a challenge – but one I meet head on every day. I am a strong, outgoing female in a male-dominated career field who has gained the trust and respect of my coworkers.

I believe every female should challenge herself at least once in her life by participating in a male-dominated event or job. Not only does it make you challenge yourself, but it also pushes you to points you did not know were possible.