Honduran-American family's first to serve Published Sept. 25, 2012 By Ken Wright 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- To serve in the United States Armed Forces is to be part of less than 1 percent of Americans, but Airman 1st Class Jennifer George, 60th Comptroller Squadron travel pay specialist, represents an even smaller group of people; the first in her family's entire history to serve in America's military. The articulate Honduran-American who was born in New Hyde Park, N.Y., and raised in Bluffton, S.C., was an outstanding student in high school and had a lot of options upon graduating. Her decision to enlist in the Air Force came after her uncle was murdered on Christmas Eve 2010. While mourning the loss, she recalled that a few days before his death he told her how proud he would be of her if she served in America's military. "After that happened, I knew what I wanted to do," George said. "I also joined because I saw so many younger people in my family not doing a lot with their lives. I wanted to show them that we have a choice and we can take advantage of the better opportunities our country offers. I see them now following in my footsteps, especially my little sister." When she finishes her upgrade training George plans to begin college classes. "I really want to be a dentist; hopefully in the Air Force because I like it so much," George said. Both George's parents were born and raised in Honduras and immigrated to the U.S. where they met in 1984 when they were teenagers. Immigrating to a new country is often difficult, but George said her parents were ready for a new life. "I think my mom was ready to try something new," She said. "Though Honduras was home, I don't think it was really hard for her to leave, because she saw the possibility of better opportunities with more jobs and better education in the U.S." Though George has just two siblings, her extended family is like many in Honduras - big. Her mother and father each have six brothers and six sisters, many of whom she grew up with in South Carolina. After nearly a year at Travis, the young Airman is beginning to feel a craving for home that almost everyone can appreciate - mom's cooking. "There's one thing I can't get off my mind; my mom's tamales," she said grinning. "They are so good." She laughed as she remembered her father telling her she would miss beans and tortillas when she left home, a regular dish she grew up eating with family, but she didn't believe it at the time. "I miss it. I miss all that food; especially plantains," George said. "I like them the way my mom makes them. She slices them thin and then she fries them. We eat them with cheese; it's really good. That and chuletas; pork chops. That's really what we ate a lot at home." George hasn't yet found a local Honduran restaurant to get her fix of home cooking, but when she returns home for the holidays her mother and aunts will crowd the family kitchen to prepare a feast of thick Honduran tamales for their favorite Airman.