Ralph Ave

Bio

I am a retired Chief Master Sergeant from the United States Air Force Reserves with a total of 20 years in service.  I did 6 years of Active Duty and 14 years as a Reservist.  I was privileged to have worn this rank because on 1% of the Air Force are chosen for it.  Currently I am serving as a federal employee for the Department of Navy.  Before going into civil service, I was a defense contractor with Raytheon which switched to Lockheed Martin where I became the “Lead” for the section I worked for earning multiple individual and team awards to include the Director’s Award which was only given to less than 1% of the workforce.

My grades and test scores were not good enough to attend universities after high school.  Trade school was an option I chose because it taught me hands-on skills quickly.  I graduated Cum Laude with an Associate’s Degree in Electronics.  Soon after graduation, I worked a few low paying jobs before joining the United States Air Force.

The United States Air Force provided me to be a part of something bigger than myself and to give back for the opportunities this country gave my family.  It is where I learned that leadership isn’t about who is the loudest.  It’s about taking care of the people around you.

I am what you call an introvert.  I prefer to keep myself and I am not very outgoing but throughout my career, I have served in multiple leadership positions in and out of the military.  I have learned to lead people with various titles and behaviors.  Early in my young life, I learned that individual titles did not matter and how you treat people matters the most.  Building relationships sticks in the end.

I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii as an only child to parents who migrated from the Philippines.  My father passed away when I was 9 years old, and my stay-at-home mother had to quickly take up being the breadwinner.  Some of our living arrangements were renting a room in someone else’s house or living with multiple unknown families.

I had to grow up fast and learn to do things on my own.  The luxuries of most youth I didn’t get to experience.  My mother did her best.  Taking a day off was not a luxury my mother could afford, which led to many days on my own.

My mother is a powerful woman.  She never asked for a handout or relied on anyone for help.  She was a very proud person and taught me that life would not be easy, but if you hold firm to your faith, beliefs and work hard, no one can stop you from reaching your goals.  I cannot thank her enough for the man I am today.

I started Straight Resume Enhancement because I wanted to help fellow veterans which turned into helping our community neighbors.  I saw that there was a need for someone who could improve a resume with the right words with what they already had catering to their specific job interest and giving my client a fighting chance.

I also started a YouTube channel “USAFR Retired Airman AveXneW Jr” giving resume tips, advice on transitioning military members and what work life is like as a Civil Service employee.