warrior of the week

  • Published
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  
Name: 2nd Lt. Perlina Fortinberry
Unit: 28th TES/ OL-B
Job: Flight Test Engineer
Hometown: Marengo, IL

If you could go back in time - what time would you go to and where? Why? I would go back to the summer of 1991. It was a great summer with no worries. My younger brother, Donnie and I would be outside from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. everyday playing tag, rollerblading, etc, with the neighborhood kids. My youngest brother, John, was also born that summer. It was a great time.

Dog or cats? Why? I like dogs better than cats by far. While cats are independent and lovable creatures, dogs are loyal companions. In high school I used to love going on morning runs with my dog. Cats you cannot do that with. My dog is now 11 years old and despite the fact that I have moved hundreds of miles away from her, she is at the door when I come home to visit. It is a good feeling.

What world landmark would you go see if you could? I would love to go to Rome due to its rich history. The Vatican is a key historical site I would really like to visit. I have seen the Vatican on TV and in pictures and it just seems like it would be a magnificent place to see in person.

What is your dream vacation? Anywhere alone with my husband. We are not stationed together, so we do not get to see each other very often. So a vacation with just the two of us would be ideal anywhere.

What is your most valuable material possession, why is it so special? The one thing I do value is my wedding ring. It was given to me by my grandfather- it is his mother's wedding ring. It is beautiful and I know that I could not replace it if I lost it.

What movie star do you have a crush on, now or when you were younger? I have a crush on Johnny Depp. I think he is a great actor that can conquer any role that he is given. I really enjoy watching his movies.

What was the best advice your parents gave you? My mom always tells me to do what I think is right and everything will work out. It has worked for me thus far.

If you weren't in the Air Force, what would you be doing? This may sound lame, but I cannot imagine doing anything else right now. Eventually I would like to go to medical school, but I am learning a lot from my Air Force job that I do not think I could learn anywhere else. If I did not take the engineering route through ROTC, then I guess I would be in medical school right now.