Maj. Sonja J. Van Ostberg-Caballero, a former resident of Plainview, Nebraska, was recently commissioned into the Missouri Air National Guard, serving as an inspector general with the 131st Bomb Wing. She also chairs the Air National Guard Inspector General Council for FEMA Region VII, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
“I’m proud to continue serving our Air Force and Air National Guard, particularly with the 131st Bomb Wing,” Van Ostberg-Caballero said. “This wing has distinct missions and great Airmen—I’m excited to be part of the team and providing valuable services throughout our military chain of command, here at Whiteman and Jefferson Barracks, in St. Louis.”
As an Air National Guard unit, the 131st helps operate and maintain the U.S. Air Force’s fleet of B-2 Spirit bombers alongside the 509th Bomb Wing, the unit’s active duty partner. Additionally, the 131st trains to provide valuable assets and personnel to support the state of Missouri and communities during times of need, such as flooding, winter weather or any other state emergency duty designated by the governor.
Van Ostberg-Caballero’s new role with the 131st is a continuation of a more than two-decade military career, which began in 1997, when she enlisted in the Air Force, serving as an aerospace physiology technician, at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. In 2003, she earned a nursing degree from Clarkson College, in Omaha, and was then commissioned as a reserve medical officer.
In addition to Nebraska, Van Ostberg-Caballero’s military service has included time in the states of Washington and Kansas. Like many Guardsmen and Reservists, she had a six-year gap in serve at one point, but decided to get back in uniform and serve. Prior to joining the 131st, she served as chief nurse over clinical operations and was an inspector general at 190th Air Refueling Wing, at Forbes Field Air National Guard Base, in Topeka, Kansas.
Among other duties, as an inspector general, Van Ostberg-Caballero helps implement the wing commander’s inspection program, investigates complaints, and acts as a liaison between the wing and Missouri National Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters, National Guard Bureau, Air Force Global Strike Command, and civilian agencies concerning inspection-related matters.
“Maj. Caballero brings vast experience to the table as we continue to elevate the quality of our inspection programs”, said Lt. Col. Alan Priest, the wing’s lead inspector general. “She’s already hit the ground running and we are proud to have her on the team.”
Van Ostberg-Caballero is a 1996 graduate of Batavia Senior High School of Batavia, New York, and earned a master of nursing from Walden University, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2008. Her mother, Judith K. Van Ostberg currently resides in Plainview, and her father, Eric Van Ostberg, resides in The Villages, Florida.
Date Taken: | 12.17.2018 |
Date Posted: | 12.17.2018 18:03 |
Story ID: | 304000 |
Location: | WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, MO, US |
Web Views: | 209 |
Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Van Ostberg-Caballero continues her military service with the Missouri Air National Guard, by Capt. Phil Fountain, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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