JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MD. –
Pilots walk through the doors at the 79th Aerospace Medical Clinic regularly. They greet the receptionist, sign in, file in to the altitude chamber on mandatory training days and often won't see those that keep them up to date on their training until it is due again.
But for one 1st Helicopter Squadron instructor pilot, the clinic feels a little bit like home, due to a unique situation that took perseverance, planning, and began more than six years ago in Air Force ROTC.
"In a room full of cadets trying to sell themselves as the hottest thing since sliced bread, I knew RJ was no-frills, no fluff," said 1st Lt. Alethea Bergman, 79th Medical Wing aerospace and operational physiologist and operations element chief. "You either liked him, or you didn't, but he wasn't going to waste his energy trying to sell himself to you."
From a family of aviators, Alethea's father was a pilot and Army flight surgeon, which led her to check out the local Air Force ROTC program at San Jose State University, and before she knew it, she was standing in her Air Force ROTC leadership course being introduced as the new cadet.
"Most of the cadets introduced themselves saying 'I am cadet so-and-so, I'm majoring in political science at so-and-so university and I hold various positions in our detachment'," Alethea said. "When it was RJ's turn to introduce himself, he said 'hi, I'm RJ and I go here', then the room erupted in laughter at his short and to the point response."
After a month in ROTC, the instructors informed Alethea that because she had already earned a bachelors in neuroscience and was working on her master's degree, that she would only need to attend Officer Training School.
Alethea was waiting for a spot in the medical field, while working on her masters, when she got the good news that RJ had been selected for a pilot slot.
"I pulled into the parking lot one day to pick him up, and he was standing there with something in his hand," said Alethea. "When our eyes met, he loosened his grip on the item and as it unfurled I saw that it was a green military-issued flight suit. He was grinning from ear to ear."
The couple married in 2010 and attributes their success, both in the Air Force and in their marriage, to their multiple shared common goals and ambitions.
"Aviation always intrigued me, but witnessing RJ's love of flying is what made me fall in love with flying," Alethea said.
By 2014, Alethea had submitted an application to attend OTS and RJ decided he wanted to apply for a helicopter pilot position. Both then applied for Joint Spouse and were stationed at Joint Base Andrews.
"Alethea is a rock star when it comes to her job and loves what she is doing," said Capt. Raylind Bergman, 1st Helicopter Squadron instructor pilot and operations assistant flight commander. "She often mentions how it seems unreal that she is finally an aerospace physiologist, a job she has wanted since she first looked into joining ROTC. It is exciting now that I can be part of that same support system for her as she starts her Air Force career."
The Bergman's careers at JBA now intertwine, and Alethea has the unique opportunity as an aerospace and operational physiologist to work with and train her husband on a regular basis.
"It's a really unique experience to be able to train him, and it's amazing that we have come so far and accomplished so many of our dreams together," Alethea said.
The Bergmans' have moved frequently like most military couples, but they're settled for now at JBA and they're expecting their first child in six weeks.
"We have lived in five states, packed up a U-Haul and moved ourselves halfway across the country multiple times, experienced the cold of the Montana winter and the heat of the Alabama summer, and made friends every step of the way," Raylind said. "Alethea has been my support over the last six years in our Air Force journey, and it really has been a journey."