For Bastidas, 'Perspective' the Key to Personal, Professional Success
This article represents the latest in a series of personal interest stories designed to spotlight notable people, stories and achievements across the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command. If you would like to recommend a specific Soldier or civilian employee for this series, please contact Ramin A. Khalili, USAMRDC Public Affairs Office Writer, at ramin.a.khalili.ctr@health.mil
For Master Sgt. Alexis Bastidas, the important dates in his life – the ones that mean the most, the ones that have made the greatest impact – are easy to name: his wedding anniversary, the birth dates of his children, a few family milestones. Yet for Bastidas, the current senior medical laboratory NCO at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command's U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, it's the memory of his enlistment date that, when it comes to his professional life, rises above any other.
"I remember that I always wanted to enlist," says Bastidas, talking via phone from Fort Rucker, Alabama, "but 9/11 was the push that said to me, 'Okay, this is the time – let's do it.'"
And so in October 2001, mere weeks after the terrorist attacks of September 11, Bastidas walked down to the local recruiting office in his home country of Puerto Rico and signed up for an Army career. Now, more than two decades and five deployments later, Bastidas still calls that decision one of the best he's ever made.
"A good number of my friends that I enlisted with, I'm still in contact with them, those that are still in the Army," he says, taking stock of the twenty-some years in between then and now. "But it's funny – we all still have that same common perspective of the situation and that same focus on what we need to do to be successful."
You hear the word 'perspective' a lot when you talk to Bastidas. He wields it almost like a verb, pointedly – and assuredly – using it to describe the positions he's held and the progress he's made both as a Soldier and as a father. It's the kind of earnest demeanor you'd only find with someone like Bastidas, a flight operations specialist by trade who now sits as the only aviation NCO at USAARL. It is his constant focus on the overall mission that, in his words, has made such progress possible.
"That's the beauty of the Army when you think about it, because you get the chance to learn – and then other people get a chance to learn about you," he says, offering a profoundly straight-line truth. "Everybody has something to bring to the table, and so we just have to talk to each other and combine ideas."
While he's only been at USAARL since September of last year, Bastidas knows the terrain well. That confidence comes from his aforementioned deployments to places such as Iraq, Afghanistan and – recently – Somalia. His primary responsibility in each location was coordinating air response and supporting ground crews via a variety of aircraft: Black Hawk helicopters, Chinooks, even Medevac efforts when required; all of that experience now tying back to his role at USAARL working to prevent and mitigate injuries that might occur during flight operations. Bastidas often refers to his position as being the "the eyes in the sky" for his fellow Soldiers in such situations. Indeed, if you talk to some of those Soldiers, they'll tell you they wouldn't want any other person in the position.
"He's a great leader, and someone who will always put his Soldiers needs before his own," says Staff Sgt. Jeremy Fantroy, who deployed with Bastidas twice – once to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. "He is one of the most knowledgeable NCOs I've ever known – in fact, I remember him being the 'go-to' NCO for our section, as well as the subject matter expert on Aviation Operations and Mission Command."
For Ramon Cases, command sergeant major for the 1st Battalion, 11th Aviation Regiment at Fort Rucker and someone who's known Bastidas since 2001, Bastidas' focus on the mission at-hand is almost contagious; a dedicated Soldier who is always seeking to find – and push – his limits.
"Master Sgt. Bastidas is of one of the most hard-working Soldiers I know," says Cases. "Last time we served together I had to tell him many times to leave his work computer at work and enjoy his family time – he always wanted to get the job done, regardless of the timelines."
Cases was stationed with Bastidas twice before eventually deploying together to the Horn of Africa region in 2019. And yet in all that time, he says he's never – not even once – seen Bastidas angry, upset, or even slightly cross.
"He's a quiet professional," says Cases of Bastidas. "He's one of the Soldiers that goes above and beyond regardless of the mission, and won't stop until his Soldiers are taken care of."
That kind of support is valuable, to be sure. Yet after 20-plus years in the Army, there is still much more for Bastidas to do, much more to accomplish; this as most of the friends he enlisted with back in 2001 have retired and moved onto other things. So while Bastidas sets his sights on the future he's also keen to keep an eye on the younger Soldiers as well, eager to pass along some of the lessons learned from his own career. For him, success is – as always, and of course – largely dependent on perspective; finding a way to see how you factor into the larger mission, and then, how you can help others succeed as well.
"Don't be afraid to explore new avenues, new opportunities," says Bastidas, referencing what he tells younger Soldiers when they ask him for advice. "A lot of people deny themselves new career experiences because it's out of their comfort zone. The only way you're going to be able to see the big picture is to see it from different viewpoints – and not just one perspective only."