SCHRIEVER SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Having served in the U.S. Air Force for five years, previously at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, and McGuire AFB, New Jersey, Staff Sgt. Cindy Delgado, 50th Contracting Squadron contract specialist, works at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, in the foreground of America’s Mountain, supporting the mission of the Peterson-Schriever Garrison.
The 50th CONS is a component of the 50th Mission Support Group and provides mission partners with agile and innovative contracting capabilities to enable space and cyberspace warfighting superiority. From humble beginnings, the squadron now has 64 assigned military and civilian personnel and has received numerous unit and individual accolades, including the 2018 Air Force Space Command Outstanding Large Contracting Unit Award. The unit executed 561 contractual actions in fiscal year 2020 on programs valued at more than $134 million and is postured for future growth.
“The [50th] Contracting Squadron works hand in hand with every organization and contractor coordinating future requirements to make sure the mission never stops,” said Delgado. “Logistical planning is how we in contracting keep the base operational. We must make determinations as to how we will acquire those services, supplies or construction projects. No one requirement is the same; the approach is never the same. Right now, with the [U.S.] Space Force ramping up and with all the deltas moving in, we are ensuring those organizations have all the equipment necessary to be fully operational.”
Everything that makes an installation function comes through the contracting office, whether it be services (ground maintenance, janitorial services) or construction (fixing parking lots or remodeling parts of a building) or supplies (cubicles, computers, printers, ATVs).
“As a contract specialist, I’m in constant communication with the mission partners,” said Delgado. “I work closely with our small business representative to ensure small businesses are well represented in contract awards. I also work closely with our policy team to make sure contract awards are compliant with federal, state and local regulations and, depending on dollar value or complexity, I work with our legal team.”
Delgado joined the Air Force at 21 years of age.
“At that time, I had been both working full time and going to school full time,” said Delgado. “I was a manager at a Cold Stone Creamery. I decorated cakes and loved it, but it was clear I wasn’t progressing. My stepdad was, and is, in the Navy. At the time, I was getting healthcare from under him but was going to start paying for my own. 21-year-old me was extremely concerned and anxious about healthcare prices. I decided I needed to start working towards something. I had changed my major five times while attending San Diego Community College.”
Delgado found some direction after conversations with her friends, her stepfather, and a recruiter; it became clear to Delgado that to find her mission, the Air Force was the best avenue for her.
“I’m proudly serving the U.S. Air Force,” said Delgado. “I’m good at my job; I love my job. As soon as I showed interest in this career field, everyone was very welcoming and encouraging. I have been extremely fortunate to meet some great people along the way. I’m exceptionally thankful.”
Additionally, others think Delgado is good at her job, including her 50th CONS supervisor.
“Staff Sgt. Delgado is incredibly professional, thorough, and has a very strong work ethic,” said Tech. Sgt. Tamika Ortiz, 50th CONS contracting officer. “Delgado is a worker, and enjoys her job. She’s engaged with her subordinates and sets a great example for them. I can always count on any task I set before her being executed flawlessly. She is truly an asset to the 50th CONS and the U.S. Air Force, and key to executing close to $2 million in end-of-year requirements.”
Delgado’s inspirational motto is: You are exactly where you’re meant to be.
“It’s pretty simplistic, but I found it at a time when I needed it, and it has always been relevant,” said Delgado. “The Air Force has given me opportunities that I otherwise would not have been granted. The Air Force has made me a more appreciative person; I know the sacrifices others are making around me, or have made, and continue to serve. I’m proud to be standing alongside them. I have grown as a person. I’m very thankful.”