Wife pursuing her dreams while stationed at Cannon

Dana Sassman understands that the mission always comes first being a military wife.

The teacher and mother-to-be has been stationed at Cannon Air Force Base with her husband Andrew for about 10 months.

Sassman rolls with the punches and hardships of a military marriage because she knows her husband is serving the country for a greater purpose.

"The biggest part is realizing that the mission always comes first, no matter what kind of husband you have and you have to be okay with that," Sassman said. "In a moment's notice they have to go to work and you don't know when they're going to be home."

Sassman has been able to live her childhood dream of becoming a teacher by teaching at La Casita in Clovis while her husband serves at Cannon.

She grew up outside of Chicago and was in her third year of teaching prior to meeting her husband.

The two met through a college friend and husband during a visit to an Air Force base in Texas.

"We kind of just hit it off and never stopped talking," Sassman said.

After the couple married, they moved to Italy and lived there for three years before being moved to Cannon last October.

Sassman was excited to learn about the move because she said she missed teaching. She was thrilled when she got hired at La Casita.

Sassman said she's currently licensed to teach kindergarten through sixth grade and is also bilingual.

I always wanted to become a teacher," Sassman said. "I enjoy the opportunity to make a difference in a kid's life. I want to make education a positive aspect of their life."

Sassman will be able to make a difference in the life of her own child. She and her husband are expecting their first child in September.

No names have been decided for her son yet, but she says they plan to wait until he's born to see what name would fit him and his personality.

While being in Clovis, Sassman says it's really important to branch out and make friends with other military wives so she can have a direct support system.

She said she had to rely on her military family to help her out when she was hospitalized during her pregnancy.

"I have a handful of close friends here, I can call them at a moment's notice," Sassman said. "My husband was working, so I called a friend when I was having contractions."

She says nothing beats her friends especially being military wives because they get what she goes through.

"We offer our friendship unconditionally," Sassman said.

The Clovis community has also been very supportive to her and of the military mission, she said.

"We've definitely been welcomed by people in the community," Sassman said. "I've been totally welcomed by my students and teachers that I work with."

Sassman does her part by to help with mission by making sure her husband is taken care of so that the mission comes first. She makes sure she always has food ready for him and tries to make life as easy as possible for the active duty member of the house.

"I appreciate his selflessness and being able to sacrifice his life for his country, for perfect strangers, and do it willingly every day," Sassman said.