During summer 2020 when Covid regulations were heating up and we were adjusting to that “new normal”, a new MAFB mil spouse discovered her life was about to change in a very unexpected way that had nothing to do with the pandemic. Abigail Kinder was about to randomly start working as a Reporter for the Northern Sentry. It was a job she never knew she wanted and for which she had little experience, but it changed her life for the better and ultimately led her to a highly established civil service position at the 5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs office just a short time later.
It all started when Abigail’s husband, Airmen First Class Konner Kinder at the time, brought home a Golden Ticket one of his co-workers had discovered inside the Northern Sentry newspaper. Each ticket has a monetary prize value and the co-worker didn’t have time to collect it. Abigail took charge and texted the number on the ticket to set up a time to claim the prize at Margie’s Art Glass Studio. After meeting Ted Bolton, the Northern Sentry Owner, and collecting her cash, Abigail couldn’t stop thinking about how interesting it would be to work for the newspaper. “I kept telling [my husband] how cool it would be to work for a newspaper, as reporting was something I had always wanted to try.” A little bit later she actually got a text from Ted asking her if she was interested in doing creative work for the Sentry. She accepted and explained, “From there, the rest is history. The Northern Sentry was my first job in Minot, and I loved every moment of working with that team.”
Abigail went in with little relevant job skills, a strong work ethic and only a few years of adult life experience under her belt, but was determined to make the best of the kismet opportunity. “While settling into military life, I was focusing on artwork and selling commissions; I had always been passionate about writing as well. I was 21 with no degree and I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, but reporting and graphic design were careers I was interested in. Ted really took a leap of faith in hiring me, but I knew my work ethic and was determined to give it my all.”
Abigail’s job responsibilities at the Northern Sentry covered both design work and reporting, resulting in varied weekly hours. She helped with formatting layouts for the weekly periodical as well as special editions, while also tackling local news stories. “I was covering everything from a Simulated Electronic Launch Minuteman III to on-base school events to the Medora Musical.”
Abigail explained that the job had a lot of flexibility, besides meeting weekly deadlines, but that she could work when and where she needed. “The job allowed for a lot of flexibility and Ted gave me the freedom to suggest and pursue many ideas and passion projects to improve the paper.”
Abigail spent time over the next nearly two years learning about the base, its mission and the people. She shared some of her most memorable times reporting was during the 91st Missile Wing SELM in 2021. She was bussed out to the field and waited for what happened next. “We spent hours in the middle of nowhere waiting for the two second culmination when the launcher closure door blasted open. Like most military operations, it was a lot of ‘hurry up and wait,’ but as a reporter with little knowledge of the mission, it was a once in a lifetime experience that really highlighted the Roughriders’ proficiency and credibility.”
As Northern Sentry reporter, she was required to be in close contact with MAFB Public Affairs. She learned the system and people pretty well. By 2022, when the PA Chief of Media Ops/Community Relations position opened up, Abigail was ready to try her chances in the General Schedule (GS) world and applied for it on USA Jobs.
She was hired on as a GS-11 in 2022 and to this day still credits her roles at the Northern Sentry as the start to her professional career. “Joining Team Minot really set my life on a new trajectory, and I always attribute that back to my roots at the Northern Sentry. As a young, brand new military spouse, those jobs helped me get acquainted with the community, learn about the unique mission at Minot AFB, and find my passion.”
Abigail and her husband moved away from Minot AFB a few weeks ago, but she hopes to continue working for Public Affairs in the future as she explained that it truly is her passion. “I didn’t know what I wanted out of life when I was 21, but when I look back on the past 5 1/2 years of the most incredible experiences, it all goes back to that leap of faith text from Ted Bolton in 2020. Everyone’s experience is going to be different, but I think my Northern Sentry job led to the best possible outcome of my experience at Minot AFB – from the friends I made to the career I started.”
The Northern Sentry is one of the few remaining military base-focused publications in the world. Their commitment to local military families has lasted over 75 years. Experiences like Abigail’s can happen to anyone at MAFB. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a reporter for the Northern Sentry, reach out to us on our Facebook Page or send an email to erin.beene@willowtreemarketing. This writer also has an interesting tale of how a random shot to be a reporter has led to amazing career opportunities. You could be next, give it a shot.