The idea may have first come from his older brother, but from the moment Chief Jonathan Navnit Panchal enlisted in the Air Force in 2006 at the age of 20, he knew he wanted to make it a career. Although he experienced immediate personal growth right away, the only thing he was apprehensive about was the possibility of being away from his family for long periods of time. Still, he was ready for whatever Air Force life threw at him.
Panchal had a firsthand view of the opportunities the Air Force could bring. As a child, he got to witness his older brother, Senior Master Sergeant Raja Panchal (Ret.), serve and live all over the world. When speaking with Panchal, it was evident that his brother served as a guiding role model during his formative years.

“Watching his [Raja’s] career unfold as a kid and teenager was inspiring.” Panchal explained a specific story that made him realize he also wanted to try Air Force life. “During my high school years, Raja flew me out to stay with him for about a month each summer. These trips really sealed the deal for me. Being able to see the growth he achieved, the opportunities he had, the friendships he made, and the places he got to go really helped me determine what I wanted from my life.”

Panchal had toyed with the idea of perhaps applying to the Air Force Academy, but ultimately decided to follow in his older brother’s footsteps and enlist instead. From that point on, he was all in. “From the very beginning, my goal was to make it a career of at least 20 years.”

It wasn’t just his brother who has played a meaningful role in his Air Force career. Panchal has been with his wife, Mai Pang Dao Panchal, for the entirety of his service, and their connection to one another was evident during the interview. While discussing what has made his job worthwhile, Panchal spoke about his wife.

“My wife Mai and I have been married throughout the entirety of my career. She’s been my rock and has stood beside me through all the highs, lows, long work hours, TDYs, and deployments. I am forever indebted to her love and support. She and our boys are always at the forefront of any of the decisions I make.”

Ever the family man, Panchal also talked about the support he received from his parents.

“They’ve done so by exemplifying outstanding resilience and unconditional love. I could not have gotten to this point in my career without the examples they’ve set for me and the love they’ve given. Each of their stories, and the obstacles they’ve overcome, have inspired and motivated me through the many physical, mental, and spiritual challenges I’ve encountered while serving. Further, they’ve each been dependable sounding boards that I’ve been able to solicit advice from or simply vent to.”

Even with such a strong family support system, Panchal still faced some very difficult moments during his service that shaped him and his life immensely. Being far away and unable to return home when loved ones passed away was particularly challenging.

“This was especially difficult for me when I was unable to be there when my father and two of my childhood friends passed away. Initially, these experiences filled me with deep regret, but I was able to work through it with time. The distance from loved ones, inherent to serving, taught me to be much more proactive in picking up the phone to call people.”

Through those experiences, he learned an important lesson. “Maintaining and strengthening relationships from afar takes effort, but it is worth every bit. My advice to anyone serving is to not let time or space diminish your relationships; pick up the phone and talk to your loved ones.”

Another defining moment in Panchal’s career came when his section chief invited him to lunch and presented him with a special set of staff sergeant stripes after he made the next rank.

“These stripes had been passed down for about 20 years to exceptional Materiel Management Airmen. He instilled a lot of belief in me as he discussed why he was passing those stripes down to me. It was really the first time that anyone outside of my own family expressed their belief in me. It truly motivated me more than he’ll ever know.”

As he steps into the role of Chief Master Sergeant, Panchal reflects on the one thing he wishes he had done differently earlier in his career.

“Early in my career, there were things I did or didn’t do, or procrastinated on, simply because I wasn’t confident or was scared to fail. Trusting yourself and your decisions makes it easier to learn from your failures, hold yourself accountable, and celebrate your victories.”