Salinas native promoted to Brigadier General, retires with rank

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) - Salinas native Amanda B. Evans is moving up in the ranks as Brigadier General for the United States Air Force and retiring with the title.

Brigadier General Evans has been a part of the Air Force for 30 years, first enlisting in 1995. Since then, she served 12 years on Active Duty, nine years as a reservist, and nine years in the Air National Guard.

Evans has worn several hats from Financial Services Officer to Comptroller to Executive Officer, to name a few. She recently served as the Air National Guard Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Reserve Affairs.

Evans said she was inspired by a friend of her mom to enlist and kickstart her three-decade stint.

"so I came in at 1995 and thinking I would be done in 1999," Evans said. "I just started to see that the Air Force gave me more opportunities to excel."

Evans earned a Master of Business Administration from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey after garnering her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 2000 at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas.

Evans thanked the community of Salinas and her past school teachers for their continued support.

"Whether it was through sarcasm and kind of making fun of the fact that I was going and doing something that was completely different from being a cheerleader and cheering on the Salinas High Cowboys," Evans said. "They didn't have doubts, they just probably hoped and prayed that I would do well and I'm blessed that I have succeeded."

What awaits Evans next is opening up a business that brings rescue puppies into the workplace as therapy animals.