Thousands of dedicated Pantex citizens like Francisco Armendariz work every day to support the Pantex mission. Take three minutes to learn about who he is, what he does, and why he is proud to be a Pantexan.
Attention to detail is a skill that most people have to practice, but for some, like Instrument Technician Francisco Armendariz, they seem to have been born with a magnifying glass in hand. For Armendariz, no aspect of a task is too small.
“I got my attention to detail from my mom,” Armendariz said. “She is very particular about doing things the right way. I learned that from her. When I’m at home now, I see myself doing things the way she did.”
Armendariz has worked at Pantex for nine years, dedicating all of them to some form of electronics work. Currently he tests and calibrates tools, signing off when each piece of equipment is ready for work. He takes pride in writing his name by each verified tool, an acknowledgement that he has done his part to ensure his co-workers’ safety and the quality of work being done on the line. Though Armendariz gets joy from his day-to-day responsibilities, his love for tinkering started at an early age.
“I just remember troubleshooting Christmas lights when I was maybe six or seven. A light bulb was out and I was able to fix them for my mom,” said Armendariz. “I grew up thinking about that experience and carried it with me to college. I studied electronics and I built upon that.”
And build he has. His experience has provided him with the ability to work on all types of items at Pantex. One of his proudest moments was being able to build a control box with a teammate from bare bones to fully functional.
“My coworker and I delivered a project, but what made it special was the fact that we started from scratch. We started with an empty control box and ended with a complete unit full of wires and parts. It was a good feeling when we turned everything on and it worked.”
From Christmas lights to control boxes, Armendariz contributes his talent to the mission one detail at a time.
Why is being open to learn from others critical for mission success?
The more you know the easier it will be for you to perform your job. There is a saying in Spanish – “Al Major Acador se le va la liebre” – which translates to “even the best hunter loses its hare.” Even if you’re the best at what you do, you should never stop learning. When you think you know it all, you open yourself up to mistakes. The guy that doesn’t know much but wants to keep learning — he is going to surpass you. You have to stay humble.
What do you think makes Pantex so special?
For me, it is the work-life balance. We can always work something out when I need to be off. This is very important for me now that I am married and have three daughters.
Who in your life has inspired you the most and why?
My dad. He taught me to be patient without saying a word. His actions said a lot and, thanks be to God, I picked up on that.