Romanian native joins U.S. Army – achieves career goals

Story by Kirk Frady

Medical Readiness Command, Europe

SEMBACH, GERMANY – Growing up in a small rural town in southern Romania near the Carpathian Mountains, Staff Sgt. Luiza Pozniak had always dreamed of living and working in the United States. Her love for the U.S. first began in 2007 when she arrived in Wildwood, New Jersey on a J1 Student Visa. She returned to Romania briefly but found her way back to the States in 2008.

“In Romania, I was working and traveling during my summer breaks,” said Pozniak. “That’s when I decided to apply for the ‘Work and Travel’ program. Coming to the United States was great, but after 3 months I was still deciding if it was a good idea to stay or not. That is when I extended my visa and never looked back.”

In 2009, Pozniak packed up and moved out west to Arizona where she worked as a waitress at a large resort hotel in Tucson.

“I do not enjoy cold weather, so Tucson was the perfect place for me,” added Pozniak. “Tucson is not a real big city, but everyone I encountered there was extremely kind and welcoming. After a few years of living and working as a waitress in Arizona, it was time for me to return to school, as I knew I could not be a waitress for the rest of my life.”

After waiting tables in Tucson for a few years, Pozniak decided to pursue a career in Dental Laboratory Technology and enrolled in classes at Pima Community College in Tucson.

“In my last year of school, I received a job offer as a dental lab technician, but the benefits were not that great due it being a small office,” Pozniak added. “As a result, I unfortunately had to keep my job as a waitress at the resort and apply for health insurance through my employer. I was working 7 days a week and knew I had to change my hectic schedule. It just so happened that one of my dental lab classmates was in the Air Force, and he gave me the idea of joining the military. After talking to recruiters for the Navy, Army, and Air Force, I decided to enlist in the Army in 2016.”

Enlisting in the Army as a dental laboratory technician paid off for Pozniak.

“Joining the Army at age thirty-one and already having the required school credits, I only had to attend basic training at Ft. Jackson and then went straight to my first duty station,” added Pozniak. “I was able to skip Advanced Individual Training (AIT), however, I did end up having to perform my dental lab duties for one year before receiving my additional skill identifier. The bottom line is, I chose the dental military occupational specialty because I really love being a dental lab technician and it is my passion.”

For many young adults, joining the U.S. military offers them an opportunity to become part of something larger than themselves, and becoming part of a team.

“For me, I love the camaraderie of being in the Army,” said Pozniak. “We make brothers and sisters everywhere we go, and they become family for life. Two of my best friends have since departed the Army, but we are still as close as we were when we were stationed together.”

Since November 2022, Pozniak has served as the current operations non-commissioned officer for Dental Health Command Europe. Prior to that she served in various dental assignments in the Republic of Korea, Ft. Cavazos and Ft. Liberty.

According to senior military officials, the military offers an excellent segway and transition path for civilian careers after military service.

“After I retire from the Army, I plan on working as a civilian dental lab technician,” added Pozniak. “I am a very active person, and I know that after the military, I will still need something to keep me busy. I really love my job and being a dental lab technician is the perfect one for me.”