SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Mar Vista High School graduate Miguel Garibaldi always dreamed of a career in the military. He says as a kid, all he needed to do was look towards the sky.
"It was always exciting for me to go out and experience the vibration and the noise. You know looking up and seeing jets fly over was always a different thrill."
He followed in his step-father's footsteps and joined the Navy. Soon after, he set a goal on one day becoming part of the Blue Angels.
"Everyone knows the Blue Angles. So it's like a goal when you are in the aviation community."
Garibaldi says to become a Blue Angel is a lengthy process. It begins with an application, moves forward into interviews, and after that, it's a long wait.
"Hopefully you have all the requirements the team is looking for at that moment. Eventually, they finally tell you after six months you made the team. In my case, they said we are expecting you here in a few months. I was like alright I better start packing because I'm moving to Pensacola, Florida."
There are many parts that make up the Blue Angels team. Garibaldi works in Air Frames. He is a mechanic that specializes in maintaining landing and catapult gear, as well as structure.
"What I do is fix everything like hydraulic components on the exterior of the aircraft including the tires and the skin."
While he is disappointed this year's Miramar Airshow was canceled, he is excited the show will go on this weekend at the Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach.
"We practice pretty much all year long to make sure everything is perfect, from the ground show at the very beginning. to when the pilots are up there doing their thing. It's a show we practice constantly."
