Monique Maldonado

Monique Marie "Mo" Maldonado (born November 6, 1983) is an American United States Air Force military servicemen, published poet, songwriter, screen writer, and model. She is best known for her uprising modeling career in Okinawa, Japan.
Early Life
Maldonado was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut to African American, Native American, and Irish parents, the late Cynthia "Sissy" Stewart and Curtis "Greg" Craft. Monique's mother was killed on December 23, 1985 by a man that was known to her but there have been conflicting stories as why and how she was died. After the death of her mother, Monique and her youngest sister, Karen, were later adopted by their maternal grandparents, Edna and Ralph Day and moved to West Virginia to start a new life.
Monique is very intelligent and excelled in academics. She attended East Bank Junior High school where graduated with honors and was the first and coincedentally the last African American crowned homecoming queen "Miss Mountaineer" in 1998; she also excelled at the new, consolidated Riverside High school where she graduated with high honors and was crowned "Miss Warror" in 2001. Monique received an academic scholarship to Marshall University but later decided to turn it down in order to serve the United States Air Force. She joined on August 16, 2001 and served on the Delayed Entrance Program until she graduated from High School.
United States Air Force
Monique went to United States Air Force Basic Training on July 1, 2002 in San Antonio, Texas. After seven vigorous weeks of academic and field training, she graduated and moved to Biloxi, Mississippi where she went to Technical School in Information Management at Keesler Air Force Base. Her first assignment at a permanent duty station was as an Information Manager at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas at the 17th Comptroller Squadron. As a young airman, she managed to bring the office from an "Unsatisfactory" to "Excellent" rating in the 2004 Goodfellow Air Force Base Unit Compliance Inspection. In June 2004, Maldonado left the United States and was stationed at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea where she worked for over 600 Air Force personnel as a Workgroup Manager in the 8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron from August 2004 to June 2005. She then moved to Yigo, Guam to Andersen Air Force Base as the Lead Client Systems Administrator for 14 flights, managing 270 computer systems and other electronic equipment. Now, she is currently Chief of the 18th Wing Special Security Office at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan where she has been for the past three years as the sole individual for Kadena's Sensitve Compartmented Information management program. Monique has won 15 awards for her accomplishments as an Airman as well as a Non-Commissioned Officer in the United States Air Force.
Writing Genre
Monique wrote her first song when she was 14 years old title "Do You Love Her?" Her grandmother applauded her for the talent she had with words. She became so consumed in writing that she would lock herself up in her room for hours just writing songs and typing them up on the computer. She later collaborated with upcoming artists such as Ricky Reynolds, Pierre Anderson, and Christian Nicci because of her quickness with lyrics. Maldonado has written and copyrighted over 500 songs in her lifetime and has over 200 that have not been published. She was interviewed by her English college professor in 2004 and said "I know it's a little gross, but about 80% of my songs have been written from the bathroom. It's quiet and no one bothers you at all when they know you're in there! A lot of my songs comes from situations I experienced. Most of them seem to be negative; that's why the words are so strong. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of good moments. It's just my best work seems to come from my anger. It's real and it helps move on when I know there's a song I wrote that I just can't stop thinking about!" Maldonado spent almost ten years working on a script that has three sequels called "At What Cost." She feels that even though some of her work is similar to movies like The Matrix and Bounty Hunters, it's still original because her ideas started in 1997. She frequently talks about meeting Quentin Tarantino one day because she thinks he would be the perfect director for her masterpiece. She has gone onto write poetry which the poem "LOVE" was published in the American Poet Society collection in 2005-06. It was nominated by the same company and she had a chance to fly to Las Vegas and compete for $50,000 but declined due to military education at her then duty station.
Newfound Modeling Career
In April 2009, Monique was approached by renowned photographer, Hikmat "Ray" Hanna to do a photo shoot in Okinawa, Japan. Hanna loved Monique's look and style so much that he did another shoot with her which happened to become one of the most popular shoots on her website. She has gone on to work with amazing photographers such as the world renowned photographer from Tokyo, Tatsu Dragon Ishikada, Michael Anthony, Rob Hall, and AJ's Studios. Monique's beauty and personality has made her well-known around Okinawa. She also had the privilege of working with the most talented makeup artist, Ayesa Lopez that has done her makeup all but one of her shoots. Her former manager, Christian Nicci, stated, "Monique is racially ambiguous and that's what sets her from the rest of the beautiful women in the world that want to be models. People are always asking what is she? Is she black or is she mixed? She can pass for Spanish, half Japanese or even half Asian period. The matter of fact is the industry wants women that can be versatile and that can fit many different profiles. Mo can definitely do this and that's what separates her from the rest." Maldonado was picked to be in Okinawa's 2010 Modelista Calendar as "Miss November" for In Da House Productions as well as a promotional calendar for the new Japanese Motorcyle company, GGOK Japan.
Personal Life
Monique married her high school sweet heart, Thomas Dunlap, on July 6, 2003 in San Angelo, Texas; they divorced on June 9, 2005. She later met her second husband, Ariel Maldonado, in South Korea after serving a year tour there and they had a daughter, Araceli Jasette. They married in Tumuning, Guam on February 17, 2006 after only dating since New Years December 31, 2005; the couple later split and divorced on January 13, 2009. They are still quite close and good friends. Monique has three sisters, Chante, Nicole, and Karen and two brothers, Jeffrey and Brandon. She is currently in her senior year at American Military University pursuing her Bachelor's degree in Homeland Security.
Military Medals
United States Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Military Ribbons
Air Force Outstanding Unit Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Good Conduct Medal with one oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Tour Service Ribbon - Short Tour with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Overseas Tour Service Ribbon - Long Tour
Air Force Longevity Ribbon
United States Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Military Education Graduate Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Military Awards
Excellent Rating for 2004 Goodfellow Air Force Base Unit Compliance Inspection, San Angelo, Texas
Information Manager Airman of the Quarter, April - June 2004
Warrior of the Month, July 2006
Coined as "Superior Performer" by 5th Air Force Director of Intelligence 2007
Letter by current United States Air Force Europe Command Chief Master Sergeant 2007
Non-Commissioned Officer of the Quarter, January - March 2007 (Squadron level)
Non-Commissioned Officer of the Quarter, January - March 2007 (Group level)
Information Manager Non-Commissioned Officer of the Quarter, January - March 2007 (Base level)
Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year, January - December 2007 (Squadron level)
18th Wing Enlisted Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Contributor of the Year 2007 (Wing level)
5th Air Force Enlisted Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Contributor of the Year 2007 (Numbered Air Force level)
Pacific Air Forces Enlisted Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Contributor of the Year 2007 (MAJCOM level)
18th Wing Enlisted Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Contributor of the Year 2008 (Wing level)
5th Air Force Enlisted Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Contributor of the Year 2008 (Numbered Air Force level)
Coined as "Superior Performer" as "Best Seen to Date" for 2009 Kadena Unit Compliance Inspection, Okinawa, Japan
Modeling
2010 Modelista "Miss November"
2010 GGOK
SEE ALSO
Monique Maldonado's Official Web site, www.moniquemaldonado.com
Monique's Model Mayhem Site, http://www.modelmayhem.com/moniquemaldonado
Monique's Myspace Page, www.myspace.com/monique_maldonado
Monique's Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/people/Monique-Maldonado/609826300
Monique's Twitter Page, www.twitter.com/mo_mo_blogs

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