My gate changed and I run across the airport to get to the new one in time. As I pass the gate next to mine, I see a man in uniform sitting by his family. I politely walk over, greet him, and shake his hand as I say “Thank you for serving our country.” He thanks me as his eyes tear up. Sitting on the plane later, I realize he must have been about to be deployed, and leave his family. When I see a person in military uniform, I make it a point to look them in the eye, and thank them as I shake their hand. It’s a tradition for myself that I started about six years ago because I cannot go into the military due to my asthma. When I fly across the country to visit my dad, I keep an eye out for the iconic military camouflage outfit. I do this not only to thank and support these people, but as a sort of tribute to my grandfather who inspired the idea. My paternal grandfather was a major in the US Air Force. Although I have never met him, I got to know him through the stories that my grandmother and f...
I had the honor to interact with a patient that served in the military with great passion and dedication. He expressed that this was one of the major goals he completed in his life and he will never regret about his decision of being in the military. B.M is an African American male of
As far back as I can remember, you have been my personal hero and I owe so much to you, not the least of which is a Marine Corps heritage for our family to include a fantastic career in the Corps for myself. Had it not been for the photos of you and Uncle Bernard in your dress blues, setting on the dresser at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, I may never have joined the Marine Corps. Looking at those photos every time I went there always made me proud of you and Uncle Bernard and were a continuous source of intrigue for me. Those photos along
This paper will not bore with the definition of a profession. The United States Army is about more than words, it is about action. The action of over 238 years of tradition and service. The Army is a profession. A profession requires its members to adhere to prolonged training and learn specialized skills. A member of a profession must wholly commit himself and his skills to a calling which is entrusted by the public. A profession provides its members with intrinsic value which motivates beyond financial gain. The Army is a higher calling which demands all of these qualities and more.
On December 1, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt signed an executive order that started the Civil Air Patrol. No one, not even its creator, Gill Robb Wilson, foresaw the importance that Cap would play in protecting the waters along the coast from the dreaded German U-boats attacking the shipping lanes. Sixty years later the CAP is still going strong. Performing its missions of aerospace education, cadet programs and search and rescue, CAP is preparing today’s youth to become successful leaders. This was not all that CAP has done. In the beginning of its creation, CAP played a major role in the defense of the U.S. during World War II. CAP played a vital role in the coastal defense of the Southern and Eastern coasts of the U.S. that could not have been done effectively by any other agency at that time.
The military culture is truly a society of warriors who heavily rely on each individual to master the ability of handling stress under the most extreme circumstances. Personal sacrifice in order to ensure mission success is paramount within the military culture. Due to this mindset, which is heavily reliant on demonstrating resilience through adversity and displaying inner strength, individuals diagnosed with a mental illness face an extraordinary battle amongst their peers.
Following the devastation of trench warfare during World War I, early airpower theorist believed strategic bombing could be the new way to win wars and reduced the number of lives lost. Theorist like, Guilio Douhet, Hugh Trenchard, and William “Billy” Mitchel became pioneers and advocates of strategic bombing. They believed striking the enemy’s troops, war-marking industry, and vital centers would produce a decisive victory. The airpower theory would be a key element to the Allies strategy in Second World War (WW2). Leaders in Britain and the United States believed Germany was a greater threat than Japan. Thus, the airpower strategy of the European theater of operation became the primary focus. Allied airpower was decisive in the European theater of WW2. The combination of strategic and tactical airpower produced the defeat of the Luftwaffe and the Third Reich.
I’m a prior enlisted officer with many years in the service. My long Air Force career and current leadership characteristics have been molded by incidents in my life and career. These incidents include my grandfather’s influence, significant events in my Air Force career, and my contributions to Air Force and national intelligence objectives in my current job. These three things are the leading factors that have made me the leader I am today. Each of these things contributed to different traits like; dedication to hard work, honesty, goal setting, initiative, persistence, and many more.
Webster’s dictionary defines the word profession as a type of job that requires special education, training, or skill. Many Soldiers would not consider the Army as a profession but a way of life. Some think the word profession belongs to everyday jobs like a plumber, mechanic, or doctor. Dr. Don M. Snider stated “the Army is a profession because of the expert work it produces, because the people in the Army develop themselves to be professionals, and because the Army certifies them as such” (Snider, D. M. 2008). In October 2010, the Secretary of the Army directed the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) to lead an Army wide assessment of the state of the Army Profession. We have been at war as a Country for over a decade and the Army wanted to know how to shape the future of the Army as a profession and the effects the past decade had on our profession.
My journey into the Air Force was one that started off as a business transaction which transformed into one of duty, honor, and service. I have had the distinctive honor of leading joint forces to search for downed aircrew and leading multinational forces to increase combat capability on the Republic of Korea. I know that I am a part of the Air Force lethal force and am prepared to answer my nations calling in any way required.
In December 2002, my dad’s boss called telling him, he was to be deployed in January 2003. Being 5 years of age I didn't quite understand what he would endure, all I knew is my daddy was leaving us for 7 months. The morning of my dad's departure came quickly. I'll never forget the goodbye that changed my outlook on family and love. At 5 am my father walked into my room. Scared and nervous, he was crying… I had never
We arrived at Dover Air Force Base around eleven the next day and saw my Aunt, Todd's wife, and Kylie, my eight month old cousin. My grandparents and other aunts and uncles were also there. As the casket slid off the plane I noticed that his unit the 101st Airborne Rangers had put all of their patches on the casket. On the patch I noticed the words “Lead The Way” and that is when I realized my uncle died as a Leader, and a hero.
I woke up every morning at the break of dawn with the sound of the bugle horn playing “reveille”. My cabin got ready for the day by getting dressed in our uniforms, making our beds, and preparing for inspection. After this, we marched to morning training. For an hour, we endured intense physical training. “Climb the wall!” “Move faster.” “I need more hustle!” The drill sergeants screamed at us. There was so much pressure to keep up with the rest of the group. This consumed all of my energy. Next, my cabin marched to the Mess Hall for breakfast. I would be so exhausted from the training that I sat in silence, trying to organize and process what I could have done to better myself. These things usually do not bother me, but I cannot overcome the feeling that I am not going to make it. That this is too intense for me, that I do not belong. But I usually didn’t fit in so I try to shake off this feeling. The rest of the day flew by because I lost the motivation to pay attention.
I can remember one of the first times I saw someone in military uniform. I was in high school and it was a university fair on campus. University and College representatives from all over came to our high school and told us about how great their university was and why we should apply to their school. At some of the other booths I saw men and women standing tall and proud with their flawless uniforms and their colorful and radiant ribbons and medals. They looked intimidating, but proud. I saw the way that the students looked at them in awe and the way it made me feel when I saw them. They were idolizing. That was something I knew I wanted. Shortly after graduating high school I went and talked to an
In summary, my Air Force story highlights my journey to becoming an officer in the USAF. It takes into account my Puerto Rican heritage and values and advocates the benefits of maintaining a diverse workforce. My role as a Force Support officer has placed me in situations and enabled the experiences which have shaped my understanding of the profession of arms and better developed me as a leader. Lastly, my contributions to the Air Force mission, at home station or in the area of operations (AOR), have facilitated Airmen at all levels (Tactical, Operational, Strategic) within our Air Force and enabled them to make informed decisions affecting their careers and quality of life.
I have been blessed to have led a highly fulfilling career over the past 22 years. The Air Force’s standards of conduct and performance have helped me mature into an adult while creating lasting memories along the way. I have had the opportunity to make significant contributions to my country that offer a sense of pride and personal achievement. My current duties allow me to directly contribute to the Air Force and Joint arena on an almost daily basis. Joining the Air Force helped me to realize I had undertaken a task bigger than myself.