There were many influences in my life that led me to joining the Air Force. The example that my family set was the foundation for my desire to serve one of the strongest military services in the world. My personal experiences in civil engineering provided me with the understanding of mission importance from an early stage. While serving as a pilot in the Air Force rescue community I have become one who understands the value our country places on the life of an American service member. This essay is about my strong family heritage of serving in the military and why I joined the Air Force, some of my personal experiences that are memorable since joining, and my current role in supporting the Air Force and Joint mission.
Growing up in a military family, I have always had a large amount of pride in my country and the desire to serve in the armed forces. My maternal grandfather served in the Navy as a corpsman making nearly all of the beach landings in the pacific during WWII. This showed me how much he cared for those Marines who fought alongside him and the courage it took to be there on the battlefield. My paternal grandfather served in the Army infantry during WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. During the Korean War, his platoon was taken prisoner. After several hours of capture he led the escape and safely returned to Allied lines. Several months later, he was shot in the head by a sniper and left for dead. Collected with other casualties on a dock he was still able to move his arm where he grabbed the medic by the throat and did not let go until they carried him away to mend his wounds. The love for his country and his never die mentality has always stuck with me and inspired me through my many troublesome times throughout my...
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...ck to pick up isolated personnel and ensure they will live is a source of pride in Air Force rescue. The HC-130 can also provide a way to infiltrate an objective area with PJs via airdrop or can refuel the helicopters extending their range. All of these pieces are part of the rescue mission. Air Force rescue serves all of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines who are in areas that require the protection, and give me the humble satisfaction knowing that I play a role in the effort.
The reasons that I chose to join the Air Force are clear, because my love for my country and the dedication my family has shown toward a life of service before self. In my short experience in the Air Force from the civil engineering community to being a rescue pilot I see the importance of every Airman and how it plays a role in Air Force but more importantly Joint operations.
This career is important to society because every great nation needs warrior’s battle ready to defend it from oncoming threats and onslaughts. These brave young men and women defend and fight for those who can’t do it for themselves. Fighting a war test a soldier’s skill but defending his home tests a soldier’s heart. The Few, the Proud, the Marines………………..
When I joined the United States Marine Corps, I knew it would change my life, but I never realized how great those changes would be. I was trained in public affairs as a print and broadcast journalist, and immediately stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Drastic life changes can take a toll both physically and emotionally over time, and it is always important to have a great personal support system to thrive through those times. My senior advisor at the time, Master Gunnery Sgt. (Master Guns) Charles Albrecht, turned out to be one of the best supporters I could ever ask for.
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.
Every day of my life I have woken up to the sound of Reveille, and gone to bed listening to Taps. I have moved nine different times, know the feeling of having my dad deploy more than four times, and eating Thanksgiving dinner in a DEFAC is second-nature to me. Being an army child is a huge part of my life, however it does not define who I am; it has shaped how I view the world. Because of my life as a military child, I have determined that I am compelled to positively influence how others view life.
I had to pass jump school to attend Special Forces school where I had a slot waiting for me. I wanted to be a Special Forces ambassador in uniform so I could represent my country abroad. Special Forces trains a host nations military by teaching it essential skills. I wanted as many overseas assignments as I could get. My respect for Special Forces and my desire to be part of this elite group gave me my motivation to continue and never give up. I wanted to be in one of America’s best units.
Growing up in Southern California prevailed its beauty yet, growing up in a military family is something I'll forever gratify. For 20+ years my father was a marine and out of those years, I experienced 13 of them. Let me tell you those were the best years of my life. However, I will only tell you the story that has made me who I am.
It is ALWAYS fitting to remember our military personnel that have died in the defense of this nation. I could NEVER forget it. I rarely talk about my own ventures into the world of combat. In fact, most of us older coots go out of our way to avoid it. Many of us didn’t serve in Vietnam because we felt our nation’s survival was at stake. We did it because, unlike now, the military draft was the law of the land and Vietnam was our “war”… our time to step up and serve, even though Congress never formally declared war. Most of us never thought much about the righteousness of it. It was our duty and we did it.
The United States Army has been through many changes since its start in 1775, yet it remains the greatest, most disciplined all volunteer fighting force in the world. Like the service members of the past and present, many Army units have contributed to the success of our military, and like those service members many have been lost. Even though these units are not as well known as the divisions they have belonged to, they have enriched the history of our Army just the same. The achievements of the 123rd Aviation Battalion have contributed to the history and success of our nations battles.
Commissioning in the Air Force has been a life-long aspiration. My grandfathers enlisted, but went on to retire as field-grade officers with careers spanning WW2, the Korean War and the Vietnam conflict. Their experiences inspired me to follow in their footsteps and serve my country. After starting college, I soon enlisted due to financial hardships but my desire to commission never waned. Over 10 years’ service, my goal of commissioning ultimately took a back seat to my missions, Airmen and responsibilities at hand. However, I have always sought out opportunities to advance my abilities through holding key positions and seeking out added responsibilities. By earning a commission, I will continue to grow professionally, improve our Airmen and further expand our service's capabilities.
Andy grew up as a military child and he assures, “Being in a military family I can appreciate the veterans and their families more.” (Moore) Military children recognize the importance of sacrificial service that their parent committed. This ensures parents that raising a child in the military can help develop an appreciative, respectful, and prideful child by experiencing and interacting within the military lifestyle. The military provides a strong structure or values and traits that promote a healthy development of characteristics for
Most or all of my reasons for joining the Marines are as follows. Ideal- The Marines Embody more of my personal views and ideals then the other branches of the armed services. Loyalty, I respect and love the idea of loyalty to a person or persons...or a cause. To be totally loyal to something without question but to also love and honor that something, that idea is something I long for and adore.
“Why would you want to interview me when there are plenty of people back home that would be easier to interview in person?” asks John Stout. He is about 5’11, has dark black hair and his eyes are a rich chocolaty brown. He is tan and has a strong muscular body. John is currently deployed in Bagram Afghanistan. He departed on July 7th, 2016 and will not return until April of 2017. He grew up in Fort Ripley, MN and graduated from Brainerd High School in 2014. John is very close with his Mother, Father, Brother and Sister. He grew up with a wrench in his hand and always helped his Father work on project cars and fixing things around the house. To John, family is everything. His family always took vacations and every summer, he gets to travel around the United States for Army training. John grew up in a military family. His Father works as a Warrant Officer in the Minnesota National Guard and his Brother, Curtis, is in the Marine Corps and is also deployed right now.John has always wanted to serve his country
American military history has the potential to inspire greatness in not only youth but people of all ages. When people read about historical figures, even if they aren 't well known, who went above and beyond the standard they gain a sense of inspiration. However, in addition to a sense of inspiration many people gain a better sense of duty even if they do not actively serve in the armed forces. Additionally, another quite remarkable trait the military possesses is the ability to perform in high stress environments under less than ideal conditions. An example of this would be soldiers continuing to execute missions after weeks and months of little to no sleep, food, and
Being a soldier was a really tough life. In the end I hated doing the same thing day after day with no change in sight, I despised the leaders that didn 't take care of their subordinates, and most importantly, I couldn 't lead my soldiers from the front anymore. I 'll be the first one to say that joining the army was the best thing to happen to me. I have grown so much as a person and the lessons I learned are invaluable. In the end I realized the negative factors outweighed any possible benefit I might receive from continued service. It was time for me to
[Actually,] I had so many reasons for wanting to do this. The first was for money. The military was willing to train me, feed me, house me, and when I was back home give me cash for college, "up to" forty thousand dollars. At that time I thought that was an incredible deal. Where else in the world could I find an opportunity like this one? [Yet t]he price I would pay wouldn't be worth "up to" forty thousand. Another great reason for joining the Army was to get in shape. I had visions about this ultra lean and strong body I would get from running five miles a day. I was also looking forward to the overall experience of inner strength, confidence, and pride in my country. As much as I was excited about doing something different and brave, I was also full of fear.