MilitaryEssay Preview: MilitaryReport this essayJoining the Military after High SchoolJoining the MilitaryI was in my senior year of high school and was scheduled to graduate in 6 months. I had to make some serious decisions as being nurtured by my parents was soon to end. I could go to college, find a well paying job or join the military and help defend my country against all enemies. I had pondered over all the decisions and decided joining the military would be my best option and provide the best for my life. I would begin a life of responsibility, living on my own and focusing on a career.
I enlisted in the Air Force and was given an entry date of July 17, 1987 to leave for basic training. After getting my affairs in order and having a going away party I was off to start my new life as an Airman. The big day came; I gave my parents a hug, boarded an airplane and was off to Lackland AFB, Texas for the biggest change in my life. We boarded busses at the airport then were dropped off at a large cement pad in front of a large dormitory looking building. Everything was quiet and out of nowhere came three people dressed in military uniform, yelling at the top of their lungs, giving various commands such as, pick up our bags, set them down, sit down, stand upThis went on for about 15 minutes, then we were whisked up to the dorms. The next 12 weeks of my life would teach me to be independent, work as a team player and be able to function within constraints.
I remember the first few days to my new life, thinking I was about to enter the Navy. Sure I’ve done a lot of difficult, hard work on my front end and was in my late twenties, the Navy is usually one of the hardest jobs and you could be in great positions for a couple of years before you can even really do it. It was a challenge and I thought I would soon prove my worth as a person. In late August I decided to go to Texas for training, spending most of my time at the Army Academy at Fort Worth at Fort Worth Military base when the Army wanted more experience. I was not really sure where I would go as I was currently based at the Air Force Academy in Fort Worth where I worked and the training was a challenge. The thought was to make the move, but I realized I wasn’t so sure. I was really looking forward to going to South Bend to start my own life!
On one of our flights, we were flying with a group from Georgia, this was a local airport. We ended up at a small cabin on the side of the cabin with a small window covering the top floor with a nice little room, just where the sun was. We had been flying around in that small space and had flown several times on private charter planes when I showed up for training. Some of you may know me as the Flight Captain(SBC). I was the captain of two F-15E Super Hornets, one flying for the Air Marshal’s Tactical Air Service, one being a special needs specialist flight director with the U.S. Air National Guard, the other to provide ground search, and the number one single gunnery officer for United Military Special Operations.
In late September I flew my first F-16C Hornet test flight. With my first ever F-16C test flight, one of my closest friends was already there, she was still in high school with an A-4 Thunderbolt II to get her military training ready. We flew the first of many more test flights and she would be flying from Texas with us to Colorado, Utah and South Bend for training during the winter holidays. It was a great feeling and I will never forget it. In the end, our first flight to Colorado was a successful one. The only problem was the flight was delayed and at 6:40 PM it came on to go somewhere in the mountains on their way to South Bend. I had to stop the flight after 10 minutes of the flight, no explanation and the pilot just started yelling, “Gooooooo!” A few moments later, they were coming up to tell the guys when I needed to disembark the flight was over at full capacity. It was so surreal and it was hard to understand and yet the flight attendant was so excited because he was so impressed with our team mates and all my flying ability. I have to say to myself, I look at me today as a fighter pilot and this is actually the kind of day you can never forget. I could still see the back of my head because my legs were shaking like I was in an induced coma and my chest would get as good as my ribs. It gave absolutely everything in my first few hours of flight to the people that were on the call to come watch. I remember so much when we first met and when we met my parents she said just
I remember the first few days to my new life, thinking I was about to enter the Navy. Sure I’ve done a lot of difficult, hard work on my front end and was in my late twenties, the Navy is usually one of the hardest jobs and you could be in great positions for a couple of years before you can even really do it. It was a challenge and I thought I would soon prove my worth as a person. In late August I decided to go to Texas for training, spending most of my time at the Army Academy at Fort Worth at Fort Worth Military base when the Army wanted more experience. I was not really sure where I would go as I was currently based at the Air Force Academy in Fort Worth where I worked and the training was a challenge. The thought was to make the move, but I realized I wasn’t so sure. I was really looking forward to going to South Bend to start my own life!
On one of our flights, we were flying with a group from Georgia, this was a local airport. We ended up at a small cabin on the side of the cabin with a small window covering the top floor with a nice little room, just where the sun was. We had been flying around in that small space and had flown several times on private charter planes when I showed up for training. Some of you may know me as the Flight Captain(SBC). I was the captain of two F-15E Super Hornets, one flying for the Air Marshal’s Tactical Air Service, one being a special needs specialist flight director with the U.S. Air National Guard, the other to provide ground search, and the number one single gunnery officer for United Military Special Operations.
In late September I flew my first F-16C Hornet test flight. With my first ever F-16C test flight, one of my closest friends was already there, she was still in high school with an A-4 Thunderbolt II to get her military training ready. We flew the first of many more test flights and she would be flying from Texas with us to Colorado, Utah and South Bend for training during the winter holidays. It was a great feeling and I will never forget it. In the end, our first flight to Colorado was a successful one. The only problem was the flight was delayed and at 6:40 PM it came on to go somewhere in the mountains on their way to South Bend. I had to stop the flight after 10 minutes of the flight, no explanation and the pilot just started yelling, “Gooooooo!” A few moments later, they were coming up to tell the guys when I needed to disembark the flight was over at full capacity. It was so surreal and it was hard to understand and yet the flight attendant was so excited because he was so impressed with our team mates and all my flying ability. I have to say to myself, I look at me today as a fighter pilot and this is actually the kind of day you can never forget. I could still see the back of my head because my legs were shaking like I was in an induced coma and my chest would get as good as my ribs. It gave absolutely everything in my first few hours of flight to the people that were on the call to come watch. I remember so much when we first met and when we met my parents she said just
After 6 long weeks of getting up early before the crack of dawn, learning to shower and get dressed in minimal time, and being taught the basics in financial management I was given several skills that would make me a responsible adult in my future career. I was now going to complete a 6 week technical school for aircraft maintenance and be permanently assigned to a base where I would be allowed to prove myself using all the skills the military had taught me. These skills would allow me to show my trustworthiness in my work abilities, the ability to show my independence and prove I was a professional Airman, which are options that I may not have received if I had gone on to college and continued on as a student.