I just watched the video on our military, and I can recall a lot of this very same training myself going through. There were a few times that I wanted to quit too, but then I focused on the reasons why I volunteered to join...it was my son Craig being born shortly after I joined up. I was young, his mother was young, and back then, unless you had four years of college, the military would give you the opportunities you needed. So, he really doesnt know this even today, but he was my focus point I used when I too was ready to give up. I look back at all of the military training that I had received over the years, it not only made me a better man, but also a better person. It allowed me to be a part of aircrew on military transport aircraft which flew all over the world to some places who liked Americans, and to some places that didnt. Sure, I thought about the what ifs while doing those long days, some 16 hours at times, and what would I do if the plane suddenly got hit somehow, or had a mechanical failure. When you are on duty, you think about a lot of things to take up the time. When Desert Storm came around under President Bush Sr., I remember my squadron being on a list of 5 to get called up, having to fill out the Last Will and Testament paperwork, and getting every shot known to man. Well, 4 of the 5 got called up, and when we came close to getting pulled into it, it was over. Did I worry? Of course I did, who wouldnt. But then I also remembered my commitment that I made to myself, my country, and to my son. This is why we all do it.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 23:36:19 +0000