Service Before Self

English Composition/ Illustration Final Draft

Service Before Self

The day I finally signed up to join the military I knew I was taking a risk in my life. I believe it is important to take risks in life to move into bigger and better things. My first huge decision I made in my life was to join the United States Air Force. My uncle was the main person who put the idea in my head but my dad and my friends thought otherwise. My parents were divorced when I was young and I didn't have the privilege like my friends to sit down and talk their decisions through with their parents. My father was excluded from the draft after he got in a car accident and I didn't think he was very fond me joining the service. The main reason I chose to go into the military was make the decision to serve the country. The major decision in my opinion to join the military is to have the privilege to serve your own country. I think it is great for young men and woman to have ambition to serve and it can change a person into very motivated individual. My uncle and my mother were both very supportive and thought that it would be a great decision in my life. My mother knew it would be hard to see me go but was excited of the idea of coming to visit me in Texas. I knew it was taking a big risk being on my own but I was ready for a change in my life.

With all the excitement of joining the military everything was moving very fast and it was already September 25 and it was time for me to get on the plane to basic training in San Antonio, Texas. During basic training I have never been linked to a more motivated group of people in life. Everyone had a fresh start in life and was very optimistic in where they were going in life. The six and half weeks of basic training went by very fast and I was sent to my tech school upstate in Texas. I was making great friends and had the best grades in my class. Everyone had a great attitude about what they were doing and couldn't wait to get their first home base and continue with their career. Each airman felt that they had made a great decision with their life and were looking forward to serving their country. The Air Force has many great benefits to offer to its soldiers. The option to build an education fund called the Montgomery GI bill. Free Medical, food, clothing and housing, just to mention a couple. The Air Force built a great self discipline in all its airman to be motivated on studies and perform their duties with excellence. Integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do is motto I lived by in the Air Force.

Serving in the military you learn to have a great respect to others and yourself. As soon as you get off the bus into basic training you learn respect your drill sergeant or you will have to pay for it. I have always had respect for other people but basic training and the military life really helped to make me a better person. Performing the everyday tasks of being in the military an airman must have respect for who their instructor is or even with the higher ranking soldiers. Each airman comes out of basic training with a great respect for others who have served and an all around special feeling when the American flag is flying. My uncle was a great deal of influence because he served in the United States Navy for eight years during the Vietnam War Era. My uncle's life was changed