United States Air Force - Recruitment

I actually have written about my Air Force career but not extensively. Some of the words are the same in this entry as the original summarized version.

Before I graduated high school, I took the SAT and visited the East Texas State University campus in Commerce, TX (now Texas A&M Commerce). I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I don't remember why I chose to talk with an armed forces recruiter but that is what I ultimately did. I'm not sure if my Mom asked me about it or if I heard my Grandfather was in the military or what. I know that I definitely chose the Air Force as the branch I wanted to join because my Grandfather did. My Mom took me to the Air Force recruiter in Greenville, TX and the Sergeant (don't remember his exact rank) really seemed interested in getting me to join. My SAT scores were average with my math being my highest score. We talked and talked, watched videos, and discussed what I might like to do. I didn't know what I wanted but I knew I liked working with computers. I had also taken a Pascal programming class in high school and enjoyed that. So I told the Sergeant that I would like to program for the Air Force. He asked if I was sure and asked if I would like some other jobs. At that point I had got it my head I would be a programmer and said that is what I want to do. The Sergeant said alright and asked if I would like to fill out the paperwork right then? I looked at Mom and she looked like she was all for it so I said alright. We went through a lot of questions, including asking about alcohol and drug use. As a young kid, I had tried alcohol and one time even marijuana. I told the Sergeant the truth and the look on Mom's face was priceless. She couldn't believe it. I was always a good kid. I even turned it down one time and told my sister about it. She told Mom and I'm sure it worried her but made her proud. She was definitely not proud to hear that I had, once in my life, used drugs. This isn't something I'm proud of either and I only tell it because it will be relevant to future writings about my career in the Air Force.

After the paperwork was finished and everything was in order my Mom and I left. The date for enlistment was a couple of months away. I was to meet back and take a Greyhound to the MEPS center in Dallas, TX. When the day to leave arrived and I had said my goodbyes to my family and friends, my Mom took me to catch the bus. We hugged and I got on the bus not knowing much about the "real" world. I was excited and scared to be on my own. I was truly alone.

I was little scrawny kid of 18 years, weighed about 119 pounds, and stood five foot and eleven inches. I let my hair grow out in high school and it was shoulder length. When the bus pulled in at the Dallas location, I got off and walked to the MEPS center having gotten instructions from the recruiter before loading up. When I walked in I was directed where to wait. All branches of the military were represented and I was asked to join different branches saying it was not too late to change. This shocked me and I definitely did not want to join any other branch so I said no thank you. I was placed with a group of new recruits and lined up so that our naked bodies could be poked and prodded to make sure we were fit to join. Yep, the world as I knew it had just turned upside down. This was very unusual. After everything checked out, we were sworn in and there would be no backing out or joining any other branches. We were owned by the United States Air Force.

We would be shipped out the next day and were given accommodations for the night in a motel. The next morning we were delivered to the DFW Airport and boarded a plane to Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX...

Continue reading part two