Air Force Scholarship Essay

In 2004, six years after graduating High School, I knew I needed to do more with my life than I was, so I joined the Air Force. This is a very basic way to describe it. I realized I was capable of more in my life; I recognized that I couldn’t get there working where I was; I identified that the military had careers that interested me, and I narrowed the jobs down to the Air Force. This is not to say I did it all for only that reason. I also had considered the military before, as my father and most of his brothers had served in the military at some point. I’ve always considered the military as something I could do; it just took that little impetus to get me to make the decision. I enjoy talking with people, as well as what I refer to as “Social …show more content…
Following those courses, I was initially assigned to AFTAC on Patrick AFB, FL: initially as a Systems Control Technician, which focused on monitoring a large network of Seismic Sites, later as a Special Equipment Operator (SEO) (mission equipment operator) onboard the WC-135 Constant Phoenix; we flew sorties to support nuclear test ban treaties. During that time as an SEO, I attended several Survival Schools as part of my training. I attended S-V80-A (Combat Survival School), S-V90-A (Non-Parachuting Water Survival School), and S-V83-A (Special Survival School) - also called SERE 220 and put on by JPRA. Later I moved to Offutt AFB, NE to help stand up the new AFTAC detachment for the WC-135 mission. During my time as an SEO, I experienced a lot of travel for work, a good portion of it overseas. I deployed to RAF Mildenhall, UK; Diego Garcia, BIOT; Kadena AB, JPN; Al Udeid, QAT; Eielson AFB, AK; and travelled to multiple CONUS locations. During these trips, I often was able to get some time to be able to go and explore the local area. I didn’t really do much official interaction with foreign nationals during the trips; however, shopping, tourist travel, visiting restaurants and the like, was something I did do. Lastly, I came to NASIC on Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, where I started out as a GMTI Analyst, later to perform as a Scene-Based Persistent …show more content…
I flew 7 sorties to 50 nm downwind of the leaking nuclear reactor in order to determine exactly where the plume was travelling, as well as the radiation levels within it. We allowed 2 US Naval carrier groups to get closer to land and provide better humanitarian aid; additionally, our data was used to determine radiation levels for US and Japanese citizens, and reroute all commercial traffic around the plume. My second significant duty related accomplishment would be that during my six and a half years as a SEO, not only was I selected and trained as a Flight Instructor; but, I was also selected and trained as a Flight Evaluator. I also earned almost 1350 hours of flight time across 3 different