A special day, today!!

Twenty five years ago, I started the rest of my life. Today was the first day of basic training for the United States Air Force. People have many different reasons for joining the military. the reason that i joined was simple. I wanted out of New Jersey. By the end of my first week of basic, things became more complicated.

 

I put on that uniform for the first time and suddenly it was like the blinders were lifted. I understood why I got a lump in my throat whenever I hear our National Anthem. I realized why we observe holidays like Veteran's Day and Memorial day. The red, white and blue of our flag became almost dazzling to me as i would salute it every day.

 I suddenly was a part of an amazing family who lived and served all over the world. Never again would i feel left out, lonely or a misfit, as i did so often growing up.

 

As I sit here, I'm struck by what a different time we live in. When i was active duty, war was just an exercise in a hangar. I went through each day confident that the airmen i served with would be there every day. The only danger we faced was getting busted for drinking underage in the dorm in the middle of the night with our boyfriend.

 Two towers still rose up magestically in Manhattan and our nation was innocent and secure. Today it's a whole different military. Please keep our airmen, soldiers and marines in your thoughts and prayer as they serve in such different times. these people are truly putting their lives on the line for us every day and they deserve our respect and our prayers.