Personal Narrative: My Air Force Journey

I joined the United States Air Force January 25, 2001. I was barely 18 and ready to be on my own. The back then, in my eyes, was easy. Joining the Air Force meant a free college education, a place to live, and a paycheck. These were important things when you are 18 and on your own. I knew nothing of world events, wars, or terrorism. On June 13, 2001 I began my journey with basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. We learned about the attacks on Khobar Towers, the Oklahoma City bombing, the 1991 attack on the World Trade Center, and all about biological and chemical warfare. We looked at Desert Storm and what it meant to be at war. My comrades and I began to look at life a little differently, but we truly believed that we were in a good place and the world was mostly
Somehow, our journey in the military would not include war, terrorism, or anything we were learning. On July 4, 2001 a Desert Storm veteran came into our dormitory and shared her experiences. The fireworks were going off outside and you could tell that most of us wanted to be anywhere other than a cramped dayroom listening to a pretty scary looking technical instructor tell us about a war. She was very descriptive and told us what it meant to be at war and what it is like to see death and destruction. To lose people you work with, whom you are friends with. She ended her stories by playing God Bless the USA and telling us to really think about what we were embarking on and the meaning of the words in the song. I can honestly say those moments changed my life but never prepared me for what I would experience just a few short months later. By July 2001 we were graduating, and moving on to technical school where we would learn our trade. We were all one step closer to being active members in the Air Force. Then on Tuesday September 11, 2001 my world, my life, and my