One Decision Changed My Life
by Al C
Many of us make decisions everyday; some of those decisions can change our lives forever. My “Air Force” life began with a decision that changed, and continues to change, my life every day. Born in a small North Carolina town, my family history was primarily localized to the grass roots of southern living. My parents believed in responsible citizenry and a better education than their parents had given them. The expectations were simple: “As long as you live in my house and put your feet under my table, you WILL graduate high school.” The tone of delivery made the demand believable. Little did my parents know that my love for education would lead me to a decision to join the Air Force. Once I joined, my family extended to include thousands of people. After 25 years of service, the decision to join is still without regret. In that time, the Air Force has empowered and enabled me to receive a higher education. Believe it or not—and it’s still difficult for me—I far exceeded my parents’ expectations of a high school diploma. My first of two CCAF degrees came early, followed by two undergraduate degrees. As the first college graduate ever in our family line, my parents are very proud. Equal to their pride is their surprise that my education has even advanced to a PhD. I share this story in the hope that it will inspire other Airmen to never surrender in their efforts towards higher education; it is one of our benefits as Airmen. The achievements, however, probably would not have occurred without the single most important decision in My Air Force life—the choice to be an Airmen!