Six Degrees of the Air Force Legacy
by Misty K
My first flight on an airplane was to Basic Training in 1999. A hundred or so flights later, I have been blessed to work with some of the smartest, bravest, most passionate people you could ever meet. It’s not fortunate that I’ve had amazing leaders to work for and alongside; it’s the Air Force way of doing business. I’ve been an Intel Airman since the beginning of my career. In this career field, you can become isolated from all the amazing accomplishments the Air Force makes as a whole. Two deployments and a short tour to Korea opened my eyes to everything the Air Force does, and does well. What Airmen do best, though, is take care of each other. Currently stationed on a small Army post overseas, I can tell you firsthand what it means to know what real support is like. The nearest Air Force base is two hours away, but anyone who picks up the phone is willing to go above and beyond to assist. Junior and Senior NCOs, officers, former Air Force members, and a few amazing Air Force wives have extended their hands and reminded me what the Air Force Family is all about. I recently had the pleasure of helping an old friend become a part of the Air Force. He graduated Basic Training last year and is now at his first duty station. As he begins his journey, I have the opportunity to share some of the things I’ve learned from amazing men and women who came before me. We all shape each other in some manner, which connects us all - past and present Airmen, and our families as well. In this vein, I can only hope to live up to the legacy that was passed on to me.