Passion drives service

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Joseph Narrigan
  • Commander, 45th Medical Operations Squadron
     On or about my 15th birthday I quietly entered my parent's bedroom and phoned the local recruiting station.
     With a nervous voice I spoke to a recruiter about joining the Air Force. After a few minutes of questions and answers he discovered my age and following a pregnant pause he told me to call back in a few years.
     Needless to say, I did.
     While I doubt at 15 I could articulate why I wanted to join, I did know the Air Force was something special and I wanted to be a part of it.
     My lack of understanding carried into my early years of service and when asked why I joined the Air Force, still not sure myself, I would often provide a flippant response such as, "because I couldn't throw a 95-mile-an-hour fast ball" or the standard "for the education benefits".
     While both of these responses were true (especially the fast ball comment) my reasons for joining (and staying), as I suspect have yours, have matured into understanding and embracing the challenges and sacrifices of service as well as contributing to successful mission outcomes.
     The maturation of purpose blends into an understanding of how our Core Values collectively guide and remind us what it takes to complete the mission.
     While our Airman¹s Creed embodies our culture, as General Moseley stated, "a concise statement that captures our war fighting spirit". Together this body and soul bind us to a common purpose.
     No matter how you fit into the mission, together we are all part of something bigger than ourselves, something special, a team that is respected as the very best Air Force in the world!
     As we enter a new year, a new decade, take time to reflect on your chosen life of service and of personal and family sacrifice.
     Take a moment to redefine your desire to serve well and faithfully as an active participant for the betterment of our nation and support of our comrades in the profession of arms.