WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. --
When I was an Army lieutenant in Germany, my battalion commander had all his officers take the Myers-Briggs personality test. After a short time, my results came back, and when I looked at them, I thought, “Yes, that’s me. They nailed me.” The test seemed to be quite accurate. One of the things that my results said was that I don’t care about a lot of things, but those things I do care about, I care about deeply. For this reason, I have trouble speaking publicly about things that are really important to me. I’m retiring after 32 years in the military and wouldn’t be able to get through a retirement speech without becoming emotional, so I have decided to put my thoughts in writing.
We often hear military service characterized as being part of something bigger than oneself. For me, that characterization has never really expressed the point. When I worked for a large civilian corporation, I was part of something bigger than myself. Serving in the military, however, is about being part of something vitally important. I don’t know of anything, except possibly ministry, that is more important than defending our country and our way of life. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to contribute, in a very modest way, to America’s defense.
I’m also grateful to the Air Force Reserve for giving me a second chance to serve. I left the active Army during the 1990s drawdown. After going to work for that large civilian corporation, I soon began to miss the military. I missed the opportunities to travel and to grow personally. I missed the people, their discipline, and the camaraderie we had shared. Most of all, I missed the feeling that I was part of something important. The figures on a monthly profit-or-loss statement didn’t have the same meaning for me that military service had. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, I became determined to return to the military. I found a new home in the Air Force Reserve.
The past 13 years in the USAFR have provided more than I ever hoped for. I’ve deployed twice and been promoted twice. I held two commands, the 455th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan and, at Westover, the 42nd Aerial Port Squadron, the best squadron I can imagine. Also at Westover, I’ve been privileged to serve as inspector general of the best wing in the Air Force Reserve. Being from the South, I didn’t know what to expect when I first came here in 2005. I’ll just say that in North Carolina, where I’m from, and in Georgia, where I lived for a number of years, Massachusetts had a reputation for being different. All of the people I’ve met at Westover, however, are great Americans who love their country and serve proudly. And I appreciate you all for not making fun of my accent very often.
Before I retire, I simply want to say, “Thank you” to everyone at Westover and to the Air Force for your assistance and for the opportunities you’ve given me. I hope that you all realize that you are part of something extremely important and that you cherish every day that you wear our country’s uniform. Theodore Roosevelt, one of my heroes, made a famous speech in which he said, “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.” I echo the former president and say that the credit belongs to you who are serving our country. Thank you, goodbye, and Godspeed.