***image1***Next month I will retire from the United States Air Force. I served more than 28 years as a dental officer and will soon return to the other life and a regular job. No more PCS moves, no more deployments or BDUs.
The first question I am asked when people find I served 28 years is, “Why did you stay so long?” I can sum it all up in one word – opportunity.
We all joined for various reasons. Some sought adventure away from home, others wanted experience in a different career field or advanced training in their chosen fields, and others just needed a job. Very few joined for pure patriotic reasons.
Regardless of our initial reason, all of us changed as we served, and we remained or separated as our family and personal needs changed. In my case, I wanted experience in patient care and additional training as a health-care professional. I only planned to stay three years and then charge for the door.
But somehow during my first three years, I discovered, as many others do, that the Air Force offered a whole world of opportunity not available outside of the service. My first duty station was Clark Air Base in The Philippines. Ever been there? Not likely, unless you were born there. My family and I learned about new lands and met new people.
After I returned, I was given the opportunity to pursue residency training at a world-class medical center. It didn’t take long to realize that my training was superior to any offered in the civilian world, and we provided the highest quality dental care without sending a bill. After training, I was chosen to teach other professionals, so a new job opportunity emerged. Additionally I had more advanced training in the form of fellowship, then more teaching.
One assignment followed another, as in all career fields, and each move brought more opportunity to learn, explore and live a life far removed from those of my civilian counterparts. I worked with dedicated officers and airmen who shared the adventure, and they also had opportunities to grow and develop personally and professionally. How many other jobs encourage you to seek more education, share the experience, then reward you with promotions for taking advantage of the opportunities?
Over time, I was called upon to deploy four times to war zones. This was never easy for my family or me, but each deployment brought new responsibilities and growth, and helped us to appreciate the true nature of military service. I finally realized the real reward of serving when I shook the hand of a lady in the San Francisco airport after my return from Iraq. She simply said, “Thank you for what you do for our country.”
Admirers of America call it the land of opportunity. The U.S. Air Force and the Air Force Dental Corps were my gateway to opportunities most people only dream about.
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***image1***Next month I will retire from the United States Air Force. I served more than 28 years as a dental officer and will soon return to the other life and a regular job. No more PCS moves, no more deployments or BDUs.
The first question I am asked when people find I served 28 years is, “Why did you stay so long?” I can sum it all up in one word – opportunity.
We all joined for various reasons. Some sought adventure away from home, others wanted experience in a different career field or advanced training in their chosen fields, and others just needed a job. Very few joined for pure patriotic reasons.
Regardless of our initial reason, all of us changed as we served, and we remained or separated as our family and personal needs changed. In my case, I wanted experience in patient care and additional training as a health-care professional. I only planned to stay three years and then charge for the door.
But somehow during my first three years, I discovered, as many others do, that the Air Force offered a whole world of opportunity not available outside of the service. My first duty station was Clark Air Base in The Philippines. Ever been there? Not likely, unless you were born there. My family and I learned about new lands and met new people.
After I returned, I was given the opportunity to pursue residency training at a world-class medical center. It didn’t take long to realize that my training was superior to any offered in the civilian world, and we provided the highest quality dental care without sending a bill. After training, I was chosen to teach other professionals, so a new job opportunity emerged. Additionally I had more advanced training in the form of fellowship, then more teaching.
One assignment followed another, as in all career fields, and each move brought more opportunity to learn, explore and live a life far removed from those of my civilian counterparts. I worked with dedicated officers and airmen who shared the adventure, and they also had opportunities to grow and develop personally and professionally. How many other jobs encourage you to seek more education, share the experience, then reward you with promotions for taking advantage of the opportunities?
Over time, I was called upon to deploy four times to war zones. This was never easy for my family or me, but each deployment brought new responsibilities and growth, and helped us to appreciate the true nature of military service. I finally realized the real reward of serving when I shook the hand of a lady in the San Francisco airport after my return from Iraq. She simply said, “Thank you for what you do for our country.”
Admirers of America call it the land of opportunity. The U.S. Air Force and the Air Force Dental Corps were my gateway to opportunities most people only dream about.