Join The Air Force

Travel The World

Be ready to kill another human, I know I didn’t hear that correctly, she can’t be serious, I’m not killing anyone, but apparently I would be doing exactly that, if I wanted to make it out of basic training alive. I had to play the game, say the statements, learn the lessons, pass the tests, all of this to be free! Because surely after this period of mass hysteria is over, I step into my uniform, report to my regular job, with benefits, free food, housing, pay and the icing on my rum cake, travel! So I will listen intently, and I will shine boots, wax floors and crease collars, because the outcome will be me relaxing on a beach in Hawaii via the USAF! If only, that fantasy, was what became my actual reality.

When did service to your country become a marketing scheme for a destination vacation at the expense of Uncle Sam? How long has this been happening? I don’t want to get political and I won’t, but dammit, stop using the lie and baiting kids to sign on the line by using the slogan “travel the world”. Military service has nothing to do with traveling, yes travel is a result of the duty location, close proximity to other countries, opportunities to explore during holidays or leave, but the mission is service to country, not celebration. I had been duped, and I was really upset about it now that my reality of the next 4 years had truly sunk in.

Nobody told me I might have to kill someone, and the concept of war never crossed my mind, if they did I would not have signed up, but what did I know? I was trying to get the hell out of Spring Hill Florida, void of culture and racial harmony. You could almost be despised for being black, yet not black enough for the local black people who insulted you by insinuating your proper English with a hint of a Caribbean accent was “talking white”. So why would I want to kill anyone, me, the people pleaser with attachment issues who was looking for human connection and desired to cross the globe in search of it. How did my explanation of loving to travel lead me to a life designed on the understanding that following a set of guidelines could save my life but might take another? I mean I get it now, recruiters are doing a job as well, they have a quota to fill, there is some truth about travel opportunities, but don’t sell a false dream. Providing a service to your country is no simple matter, and the opportunity for placement in a combat environment is real…….

Stay tuned for further lessons, if you are active duty or prior military, does this resonate with you? Drop me a comment and let me know. Much love from the brown girl, traveling the world, trying to make something beautiful!

Let’s connect on social media, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @UnnervedTraveler, drop in and say hi!