We did it. We are now officially pilots in the United States Air Force. We have been working for this day for a long time and cannot believe it has come. I have not used any capitalization or explanation marks in my sentences so far because I have a different reaction to this life moment. I have really been reflecting on everything that has led up to this day in detail and wanted to provide a very condensed version of the timeline that has been replaying in my head over these past few weeks.
2013 - Jen and I meet in aircraft maintenance school at Beale AFB, California
2014 - We go on a hiking trip and get lost, but have a great time. We do that many more times that year...
2015 - Jen and I were turning wrenches on the U-2 and talking about how cool it would be to become pilots
2016 - We were on our honeymoon and we drove through the Embry-Riddle campus in Arizona thinking how crazy it would be to go there
2017 - We are 2 out of 15 people in the Air Force to be selected to go to college for 2 years to finish our degree through the SOAR Program. We move to that campus in Arizona!!
2018 - We are flying helicopters at Embry-Riddle for our degree and getting yelled at by 19 year-olds for "ROTC training." We had to compete for pilot slots individually... as well as getting pilot slots to the same location
2019 - We start Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus AFB, Mississippi! Let the firehouse of information begin!!
2020 - WE BECOME WINGED AVIATORS IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE!!
Not only did we graduate pilot training, but JEN WAS THE DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE IN OUR CLASS!! This means for the past year and a half all the academic tests and flights, she did better than everyone else in our class of 28 students. I am incredibly proud of her and I may be a little biased, but seriously, no one deserves this more than her!
Quite a journey it has been and we could not have done it without our families and support groups who continue to love and encourage us. We are beyond blessed in this life and do not take it for granted. Thank you for reading this and for everything YOU have done!! Because if you are reading this...chances are very high that YOU are one of the family members or support groups that has helped us through this beautiful stage of our life.
Live//Love