Lance Gillingham Memorial Scholarship

It's important to mention that when 9/11 happened, I was in fourth grade at the time, and at that point, all I knew was I was going to join the fight. Entering the military, I had some of the most significant opportunities to grow as a human being. Joining at 17, I was undisciplined, and through my cadre and the flight I was assigned, I learned more about being more than one's self. My bunkmate, a person I flew in with from Detroit, became our dorm chief. In our seventh week, he collapsed and later died. During that last week, I remembered our conversation about going to Ryan's, a local chain in Michigan. Through his memory, I learned that life is precious and our time matters. He tirelessly assisted us through the many obstacles that we faced; because of this, I chose to selflessly ensure that individuals that I met in the future would never be without someone. Day or night, I always picked up the phone for someone, happening many times in Biloxi. The second training phase at Sheppard hit me the hardest when we discovered we had lost another airman who had checked into his first base, which hurt the most when no one in formation knew his name. That failed our core value of "Never Leave an Airman Behind." Once again, this drove me to know everyone possible, which I carried to my first base. This put me in a lot of dark situations as mental health finds itself to be a significant component that plagues the military. My efforts were never for ribbons or awards, even with my countless hours of community service assisting disabled veterans and the local animal rescue. I believe one of the more notable events was during a car crash; I pulled a civilian out of a burning car, and then I realized what it meant to put "Service Before Self." afterward, I administered medical support that I learned through the military until rescue crews could arrive. The people I served with changed my view that freedom doesn't come free, which I learned from being attached to AFSOC deployed. I also learned you can only be in a country with other people. That deployment brought me closer to that truth, as we served tier 1 operators and foreign fighters. Because of this, I also learned that hope and bravery can prevail when the world gets dark. This was taught to me through the death of Moaz al-Kasasbeh, for who I wear a bracelet in memory of his sacrifice. In further answering the question of impacted life regarding the military. I left the military with the view that our country needs people to keep the legacy and torch burning that our forefathers built this country on, which was brotherhood. I have spent the last few years walking the halls of the VA, homeless camps, and nursing homes, working with veterans and always attempting to keep their legacy alive through the stories they tell me.