My son Vincent joined the Air Force in the summer of 2002, he was 18.He entered under what is known as the DEP – delayed enlistment program.
On the night of October 16th his Step-Dad and I left him at a local hotel where he was to spend the night with some other recruits before heading out as a small group the following morning. The AF does this to ensure all
recruits will be in one place to leave in the AM.
I recall having a restless night sleep that night. As a Mother I knew life with
my son would never be the same. I was filled with pride as his life choice was following in the Air Force footsteps of family before him.
My Dad served in the 50’s. Vince’s Step-Dad, Michael and Michael’s younger brother Mark also served. My Father-in-law retired as a Chief Master Sergeant, achieving the highest rank of enlisted personnel.
The morning of October 17 I was walking my youngest son Kevin out the door to wait for the school bus. I stepped outside and immediately looked up to the sky.
There to my right was a huge V formed from jet contrails.
It was my sign from God that my son, Vincent would be watched over.
The week after Vince left home I was going through a bag of papers that the
recruiter had given him. In there was a plastic card about the size of a credit card. It has the Air Force wings and simply says:
U.S. Air Force Core Values
Integrity First Service Before Self Excellence in All We Do
I set that up beside my computer the day I found it.
The words became ingrained in my head. I knew that these were the values that my son would now be living by.
I was pretty certain that these values were not always so specifically stated and I did a web search to find a history on the Core Values.
(http://www.usafa.af.mil/core-value/gurus/)
Vince let out a HUGE ---- “WOW Mom”, he was shocked to say the least that I knew the Core Values. I explained to him about the card beside my computer and I said to him, ‘not a bad set of values for us all to embrace’.
Integrity First Service Before Self Excellence in All We Do
On the night of October 16th his Step-Dad and I left him at a local hotel where he was to spend the night with some other recruits before heading out as a small group the following morning. The AF does this to ensure all
recruits will be in one place to leave in the AM.
I recall having a restless night sleep that night. As a Mother I knew life with
my son would never be the same. I was filled with pride as his life choice was following in the Air Force footsteps of family before him.
My Dad served in the 50’s. Vince’s Step-Dad, Michael and Michael’s younger brother Mark also served. My Father-in-law retired as a Chief Master Sergeant, achieving the highest rank of enlisted personnel.
The morning of October 17 I was walking my youngest son Kevin out the door to wait for the school bus. I stepped outside and immediately looked up to the sky.
There to my right was a huge V formed from jet contrails.
It was my sign from God that my son, Vincent would be watched over.
The week after Vince left home I was going through a bag of papers that the
recruiter had given him. In there was a plastic card about the size of a credit card. It has the Air Force wings and simply says:
U.S. Air Force Core Values
Integrity First Service Before Self Excellence in All We Do
I set that up beside my computer the day I found it.
The words became ingrained in my head. I knew that these were the values that my son would now be living by.
I was pretty certain that these values were not always so specifically stated and I did a web search to find a history on the Core Values.
The Air Force Core Values initiative has a history—a history that goes back at least 25 years, and some people argue that it goes back to the late 1950's. Although it was not until January of 1995 that the Air Force officially embraced the specific formulation we have today¾
Integrity first, Service before self, and Excellence in all we do.
Integrity first, Service before self, and Excellence in all we do.
(http://www.usafa.af.mil/core-value/gurus/)
In January of 2003 Vince was stationed for tech training in Mississippi.
On a weekly call home we were talking about something that had happened
in one of his classes. Whatever the topic was escapes my mind now, but in
my response to him I rattled off theU.S.Core Values…..
Integrity First Service Before Self Excellence in All We Do
On a weekly call home we were talking about something that had happened
in one of his classes. Whatever the topic was escapes my mind now, but in
my response to him I rattled off theU.S.Core Values…..
Integrity First Service Before Self Excellence in All We Do
Vince let out a HUGE ---- “WOW Mom”, he was shocked to say the least that I knew the Core Values. I explained to him about the card beside my computer and I said to him, ‘not a bad set of values for us all to embrace’.
Integrity First Service Before Self Excellence in All We Do
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