Life in the tail of the AF is pretty cool. Your job isn't as stressful, but just as important. My boring job gave me the opportunity to travel around to ten different countries, meet some unforgettable people, become debt free, and have no worries as far as healthcare needs during that time. I usually spent 8 hours a day, Monday through Friday, in uniform doing a cornucopia of tasks that ranged from difficult to mindless. I also volunteered with many nonprofit organizations during my off duty time. While enjoying a relatively stress free existence in the tail, I found my real passion: youth ministry. I volunteered around ten hours a week, sometimes a lot more, with Young Life and Youth for Christ staff members that were contracted through the chapel to nurture the military youth on base that can often be neglected.
I became the Teeth while deployed to Afghanistan. We were in charge of the communication airwaves over the southern and central part of Afghanistan. We maintained the equipment that was responsible for relaying routine information and Troops In Contact (finding the closest fighter to help them out and if helicopter evacuation was necessary). I also volunteered at the hospital and saw the effects of improvised explosions. There I restocked items the professionals needed, but the most surprising thing I learned from there is that we treated more afghan locals than military members. There was a high likelihood that these men were the ones that set off the bombs, but we wouldn't hinder medical care. Also, off base hospitals had a much higher death rate than on base, so we couldn't release them to the locals in good conscious.
During my time spent, a total of six months, in Afghanistan, I was exposed to the real mission of my boring job: to aid those in the air so that they can save those on the ground. I had personal demons i dealt with and I also enjoyed the personal growth gained from realizing how you fit in the larger scheme of the military. Not everyone in the AF has seen combat, while I am not proud of every moment, I wouldn't trade it in for something easier.
During my time spent, a total of six months, in Afghanistan, I was exposed to the real mission of my boring job: to aid those in the air so that they can save those on the ground. I had personal demons i dealt with and I also enjoyed the personal growth gained from realizing how you fit in the larger scheme of the military. Not everyone in the AF has seen combat, while I am not proud of every moment, I wouldn't trade it in for something easier.