MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho -- I remember the complacency. It crept up and sat next to me. I was always early to work every day. I took the same lunch break, with the same meal and sat in the truck with my clipboard and pen waiting for something to happen.

I had a degree I wanted to finish, but always found an excuse to not continue. There were other jobs out there, but I convinced myself I was just fine where I was.

It was the same routine every day. Some days, I would forget that I left home to make a difference and become something better.

I woke up one day and realized that I couldn't do it anymore, something had to change. I saw an advertisement for the United States Air Force and knew I couldn't let my potential just go to waste anymore.

This is a new life. I can get a quality education and see things that my friends only hear about. I get to move from base to base, and my family will be taken care of.

This new life is also for my wife. If my wife or I get sick, we don't have to worry about the cost. Because neither of us are from military backgrounds or families that moved around a lot, our drive here was a great experience. It was the first time we saw a mountain or a wind farm. In just five days we drove across the country.

I have been in the military for under a year now, but I have already made many friends and met people of all different religions, races, and backgrounds. These new experiences have shaped me into a better man.

As a first term Airman I cannot claim to know everything, and I still have much to learn; but joining the Air Force was the fresh start my life needed. Everyday I wake up and learn something new. I want to keep moving forward in my amazing journey.

Eventually I will have a family of my own, and I hope to provide a safe and happy life for them. I want to give them a future that is full of surprises and adventure.

This is only the beginning of a long career, and I couldn't picture myself wanting to be anything or anywhere else. I am proud of the person I have grown in to and the things I have achieved.

My first term will always mean the most whether I only complete only the remainder, or continue for another twenty years. My first term will always remind me I can make it through anything. It has given me a second chance to be something that few people can.

I am an American Airman.