T-10 hours. Thank you everyone, and welcome to my new boss.

I’m in Alabama tonight. I arrived and checked in here at the Marriott Residence hotel yesterday afternoon, and have been running last minute errands before entering OTS tomorrow. My hair is cut, I got a new electric shaver, and I’m now just counting hours until 1300ish tomorrow when I check in to Maxwell AFB and begin my 12-weeks of BOT.

But I have one major task list item that I need to tick off, and that would be sending my thanks to everyone who helped me on the road to commissioning.

First, I want to thank my family and friends back home. Mom, Dad, my sisters, as well as Lawrence, Kyuu Hee, Alvin, and Scott. Because of you, I have the foundation to build the character required to be an authority figure in our great military. Thank you all.

I want to thank my biological uncle, Irving. I worked for that man for a few years, and I am still unpaid for 5 months of work. Had you not betrayed me, I would not have quit and found my way to armed service. I have venom in my heart for you, but I’ve finally channeled that venom to work for me, instead of poison my actions. You taught me that trust must be earned, and not assumed based on position, status, and especially family relation. Thank you for being the scum that you are.

(Interruption: loud cheering as I witness history being made. Barack Obama is president. Thank God.)

I want to thank Capt. Jason Parker. To this day, I hold you in highest regard. You are the example that I will be trying to live up to and surpass… and that’s a ridiculously high bar for me to aim for. But I know if I aim high I’ll hit high goals. The first time I mentioned to Lt. Parker that I was a UCLA Engineering graduate, he
looked at me dead in the eye and asked me why I didn’t take a commission. At the time I thought he asked me that question like so many others did… “Why didn’t you become an officer? (You could be making so much more money right now.)” Looking back at that moment though, he was asking me why I didn’t take the responsibility of becoming a Lieutenant since I was already qualified to do it. The answer to that question: I wasn’t ready. 4 years ago I would have been a mess if I applied to OTS. Today, I am ready, and with Lt. Parker as my goal, the officer I want to become, I think I’ll do well.

I want to thank Capt. Jennifer Conrad and Mr. Pablo Tafolla. I hadn’t been thinking about OTS for a while, I honestly became a bit jaded with my day-to-day existence in the military and had been thinking about separating on my DOS, but you both reminded me at the same time that I originally wanted to try for OTS at the end of my time on my contract. If it hadn’t been for your gentle prodding, I’d probably be back home right now, looking for work as a civilian. I originally joined the military because there was a void in my life that had been unfulfilled, and despite a big paycheck I could be getting as a civilian with security credentials I know in my heart that I would always be looking to the military thinking “what would I have become” had I not gone this route. Thank you both.

(Interruption: Watched John McCain’s concession speech on CNN. Respect restored for Sen. McCain.)

I want to thank Lt. Col. John Dunks. Col. Dunks personally delivered news of my acceptance to myself and my parents. He did my interview for my application, and gave me words of wisdom that I’ll be reminded of throughout the next 12 weeks here at OTS. I know he’s seen me at my not-so-great moments, and yet he told me that I will make a great officer. This bit of gratitude on my behalf stems from the recurring theme of redemption that has rang throughout my short time thus far in the military. I learned this from various people, but the moment that lesson was nailed into my brain was when Col. Dunks interviewed me. I learned that I need to ensure I see the potential in people, and see beyond their flaws. People make mistakes, but it’s the soul of a person that determines if they learn from that mistake and move on, or make the same mistakes over and over again in their life. I will try to live up to deserve the chance I’ve been granted here at OTS. Thank you.

I thank Capt Caruso. My first mentor, she exemplified how to be an officer while maintaining your humanity. I am a man in uniform, but I am more than that. I am a human being, but I am more than that. The synergistic combination of being a human being, a private American citizen, and a member of the greatest Air Force in the world means I am more than my uniform. I am more than my common sense. I am more than just a good person. I am a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force, soon to be 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force, and before I’m an Airman, I’m a Man. Above being a man, I’m an Airman. I thank you for being my mentor, and for being patient with me as I learn and will learn the ropes of how to become an officer.

I thank Peterson RedSwitch in particular and the 21st Communication Squadron in general at Peterson AFB for showing me what one facet of the real Air Force is like. I worked side-by-side with excellent enlisted Airmen for 3 and 1/2 years. I met some exceptional people, particularly MSgt(s) Elmore, TSgt Parrish, SSgt Fallecker, SSgt Smith, SSgt Ball, Mr. Gatica, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Joseph, SSgt(s) Bond, SSgt Waugh, SSgt(s) Reed, SrA Strickland, A1C Weber, A1C Gray. You showed me camraderie that I can only hope to encounter again in the future, and you accepted me for myself, flaws and all. I came in a stuttering socially-inept former programmer, and I leave you a less-stuttering, slightly more social former enlisted airman. You gave substance to my soul. Thank you for the experience and the blessing of your presence these last few years.

Most of all, I want to thank MSgt Jennifer Rabidoux primarily, and TSgt Jerry Marsh, ?Sgt Lee (I don’t know your rank, I’m sorry), ?Sgt Ross, the rest of the excellent training staff at 737 TRG/320 TRS in 2004, TSgt Felton, ?Sgt Cotten, and the rest of the 2005 staff at 81 TRG/332 TRS. MSgt Rabidoux… if it wasn’t for you I would not be here, on top of your leadership and example, you saw in me potential. I made mistakes and you saw past them, and I hope you saw the fire in my soul, and how badly I wanted to (and still want to) live for a higher cause. In the years that followed Basic Military Training in ‘04, I’ve tried my hardest to maintain my passion for service, and I poured my heart and soul into my work, but I’ve made mistakes along the way. I’ve tried to learn from those mistakes, and to this day I don’t feel stellar, but Lord knows I’ve given it my best, in the good days and bad. The one trainee you let graduate BMT is going to do it again, and this time I’ll be damned if I give even one reason why I should be recycled or washed out. People have given me chances and forgiven my mistakes all throughout my military career, today I set out on the journey to do them proud and make it known to them that their generosity and forgiveness was not wasted on this soul. I thank you, with tears in my eyes and deep reverence and humility in my heart.

I pledge to my friends, family, brothers and sisters in arms, and the American people, that I will strive to be the 2nd Lieutenant that this country deserves. America deserves top notch leaders in the military that give 100% effort in their service, and I will do my best to deliver the same passion and dedication that I’ve given this country in the last 4 years as an enlisted Airman.

(Interruption: watching Barack Obama’s victory speech. Yes We Can.)

With this pledge, I segue into welcoming my new boss, President-Elect Barack Obama, and congratulate him on winning the presidential election. I hear whispers in the military circle that the new Democrat-controlled government will be downsizing the military, and I don’t disagree that folks in uniform will possibly see some hard times in the near future. With this in mind, I voted (early) for Obama anyway, because it’s what the people need. A new leader. A fresh start. A change in the guard. No one prays for peace more than the men and women that make up the armed services, I guarantee you that. If diplomacy can possibly work where arms can’t, then I welcome the diplomats to try. Maybe now we can focus on rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure. I’ve said it before, but we must invest in education, education, education, healthcare, and education. Education is the key to opportunity. Opportunity gives chance for success. Individual success builds collectively towards national success. Healthcare is the maintenance of the body that achieves the success :D. Successful people are happy people, happy people are productive people, productive people contribute wealth and value to our nation. Once the basic needs of education and healthcare are met, we can focus on things like advancing science, curing diseases, and having open discussions on our issues that we need to resolve and move on from within our nation.

Listen to me go on… it’s 11:30 now, and I want to get up early tomorrow and meditate before jumping into the shark-infested waters that is OTS. It’s now time to kick it up a notch.

Bam.

-TJ / SSgt Thomas J. Olaes