.Transformation.

Transformation

Preconceived Notions

In high school in the early 70's  I worked the night shift at a submarine sandwich shop 3 blocks from the Navy base.  The cross section of Navy clientele  that came in late at night were perhaps not exemplary examples, and they left me with the distinct  impression that the Navy was a place of last resort if you had nowhere else to go and no other career options.  It was also a place to sign up if you were about to get drafted into the Army.  I fear that I've carried a certain preconception about the Military since that time.

The Next Generation

Fast forward a generation and now I have a son in college on the same engineering career path that I chose, the same as my father chose, and his before him.  My son Maxwell is intuitive, creative, and "wicked-smart" in critical thinking, spatial awareness, math, and science. It comes easily to him, perhaps too easy because he became accustomed to not having to work very hard at it. Through the years we as parents had ample opportunities to marvel at his talents and his natural abilities. He was building precision cabinetry that garnered awards at the state fair. He volunteered at the local TV station and they made him  their cameraman. He gave him time to charitable events without complaint.   His nature was to be kind, even if he sometimes needed to be reminded of this.  He offered help when required. He was a good  leader when called to action.

At his job, he solved all the hard problems increased efficiency and managed the others even if it was not his job to do so which received no recognition or appreciation because of the politics that he chose to avoid.  Max graduated from one of the top academic high schools in the state and landed a spot at Cal State Chico in their school of engineering.

The rigors of an engineering program were easy for him but these are difficult times for state colleges in California.  Soon college seemed to be going sideways.  Courses were difficult to get, the curriculum was hard to pull together, and the program seemed to be waylaid by a university that was short on instructors and slim on course offerings.  Four year degrees were starting to look like 7 years or more. Even upon graduation Mechanical Engineering jobs were in short supply as the economic downturn persisted.  Uncertainty and wariness were creeping in where confidence that once ruled the roost. 

Taking a Second Look

I was prepped by his mother first so it wasn't too shocking when Max approached me for a serious conversation 15 months ago.  "Dad, I have decided to join the Military, what do you think?  I need direction, and purpose.   I'm ready for some discipline and I think I could benefit from some structure.  Plus, I can get my college degree on the job if I commit to a 6 year active duty program, and two more years of reserve duty."

This was foreign to me.  We're not a Military family. We value independent thought, academic pursuit, and the accountability that comes from making your own choices instead of being told what to think and do.  I quelled a lifelong prejudice against the Military.  I set aside those thoughts of unruly and uneducated sailors from my youth, and gave my blessing if this was his carefully considered path.

Preparing for a New Direction

His 98% ASFAB score was noticed by the Air Force and they offered him the best job options.  He would be given credit for 3 years of college and enter two ranks up as Airman First Class. He also would be given the chance to complete his degree while on the job.  His scores qualified for every single enlistment job. If it was available then it was his for the taking.  He lit up with the prospects.  But first he would need to get in better shape and drop 40 pounds before his MEPS medical exam.  He had 6 short weeks to do that.  The transformation had begun.

Max used his hard earned pay to enlist the services of a professional fitness trainer and went into a physical training program 5 days a week.  He adopted a strict diet and lost 45 pounds in 6 weeks, adding muscle and stamina at the same time.  While waiting to be called up he spent 12 months continuing to train during which he got into the best physical shape of his life, impressing his Air Force recruit trainer so much that he eventually led the physical training for the flight of recruits.

Suddenly an Empty Nest

He got the Air Force job offer in December. Although not his first choice, the offer of Aerospace Propulsion Specialist was a good one. Too soon he packed everything he would be allowed to take with him in a single backpack and we drove him to the hotel for his new adventure to begin. Conspicuously left behind was his computer. Our house was suddenly very quiet and certain energy was removed.  The cord was really cut this time. There would be no calling him on the phone.  No texting, or easy access.  He would not be asking for anything.  There might be a 3 minute phone call on one of the weekends but no guarantees.  Perhaps a letter, but that would only be if he was given the time.  It seems the Air Force had found a way, seemingly draconian but completely necessary, to separate parent from child as they took on the role of molding a new person using their time tested methods.

Culture Shock and a Pleasant Surprise

Eight and a half weeks later we were on a plane to Lackland Air Force base in Texas to see our "airman" son graduate from Basic Military Training (BMT).  We had no idea what he might look like but from the rare phone calls we got he sounded different.  A lower voice spoke with confidence and purpose. He was serious but sharp and distinct in his phone mannerisms.  Who knew what he might look like in person?

  

At the risk of sounding like an old man, I think it's accurate to say that our society has developed a certain acceptance of younger people in this generation.  They are ones constantly talking or texting on their phones. They are plugged up with ear buds to help tune out their immediate environs. They look down as you pass or peer into the ubiquitous screen in their hand.  Many are overweight, constantly eating a processed food or drinking a soda or energy drink.  Sure this is a stereotype, but isn't it also all too common?  Isn't it sometimes an expectation or at the very least an acquiescence?

From the moment I stepped onto the base I was taken aback at the level of professionalism and precision that seemed to be embodied by the young people who were stationed or training there.  It was a like a scene out of 1952 Pleasantville. 

Suddenly there was a restoration of the politeness and values that seem to have degraded over the last 40 years in popular culture.  Everyone was gracious and courteous.  Young men were not talking on a cell phone or listening to music.  They were not eating or drinking while walking.  None of them were permitted to smoke or consume alcohol, coffee, soda, or sugar. They had no access to the internet or other diversions. 

They stood tall and erect with excellent posture and walked with poise and purpose wherever they went.  Passing you on the sidewalk, they would look you straight in the eye and say "Good Afternoon Sir".    They maintained  "situational awareness" which meant they were looking for any opportunity to attend to what needed to be done, how to assist another. 


They walked on sidewalks and in crosswalks and never on the grass or over the curb.  If they entered a building their hats came off at the threshold and back on as the exited the building.


Yet unlike the days of old, there was complete acceptance and a certain color blindness of race, creed, gender, language, or age.


Off base, these same men and women know that they represent the US Air Force, its values and its image. These young graduates are not permitted to drink alcohol or visit bars (yet).  The same rules that apply on base also are observed off the base.  They show and practice the values of honor, respectfulness, politeness and an awareness that requires them to care more about others than themselves.

At one point I panned my video camera around on the base, capturing well-postured airmen marching in formation from place to place, even when they were not required to do so.  Here there were hundreds of sharp energetic young men and women.  Not a single one was out of shape or non-deliberate about their every movement. Then my lens found some of “us civilians”, standing around with slumped shoulders, crossed legs, or leaning against a tree.  What a sharp and embarrassing contrast we were!

Witnessing this gave me a renewal in confidence in the youth of America.  As soon as you think our values are eroded and our young are fat and lazy and unmotivated you should get to a training base in the Air Force (and probably the other services as well).  You will see what 8 weeks of intensive training can do for these young people. 

Granted, this is a snapshot in time and once BMT is complete the rules will be gradually relaxed and some of these people will fall back into old habits.  Regardless, all of them will be changed in some fundamental way because they have accomplished more than they ever thought possible and become something that they never imagined.

I had always thought the Military was about war and defense.  But it’s also about honor, a sense of duty and responsibility, respectfulness, discipline, and caring for something larger than you.  Nowhere is this taught more fervently or learned more completely than in BMT.

Graduation

Graduation is awe inspiring to watch, because it is a demonstration of teamwork, precision, and discipline and the long-awaited reward of recognition for both the airmen and their families. It’s an emotional time to see your son or daughter after 8 weeks transformed into someone who you never thought they might be.  Each of the events from the airman’s run (in formation), to the coin and honor graduates’ ceremony, to the presentation of the class on the parade grounds is filled with respect, duty, and a greater sense of purpose.  The eyes of family members tear up with pride.

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Video: Airman's Run and the Coin Ceremony
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Yes, I'm a proud parent so I've earned the right be a bit biased. But it seemed to me that no one took on this transformation as much as Max.  As we toured the facility and his barracks, I duly noticed the perfectly made beds, the neatly aligned boots, and the immaculate lockers filled with crisply folded clothes. 

But more than that I noticed the stark changes in Max.  When he enlisted everyone told him not to volunteer for anything, because "that just gets you in trouble."  Yet once there, Max ignored this advice and volunteered for almost everything: because he saw a need and rushed in to fill it.  I saw his pride when he explained his role as entry control chief for the entire barrack and how much care he took to be fair and just in scheduling all the duties of his fellow trainees.  How he worked around their needs and juggled things so no one had to pull night duty they day before their test.

Several men in his flight came up to me and told me how if it weren't for Max helping them with their challenges they don’t know how they would have gotten through.  He understood the underlying reasons and logic behind seemingly harsh procedures.  He observed that the reason the instructors yelled so loud at people was so that everyone around could learn from the mistake at the same time.  He also observed that this is a carefully crafted "game" with a specific goal and purpose.  He “got it” early and helped others to get with the program so that the results would speak for themselves.  Finally, Max was getting recognized for his talents and his special effort.

Transformation

The result spoke volumes.  His training instructor had previously trained and graduated 22 flights during his career, but this was the first in his career to attain the “warrior” status of excellence.   In the first 2 weeks there had been 5 people washed out of the entry control position.  Then Max took and held that position for 6 weeks remaining, earning the respect of his flight becoming known for his fairness and competence.

Finally after 8 and a half weeks of strict scheduled round the clock duties the graduates got an afternoon “town-pass” and we took him back to the hotel where he got to relax and play cards with his family. He got to listen to his music on the iPad and for a just a moment under that entire crisp and precise exterior he let out a little dance of pure joy.  Yes, he’s still in there somewhere.

At one point we visited a restaurant and the manager came out to shake his and thank him for his service.   To that Max exclaimed that it was his honor to serve (for the next 8 years) and that it was a privilege to have the chance to make a difference.  At another restaurant the next day the band playing on the patio stopped the music, pointed to our table and said “I’d like to thank this young man for his service to this country.  Without you sir, I would not able to do what I do”.  The patio applauded, which was a powerful moment for me.

He’s cut the cord and become his own man.  What can I tell him that he doesn't already know?  This was the experience that allowed him to excel, and allowed his inner leader to emerge, charged with confidence and he's ready to take on the next duty at the Air Force technical school, then on to an overseas station assignment.  What a transformation.  He's on his way, up there into the wild blue yonder.

And as for my transformation,  I’ve come about 180 degrees from the opinion I had of the Military before.  Gone are the images of rowdy undisciplined conscripts.  Instead I see a unique group of dedicated and committed men and women who are putting their all into something they see as important, building a tightly bonded community, and pushing themselves to become something that they never thought possible before. They're placing duty before personal needs, and they're taking this endeavor more seriously now than ever before.

Gratitude

So to them I say:  “Thank you for your service, your commitment, and for putting aside a huge chunk of your life to get this done.  You carry out your duty without question.  May our civilian leaders have the same respect for your contribution and value your humanity as much as we your parents do.”