Growing up a military child greatly impacted my outlook on life and moreover, inspired my life’s mission to Make Impact on those around me. None of this would have been possible without my extraordinary father and his unwavering passion for helping everyone he came into contact with. In honor of Father’s Day, I’m sharing some wisdom I learned from my military dad who served a full military career in the U.S. Air Force. After that, he continued his career at General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin where he was head of the support training, international allies, department for the F-16 Fighting Falcons.
One of the greatest lessons I learned from my dad is to work hard — find something you believe in and dedicate your life to it! Seeing my mother and father welcome newcomers to base, provide food and supplies for those in need, and share their love with strangers around the world greatly impacted my life. Encouraged by my parents, at a very young age I became a volunteer assisting new families with moving needs as they settled onto the Air Force base. By 16, I had already developed a strong desire and passion for lending a helping hand to strangers. I knew that I wanted to combine my career and life goals with my passion for helping people, something my father was a huge proponent of. He taught me not to waste my time doing things that did not make me happy. With my father being in the military, we knew that our routine could be dramatically interrupted at any time. With this in mind, he advised me to only seek out endeavors that would lead me to fulfillment and happiness.
Another lesson I learned from my dad’s life of military service is the value of commitment. I reflect on his life and see every sacrifice he made to keep his commitment to our country, his fellow service members and his family. I gained my sense of patriotism and kindness from my father’s incredible service. I grew up seeing all of the sacrifices he had to make. Being exposed to all of this gave me a stronger appreciation for the military and the military lifestyle. I will forever cherish this opportunity that I was given to live on base and watch my father grow into a humble veteran.
Because of my father, I learned the importance and power of lending a helping hand to others even in the smallest ways. I credit my upbringing for making me the person I am today and furthering my goal to Make Impact in the lives of my Changers.
To all the military dads out there: Know that you are appreciated, loved and your many sacrifices are not without impact. Happy Father’s Day!