Just a few days ago, I left a city few Americans have heard of to spend the summer in the central heat from Alabama. Looking back over the last decade, a number of events have led me to a place I never thought I would arrive. As the world changed around me, I began my transition from teenage madness to a career as an Air Force weather officer. I have already accomplished more than I ever thought possible, and my actions have had ripples around the world. On September 10, 2001, I was a naive sophomore in college. I slept through class just so I could stay up all night. I was there for a piece of paper: my ticket to a good job and lots of money. That was my big picture. After all, isn’t it wealth that really matters? It wasn't that I was weak; I was enrolled in a mathematics program at Cornell University. I just lacked a sense of what was important. As was the case for most Americans, September 11 was a game-changer. Suddenly, reaching the top of the corporate world no longer seemed imperative. I considered joining the military at that time, but decided to get my degree first. As my studies progressed, I was determined to acquire better knowledge. I started reading more than the textbooks assigned to me, I engaged with friends on political issues, I traveled, and I really started to think for myself. In the months leading up to graduation, the jobs I thought I wanted had no appeal. There was a desire to do something more. I really didn't understand what it meant to be a military officer the day I walked into the Air Force recruiting office. No one in my family had served since my grandfathers fought in World War II, and they had both died long before I was born. I thought I would sign papers, go to the middle of the paper...... Commander in Incirlik. We are a small squadron, consisting of only seven people, but we control weather operations for a 24/7 airfield as well as four auxiliary sites. We are the final stopping point for goods and people going to and from the AOR. Since I took command, we have provided support to the U.S., British, French and Turkish Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy, Army and Office of Defense Cooperation in Turkey. My Air Force story probably isn't too typical. I'm not from a military family, I was never an athlete, and when I was younger I rarely thought about anything other than myself. Even though I hardly consider myself a great man today, I have grown considerably. I continue to accomplish things today that I would never have attempted in the past. Most importantly, I play a vital role in ensuring the interests and security of our nation..