I got the "crappy" end of the stick...
4.0 Unweighted GPA in High School...military kid, dad a full-bull Colonel AT USAFA...I had the entire package...
TWE...
Next year, I got in...2.20GPA for four years...AC PRO more times than you want to know...so...I got my NEXT TO LAST CHOICE for UPT Bases...
AND EXCELLED!!! Fighter Qualified (my lifelong dream!!!)
Got my fighter...bad weather moved into Mississippi...for weeks...flights were cancelled, classes delayed...graduation delayed...and 8 of us lost our fighters because we couldn't make all the training dates after UPT!!!
And in the '80s, that meant you got sent to some lousy job...and I got sent to a TANKER in North Dakota!!! The "Mighty" F-135 Stratobladder...
After the ENORMOUS pity party I threw for myself...it lasted 3 full days...I said to myself: "Self...be the BEST TOAD you can be!"
(TOAD: Totally Outstanding Airplane Driver)
Fast forward...after sitting SIOP alert for years (look that one up...
) and having been rated well above my peers...early upgrades all the way through instructor pilot...I was asked one day if I was interested in an exchange tour...
To the F-15!!
And it was a BLAST!!! MY DREAM CAME TRUE!!!
And while in that role, I was yanked to the staff at an HQ, not "officially" transferred because I was "Blue 4", the newbie, senior captain, but the most inexperienced pilot...flying less than I really should have been because of my "rookie status." Still the Eagle but now a "staff puke!"
And that role (HQ Staff, Battle Staff, Command Post, etc...etc...) was fascinating!
And I realized THEN...right then...that there were NO bad jobs...I loved the KC...and the Eagle...and when I flew them the T-38...and I loved being Wing Exec, General's Exec...staff pogue...
Because I made the job, and the job made me!
Now I look back...was there EVER a job I didn't get the most out of?
YES!!!
UPT Snack Bar guy...I never did learn to make coffee!!!
(I grew up in the UK...I drink tea)
You aim high and when you receive your assignment, good/bad/indifferent, it is YOUR call whether it'll be a great job or not...
Attitude sets the pace!
Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83