WEBVTT

00:06.789 --> 00:09.449
I was excited when I found out that my

00:09.460 --> 00:11.460
home state of Colorado was offering

00:11.460 --> 00:13.739
100% tuition assistance if , if you

00:13.750 --> 00:16.819
signed up . And so that kind of gave me

00:16.829 --> 00:19.049
that push to , yeah , let's go ahead

00:19.059 --> 00:21.229
and , and , and pull the trigger on

00:21.239 --> 00:24.670
this because uh my plan was to go to

00:24.680 --> 00:27.709
college full time and joining the

00:27.719 --> 00:29.608
International Guard allowed me to

00:29.608 --> 00:31.775
execute that plan . The biggest reason

00:31.775 --> 00:34.580
was so I could pursue my goals of what

00:34.590 --> 00:36.590
I wanted . I wanted to go to school

00:36.590 --> 00:38.479
full time for a totally different

00:38.479 --> 00:40.720
career field . You know , one of the

00:40.729 --> 00:42.470
benefits about me being in the

00:42.479 --> 00:44.535
International Guard , as I would say

00:44.535 --> 00:46.646
was the word control . I have control

00:46.646 --> 00:48.979
of my career path , but not only for me ,

00:48.979 --> 00:50.979
my career , but for my family . And

00:50.979 --> 00:53.035
that's one of the rare opportunities

00:53.035 --> 00:55.201
that I didn't necessarily know existed

00:55.201 --> 00:57.257
in the active duty side , but in the

00:57.257 --> 00:59.312
guard , I have the ability to put my

00:59.312 --> 00:59.259
family in a location to be successful ,

00:59.270 --> 01:01.189
not only for myself , but for the

01:01.200 --> 01:03.500
family , for the ability to find a good

01:03.509 --> 01:05.940
school , a good location and just ample

01:05.949 --> 01:08.171
job opportunities for my wife . Just to

01:08.171 --> 01:10.282
ensure that , you know , things I can

01:10.282 --> 01:12.505
take care of at work are are good . But

01:12.505 --> 01:14.671
I can also know in the back of my mind

01:14.671 --> 01:16.671
that my family is , is thriving and

01:16.671 --> 01:18.838
they have the ability to succeed . And

01:18.838 --> 01:20.893
that's really all I want as a family

01:20.893 --> 01:23.005
man serving my country was a big part

01:23.005 --> 01:25.060
of my decision initially to join the

01:25.060 --> 01:27.790
Air Force as a whole . Um And then when

01:27.800 --> 01:29.744
you know , life happens and things

01:29.744 --> 01:31.967
change , you have to make changes , but

01:31.967 --> 01:34.133
you still , I still wanted to continue

01:34.133 --> 01:36.356
to serve . So coming back home and then

01:36.356 --> 01:38.522
still being able to , you know , be in

01:38.522 --> 01:40.578
the Air Force to continue serving my

01:40.578 --> 01:42.689
country . That was a big positive for

01:42.689 --> 01:44.800
me . Don't discount it all . Assuming

01:44.800 --> 01:46.744
all of it is what you're currently

01:46.744 --> 01:48.856
experiencing . If you're pushing that

01:48.856 --> 01:50.744
towards the end of the career and

01:50.744 --> 01:50.319
you're making that decision to separate

01:50.330 --> 01:52.330
or stay in , I would highly suggest

01:52.330 --> 01:53.886
staying in , look for those

01:53.886 --> 01:55.941
opportunities in the Guard , do that

01:55.941 --> 01:57.719
research and obviously use your

01:57.719 --> 01:59.941
resources because they're out there and

01:59.941 --> 02:03.569
there's a position for you ec

02:03.580 --> 02:07.290
university education your way .