Commentary: Take a moment to remember - it's a privilege

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. William Browne
  • 25th Flying Training Squadron commander
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  What I'm about to say is not going to help me in my long-term battle of trying to convince my wife that flying is, well, work.

I've about given up on that project anyways, so here goes. Every sortie, I take a couple of seconds for myself -- the exact time depending on the skill of the student -- to take in the sheer joy of what used to be my primary job.

I have loved flying since my dad took me to my first air show at the Boeing Co. main facility in Paine Field, Wash. But hard as it may be to believe, I have at times forgotten how enjoyable it is.

The Air Force tries pretty hard to take the fun out of flying and missions can get monotonous or just plain dangerous. But it will always be enjoyable to defy gravity, to be upside down, to be somewhere very few people have the chance to be.

No matter how many restrictions the Air Force levies, I'm going to love it. So I try every sortie to remind myself what a privilege I enjoy.

Now I know what you're saying; we're glad you enjoy your "job" flying, and yes we agree with your wife -- it's not work. Fair enough. Let me talk about the other great source of contentment in my life. One that I also sometimes forget is a sheer joy.

I love being in the military. I love being among the tiny fraction of citizens that puts on the uniform. I love being surrounded by people that are among the very best in our great nation.

And on top of that, no one will argue that what we do isn't work! But oh sometimes, doesn't the Air Force try and make us forget what a joy it is to serve. Under manning, over tasking, constant deployments, performance reports, decorations, endless ceremonies, Web-based training... the list of things that make our life in the service difficult is never ending.

But no matter what, they cannot take away the fact that we don't just work for a paycheck -- we work for a purpose that is bigger than any one of us. It doesn't really matter what you do; we're all part of it. It feels good.

Over the last 20 months I have not taken nearly enough moments to stop and remember how much I enjoy this life.

So today I took a moment. I put my feet up, turned off the computer screen, and remembered what a luxury it is to have a job in which I make no connection between the work I do and the money that shows up in the bank account twice a month.

I don't really feel like I work for a living. I serve. So do you. And it is the greatest privilege of all.