My name is Faith Odom, and this is my story

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Faith Odom
  • 71st Medical Support Squadron
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Growing up, my uncle was always my best friend. I looked up to him. He was my role model. After time, he passed. It was a very difficult time in my life.

When I got to high school and had to start thinking about my future, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do with my life. I've always wanted to go into law enforcement, but instead of going to college to get my degree, I decided to follow in my uncle's footsteps and joined the military.

I also wasn't the best student in high school, or the best behaved. I needed to better myself. My whole life, I was told I would never amount to anything. I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself. Joining the world's greatest Air Force has been then best decision I've ever made.

The Air Force has taught me so much: discipline, respect to appreciate the little things in life.

I wake up every morning proud to put the uniform on. And that uniform is both of my family names. One of course is Odom, my family back home who I love unconditionally and mean everything to me. The other is Air Force, the family who I am proud to serve our country with. The family I would never leave behind, and the family that in a time of war, I would take a bullet for. When I signed the dotted line, and raised my right hand, I didn't do it for me. I did it for all of you. I did it for this country, to make it an even better place.

I may just be a 4A0 working in the clinic. I may find myself asking what I have to do with the mission. As for the Air Force's mission, which is to fly, fight and win, my job is to be an Airman first.

I'm always ready to fight for this country and for my brothers and sisters in arms. As for the mission here at Vance Air Force Base, "Develop professional Airmen, deliver world-class U.S. and allied pilots, and deploy combat ready warriors," those Airmen, pilots, and warriors could be delivered without me. They have to be healthy, well and fit to deploy, and without help from me, they couldn't even be seen by a doctor. So although it may seem at times that my job isn't all that important it is. And, I couldn't be happier to be part of the 71st Medical Group. They are all a great team.