Uncommon: A Black Man's Journey

My first assignment, often had myself and another airman supervising airmen 2 - 3 grades above ourselves. Was tasked to train a sergeant to head our department since a sergeant was minimum pay grade to do so. After 10 months received orders for Thailand. While there, was recognized as "Airman of the Month," and then selected to represent the base as "Airman of the Year," at a competition held in the Philippines. Was unable to compete as I received orders to attend the Air Force Academy Prep School.

Unbeknownst to me, the 1st sergeant at my first assignment submitted my name because of my entrance scores for the Air Force. After a year with the Prep School, I entered the Air Force Academy. It wasn't long after arriving at the Academy that I submitted my resignation. Normally, when a cadet submits a resignation, they see a colonel and are processed out that same week. Not so with me. I saw the Commandant of Cadets, a general. He rejected my resignation (I found out later - only the second time in the Academy's history) but gave me 45 days to reconsider. At the end of 45 days, I saw the general again and he signed the papers. I had nine months remaining of my enlistment term so I was given orders to report to an Air Force base in New Jersey. Once again, I took over a department that was previously ran by a sergeant three paygrades above me. This went so well that the squadron commander asked if he could send me to Officer Candidate School (OCS). Once again, I turned down an opportunity, as an enlisted person, to become an officer. This also was "uncommon" for an enlisted person to be offered to become an officer on two separate occasions.