I left the Air Force ROTC because internal threats to America’s freedom are far greater than external threats. I can contribute more to America’s freedom by being a liberty maven/missionary than I ever could have as a fighter pilot.
Why I joined in the first place:
I joined BYU’s Air Force ROTC in 2005 with high hopes of fulfilling 3 dreams (in order of priority):
- Protect the liberties that make America great.
- Show my appreciation for the founding fathers and everyone else who helped make America great.
- Fly jets.
It wasn’t what I expected:
Within a year, I knew there were better ways to fulfill goals 1 and 2. The Air Force places high focus on leadership, camaraderie, and discipline; but liberty is rarely discussed and never defined. The general attitude I observed had more to do with “spreading democracy.” No one seemed particularly interested in justifying the war we had just embarked on—questioning it was certainly outside the social norm.
My big dilemma:
Despite all this, I couldn’t leave. I had a great shot at landing a pilot slot. The slots are not determined until your third year so I still had a long way to go, but in my second year I was doing very well in many of the categories by which pilot candidates are judged:
- High test scores and grades.
- No medical issues.
- Perfect vision.
- Perfect physical fitness test scores.
I had quite an internal battle knowing that the Air Force wasn’t the place for me to fulfill my main goals; but if I left, the window of opportunity to fly would slam shut. It wasn’t until my backseat flight in an F16 that I was able to walk away with some closure. I’ve never regretted it.
Going Forward:
I see the internal fight for America’s freedom being fought on 2 fronts:
- Education/general awarness.
- Legislative/political.
I love teaching but I hate politics. I am working to become an influential writer/speaker/teacher (I know, I have a long way to go). Hopefully this blog is helping me refine my skills, network with others like me, and maybe even convince those within my circle of influence to stand by principles of liberty.
Speaking of which, stay tuned for the 5 principles of liberty, Benton style.
I really enjoy your blog. Your posts on liberty are very thought provoking and easy for me understand. Thanks!
@Amy,
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoy it. Let me know if you have any suggestions.
Answer me this: I hear economists on TV talking about people not buying as many things which is part of the problem in our recession. Then I hear other people talking about people not saving enough. Which is it? Or a little bit of both? Or is that just the dumbest question you’ve ever heard?
If you could also explain to me how Obama is going to cut the national debt in half that would be great too.
Thanks for being so smart!
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