Matt Lewis
Leadership Qualities Derived from Service in the Armed Forces
First I would like to thank you for the opportunity to compete for this scholarship and also for the opportunity to share with you my reasons for wanting to serve my country as I further my education. A freshman history major at the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks, North Dakota, I am also a first year cadet in the Air Force ROTC Program, Detachment 610.
I have wanted to fly for a very long time. I have been fascinated with airplanes of any kind and the power of flight. For my senior English class in high school I memorized the poem, "High Flight" by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. on my own because it so appealed to me. I was singularly pleased when it was assigned as part of my Air Force ROTC knowledge this past year. My family has jokingly attributed this desire to fly as a gift from my maternal grandfather who served as a fighter pilot in the Army Air Corps in World War II. Even though he passed away long before I was born, the two of us share many personality traits, not the least of which is to take to the skies any chance we can. The desire to fly specifically for the Air Force became much more focused in my junior year of high school when I decided that I wanted to serve my country in a special way. The Air Force could give me the chance to fly and be an asset to the country I love so much.
I decided that I could truly make a difference in my world by leading and protecting those who serve my country. The greatest benefit of serving my country is that I will know that I am truly making a difference. For me, one of the benefits of serving my country in the Air Force would be to stand for something larger than myself. In the Armed Services men and women are asked to put their beliefs in freedom and justice, as well as their lives, on the line each day we serve. This great country has something that people the world over are starving for the freedom to make their own destinies and to live out their lives in liberty. They want what we have--liberty to choose who governs them, the liberty to speak their minds whether it is in agreement with government policies or not, and the liberty to make a difference in their own lives and those around them-this would be what I would want to be the benefits for others in the areas in which I would be asked to serve.
I have been told most of my life that I am a born leader, but I feel that I have grown as a man and as a leader this past year while serving in AFROTC at the University of North Dakota. I have learned how to lead a group of people whom I do not know well; I also have learned that to be able to really lead you must learn how to follow. As the leader, one must provide an example of the best that can be done. The man who leads must be willing to ask more of himself than he asks of anyone else; he must also remain true to his own core beliefs as he does his job. One must follow the example of those in charge and show respect for them, as well as for yourself and for those whom you lead. A leader must be able to listen and process information so that orders will be followed out and missions accomplished correctly and efficiently. A true leader looks to the well-being of those who serve under him; he is also aware that he must ultimately be willing to take the mantle of command on himself and accept the burdens which go with that leadership role. Serving with compassion and understanding, I have learned that I must be willing to lead, regardless of whether those who follow understand and accept my decisions. It is for me to take on the final responsibility and shoulder that task without complaint or shirking my duty. To stand tall for what you believe in, take the chance to make a difference, and to always give your all are major principles that I have been trained in and taken to heart this past year. It is my belief that those core values will help me in my service to my country and beyond.
It is my hope that I would be able to contribute these strong core values to the men and women with whom I would serve in the Air Force. It would be my expectation that I would work my hardest and give my all for my country that I love so much and for the branch of the Armed Forces that I have chosen. I would be willing to lead, to take charge, and to go that extra mile to make that difference for the service, for my country, and for the country in which I was serving. I would look forward to achieving my goal of becoming a fighter pilot for the United States Air Force, the best of the best, and to giving the best I have every single day. I believe that given that chance, I can serve in such a way that as a result of my service this world will be a better, freer place.
It is my goal to become a career officer in the Air Force after graduating from the University of North Dakota. The leadership qualities that I have been taught this past year and those that will be part of my education for the next three years will be invaluable as I take my place in the Air Force. I have discovered that if a seemingly impossible task is placed before me, with planning, drive, and gumption I can persevere and achieve the objective. This drive and "stick-to-itiveness" served me well this past year as I learned to weave my educational life's demands and my ROTC time constraints together. Wanting to excel in both areas and give each my all, I asked more of myself than I originally thought I could do and found myself in a leadership role for the other cadets due to my style of encouragement and example. I earned my place within the detachment, and am proud to say, that as a result of my encouragement and example, several other cadets, who had planned on dropping out, also have chosen to remain. I was recognized at the annual Awards Banquet for my academic excellence, leadership, helpful attitude, and willingness to serve my fellow cadets. To serve where needed, to take the extra opportunity and go the extra mile, to accept the additional burden of command, and be willing to stand up for what you believe in will help me to succeed and thrive in my educational life. Even more importantly, these values will assist me to achieve my planned goals in my military career and mold me into the type of man I desire to be. Thank you so much for the opportunity to share my thoughts and goals for my career and life.
