Why I Wear the Uniform: Airman Chrystal Tullis

  • Published
  • By Airman Chrystal Tullis
  • 35th Surgical Operations Squadron
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  "In WWII, Adrian Godfrey served as a radio operator for the 13th Armored Division in the Army using Morse code to communicate across the units. After coming within 15 miles of Berlin, the 13th Division was ordered south into Bavaria where they freed five concentration camps, five Stalags (prisoner of war camps) and three slave labor camps. Of D-Day Adrian wrote: 'When I think of it again I cry. D-Day: gray, dark, dismal, grim and grisly day -- a day of unsurpassed travail -- day of destiny, of agony, day that broke, who knows how many hearts. To pay the price, and buy again, that highest, greatest prize of all -- freedom.'"

My mother sent this excerpt of a biography to me in basic training. Adrian was my great grandfather. He passed away 3 years ago. His son, my grandfather, was so good with a gun he won world titles. He held a temporary spot in the shooters hall of fame. He was a Marine sniper in Vietnam and passed away when my father was 19 years old. My Aunt was in the Navy, and uncle in the Air Force. Now there's me -- an Air Force medic.

If anyone had asked me two years ago if I saw myself here today wearing sage green and blue, I would've said they were crazy. Me? In the military? No way. Until one night at home my parents came into my room and asked me a question that changed everything. They asked what I saw myself doing a year from now. I told them I wanted to travel, to go on adventures and learn new things. My dad told me it sounded so great, but then asked what my plan was. I didn't have one.

I graduated high school when I was 16 years old. I had so many dreams and plans for myself, but when I went to college, I found out the real world was a little too much for me. I dropped out and went home. I worked the same job I had through high school as a lifeguard and hung out with friends who were also stuck in our little Idaho town. My hobbies included spending all my money on everything and watching Netflix until 3 a.m. I was scared that if I ever tried to go out on my own again, I would fail and disappoint my family.

This idea that I would be okay at home was looking more and more tragic that night my parents talked to me. I started looking for ways to travel on a budget and quickly became frustrated with the results. There was no way I could travel and create a solid future for myself. I remembered my mom suggested the Air Force (and the disgusted look I gave her), and researched it online. If anything, I would just have a better argument against joining the military. Or so I thought.

By morning I was in love. I must have clicked on every single article, link and video I could find. I knew I had to join. Nobody thought I would go through with it; they all said I was too girly for the military. But at the end of the week, I was driving up to the recruiter's office wearing sparkly pink shoes and a polka dot blazer signing papers. I had never been so proud of myself. I joined the Air Force knowing I would wear camouflage and get yelled at during basic training. I ended up learning more than I ever thought I would and joined a world I am so happy to be part of.

My grandfathers were so brave and ready to fight for what we have today. They both had families and lives of their own back home but they still made that sacrifice. I never thought of what they did as being so amazing. I look back now and it brings tears to my eyes to only imagine the things they saw, how my great grandfather felt when he set those prisoners free, and the happiness they must have felt coming home. If I had any sort of chance to go back to the past, I would choose to listen to their stories and thank them. Even though my grandfathers are not with me, they inspire me to be brave and do my best. Today, if asked if I would change anything about where I'm standing, my answer would be: No.