A New Appreciation

Ok, so the newness of blogging has just set in, and I get super excited as I continually edit and learn the ins and outs of my new hobby. I just received an email about my Silver Wings meeting tonight, and it hit me. This will be my last Silver Wings meeting ever. Silver Wings is an auxiliary group that works to support Air Force ROTC, Auburn University, and the surrounding community. Thinking back over my two and a half years of membership in Silver Wings made me realize a life lesson I learned while at Auburn. Prior to attending Auburn, I did not have much knowledge about the United States military. As I prepare for graduation, I am forever grateful for the appreciation I gained for those that serve our nation and their families.

Growing up in Eufaula, we were not a community with a large military presence. Although we have a National Guard unit in town, the closest military base was at least 45 minutes away. I always enjoyed seeing men in uniforms simply because they were men in uniforms!!!! I did not fully understand the commitment and sacrifice that came along with that uniform.

My introduction to the way of military came when I moved to Auburn my freshman year. Having taken part in random roommate matching, I only knew the name of one of my future roommates- Heather Friedrich. Little did I know, Heather Friedrich would become one of my very best friends. Also, it was from Heather that I first received insight about the United States military. Heather's dad served our country in the Army, and her brother went through the Naval ROTC program at Auburn. Chris is currently serving our country overseas. Listening to Heather tell stories about growing up as a military brat made me realize that it's not just the soldier that makes a sacrifice, it is their family as well. The way of life did not seem unusual to Heather- moving around, months apart from her Dad- however, the whole idea was completely foreign to me.

At Auburn, I joined Alpha Chi Omega, and I became friends with Katie Arnold. Katie served as president of Silver Wings during our sophomore year. It was her influence that encouraged me to join the organization. Katie, like Heather, grew up a military brat. Her dad served in the Air Force, which was Katie's connection to Silver Wings. Also, her sister completed the Air Force ROTC program at Auburn.

Of all the organizations with which I have worked on campus, Silver Wings has to be one of my favorites. It gave me the opportunity to work directly with the men and women who make the sacrifices so that our country can remain the land of the free and the home of the brave. Silver Wings assisted in teaching me the amount of dedication, determination, and sacrifice a man or woman must make to serve our nation. As I leave, Auburn, one of the most important lessons I will carry with me is my enormous appreciation for our military and our military families.