In this essay I will discuss how my life led me to a career in the United States Air Force, outline my most notable experiences while serving, and describe my contribution to the Air Force's greatest mission. My personal history in the Air Force began with a strong family tradition of military service. My great uncle, who I never met, served as an infantryman in World War I. My grandfather served in the Navy as a flight instructor during World War II, training pilots who would go on to win the war against Japan in the Pacific. My father served as a Huey helicopter crew chief and machine gunner in the Army during the Vietnam War. After the war, he completed the remainder of his 20-year career in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, flying medical evacuation missions in the Huey. My uncle also served in the Army during Vietnam. With such strong examples of service set by men I respected, I decided early in my life that I, too, wanted to serve in my nation's armed forces. The only question was how. As a child I attended a local air show with my father and was impressed by the planes and the idea of ​​one day becoming a pilot. The idea of ​​joining the Air Force, which would give me the opportunity to serve in the military and at the same time follow my dream of flying airplanes, suited me perfectly. The prospect of a free college education made the idea even better! Throughout high school I dedicated my efforts inside and outside of school to achieve this goal. My research paid off with nomination to the U.S. Air Force Academy's Class of 2004. After four challenging years at the Academy and a year of undergraduate pilot training, I finally achieved my dream of becoming an Air Force pilot. I was assigned to Vance AFB, Oklahoma, as an... intermediary... for the success of American foreign policy. I'm proud to be part of it. Likewise, our squadron's nuclear airlift mission allows the Air Force to support U.S. strategic weapons policy by providing transportation of the most sensitive cargo. Moving nuclear weapons, which could destroy entire cities if they fell into the wrong hands, is an enormous responsibility. Our confident execution of that mission allows arms reduction treaties, such as the one signed between the United States and Russia in April 2010, to be effective instruments of American national policy. In this essay I explained how my background and values ​​led me to a career in the United States Air Force, my most important experiences while serving, and how my work allows me to contribute to the larger mission of the aeronautics. I look forward to continuing my career in the world's largest Air Force.