I was only nine years old, but I can almost still feel the biting cold and excitement in the thin air as I sit in the stands of the Rocky Mountains. The rivalry between the two Service Academies was at an all-time high as the coveted Commander-in-Chief's trophy was still up for grabs. While the battle that ensued on the field between the two enemies was formidable, it was the battle over what to do with my life that had the most consequences. The outcome of the match is now forgotten, but the impression of the young soldiers leaving would be forever etched in my mind. Despite my young age, I knew that I would answer the call to join these young men and women and that the values ​​that had been instilled in me would allow me to join them. During this game, I concluded that the values ​​my parents taught me would play a vital role in my development as an officer, lead me to valuable experiences, and fulfill the Air Force's mission while supporting our joint services. Growing up, my parents made it abundantly clear the importance of the values ​​of service, education, and leadership. Through his example as a firefighter, my father instilled in me the importance of duty and service to others. My mother, a preschool teacher, taught that education was the cornerstone of success. Together, they were actively involved in the school activities my sister and I participated in, often as presidents of the Parent Teacher Association, demonstrating the need for leadership organizations. These values, secretly manifested throughout my life, made me want to surround myself with like-minded people and I knew I could do that if I answered the call of the young cadets during that cold November football game. While in high school, I... ... middle of paper ...... difficult tactical flying available to be the most rewarding and at the same time most important experience I have achieved to date. As an impressionable child sitting in the frozen stands of a soccer game high in the mountains, I began in my presence the dream of joining the ranks of young cadets. I easily identified with the values ​​exemplified by these cadets and knew the standards I would have to meet to become one of them. As I progressed in life, my parents positively influenced me through the values ​​of service, education, and leadership to achieve my goal of becoming a cadet and later an officer in the Air Force. As an officer, I accepted the challenge of becoming a pilot, allowing me to accomplish the Army's global mission by precisely placing crucial supplies to forward operating bases throughout Afghanistan.