Why I joined, why I am still here Published Nov. 30, 2006 By Chief Master Sgt. Ray Wolowicz 305th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. -- I can vividly remember my first flight, nearly 40 years ago, on a Boeing 747 from New York to Athens, Greece, at the impressionable age of 10. Fortunate enough to have a window seat right behind the wing, I was able to observe the flight control surface movements, and the clouds and rain as they rushed over the wing. By the time we reached Athens, my interests were peaked, and I knew I had to know more and be able to understand what enabled the huge chunk of metal to stay aloft. As the years passed and my knowledge and understanding increased, there was no doubt that a career in aviation was for me. Six years later, I had earned my private pilot's license and was attending Aviation High School in New York to study aircraft airframe and power plant mechanics. By this time, I was committed to aviation as my future vocation, but who would I work for? The answer came to me later that summer while I was again visiting friends and relatives in Greece. The adults were out on the porch playing cards, drinking wine, talking and laughing aloud. After a while, I noticed the conversation volume level decrease to a whisper, and I saw my uncle step out to the street to ensure no one was listening. The conversation had turned to politics, and they couldn't afford to have their opinions and beliefs known due to fear of reprisal from government officials or local authorities. Although I don't remember what type of government was in place, I do remember the police and military were one in the same. This was a life-changing experience for me as a resident of New York, where freedom of speech was exercised with vigor. Observing adults worried about letting their opinions on government be known helped me realize freedoms provided by the United States that I took for granted on a daily basis. It was at this point I decided to use my education to serve my country as a member of the United States Air Force. Fast forward nearly two-and-one-half decades, I'm a senior master sergeant and a single parent with numerous assignments behind me. In an effort to balance my life, I started going to open mike nights at a few comedy clubs. Within a few months, I'm getting paid to be funny. Over the next couple of years, my sons left home -- one off to college and the other joined the Army. There I was, eligible for retirement, living alone and working four different comedy clubs, getting all the bookings I wanted. Feeling pretty comfortable knowing I could generate this much comedy work without an agent, I considered retirement to focus on my comedy career. So why am I still here? One of the first influences that made me appreciate my service to our country was the comedy headliners I opened for. From comedians you've never heard of, to celebrities you've seen on national television, they all had a respect for our military services and would communicate a genuine gratitude for what we do. No matter what their political persuasion, they understood the sacrifices that allowed them the opportunity to do what they love ... without fear of reprisal. It was very healthy getting this perspective from outsiders, as their feedback helped me realize I had the best of both worlds. I get to exercise my freedom of speech on stage and be one of the many who also defend it. But this is not the only reasons I'm still here. My son, Michael, reenlisted for a second term in the Army in the fall of 2002, knowing it would result in a deployment. March 2003 found him in Iraq as a signal intelligence officer, where he would spend the next 14 months -- many times commuting between Tikrit and Baghdad to perform his duties. Before his deployment, he would always rib me about the Air Force, but he changed his tune after serving in Iraq and working closely with our Airmen. He now realizes the importance of the joint force concept and how all services play a major role in the success of any operation. Michael also learned to appreciate the importance and beauty of airlift, as the deliveries brought everyday amenities, ammunition, troops and medical supplies into the war zone, making his life there better and safer. I recently returned from my third trip to the AOR, but thousands of our brothers and sisters remain deployed today who benefit from -- and whose lives depend on -- airlift that we all generate from home station. One thing we must all realize, no matter what we do here at McGuire -- whether civilian, reservist, guardsman or active duty -- our efforts don't end at this installation. They translate across the planet and do great things for Americans in the AOR. Michael was a benefactor of airlift, and someday my youngest, Ray, who graduated Air Force basic training in the spring, will also appreciate the importance of airpower. With that said, and on behalf of myself, all the relatives, friends and loved ones of those still serving at the tip of the spear, I give you my heartfelt thanks for what you've done and continue to do on a daily basis. I'm proud and honored to still be here.