Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC) November 15 - January 23
Survive, Evade, Resist, Escape - Level C (SERE-C) February 6 - February 24 Initial Entry Rotary-Wing (IERW) April 5 - September 10
And then... sometime before September 10, I'll be choosing one of the following advanced airframes. It'll probably be mid-2013 by the time I get out of Rucker. AH-64D Apache Longbow C-12 Huron CH-47F Chinook OH-58D Kiowa Warrior UH-60M Black Hawk UH-72 Lakota
^ Col. Tower in a dance off against the CIA agent (and me in the background) ^
So I had the awkward experience today of being called a hero. I am no hero, I am Zack. More specifically, I am an officer in training; I'm a cadet, not an actively serving member of the armed forces yet. Despite telling people this, people do what they do best: not care about the facts.
I have the option of taking the Metra to Chicago, then hopping the CTA to IIT for Air Force ROTC, but I usually don't. I end up commuting by car from NIU. Today I rode the Metra to the city in full uniform - necessary, but unfortunate. In a train car of 50-some people, I was easily thanked by half of them for serving. Despite explaining I was in ROTC, people seemed to think I've been to Afghanistan. White people fail me.
Upon arriving at the Ogilvie Transportation Center, the Metra conductor thanked me for my service. I quickly explained I was in a commissioning program and not yet an officer, but he didn't care. He also asked if I was in the Navy... strange, since he used to be in the Marine Corps, he of all people should know what the Navy service dress looks like. As soon as I got off the train, the old man doing crossword puzzles next to me shook my hand and thanked me for choosing to serve. He started telling me about his experiences in the Korean was as an Army engineer. In doing so, some Asian chick with snake bites gave me her phone number on a napkin... what? As soon as the Korean war vet & I reached the revolving doors, he insisted on me going ahead of him, because "it's your time." Upon shaking my hand one last time, he said he didn't want me to waste any more of his time because he's paying for my salary. Um, NO HE'S NOT. I told him I'm training to become an officer.
Anyway. I proceeded to be thanked for my service by dozens more people, many of whom were prior service (Army Special Forces, Navy sea bees, etc.). I felt smothered. It's great to see so many patriotic Americans in Chicago, but it felt weird since I know there's so many sacrificing for their country overseas while I'm some civilian with no real world military experience. I feel like I owe U.S.O. more of my money now. ;)
