My quest to go to law school passed the first of about seven dozen major hurdles today. I feel the need to celebrate--but I didn't open the bottle of Val Verde sangiovese. That's for a much bigger celebration.
Actually, the meeting with my commander went better than I had even hoped--and I'm known for having unrealistic expectations. I was hoping for at best a grudging acceptance and a lukewarm offer of help. But I was happily surprised.
See, in order to become a JAG, I have long road.
I must be accepted by the Funded Legal Education or Extended Leave programs from the Air Force. These programs have about an 18% acceptance rate. There are numerous aspects to gaining this acceptance.
But, to gain acceptance, I must first apply.
To apply, I must first get a letter from my functional at the Air Force Personnel Center, who's name is Maj. John Armstrong.
Maj. Armstrong is not permitted to deal with me on these matters until I get a blessing from my commander, Lt. Col John Kafer.
So, today I went in to get the blessing.
As I said, I hoped for a positive outcome but had limited expectations. LtCol Kafer and I are cut from very different cloth, and I never know what to expect from him. But after just about three or four minutes of me talking, he said he was glad to help in any way he could, and even mentioned that he thought, since the AF has too many tanker pilots right now, that this was the perfect window to give it a shot. He said, talk to Maj. Armstrong, find out what he needs from you, and I'll give you whatever you need.
I gotta tell ya, it feels wonderful. Could this be the beginning of, well, the beginning? One can only hope.
2 comments:
Matthew! This is wonderful! I have to admit I didn't have much hope for your meeting, either. I'm soooo glad it turned out well. I'm sorry I probably missed you last night (when you otherwise would have told me). I was at a poetry reading at school (which went well, by the way). I don't know if Dan will get your e-mail, so the next time I speak with him, I'll try to remember to let him know. Love you!
That is truly fantastic. It's nice to be pleasantly suprised. I have always believed in your pursuits. I hope this piece of the puzzle brings you a certain measure of peace. Welcome to blogging. =)
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