One in a million

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Sean McMurray
  • Commander, 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  This past week I had the privilege to retire a senior noncommissioned officer after nearly 22 years of service. As I had done in a few prior retirement ceremonies, I tried to convey to the family members and friends that had gathered for the occasion how unique and rare the afternoon's event truly was.

At any time in the history of our nation, less than one percent of the population on average serves in the United States military. While this number may fluctuate at times, it doesn't fluctuate substantially, and it typically remains around one percent.

If less than one percent of the population serves in the military, you can imagine that the number of people that actually serve 20-plus years and earn a retirement from the military would be far less than one percent.

Add to that the fact that this individual attained the rank of a SNCO...that only makes the individual and the occasion even more unique and rare. While I don't have the scientific statistics to back my claim up, I consider this individual one-in-a-million -- as I have considered each of the SNCOs I have had the honor of retiring in my four years of squadron command.

It doesn't matter if they were production superintendents generating aircraft on the flightline or maintenance analysts crunching numbers to provide assistance in managing an aircraft fleet. It doesn't matter if they were wing-level award winners multiple times in their careers or if they were lucky to win a squadron quarterly award once in their careers.

The fact is, each of these individuals chose to do something that very few people in our country choose to do, currently or ever...they chose to dedicate themselves to the service of our Air Force and our country. And they did it for 20-plus years.

Every member of our armed forces is a "one-in-a-million". Each one is serving voluntarily in a time of war... in a time of prolonged conflict... in a time where deployments are the norm. Less than one percent of our population has the courage, the selflessness and the dedication to do what we do.

If you are a member of the active duty, reserves or guard, you are in elite company. It makes no difference if you serve four years or twenty-four. It makes no difference if you separate after six years as a staff sergeant or retire after 30 years as a general officer.

If you are serving in the military - or you have served in the past - you are one-in-a-million. Thank you for your service.