WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:01.767 - [Interviewer] Please state your full name, 00:01.767 --> 00:03.303 rank and spell it for us. 00:03.303 --> 00:07.470 - Major Jodi Grayson, J-O-D-I G-R-A-Y-S-O-N. 00:08.535 --> 00:09.759 - [Interviewer] And who do you belong to? 00:09.759 --> 00:12.704 - I belong to the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth, Minnesota, 00:12.704 --> 00:16.618 currently stationed at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, 00:16.618 --> 00:18.201 Al Dhafra Air Base. 00:18.919 --> 00:21.135 - [Interviewer] So Major Grayson, when did you join 00:21.135 --> 00:22.967 and how long have you served? 00:22.967 --> 00:26.384 - I've been in the military for 22 years, 00:27.090 --> 00:29.840 and it's been 22 fantastic years. 00:29.912 --> 00:32.247 I've been able to do some amazing things 00:32.247 --> 00:36.151 throughout that time, travel to a lot of incredible places 00:36.151 --> 00:39.159 and meet some absolutely fantastic people 00:39.159 --> 00:41.816 that I've had the pleasure to work with 00:41.816 --> 00:44.483 and continue to remain close to. 00:44.983 --> 00:48.191 So, during those 22 years I've just had some 00:48.191 --> 00:49.983 incredible opportunities to go to places 00:49.983 --> 00:52.079 that I never even existed. 00:52.079 --> 00:54.743 And so that's been one of the greatest things 00:54.743 --> 00:56.743 about being in the military. 00:56.743 --> 00:58.143 And then when I get home, 00:58.143 --> 01:00.744 I'm lucky enough to be able to share those stories 01:00.744 --> 01:02.911 with my kids and my family 01:03.063 --> 01:05.567 so they can have an idea of what I'm doing. 01:05.567 --> 01:08.175 Now, I usually being them home some sort of trinket 01:08.175 --> 01:09.783 or toy to help go along with it 01:09.783 --> 01:12.200 so they absolutely love that. 01:12.435 --> 01:15.844 I know that my kids listen to the stories that I tell 01:15.844 --> 01:18.205 about what I do and they understand 01:18.205 --> 01:19.812 why I go and do what I do, 01:19.812 --> 01:21.853 because I hear them talking to other people 01:21.853 --> 01:24.156 about the cool things that mom gets to do, 01:24.156 --> 01:26.844 and that makes me feel really good. 01:26.844 --> 01:28.827 It's been an amazing ride. 01:28.827 --> 01:31.477 I don't intend to leave anytime soon, 01:31.477 --> 01:33.092 leave the military anytime soon. 01:33.092 --> 01:36.059 I'll stay as long as they'll let me. 01:36.059 --> 01:37.748 I'm just so honored and grateful 01:37.748 --> 01:40.027 that I've had such wonderful opportunities 01:40.027 --> 01:41.944 throughout those years. 01:43.180 --> 01:44.270 - [Interviewer] I think you've answered this already, 01:44.270 --> 01:46.628 but I'm gonna ask you again in a different way. 01:46.628 --> 01:48.572 In what capacity have you served 01:48.572 --> 01:52.071 and where have your deployments taken you? 01:52.071 --> 01:54.165 - I've done so many different things throughout 01:54.165 --> 01:57.082 the 22 years of my military career. 01:57.410 --> 01:59.706 From where I started to where I am, 01:59.706 --> 02:02.150 I think I'm a completely different person. 02:02.150 --> 02:05.150 I think I joined for certain reasons 02:05.257 --> 02:07.167 and I stay in for certain reasons. 02:07.167 --> 02:10.074 All of those reasons are service to country 02:10.074 --> 02:11.084 and service before self, 02:11.084 --> 02:13.951 but that's certainly changed throughout the years. 02:13.951 --> 02:15.868 But when I started out, 02:16.176 --> 02:18.383 I didn't know what the military would do 02:18.383 --> 02:19.889 or where it would take me. 02:19.889 --> 02:23.192 And I've been able to go to some amazing places, 02:23.192 --> 02:24.767 some fantastic places. 02:24.767 --> 02:27.600 Italy, Germany, England, Bulgaria, 02:28.903 --> 02:29.943 and here at this place. 02:29.943 --> 02:32.343 This is amazing and I'm so grateful 02:32.343 --> 02:35.055 to have this opportunity to be here. 02:35.055 --> 02:37.498 And of course, just I've learned so much 02:37.498 --> 02:39.311 at all those different deployments 02:39.311 --> 02:41.759 and different locations doing the different jobs. 02:41.759 --> 02:43.439 And right now I have the opportunity, 02:43.439 --> 02:45.982 in my job as the chief of public affairs 02:45.982 --> 02:47.668 to actually tell the stories 02:47.668 --> 02:49.767 of the men and women that are currently serving 02:49.767 --> 02:51.312 in our armed forces. 02:51.312 --> 02:54.639 So, it's great to work with such a wonderful team 02:54.639 --> 02:57.791 and be able to show the world what we're doing here 02:57.791 --> 03:00.624 and what the airmen are doing here 03:00.735 --> 03:04.375 so that everybody back home can see what they're doing. 03:04.375 --> 03:06.299 And it's just nice to be part of the team 03:06.299 --> 03:08.881 that sends out that message and I feel very grateful 03:08.881 --> 03:11.964 that that's what I'm able to do here. 03:17.498 --> 03:18.734 - [Interviewer] So, what feelings come to mind 03:18.734 --> 03:21.503 when you think about the loved ones you leave behind 03:21.503 --> 03:22.527 during a deployment? 03:22.527 --> 03:25.698 - This one's a tough one because this is the longest 03:25.698 --> 03:27.948 that I will have been gone. 03:28.207 --> 03:31.175 I will be gone six months on this deployment, 03:31.175 --> 03:34.987 and I'm going to miss a lot of events and holidays 03:34.987 --> 03:36.154 and birthdays. 03:37.002 --> 03:40.169 The other deployments weren't as long. 03:40.200 --> 03:42.768 Being gone a couple weeks, being gone a couple of days, 03:42.768 --> 03:45.267 the kids understand that I have to go 03:45.267 --> 03:46.823 and my job takes me away. 03:46.823 --> 03:49.303 And I'll miss a game or two here and there. 03:49.303 --> 03:51.527 I might miss a birthday here and there. 03:51.527 --> 03:53.951 But, to miss a whole entire hockey season, 03:53.951 --> 03:57.183 to miss all the holidays, to miss birthdays, 03:57.183 --> 04:00.999 that'll be tough for me and that'll be tough for the kids. 04:00.999 --> 04:03.953 But, luckily we're able to keep in touch 04:03.953 --> 04:05.957 and people send me photos 04:05.957 --> 04:08.373 and the technology is incredible 04:08.373 --> 04:10.456 so I feel like I'm there. 04:10.789 --> 04:14.706 I hope that they understand why I have to miss. 04:14.877 --> 04:17.231 I'm grateful that friends and family 04:17.231 --> 04:20.064 are taking care of my kids for me. 04:20.125 --> 04:21.733 They're telling me how great they're doing. 04:21.733 --> 04:24.485 They take pictures and send it to me. 04:24.485 --> 04:26.053 So, without the love and support 04:26.053 --> 04:28.720 of all of my friends and family, 04:29.101 --> 04:30.726 this would be much more difficult 04:30.726 --> 04:31.643 than it is. 04:32.151 --> 04:35.101 Because of that, I'm able to be here and do what I do 04:35.101 --> 04:37.599 and I'm very grateful for that 04:37.599 --> 04:39.789 and I can't wait to get home 04:39.789 --> 04:42.053 and actually be with my kids again. 04:42.053 --> 04:44.053 And it's gonna be great. 04:46.485 --> 04:47.886 - [Interviewer] Let me ask you this. 04:47.886 --> 04:51.485 What do you hope that your son learns about your service? 04:51.485 --> 04:53.652 - I think that ultimately, 04:54.173 --> 04:56.805 because of all of these deployments 04:56.805 --> 04:58.205 and being in the military, 04:58.205 --> 05:02.372 I hope that Talon will understand what it means to serve. 05:02.459 --> 05:04.532 And learn it in his own way. 05:04.532 --> 05:06.956 He understands mom goes to work. 05:06.956 --> 05:08.123 Mom goes away. 05:08.291 --> 05:10.787 He doesn't understand what mom does. 05:10.787 --> 05:14.954 And I think that he really has pride in what I do. 05:15.426 --> 05:17.363 He tells me, he thanks me. 05:17.363 --> 05:19.696 I'm so appreciative of that. 05:20.208 --> 05:22.875 And he never gets upset or angry 05:23.507 --> 05:24.963 that I'm not there. 05:24.963 --> 05:26.170 So I think he understands 05:26.170 --> 05:28.011 that being part of the military 05:28.011 --> 05:32.171 is being part of something that's bigger than yourself. 05:32.171 --> 05:35.338 Being part of a team, an amazing team. 05:35.595 --> 05:38.931 Committing to something that's bigger and better 05:38.931 --> 05:41.531 than anything you could ever be part of. 05:41.531 --> 05:43.489 And I guess you can only know that 05:43.489 --> 05:45.155 by experiencing that, 05:45.155 --> 05:47.171 but I think he sees that. 05:47.171 --> 05:49.754 And I think that he understands 05:50.355 --> 05:51.855 what service means 05:51.922 --> 05:55.505 and he stands up proud when he sees a flag, 05:55.995 --> 05:57.515 when he hears the national anthem. 05:57.515 --> 05:58.432 He gets it. 05:59.822 --> 06:03.475 And he smiles, and it brings joy to my heart 06:03.475 --> 06:07.123 to actually see that patriotism and pride in him 06:07.123 --> 06:09.456 already at such a young age. 06:09.547 --> 06:12.880 And I just hope that he understands that 06:13.627 --> 06:16.100 being part of the military is just, 06:16.100 --> 06:19.747 it's something so amazing and something so awesome 06:19.747 --> 06:22.915 and the commitment that's there is just 06:22.915 --> 06:27.082 far beyond anything I've ever had to ever experience before. 06:27.539 --> 06:29.086 - [Interviewer] Absolutely. 06:29.086 --> 06:30.523 So is there anything I didn't ask, 06:30.523 --> 06:32.307 anything else that you want to say? 06:32.307 --> 06:34.723 - I definitely want to say thanks to all my 06:34.723 --> 06:38.890 friends and family that are back home in Minnesota 06:39.291 --> 06:41.072 helping out with my kids. 06:41.072 --> 06:43.612 Getting them to all their games, all their events, 06:43.612 --> 06:45.029 all their school. 06:45.187 --> 06:46.595 It's tough when mom's gone 06:46.595 --> 06:49.762 and can't help out with all the driving 06:49.762 --> 06:52.028 and the lunches and the dinners 06:52.028 --> 06:54.331 and stuff that I normally do. 06:54.331 --> 06:56.914 So, I'm sure that the boys have 06:57.704 --> 06:58.691 different meals, 06:58.691 --> 07:02.411 and they have different cars taking them to places, 07:02.411 --> 07:04.578 and they've adjusted well. 07:04.612 --> 07:07.979 And without that support of all the friends and family 07:07.979 --> 07:09.299 it would be really difficult, 07:09.299 --> 07:12.086 and it would make being here challenging. 07:12.086 --> 07:13.169 But it's not. 07:13.515 --> 07:17.682 And I'm grateful to all of them, each and every day.