WEBVTT 00:03.380 --> 00:05.650 - We were actually out on the drill pad 00:05.650 --> 00:07.410 with my Military Training Instructor. 00:07.410 --> 00:09.710 He was teaching us a right flank. 00:09.710 --> 00:11.637 His motivation was, "Hey this right flank 00:11.637 --> 00:13.967 "is gonna set you up to march on the bomb run 00:13.967 --> 00:16.980 "in front of your friends and family and become an Airman." 00:16.980 --> 00:18.707 He followed it up with saying, "You know your only 00:18.707 --> 00:20.442 "gonna be able to do this one time in your life 00:20.442 --> 00:22.687 "unless you come back down here 00:22.687 --> 00:24.940 "to be a Military Training Instructor." 00:24.940 --> 00:26.890 And no kidding, at that time when he said that, 00:26.890 --> 00:28.020 I immediately thought in my mind, 00:28.020 --> 00:30.637 I was like "Alright, done. I wanna do it." 00:32.750 --> 00:34.540 When I got back to my home unit, 00:34.540 --> 00:35.697 one of the first questions I asked was, 00:35.697 --> 00:38.010 "Hey, I really wanna be an MTI. How do I do that?" 00:38.010 --> 00:41.920 I was told, "Nope, you can't. Not even an option." 00:41.920 --> 00:44.370 So kind of crushed that bucket list for a second. 00:46.120 --> 00:49.780 There was really no backing as to why it wasn't an option, 00:49.780 --> 00:52.793 it was just something that wasn't happening. 00:54.740 --> 00:57.623 So Guardsmen to become an MTI, not common at all. 00:59.660 --> 01:00.800 That it's so uncommon 01:00.800 --> 01:04.800 because it's not very well broadcast, in my opinion. 01:04.800 --> 01:08.960 We do talk a lot about this total force mentality, 01:08.960 --> 01:11.750 that has become so important in everyday life. 01:11.750 --> 01:12.910 As an Airman in general, 01:12.910 --> 01:15.020 I don't care if your active-duty guard or reserve, 01:15.020 --> 01:17.853 that total force mentality is key. 01:20.200 --> 01:23.960 I actually went to enlisted leadership symposium. 01:23.960 --> 01:27.070 They actually brought up special-duty assignments. 01:27.070 --> 01:29.800 They actually threw out Military Training Instructor. 01:29.800 --> 01:31.490 And so that door was just open, 01:31.490 --> 01:33.290 I didn't know when it had opened, 01:33.290 --> 01:35.193 I didn't know why and I didn't care. 01:36.720 --> 01:39.310 As soon as I put on Tactical Sergeant, 01:39.310 --> 01:42.577 I actually submitted my packet to become 01:42.577 --> 01:44.333 Military Training Instructor. 01:45.820 --> 01:49.100 Always wanted to do it and now I'm here. 01:49.100 --> 01:50.784 Let's go! Get out of this-- 01:50.784 --> 01:53.630 (soldiers yelling) 01:53.630 --> 01:55.330 One of four Air National Guardsmen 01:55.330 --> 01:56.981 has a Military Training Instructor. 01:56.981 --> 01:58.950 - Yeah, you gonna try and push it back into place? 01:58.950 --> 02:00.440 - This honestly is probably one of the 02:00.440 --> 02:02.360 very, very best experiences I've ever had, 02:02.360 --> 02:04.483 in not only my career, but my life. 02:05.380 --> 02:07.140 And I absolutely love being able to 02:07.140 --> 02:09.270 effect the lives of those that come into to my flights, 02:09.270 --> 02:11.583 And those that I had the opportunity to interact with. 02:13.520 --> 02:17.253 The leadership experiences that are gained are priceless. 02:18.984 --> 02:19.817 Left. Right. 02:19.817 --> 02:21.950 Dress to the left. Dress to the left. 02:21.950 --> 02:23.390 And to take all the knowledge 02:23.390 --> 02:24.887 and everything that I learned here 02:24.887 --> 02:27.210 and take that back to the Utah National Guard. 02:27.210 --> 02:28.620 And not just the Utah National Guard, 02:28.620 --> 02:30.350 but the Air National Guard as a whole. 02:30.350 --> 02:32.250 Well that's kinda my hope in the long run, 02:32.250 --> 02:34.868 is to just bring everything full circle 02:34.868 --> 02:38.243 and make it better for the next generation.