The Importance of Literacy

Growing up, I wasn't the kid that got excited about getting anything that had to do with reading as a gift. I liked things that kept me moving or things that kept me quiet and controlled for long periods of time. Some of these items include video games, toys, movies, music, guns, motorized vehicles, and other things of this nature. I always saw things like books as a way of learning and not as something I wanted to take advantage of in my free time. Therefore, I believed that what I perceived as learning should be kept for the eight hours a day and five days a week I spent at school and not for my "extra time." My extra time consisting of the other sixteen hours I wasn't in school. Every day when I got home from school I yearned to go outside and play with my friends or hit the video games as soon as possible. It was the beginning of my pro life as a procrastinator. I was only ever looking forward to the next best thing. All through grade school I read to get by, just like most of my peers, and I didn't realize the negative impact I was creating for myself. But when I graduated from high school I knew I wanted to fly, so I joined the Air Force and now studying technical manuals for the C130 is the most important part of my job. I realized that I needed reading for so much more than just getting by to the next test or the next grade; I needed it so that I could perform a task that keeps people alive. And from there it progressed; I decided to go to college not just to get a degree, but to get a higher knowledge of how the world works. However, it took me eighteen years to realize that reading is an important and pertinent skill to surviving and excelling in the modern world.  Because of this I believe literacy is the basis for all knowledge and should always be key topic of discussion among political debates.  Children would be more likely to succeed in society if they had a higher knowledge and understanding of literacy and its basis.

The Journey

It all started on a bright day in June.  I was headed to the Air National Guard Base in Charlotte to beging outprocessing with my unit.  Feelings on confidence and happiness ran over me when I learned what time my plane would be taking of.  I gave my final hugs and told my family and friends goodbye.  Walked with my dad out to the car and we drove to Charlotte Douglas International Airport.  We said goodbye and he wished me luck, and I got out of the car and headed inside.  The bustle of what seemed like a never ending amount of people had me overwhelmed.  I checked my bags, grabbed my ticket and headed for my terminal.  I recognized three people at my terminal.  Two were girls and one was tall indian man that I knew by the name of Sakya, Sakya Sengupta.  An odd looking man with gunmetal glasses, a white t-shirt tucked in behind his leather belt.  We greeted each other, shook hands and began our walked down the long tunnel headed to our plane. We said hello to the Pilot as we walked on and took our seats only moments later.  At this point I'm not quite certain I was prepared for what might be the most important thing that has ever happened to me.  We chated for a while and finally heard a soft muffled voice come over the speakers telling us to fasten our seat belts and turn off all electrical devices.  We cooperated and before too long we were on our way to a place that only a select few of the countries population had ever been.  When we landed we stood up grabbed our bags and headed for the exit.  All four of us knew exactly where to go, I could practically taste my heart beating in my throat.  We were very anxious, scared even.  I could feel my toes beginning to go numb as I headed for my destination.  As I looked at the other three, I could sence that they too were feeling as though this was their last chance to turn back.  We took the last echoing corridor that led to a desk.  At the desk sat a small woman and a stalky man with a circular hat and uniform.  He glared at us, and told us to take a seat at what looked like pews from a church.  We sat for almost two hours on the hard and uncomfortable pew.  Then suddenly he motioned for us to grab our bags and follow him.  We walked out a door that lead to a bus, boarded, and sat down.  The bus cranked up and started to roll.  We drove for almost thirty miles, I fell asleep against the warm vibrating window.  When I woke up we had stopped.  It was dark outside now, roughly midnight and I could only see one thing outside the bus.  A man walking hurridly towards the bus.  The driver opened the door and the man stepped on.  He began to yell, every word that came out of his mouth seemed like it was earshattering and then I knew, I had just begun eight and a half weeks of hell, Air Force Basic Training, San Antonio, TX.

The Question

I've lived in Concord almost my entire life.  I have been all over the country; however I still feel that North Carolina is my home.  I am currently enlisted into the North Carolina Air National Guard as a C130 Loadmaster.  A C130 is a large cargo airplane that can deliver over 42000 lbs of cargo to any destination around the world, no matter how remote the location.  As a Loadmaster, I load and secure cargo onto the airplane and fly with that cargo to its destination.  I also setup loads for airdrop so that it may reach its destination without having to land the airplane.  The job requires rigorous training, but is also one of the most beneficial in the military.  I couldn't ask for a better part time job than this.  I have worked for the Air Force for almost two years now and am ready to dedicate a life of service to the United States Military.  My hope is to be an A10 pilot as soon as I finish my Bachelors in Philosophy.  My favorite book is The Lost Symbol, written by Dan Brown, the astute author that wrote The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons.  Most of his books require deep thought and intellect and always leave you wondering, why?  Up until recently I’ve had no idea what interests me academically.  I wasn’t interested in learning about math, writing, or history.  It all just seemed to run together.  Then after reading The Lost Symbol, I only wanted to know more.  The book explains that maybe humans have the ability to do more than what we know we are capable of.  For example, scientists have proven that we only process with ten percent of our brains.  The question every human being should ask themselves, is why?  Why do humans only use ten percent and what happens to the other ninety?  We may never know what else we are capable of.  It may take another thousand years for science to advance to that level, but we can start by simply asking the question.