Why we wear the uniform Published Aug. 11, 2006 By Lt. Col. Kristine Kijek 20th Fighter Wing, Staff Judge Advocate SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Have you ever asked yourself why you wear the uniform every day; why you're willing to be separated from your family for months on end while putting yourself in harms way; why you generally take less pay than what perhaps you could earn on the outside; why you're willing to uproot yourself and your family every few years (or more), sometimes to live in less than desirable locations? I'm sure we've all asked these questions of ourselves at one time or another in our careers. And maybe you understand why you're willing to make those personal sacrifices, but perhaps your family or friends do not. It's hard, if you've never served in the armed forces, to truly comprehend what motivates a young Airman to raise his or her right hand and swear to defend this great country of ours. It's a commitment and dedication beyond what I've seen in any other career field. Even occupations like being a doctor or firefighter, where your profession is centered on helping other people, are rarely embraced to the degree that we embrace our profession of arms. Why is that? I believe it's because when we take that oath of office or enlist, we become part of something bigger than ourselves. Our missions and goals include protecting a nation of citizens who rely on us to do what we do better than anyone else in the world. We do our jobs so that Americans can be assured they can choose what newspapers they read or what churches they attend or what brand of merchandise they buy. Our service protects our fellow Americans' rights to own land, to vote for their political leaders, to send our children to college and to ensure our families get adequate health care. The United States of America is a superpower nation because you and I wear the uniform and defend the flag. That is being a part of something bigger than we are. There are days when you feel overworked, underpaid, and unappreciated; I always revert back to thoughts about why I chose this profession in the first place ... not because I wanted to be a lawyer, but because I wanted to be an Air Force Airman and to serve my country. Those thoughts always bring me back to a realization that while what we do may be hard and may require family and personal sacrifices, it is all worthwhile when we keep the big picture in mind and think about how much our country needs us. Realistically, in the coming years, we will have more challenges meet us head on -- from downsizing our troop strength, to increasing operations tempo, to trying to meet our mission requirements with far less resources, just to name a few. And while our natural response to such a situation would be to feel discouraged about the future, I would challenge all Airmen to embrace this culture of change and see where we can make positive differences. Our Air Force leadership has already asked us to review our processes and identify where we can make things more efficient. We have the talent and commitment to do just that. So, if you're feeling down about all the changes on the horizon, I'd encourage you to proactively embrace the changes and see where you can make changes for the better. Negativity breeds more negativity, so have a positive attitude about these changes. Remember why we serve. Remember this is all for something bigger than just one of us, or our section or our squadron. It's about being the greatest air and space force in the world. Our leaders believe we will continue that excellence even in more challenging circumstances. We serve because we have always, throughout history, been able to meet and exceed any challenge handed to us. I'm proud to serve alongside my fellow Airmen, knowing that we will conquer our biggest challenges yet!