Travis and I met when he moved next door to me the summer of 1999. He had just turned 15 and I was almost 17. We became friends and our relationship grew into something more. We dated off and on for a few years. The last time we started dating was July 4, 2003. He asked me to marry him about 6 months later and I said, “Yes!” We said “I do” on a beautiful November evening. Branson, Missouri was our honeymoon destination. We had so much fun shopping and just hanging out together.
Our life was rather uneventful until June 2007. For awhile Travis had been considering joining the Air Force so I called the recruiters office for some info. The next week we went in to see him. Travis found out he’d need a waiver for having used an inhaler and for having taken antidepressants. Needless to say, we were a quite discouraged. We went ahead and made the necessary appointments, but that’s as far as it went until June 2008. We finally decided to pursue it further and went back to the recruiter’s office. Travis was accepted into the DEP (Delayed Entry Program) on August 6, 2008. He did really well on his ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) too! His lowest score was a 97; all the rest were 99. =)
He was sworn in to the Air Force and left for BMT on January 27, 2009. I received 3 letters from him February 12 and also a phone call. He told me he was doing fine, but there was a possibility that he could get sent home because he supposedly didn’t have the proper waivers. In my mind I was freaking out, but I did my best to be strong for him. The next time I heard from him, he told me one of the waivers had come through, but he was going to have to pass an asthma test. He was supposed to have the test a couple of weeks before he graduated, but it had to be rescheduled since Travis had a cold. He was able to take the asthma test 3 days before he graduated. He didn’t pass it, but was still permitted to graduate. When I went to see him for his graduation I was sooo excited, yet stressed out because we didn’t know what was going to happen. After graduation, he was moved to the 319th (aka: medical holdover.) During that time, his dad contacted a Kansas politician (congressman or someone) and talked to them about Travis’s situation. He received some contact info and passed it on to Travis. Travis then sent an e-mail describing his case and inquired about a waiver. Several weeks later, Travis got the word that he had been cleared to go on to tech school!!! We were waaaay beyond thrilled with the news! It was a huge, HUGE answer to prayer!
September 2009, he received the Airman of the Month award in tech school. He finished tech school October 20, 2009 and flew home so he could do RAP (Recruiter’s Assistant Program) and so we could pack up and move. November 5th, our 5th anniversary, we said our “goodbyes” and headed off toward Andrews AFB. December 2009 he received the Sharp Airman Award in FTAC (First Term Airman Center). He won that award because out of his class he was the sharpest, most “together” Airman. March 10, 2010, Travis got the privilege to meet the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and his wife and tour their 3,000 sq. ft. home here on base.
We have gone through many emotions through our Air Force experience-hope, discouragement, anticipation, despair, ELATION. Even though it wasn’t a bed of roses, we’d do it all over again. I know God has much more in store for us! God is faithful as always. We are following God’s will and couldn’t be happier!
