Personal Narrative: Freshman Officer

Did I make it? That was the question I was asking myself the night before what was going to be one of the most special days of my life. After being called to leave for Air Force Basic Training on a short 8-day notice, I was now finally at the end of my journey and tomorrow I would graduate and become an Airmen. The nerves and excitement were running through my body as I was unable to sleep in anticipation of the big day. Now the day is here and I get to celebrate all my hard work by seeing my family and earning the title of an Air Force Airmen.

Although it may seem counter-intuitive, one of the proudest moments of my life was when I tried out for an officer position on my dance team and didn’t earn the title that will haunt me for the rest of my life: “Senior Lieutenant.” I fixed my world around that title, and it would determine the level of my leadership position on the team. The day after the results were announced should’ve been the most dreadful day of my life; having to get up and look in the mirror at the failure staring back at me, then having to drag myself to school and master the art of not being seen to avoid the shame. However, this day was something to the contrary. I knew I was internally devastated for letting the incredible opportunity slip through my fingers, but

Growing up the daughter of an Army Basic Training failure was an embarrassment for quite some time. My father went to Army Basic Training straight out of high school, and came back shortly after leaving. He was discharged for injuries of his knees; he was weak. One would not assume a child of someone who failed Basic Training would be eager to go, however I knew it was my time as soon as I received a call from a recruiter asking me to come in. It was my chance to show my dad the person I am without him, as well as fight for my country. I conquered Basic Training the summer in between the summer of my junior and senior year at the age of seventeen. There are four easy steps to Basic Training: two flights, reception, training,

I went pre-med before getting deployed and as an intern I've seen a lot of horrible things. But when it's your friend... Someone you serve with... It stays with you forever.

Having a black father and a white mother has always had some family members question my kinship to them. The older I got, the more my identification became reliant on one aspect of myself over the other. The African-American part of me became suspect in the eyes of certain family members with no real comprehension on my part as of why. I saw ignorance towards my whiteness, not only within society but within my own family, which resulted in the inability to perceive my blackness.

There were many valuable topics covered during my time at the Chief Petty Officer Academy (CPOA), however three of them have and will continue to help shape me as a leader and be useful to assist those I work with at my upcoming duty assignment. There were many take-backs from my five weeks at CPOA; however the three I found the most valuable are wellness/fitness, facilitating meetings, and team building. These three very simple techniques can be quiet challenging for some and do create greater challenges if not used at all.

On February 24, 2017, I responded to 2809 W Royal Oaks Drive in reference to an intoxicated subject. Beaufort County Dispatch advised me a male was intoxicated attempting to drive a vehicle. I arrived in the area and observed a gray 2014 Chev Camero, bearing a South Carolina license plate; MMJ124 parked in the roadway. The individual was standing behind the vehicle, and appeared to be unstable by not keeping his balance while standing.

The Junior Cadet Corps is a middle school organization founded on integrity, leadership, and respect. The junior cadet corps, unlike JROTC in high school, did not garner the highest respect from peers at my middle school. JCC was often viewed as an escape for students from the physical demand of athletics. Unfortunately, many of the students within the class were students who were at high risk of gang exposure and suffered from low income status. Very few took the class with the mentality of being challenged. I was thirteen when I joined the class and I immediately wanted to leave; I was a shy girl with no voice being yelled at and told to do push ups. However, I chose to remain in the class.

On top of the hill, they followed the Georgian exterior around until meeting with the wooden porch that faced eastwards, towards the redwoods. They left the tinted grass behind but the smell was far too powerful to flee from. Mr Evans kicked in the front door, with the assault rifle to his shoulder. A procedure he'd learned at military school perhaps?

This was my second year in the law enforcement program and I had the feeling that this was definitely something that I really wanted to do. My first year in law enforcement definitely caught my attention and I really had a desire to continue down the law enforcement path. I really looked forward to doing my job shadows. I knew that I would be able to go to a lot of different police agencies, different county's courthouse and even get to go to the different county’s jails which would really help me decide what I really wanted to do in law enforcement.

On 04/25/2017, I, Dillon Dickerson, badge #155, was working as a Patrol Officer for the Wichita State University Police Department, in Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas. At approximately 2350 hours WSU dispatch advised there was a female at lot 25 Emergency Phone who reported an altercation with her boyfriend. Dispatch advised there were no injuries to her or weapons involved. Dispatch also advised the boyfriend would be driving a newer white Acura and that he is a black male 5’9” thin build possibly wearing a black hoodie.

One of the best personal examples I can think of is during my time in the Savannah Regional Police Academy. I was young and a little too cocky. I did not take all my training seriously enough, because I thought I was already proficient in most of the criteria the class covers. I did well in class, but when it came time for the shooting range qualifications, I found myself nervous and under prepared.

1. My experiences in combat and in garrison has provided me with an insightful perspective on our nation’s most precious resource, the United State Army Soldier. We are obligated to tell these Soldiers’ stories along with the respective commands they serve in with our local partner communities and national public. I see the VTIP as an excellent opportunity to continue serving the United States Army in a different capacity.

I remember being a little girl and hiding behind my mom when someone came up to me to say hello; I used to be so nervous to even meet their eyes. At our family get-togethers, for Christmas and New Years Day, my family attempted to start conversations I would politely smile and hide behind my closest parent. I remember her telling me “It’s okay to say Hi to the people I talk to, just do not talk to strangers.” I tried to listen to her and follow her instructions but every time I would try chickened out.

I chose law enforcement, because it is all that I grew up around it all my live and I have always found it very interesting. Once I am old enough to I plan on enrolling in to the police academe. I know some of the things you have to do, are to complete a physical training test to completely pass the academe, but that is all I know with academe besides the basics of learning of what to do as a officer. I have an idea of what police officers do, they will run drug and drunken test. As a cop you make or get warrants to search though peoples house, vehicles or anything that you think you need to search that item that person owns. Some cops have to attend court to sometimes to report on the case or other times just there to put the person in jail if they are convicted guilty by the judge and the jury. You have cop on patrol, drug task force and on the warrants division.