Honor Our Veterans

DC English 1301 Lauren Simmons

Honor Our Veterans

DC English 1301
Lauren Simmons Decemeber,2013

This is a portfolio of my project that was created to honor my veteran Christy Watkins.

Honor Our Veterans

DC English 1301 Lauren Simmons

My person is Christy Watkins, my aunt, and she was in the U.S. Air Force. She had been stationed in various places including San Antonio, New Jersey, Hawaii and England. She spent the first part training in to be a policewoman and in ground combat. She became an expert marksman while in service as well. She received various medals during her time in the military including, but not limited to, AF Outstanding Unit Award with 1 Oak leaf cluster, National Defense Service Medal and an Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon. She left on honorable discharge pursuing her career to be a mother.

Honor Our Veterans

*What was your military involvement? I was a military police officer in the USAF Airman First Class *length of time you served? I was in the military active duty for 3 years. *What were some types of service or work that you did? I was a police officer but most of my duties were security related. I guarded planes with top secret material, patrolled the fence lines to ensure the fence was not compromised by terrorists or unauthorized civilians, checked for proper identification at all entry gates of the base and performed random vehicle searches for contraband. I also was a dispatcher which consisted of communication with anyone on the base that required law enforcement assistance from crime related activities, traffic accidents, domestic disturbances, etc. After hearing their emergency I would dispatch the necessary patrols that qualified to handle these issues. I was also an expert marksman. I could fire at an expert level a 9 mm handgun, a M16 rifle, an M60 machine gun, and a grenade launcher. I attended several schools and classes while in the service to include: Basic Training , Security Specialist/ Law Enforcement Academy, Ground Combat Skills, and Military Customs Inspector Course. *How long has it been since discharge? I was discharged out of the military in May 1992, So 21 years ago.....

*what has done in mean time? I have had the opportunity to do many things, but I chose to open own cleaning business to help support our family, but my biggest job is being a wife and a mother to 3 children. *What made you leave the military? I really enjoyed my job, but during my enlistment I became a mother. I realized that being a mom was my true calling. So I requested that I be released to further that most important job. *Do you have any honors or awards? I have received AF Outstanding Unit Award with 1 Oak leaf cluster; National Defense Service Medal; Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon; Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon/Pistol with 1 oak leaf cluster; Air Force Training Ribbon. *Or any other recognition? I served August 2, 1990 to 23 February in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm. Honorable Discharge *Did your service have you make any travels or military related trips? Yes. My first school, Basic Training and the Police Academy was in San Antonio Texas. I was stationed at an army base in Ft Dix New Jersey for Ground Combat School I then was stationed at AFB Hickam, Hawaii but got redirected to RAF Mildenhall, England. I also traveled to Spain and France while in England.

Honor Our Veterans

DC English 1301 Lauren Simmons

Research Summary I did research on the type of planes that she guarded. She gave me a trusted link to go and read about the planes. The planes were mostly used to house intelligence information so she guarded the planes with the information that they held. She explained to me that there was a red line that only authorized people could cross to get into the plane yard and if anyone had crossed that line and they were unauthorized then she had a license to kill them if need be. At first the planes were made for mid-air re-fueling stations, but at this time the Americans and Soviets were at war so the planes were decided to be used to collect intelligence data. I did research on the Training Academy in New Jersey that she went to and they had great statistics that the Air Force are highly esteemed as one of the best branches in the U.S. military. The website talked about their training program and how they retrain airmen if they have been in the service for a certain period of time.

Honor Our Veterans

Plane Guard Theres not much to say She just guards planes all day Some would venture to think, But what would have happened If the oncoming captain Found his plane had been gone in a wink? Though you may not notice Because you give too much focus On the boys landing down on the plot, But pay just a little attention And youll start to hear mention That she really does do a lot. And although she wont show it You really ought know it That she spends most waking hours on this, Of guarding the planes Though not much gain It is in this she finds much bliss.

It is not for the glory Not even for a story And Im quite sorry to sound clich But she finds it her duty, And you wont find her snooty, To honor her country each day. Now the tables have turned For herself she has earned To be the one being honored, Because it was for her family and me That she fought for the free And carries her life ever onward. This poem is a dedication to her And all others that were Not in the skies but on the ground To those who werent of much praise But were helpful in so many ways To those of which were not renowned.

Honor Our Veterans

DC English 1301 Lauren Simmons

War Story A true war story, if truly told, makes the stomach believe. Now I was a plane guard and you might not think that was an exciting life- but Ive killed 5 men in the past week. Im telling you- sometimes they just do not learn. There is a fine red line that separates the plane grounds and the whole rest of the world. I guard important planes with top secret information inside of them and it is my duty to be keepin them safe. They are some wry-smiled people out there that think theyre going to hoodwink me into looking away from the planes in a second, but they arent good enough to get past me. Im not saying Im the best plane guard, but Im pretty darn good at my job. I am an expert marksman and whenever and I mean whenever any unauthorized person steps foot over that line I can, meaning I am licensed to, and most times will kill you. But sometimes people want to test me thinking they can all sneak in here and get some info, but I show them really quick. I can shoot around them to scare them off for fun, but if I know they mean business- then I will shoot to kill. Its not that I like killing, I just want to do the best that I can do for my country. If you dont think thats one of the finest war stories thats ever been told, then you need to think again.

Honor Our Veterans

Visual Genre I did a painting for my visual and I made this painting because I like doing crafty items and I already had paint so it was easy for me to do. I cut out the painting because my original plan was to come into the room like I was playing with a toy plane like little kids do, but then I decided maybe that wasnt the best presentation option. Either way I found what I was going to do with it.

Honor Our Veterans

TTC QUOTE My TTC quote was A true war story, if truly told, makes the stomach believe. I picked this quote because I thought it could start a story off really good. I also like it because it kind of carries some meaning behind it as well. It tells you what a war story is. It tells you whether or not you should believe it based on what YOU believe. Not saying that you determine whats actually real or fake, but you can decide whats real for you, your values, what youre going to believe and I like that about this quote. It was a great book and I believe that most things, even though he says its a work of fiction, I believe that they are real, because the way he told it, said certain things, made me believe.

Honor Our Veterans

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10314346 http://aftiggerintel.hubpages.com/hub/RC-135-History-The-HiddenHero-of-the-Skies#