An Air Force Staff Sergeant, no more...

This is long, but you might enjoy reading it?

Well today marks the end of my Air Force career and the beginning of the next chapter in my life. Today I was HONORABLY discharged from the United States Air Force in the rank of Staff Sergeant after 7 years, 8 months, and 7 days of Military service. This post is provided as a means to share my news as well as provide a look back in retrospect.

I joined the Military on 29 May 2001. A mere 4 days after I graduated High School. I attended Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base, in San Antonio Texas. It was the LONGEST 6 weeks of my life (yeah, laugh it up Army and Marines, 6 weeks blah - blah). At that point I went from San Antonio to Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. Oh boy, I was in the dirty South. Lucky me. I'd heard about this place from all my favorite rappers.

Needless to say, it was 500 degrees there and hot as ****, just like Birdman warned me. I had some fun times, met lots of good people and was all set to get an assignment after tech school back to good ole Sunny CA. Afterall my recruiter promised me, recruiters NEVER lie.

So the day came that we got our assignments, I eagerly awaited my assignment and everyone got their assignment, except Airman Mogg. I was like WTF, I am not staying in the Dirty, . No worries my instructor said, call student assignments and see what's going on. I call them and they apologize that I was not notified but much to THEIR excitement I was headed to Warm and Sunny....SOUTH KOREA. Oh happy day, NOT. I was furious and wanted to cry at the same time, I wanted to be near Mommy and Daddy, after all I missed them.

Anyway, I got to Korea and it was lots of fun. I drank a ton, smoked a ton of Cubans I bought at the shop in Seoul and generally enjoyed myself. So much that I almost stayed another year. I even skipped a mid tour to ensure I would maximize the fun potential of the assignment, LOL. During this time I received an incentive flight on an F-16 and a Chinook for being Airman of the Year, for the Wing. I was also promoted to Airman First Class (E-3). One of the great things about an assignment to Korea or any remote location you get to pick a FOLLOW ON assignment. I picked Japan. Woo-hoo, I'm heading to Japan!

NO, No I'm not. Instead HQ comes down and diverts me to WARM and TROPICAL ANCHORAGE ALASKA....wait, what? Anchorage Alaska. ****ing Alaska? Does anything live there other than bears and Eskimos? I was utterly thrilled as you can tell. I was 0/2 on getting assignments I actually wanted. I get to Alaska, I become a Bouncer at the club downtown, do that for almost 3 years, meet lots of chicks, party way too much. Freeze my ass off and get my car stolen - went on some shitty TDY's, deployments, got to see Okinawa, Kuwait, and some other cool places though. During this time I was promoted to Senior Airman (E-4). I also won Personnel Manager of the Year for the NAF. Go me.

So, it comes time for assignments again. I get another remote. Lajes Field in the Azores (about 300 miles off the coast of Portugal) and score a sweet FOLLOW ON assignment to Lakenheath RAF in the UK. Score, finally going to the UK. WRONG!

My brother is killed that year in an accident and my mother falls off the deep end. I cancel those assignments and request an assignment close to home to help her deal with everything. I hope for Travis AFB in Fairfield. It's a nice base, nice surroundings. Instead, I get the Presidio of Monterey. Oh job, ****ing Monterey. 4 hours from my Mother. Thanks for the hook up, HQ Air Force . This was by far the worst assignment of my career. Luckily I was promoted to Staff Sergeant (E-5) shortly after I got here so I had to put up with less BS because I was the ranking NCO for a while. Anyway, bad leadership, a bad assignment, messed my knee up, an overall shitty assignment. This led me to separate. Here I am sitting in my chair, as Mr. Mogg. The first time in almost a decade, I am called Mister and not by rank. Good news is, I have 6 months of full medical care and 2 years of BX, Commissary, and MWR because of my separation. I also got offered a Govt job as a GS-7, should start within 2 months.

I'm sorry for the long winded post, I hope it was worth reading.

SSgt (VET.) Darrell Mogg