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During his childhood, David Blair, retired Air Force master sergeant, knew he would follow in father’s footsteps.
Almost every male figure in his family had been in the military, but most had decided on the Navy or Army.
“My dad always supported my interest in the military,” Blair recalled. “However, he always pushed for me to go Air Force instead of Navy.”
Blair’s true passion was in the weapons mechanical field, but upon discovering he had no depth perception, he was faced with the realization anything electrical was out of the question.
“After the Air Force told me I wasn’t qualified, I took a good, hard look at my options and figured admin work sounded like a solid choice,” Blair said.
After enlisting in August 1977, with a short stint at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi to learn his trade, Blair arrived at his first assignment at Minot AFB, North Dakota.
“While it wasn’t the first place on my list, I was able to ride in helicopters, see missile launch silos and visit Native American reservations during my time there,” Blair said. “At the end of the day, you have to appreciate the opportunities presented to you.”
Following Minot, he spent four years working at United States Armed Forces Europe headquarters at Rammstein Air Base, Germany.
“My time overseas was the best time of my life,” Blair said. “I was not only able to experience the rich culture of Europe, but I made friends who I am still in touch with to this day.”
During his tour at Incirlik AB, Turkey, he took a trip to Israel that would alter the course of not only his career, but his life.
“It was the culmination of several experiences,” Blair said. “Up until that trip, I didn’t see myself as a religious man and that all changed.”
The Eastern Orthodox church showed him a path he had never considered: becoming Christian. He began participating in many events his church held and it quickly became the foundation for him to stand on. What he didn’t foresee was the desire to serve the church in a greater capacity impacting his Air Force career.
“Once I got to Strategic Air Command headquarters at Offutt, the trouble started,” Blair said.
He was warned that the Eastern Orthodox presence in the United States varied significantly from Europe, but he continued to follow his faith.
“I finished my bachelor’s, my dad moved in with me and my new church just wasn’t the same entity,” Blair said. “Everything compounded and I felt like I had completely lost my sense of purpose.”
Adding insult to injury, his father had many health complications. His kidney was failing him and despite doctor’s best attempts, he refused to quit smoking.
“They were going to give him a new one if he put down the cigarettes.” Blair said. “On top of it all, it was difficult watching your father slowly commit suicide.”
In 1989, Blair experienced his first panic attack.
“I remember driving home from work and the weather was terrible,” Blair said. “I just freaked out and went to the hospital.”
He would have one more full-scale attack before seeking professional treatment. Blair’s health providers prescribed him medication and began using breathing techniques to keep his anxiety at bay.
“He was still a very nervous individual,” Brian Johnson, Blair’s childhood friend, said. “But it gave him the skillset he needed to stay functioning and make it through the day.”
By 1994, the Air Force was consolidating his career field with another and gave him the option to cross-train or retire early.
“As much as I loved serving, I knew it was my time,” Blair said. “To this day, I’m still Air Force and I’m still recruiting people.”
Blair hasn’t experienced a panic attack since retiring and while his faith guided him in a new direction, he finds solace in knowing his life has been a part of something greater than him – both in his unwavering dedication to his spiritual journey and duty to his country.
| Date Taken: | 03.13.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 03.13.2020 17:41 |
| Story ID: | 365220 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 61 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Finding purpose through faith and service, by TSgt Anastasia Tompkins, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
