CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
I was going to have to go through three full months of technical school in order to train for my job with the Air Force, and the physical component wasn’t over. The sergeants were still making us run two miles three times a week, although graduating from basic training had earned us a lot more freedom.
We had moved from barracks to more dormitory-style living arrangements, and I shared a room with an easygoing African-American guy with a positive attitude. We did our best to encourage each other as we faced the many challenges of Air Force life — not just the work but the fact that we both had girlfriends we were missing. We shared songs and talked about movies and sports during our free time.
He would listen to the 1990s R&B group 112 a lot. Their song “Funny Feelings” connected with me right away; I loved it, and he was nice enough to play it many times in a row for me.
We were allowed to make requests as to where we might like to be stationed once our training was complete. It wasn’t guaranteed that we would get what we asked for, of course; ultimately, the US military sends you where it needs you. I considered a range of possibilities, including Italy, Germany, England, Japan, and even my home country of Turkey, but when it came down to it, I was informed that I would be stationed at McConnell Air Force Base, the 22nd Air Refueling Wing, in Wichita, Kansas.
I had finished my training at Sheppard Air Force Base and made it back to Fresno to collect my car and a few possessions I had from Metin’s house. It was nice to see Melissa and some of my friends, but too soon, it was time to get back on the road. I got in my GMC Jimmy and headed to Wichita.
Melissa had recently graduated with her bachelor’s in nursing and was working to gain experience in her new field at a local hospital. We had some brief discussions about her possibly moving to Kansas in the near future, but I first had to settle on my new base and see what the city of Wichita was like. It was too early for both of us to seriously consider such a major move.
The drive from California to Kansas took about twenty-four hours. In the next few years, I would spend many hours on Interstate 40, Interstate 35, and Interstate 70 driving through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. It usually would take me three days to make the drive to Wichita, although I do recall making it in two days a couple of times. I will never forget seeing the sign “Yellow Brick Road” as I got near Wichita while driving Northbound on I-35 from Oklahoma City. I still regret not taking that left turn, wondering what was there.
Most military facilities are similar, but arriving at a new base felt strange. I knew I was going to have to make my home there for quite a while, though, and after all the time I’d spent in training, I was ready to settle in. I went to a few briefings to get to know the layout of the place and the medical unit where I would be working.
My shift started at 7:30 and ended at 16:30, and my duties included sorting out the medical records of active duty, reserve, and retired members of the military; greeting patients at the medical records office; filing paperwork in the records section; and taking them to other sections of the clinic.
McConnell had a nice sports facility that included a gym, a basketball court, and soccer fields. The cafeteria, or “chow hall” as it’s known in the military, had decent food. It was nice to be able to eat and actually taste the food without the time restrictions or somebody yelling at you. There was also a grocery store on base. I was assigned a dormitory room and met my roommate Brian, a nice, quiet guy from Ohio who loved playing basketball.
For the first six months of my tour of duty, I had no stripes on my uniform. Our BDUs (Battle Dress Uniforms) were inspected every day and had to be ironed and looking sharp.
I soon made a lot of friends around the base and found myself interacting with people from all parts of the US as well as other countries. Sasha, Joe, Tasha, Karen, Paul, Marcos, David, and Charmayne would all become my friends and coworkers. My supervisor was a staff sergeant whom we all called “Sergeant K.” He was one of the most mild-mannered people I had ever met, a very easygoing African-American man from Memphis, Tennessee.
Sergeant K would invite members of my unit to his house for the holidays, which was a huge boost to morale, giving us a taste of what it would be like to be in a family environment again. Most houses in Wichita had basements because of tornadoes, and Sergeant K’s was very nicely furnished. I loved hanging out down there and at other friends’ homes as well, with their foosball tables, beanbag chairs, and dart boards. We would eat amazing homemade food, drink, and have lovely conversations, with Christmas songs playing in the background. I can never get out of my mind how kind and hospitable Sergeant K’s wife, Patricia, was every time I visited their house.
Hanging out with friends and their loved ones would continue to help me form an idea of what my own future home should be like and what I should work toward achieving for myself. I wanted to have a real home, not just a roof over my head. I was searching for a simple, peaceful feeling of security and comfort, but I would eventually realize this was not something achieved easily. There are many components to true happiness, and if you have someone you love and feel compatible with to share your life, it can help a great deal.
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