My father and his involvement in the Navy was the origin of my

interest in the naval service. He never cared if I learned the strategies

employed by John Boyd; rather he wanted me to genuinely understand what
it meant to serve our country proudly. He succeeded instilling in me the
values he learned as a part of the Navy. After doing some research, I
discovered the Naval Academy is the epitome of a perfect school for me.
It has always been my dream to become an aerospace engineer and
design military aircraft. Ever since I was a child playing with LEGOs I knew I
wanted to build something greater than myself. Tying in my love for planes
makes aerospace engineering ideal. Moreover, the opportunity to study
aerospace engineering at the academy would provide a perfect gateway for
me to pursue a career in naval aviation since I have always wanted to be a
pilot.
I have always wanted to learn to fly. I took one flying lesson and was
absolutely hooked; the prospect of being a pilot in the Navy excites me all
the more. It is my ability to lead and excel under pressure that makes being
a pilot perfect for me. I understand that I could seek admission to a
university with an NROTC program, but its the type of education that I will
earn at the Naval Academy, a moral, mental and physical one, that makes
me wish to attend.
This past fall, I had to take time off from school due to financial
reasons. It is uncertain whether I would be able to go back to school because
of my familys ongoing struggle. I saw this as an obstacle that I needed to
overcome in order to live my life how I wish. Life is sitting in front of me right
now, and I can choose to be stagnant and watch it pass me by, or I can
choose to take charge of my life head on and live out all my dreams. I would
rather choose the second option and this is why I currently have two jobs and
am looking for a third. While challenging, I have learned to manage my time
to include work, my social life, and all the other things a twenty year old
does. Its because I have the desire to attend school that I am willing to do
anything to achieve my end goal.
Even though this was a fairly new struggle, I see how this even
contributed to who I am as a person. It has taught me about what life is,
overcoming obstacles and not letting them impede progress. Not only that,
but the obstacles I faced taught me the importance of getting an education.
Attending the Naval Academy will not be an easy task because of the

demands physically, academically, mentally, and morally, but because I have

learned how to overcome struggle, to persevere, I know I will be able to
prevail.