He said I was "Salvageable!"

Dwayne Ross provides On site Human Service Staff Development Training, Youth Development, Online Travel Marketing and MLM information reviews, Blog Training & Suggestions and Other Random Topics including Business and Life! 

I had an interesting conversation with Mrs C my Music Sensory Instructor. We talked about how so many of us start out in our lives with this wonderful idea of how the world works and where will be by age 30 etc. It is uncanny how so many people are truly lost in some other part of the community or world when they thought they had a really cool GPS that was going to get them to the nice house, the nice high paying job, the really hot girl or boy friend, the most amazing dog and oh don’t forget the picket fence… okay maybe not the picket fence, I never wanted that I wanted the nice big iron gates where the you had to hit the button to be let in… you get the picture.

We knew that if we could just do this or that life would be great. It was something that everyone told us. get a good education, get a good job… and presto you would have a good life. For a while that happened. I joined the United States Air Force and I was well on my way to a nice career. I followed some of the rules but then I met a really cool supervisor who was already a Staff Sargent so surely if I followed this guy things would be fine. I was wrong almost dead wrong! I was hanging out going to parties and doing what any typical 19 year old would do... from New York... buck the rules and be stupid. I went to a party with my supervisor and on the way home he had this box that he brought with him and he wanted to leave it in my car once we were on the base returning from the party. Why didn't he throw the empty box away at the party I do not know but what happened next nearly cost me everything I was working for. His family was under investigation for drugs sales, gambling and here I was dropping him off on the same day his home was raided. 

BACK IN THE DAY:    US AIR FORCE 

Dwayne Ross    USAF 1982

I was right dab in the middle of a Sting operation and all I could see was my face on the five o'clock news, I was in big trouble. Now at the party I didn't know what was in the box, I was having too much fun dancing etc. but I knew there was weed being smoked at the party but I really didn't pay attention to who. I was brought before the commander and I plead guilty when asked have you ever smoked an illegal substance. I had just not that night. About a year prior to that I went to a beach party in Malibu and had a blast during a weekend pass. When I was asked had I ever smoked I didn't think of telling a lie. I said yes! They gave me a  drug screening but never shared with me the results. I had confessed. The good thing is I was an excellent worker. I had a reputation at 19 of doing what I was told and getting the job done. My commander came back with a decision that altered my life... Salvageable! 

I couldn't believe it... I was still in the Air Force. They didn't kick me out and that day I vowed to my self and God that I would never get in a situation like that again... especially at work. Unlike Steve Jobs and Bill Clinton, I said... "No more drugging for me."  

I share this with my children and others because as a young 19 year old I had no idea how this one thing could have altered my life forever.  Let me explain...

Coming from Bronx New York with no father, a mom who died when I was 8 and being raised by my grandfather who was over 70, then by my aunt in Long Island I had all the makings of... well I'll see you next post. If you enjoyed this post leave a comment.. if not thanks for reading any way. 

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