Featured Nominee

Mercedes Moore

Chief Master Sergent 
Veteran | 30 years in the U.S. Air Force

Why did you join the Military?

I think the biggest reason for me to join the military was one, when I was in 10th Grade a recruiter came to my high school and I talked to a guy Harden Garrison and he was very sharp. It looked like his uniform was painted on him and I was just so impressed. And then when he talked to us about education and travel and seeing the world, I mean he brought me for a nickel, and I was sold. But of course, needed parents’ permission. So, when I got out of high school, the first thing I did was go look for the Air Force recruiter.

How has the milirary helped you grow?

My growth is amazingly simple, the Air Force matured me. They took a 17-year-old girl, who was the baby of the family with two older brothers who spoiled me so bad and made me a woman then they made me responsible and then they taught me how to defend my country the right way. So, they are when you come in the military. You just do not come in one day and the next day you are you know, super Sergeant or superwoman. The military is a time builder, they build on the individual and then the team. This is part of the organization of the military service.

What is your perspective on patriotism?

Patriotism has taken many twists and turns since the day I was born. Patriotism to me is to Stand by Your Country. To stand by your people no matter what color they are, red, black, orange, green, regardless. When it comes down to this, we are one nation. We should all be fighting for the same cause. All the nitpicky things that we fight over for a cause, we need to remember the big picture is that we are all Americans we are all fighting for the same thing. We all bleed red blood. We are all siblings regardless. And that is how our forebears broke it down for us.