Extending education unlocks possibilities Published May 3, 2013 By Chief Master Sgt. Derek Cantre 6th Air Refueling Squadron superintendent TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Are you all in? For the first half of my career, I believed I was. I worked hard and always projected a positive attitude. I did what I thought was my best, however, I was a behind the power curve in comparison to the rest of the Air Force when it came to promotions. Year after year, I experienced that feeling of defeat and often doubted my ability to excel. Late in my career, I was given the opportunity to attend the NCO Academy and, after a few days, I realized there was something special about the staff. Coming to class was exciting. The instructors were articulate, loaded with knowledge and brought the training to life. At that moment, I didn't know what it was that made them so confident and convincing in the classroom, but I knew I wanted it. So I began to investigate their backgrounds to see what they all had in common. The staff was equally divided between males and females. None of them came from the same Air Force Specialty Codes. None of them came from the same state and none of them even had the same hobbies. The only area they all had in common was they all possessed a Community College of the Air Force degree or higher. At that point in my career, I had never considered pursuing a CCAF or advanced degree, but if that was the path to affecting people the way they affected me, then let the learning begin. Going back to school felt uncomfortable, much like running or weight lifting for the first time. Everyone else around me was relaxed, in the groove and I was stressed and intimidated but, like exercise, once I got started, it felt good. The scariest thing I ever did was go back to school. The best thing I ever did was go back to school. Education is directly linked to opportunity and growth. Suddenly, my world began to change and I learned to analyze, synthesize and evaluate problems. Leadership began to respond differently to my suggestions. I was trusted with sensitive tasks, asked to make presentations and, before I knew it, I was receiving recognition for my contributions to the mission. Going back to school taught me discipline, how to manage my time, how to research, correspond and organize my thoughts. It taught me to study and helped me get promoted, but, most importantly, it made me a stronger husband, father and NCO. When you combine professional military education, with off duty education it is a win-win for all. Our leadership has asked that we use innovation to help deal with sequestration and I believe the best way to contribute is through education, so stop the procrastination and just do it. You can't be all in if you have not given your all and you can't give your all if you aren't maximizing your potential. You can't maximize your potential if you haven't started your quest for higher education.