'Education is About Doing and Being All You Can Be'

By Megan Cotton, Redstone Rocket StaffMay 21, 2009

Life Lesson
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Some local schoolchildren got more than a visit from an Army general officer. They also received a lesson in following their dreams.

AMCOM commander Maj. Gen. Jim Myles spoke to a sixth-grade class at Providence School for their Career Day. The day was put on by Army Materiel Command Forward, Equal Employment Office, as a part of their Adopt-A-School program. This program was established to motivate the children to think about their careers and futures.

The children first gave presentations about different careers and what education and skills they would need to get those jobs. Then Myles spoke to the class and asked them to follow his two lifelong lessons: to understand the importance of education and never let fear stop them from achieving their dreams.

He told them education should always be their number one priority in life and that it is the path they need to take in order to turn their dreams into visions.

"With a good education you can make the most of all your opportunities," Myles said. "Education is about doing and being all you can be."

Myles then spoke about the need to never let fear get in their way. He explained about how during his first time flying a helicopter he was able to get it to fly in every direction but the way he wanted. His flight instructor, however, allowed him to fail. He let Myles keep trying and keep working at it because it was the only way that he would ever learn.

From his story the children learned that they needed to never be afraid to take that next step in life and even if they fail they will have opened themselves for new lessons, opportunities and progress.

"As long as you are happy, you have succeeded and you will continue to succeed if you never give up on your dreams," Myles said.

Along with his two lessons, Myles told the children about the Army and his service. He told them how when he joined all he wanted to do was fly helicopters, eventually leave the Army and become a commercial airline pilot. It turned out that he liked the people he was working with, he liked how he had been given the ability to defend the county, travel to different countries and to help people in need, so he stayed in the military. He continued to work hard and eventually became a general.

From this personal story, he explained to the children how everyone has an idea of what they want to grow up to be but no one ever knows where life will take them.

"You don't know where exactly you'll end up but it's nice to have a dream," said Myles said, who has more than 30 years of service.

Myles also let them know all the possibilities that the Army had for them. Each of them, he explained, has the ability to find a career in the Army just like he did.

"If you want to protect our country there is a position for you," Myles said. "Whether you want to be a doctor, helicopter pilot, or anything, we have a place for you."