With strong family ties to the military, Senior Courtney Crabtree decided to join the U.S. Air Force. When Crabtree first decided she wanted to join the military, she didn’t know what she wanted to do but after a year of bouncing around from idea to idea she finally decided to go into the Air Force.

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in the military but it was always a big topic that we always talked about because I have family in the Navy and Air Force and my mom would talk to my older brother about joining because he was going to so it’s always been a big topic we talk about,” Crabtree said.

When Crabtree was first thinking about joining the military she was debating joining either the Navy or Air Force. She choose to join the Air Force after research and talking to different people. She found that the Air Force would better fit with what she wants.

“I heard it was easier for women [in the U.S. Air Force] because they get to pick more compared to any other branch,” Crabtree said. “They’re more favorable and easier on women and the name sounded more appealing.”

Anyone going into a branch of military must pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). The ASVAB is a multi-aptitude test designed to test basic knowledge such as Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension and Mathematics Knowledge. To prepare for this test, Crabtree has taken many practice test as well as using different practices books to help her study for the actual ASVAB which still hopes to take soon. Before taking the ASVAB, Crabtree must go to downtown St. Louis to the nearest Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS). At the MEPS Crabtree will be given an in-depth physical as well as the ASVAB test. If Crabtree passes she will then be able to choose a job.

“I’m really nervous because I don’t know how basic is going to be for me but I’m also really excited to travel the world and see new things and try new things, Crabtree said. “I don’t want to leave my family but I want to branch out more.”

Crabtree is looking at many different jobs but the one that stood out to her the most was intelligence. Intelligence works to collect data and plans missions to make sure everything  goes well.

“I was reading the job description and really sparked my interest because its pretty much stay on top of things and to make sure a mission is successful,” Crabtree said.

If all goes to how Crabtree plans, she’ll be sent to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio Texas for her basic training. Crabtree hopes to learn how to better work with a team, be apart of something bigger as well as. Crabtree plans to stay in the Air Force for 20 years and then retire from the Air Force. After than she plans to either go to law school to become a defense attorney or become a police officer.

“It’s a huge decision but honestly people that want to do it I’ve heard a lot of different stories about how it’s the greatest thing they ever did and other people are like its terrible dont do it but honestly for me I think it’ll be the best thing I ever do in my entire life, it’ll get me going and get to see the world so I think that people who debate on it should just do it and go for it because you’ll never know until they try,” Crabtree said. “If you don’t do it you won’t ever know what it could’ve been. When you come out [of the military] there’s so many more job opportunities with having that military background. I think anyone thinking about doing it is an awesome experience and anyone should think about it.”