Enlisted to officer: Malmstrom's first Airman in 8 years accepted into AF Academy

Published April 24, 2014
By Senior Airman Katrina Heikkinen
341st Missile Wing Public Affairs

MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Editor's note: This is part two of a series highlighting Airmen transitioning to the officer corps

Chemistry, math and Italian textbooks consume his off-duty time.

"People thought I was crazy for applying," he said.

At the age of 21 with no college experience under his belt, it has been nearly four years since he has had any formal education.

"I knew when I was 14 I wanted to be a pilot in the Air Force."

Today, Airman 1st Class Nicholas Marron, 341st Munitions Squadron reentry system reentry vehicle maintainer, can be found at the Weapons Storage Area at Malmstrom Air Force Base. But in less than three months, he will leave Malmstrom and his enlisted life behind.

Marron recently became Malmstrom's first Airman in eight years to earn entrance into the Air Force Academy Preparatory School in Colorado Springs, Colo.

"I feel so grateful and blessed to be given this opportunity," he said. "I'm especially appreciative of my leadership, who has been very supportive of this endeavor. Although I didn't get direct appointment into the academy, I'll be starting at the prep school, which is a 10-month-long school before the academy. It's geared toward enlisted people because they know we've been out of the classroom setting for two to three years and they want to help us out so we're not treading water the whole time during our freshman year."

Although Marron will soon be addressed as 'basic cadet' in a pool of 18-year-olds, fresh out of high school, he says he is ready for the many challenges he will face.

"I am very glad that I'm not coming in out of high school and just going straight into the Air Force Academy," he said. "I definitely have a different view of education than when I did when I graduated high school. It's not that I didn't care in high school; it's just that I breezed through it and was less goal-oriented then. Now I can look at education and really appreciate it and see how important it is to go to college."

Marron enlisted in the Air Force in November 2011, always with the hopes of commissioning in the back of his mind.

"I knew my GPA in high school wasn't good enough for me to apply [to the academy] when I was 18," he said. "I thought about ROTC as my next plan if I didn't get accepted, but I knew I wouldn't like it as much. I did want to go to college but I didn't want to have a break in service. I know it will be a challenge, but it'll also be an opportunity, just because when I went through basic training we were all new, nobody knew what was going on. So this will give me an opportunity to help others out."

Although Marron's acceptance into the Air Force Academy seem unachievable for junior enlisted Airmen, he says with perseverance and commitment, nearly any Airman can do the same.

"I couldn't have gotten a direct appointment with my SAT or ACT scores," he said. "But the gold star on my package is that I'm enlisted. The academy knows that applicants who are enlisted already have experience; they're looking for leaders. Enlisted Airmen are an asset for them coming into the academy and I think that's the reason I was accepted."

Marron says only two Airmen from Malmstrom have applied to the academy in nearly 10 years.

"The minimum requirements for acceptance is they have to be over the age of 18, be a U.S. citizen, have to be single with no dependents and under the age of 23 - for direct appointment," he said. "In order to get into the preparatory school, they cannot reach their 22nd birthday by July 1 of the year they enter the prep school."

Although Marron's time as an enlisted Airman is far shorter than most, he says he is grateful for his time spent within the enlisted corps.

"I'm very happy that I enlisted and that I had this experience," he said. "Having the chance to go to the prep school and then the academy has always been my goal. I didn't plan it out perfectly, but it couldn't have happened better and I feel very blessed."

Marron says the only thing he would have done differently is start the application process earlier.

"August is pretty late to start an application that's due at the end of January," he said. "From getting recommendation letters, to out-processing, to all the paperwork, the application process was very rigorous."

For Airmen interested in applying to the Air Force Academy or the preparatory school, Marron recommends Airmen at least make the attempt.

"It's a big commitment," he said, "but if you're committed to do it, you can. A lot of people I know didn't think I could get in and viewed it as something that was impossible to do and I think that's why the academy doesn't get enough enlisted applications. But I really feel like other Airmen should at least make the attempt. Through this process and through talking to people - here and at the academy - they were blown away and thought it was crazy I was applying. But it's not crazy. Airmen can do it; they just have to put their mind to it."

For more information on submitting an application to the Air Force Academy, call the Montana Liaison Officer, Maj. Conn McKelvey, at 406-731-6029 or visit www.academyadmissions.com or www.afrotc.com.