Graduating from the Virginia State Police Academy was one of the most important moments in my life. I never thought that I would become a Law Enforcement Officer. However, as I would find out later after studying my heritage that is it in my blood. I played sports in high school and put my school work last therefore, pursuing any kind of formal education after high school was never an option. Nevertheless, I was working in a paint store after graduation and a trooper that I have known all my life walked in and handed me an application to apply to the Virginia State Police Academy. I thought he was joking, so I forgot about it and did not complete it. He kept coming back until I complete the application. Since, I had always put sports first and my school …show more content…
However, I took it anyway. After taking the test we were split into two groups. The group that I was a part of was comprised of approximately 200 potential applicants. Standing there in that group, I was sure that my name would not be called. But, my name was called and I was told to get ready to take the Physical Part of the test. Even though I was an athlete in high school this test was different and grueling. Nonetheless, I was confident that I could pass the test. I did pass the test and of the 500 applicants that took the test I finished third in the Physical part of the test. This was quite a feat for a 20 year old young man from Buchannan County Virginia. The next step was training on job with a Trooper and then I was off to the Virginia State Police Academy for intense training for a 36 week period. I graduated from the academy in 1991 at the age of 21. Therefore, graduating from the Virginia State Police Academy was one of the most important moments of my life because it taught me discipline, self-worth and made me realize the value of an education and that if you put your mind to it you can do