BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La., Oct. 24, 2016 — Air Force Airman 1st Class Daryl Parker Jr., an offensive duty technician with the 608th Air Operations Center here, enlisted into the Air Force a year after graduating from Northside High School, Warner Robins, Georgia.
He joined seeing a good future for himself.
“I wanted to serve my country,” Parker said. “I also wanted to see the world, meet great people and make myself better.”
While Parker believed the military would give him many opportunities, he also thought he would have to give up his passion.
“I love basketball,” he said. “When I enlisted I had no idea the military was so big into sports and that I would be able to complete the mission and do what I love. I could see myself doing this for twenty plus years.”
Thanks to Parker’s on-the-job work ethic, continuous efforts to maintain physical fitness, and his level of basketball skills, his leaders saw him as a prime candidate to try out for the All-Air Force Men’s Basketball Team.
“He’s one of the best airmen we have,” said Tech. Sgt. Gayle Feist, noncommissioned officer in charge of the 608th AOC weather specialty team. “He’s constantly working to help others with their training and stays up-to-date on his own. He exceeds all the standards and deserved the opportunity.”
With the support of his leaders, Parker submitted his paperwork for consideration, and on Oct. 7, he found out he had been selected for tryouts.
“I will be super happy if I make it,” Parker said. “It’s something on my checklist that I want to accomplish. If I don’t, it’s not the end of the world. Tomorrow is always better and I will continue to try again until I do.”
Parker is now at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, competing against 29 other airmen to earn a spot on the team during a training camp that runs Oct. 17-28. The team practices twice a day during the camp and will play three exhibition games before the roster is set.
Following the camp, the Air Force team will face off against teams from the Army, Marine Corps and Navy in the Armed Forces Tournament, Nov. 1-7 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
