WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:01.944 Hey , I'm Brandon de blanc , I'm a 00:01.944 --> 00:04.056 second lieutenant , United States Air 00:04.056 --> 00:06.222 Force and I work in the public affairs 00:06.222 --> 00:08.444 office and joint base anacostia Bolling 00:08.444 --> 00:10.667 my grandfather and both my parents were 00:10.667 --> 00:10.140 in the Air Force so there was always 00:10.140 --> 00:12.140 the possibility for me to follow in 00:12.140 --> 00:14.362 their footsteps . But it wasn't until I 00:14.362 --> 00:16.418 joined our T . C . In college that I 00:16.418 --> 00:18.473 made the decision . My parents never 00:18.473 --> 00:18.320 went into great detail about their 00:18.320 --> 00:20.376 struggles as black service members . 00:20.376 --> 00:22.487 But I know the military is in a place 00:22.487 --> 00:24.598 now where it aims to put value in the 00:24.598 --> 00:26.764 individual and the rank instead of the 00:26.764 --> 00:28.764 color of their skin . I was born in 00:28.764 --> 00:30.653 Virginia , but I spent most of my 00:30.653 --> 00:32.820 childhood in texas where it felt as if 00:32.820 --> 00:34.931 I grew up as a minority . So I looked 00:34.931 --> 00:37.153 to others who look like me because that 00:37.153 --> 00:39.209 made me feel more comfortable . So I 00:39.209 --> 00:39.020 learned quickly how representation is 00:39.020 --> 00:41.187 important and those experiences helped 00:41.187 --> 00:43.353 shape me as a leader in the position I 00:43.353 --> 00:45.409 serve in today . My leadership style 00:45.409 --> 00:47.242 leans heavily on transparency by 00:47.242 --> 00:49.464 providing a safe space for those I work 00:49.464 --> 00:51.576 with to ask questions and for them to 00:51.576 --> 00:53.131 know it'll be received with 00:53.131 --> 00:54.798 understanding being honest in 00:54.798 --> 00:56.909 relationships , whether it's personal 00:56.909 --> 00:58.964 or professional provides clarity and 00:58.964 --> 01:01.020 for us and in my career field that's 01:01.020 --> 01:03.131 more valuable than anything else when 01:03.131 --> 01:03.120 I'm not in uniform . I like to have 01:03.120 --> 01:05.870 some creative outlets . I like to read 01:05.870 --> 01:07.926 and write , watch movies . I like to 01:07.926 --> 01:10.092 play basketball have scripted a couple 01:10.092 --> 01:12.314 of short films , but I haven't actually 01:12.314 --> 01:14.481 produced a project yet , but maybe one 01:14.481 --> 01:16.314 day I'm also in school right now 01:16.314 --> 01:18.481 getting my Masters in administration , 01:18.481 --> 01:17.830 so I spent a lot of time just doing 01:17.830 --> 01:20.530 homework . So safe to say I'm excited 01:20.530 --> 01:22.697 to graduate soon and my mom only lives 01:22.697 --> 01:24.919 a few hours away , so I visit her often 01:24.919 --> 01:27.030 and we usually just spend most of our 01:27.030 --> 01:29.030 time just shopping . I'd like to be 01:29.030 --> 01:30.641 remembered not by some great 01:30.641 --> 01:32.641 accomplishment but simply for being 01:32.641 --> 01:34.752 kind and making people laugh . I just 01:34.752 --> 01:36.808 want to be known as a good dude . Do 01:36.808 --> 01:38.641 make people feel important . I'm 01:38.641 --> 01:40.752 Brandon blanc , I'm proud to be black 01:40.752 --> 01:40.700 and I'm proud to be in the Air Force .