341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
6/21/2013 - MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Everyone has ups and downs, and everyone comes to a point in their life when they need a helping hand. Sometimes when Airmen feel that they've come to the end of their rope they just have to get back up, brush themselves off and keep on pushing.
Robi Powers, founder of the American300 Never Quit Series tours, brought Devon Harris, a retired Jamaican army captain and member of the first Jamaican bobsled team, to accompany him on a tour of Malmstrom Air Force Base from June 10 to 12.
Powers and Harris had a chance to tour Malmstrom's 40th Helicopter Squadron, C-01 Missile Alert Facility, Elkhorn Dining Facility, 341st Logistics Readiness Squadron and Aces High Bowling Alley. During their visit, Harris spoke to company grade officers, Malmstrom's 5/6 Alliance and Honor Guard members about following their dreams no matter what. He was also the guest speaker at an Airman Leadership School graduation June 11.
The American300 organization, funded by Air Force Global Strike Command, helps instill a never quit attitude in the hearts of AFGSC troops. From young Airmen to colonels, the tour has been helping the men and women of the command build resiliency within themselves to help make them a force not to be reckoned with, especially in the face of adversity.
Harris is no stranger to adversity himself. He was born in Kingston Jamaica, in a place called Olympic Gardens. He jokes that from birth he was destined to become an Olympian because of the title of his birthplace, but in reality, this was not the case.
According to Harris, Olympic Gardens is a tough area - a very harsh part of Jamaica where poverty runs rampant. Growing up, he ran track barefoot because he could not afford a good pair of running shoes. Despite his circumstances, he always dared to dream big. He wanted more from life than what he'd been given.
"My dream from very young on was to join the Jamaican Army and make something of my life," Harris said. "I would sit by this lamppost that stood in front of our home and dream about going to Sandhurst - the most prestigious military academy in the world.
Conventional wisdom would say there is no way a small boy from the ghetto, whose father was a bus driver, would ever be able to do anything great," he said. "You have to be bold enough to ask more of life than what you think you deserve. You have to keep on pushing. It's not always easy to achieve your goals. You have to work hard for it. You need to roll with the punches. Expect the obstacles that you are bound to run into on your journey and overcome them. They are called dreams for a reason."
After completing high school, Harris went on to become the top pick of 33 people to attend the Sandhurst Royal Military Academy. He was commissioned 12 days before turning 21-years-old and had earned the respect that comes with being an officer.
After achieving his goal in the military he still longed for something more. Harris turned to another childhood dream of his - the Olympics. Jamaicans have a long and rich history of competing in the Olympic Games. Harris was still very young and athletic and looking for another challenge to take on, so he decided that he would try to make it to the Olympics as a runner. He began to run five miles a day. Every morning the first thing he would do is run.
One day his commanding officer approached him, knowing Harris was training to enter the Olympics, and asked if he would be interested in joining the first Jamaican bobsled team. Harris said yes.
"The opportunity came my way and I took it," he said.
Most people have heard of the movie "Cool Runnings," but what most people don't know is that it was inspired by Harris's team - the first Jamaican bobsled team.
"I've had my ups and downs," Harris said. "I had to work diligently for everything I have, but the thing that has helped me come this far is having a dream, and being able to dream big. That's the thing about dreams, you start out and it's very hard. It seems almost impossible but you take one step at a time and the next thing you know, you wake up one day and you've achieved your goal."
The message Harris had for the Airmen of Malmstrom was well received. After every speech he gave, young Airmen would approach him with more questions, ask for another point of view on a subject or thank him one last time for sharing his life's story. He, in return, would encourage everyone that came up to him with one last word of advice.
"Keep on pushing," he said.
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