SCOTIA, N.Y. — When Brendan Murphy was just 3 years old, a brief encounter at the Glens Falls Airport changed the course of his future. During a family visit, he marveled at an LC-130 Hercules cargo plane when a member of the 109th Airlift Wing approached him, removed a patch from their uniform, and gifted it to the young boy.

Murphy kept that patch throughout his life, promising to join the Air National Guard in his future.

“I knew I wanted to join the military in some aspect because my grandfather was in the Army National Guard,” Murphy said. “That moment really changed me into wanting to join the Air Force.”

Fast forward nearly two decades, and Murphy, now 22, has fulfilled that childhood promise. He recently enlisted in the 109th Airlift Wing’s Security Forces Squadron, August 27, 2024, motivated by a desire to serve and a passion for law enforcement inspired by his father, who works in the field.

“I want to be a state trooper, so I figured I want to do something that is aligned with what I want to do on the outside as well,” he said.

Murphy will begin at the 109th Airlift Wing this October, participating in regularly scheduled drills before heading off to basic training to become an airman. He treasures the patch he received as a child, a tangible reminder of his passion from a young age to serve in the military.

His journey emphasizes the influence service members can have, often through small acts of kindness that resonate for years.