Of the 15 students in his graduating class, David Rotolo was the only one to join the military.
Rotolo, 19, graduated from Laurens Central School in June. By July 15, he was on his way to basic training with the U.S. Air Force in San Antonio, Texas.
“I joined the Air Force to fight and defend the people I love and care about,” Rotolo said. “I was interested in joining the military for a couple of years, ever since I was a junior in high school.”
“I did not know if going to college was right for me,” he added. “I did not enjoy studying.”
His older brother, Anthony Rotolo, who is in college, was the first one to suggest that he might want to consider the Air Force. Their paternal grandfather served in the Air Force in 1954.
Although David Rotolo did not get to know his grandfather much before he died, he said, “My dad is happy and proud I joined the Air Force.”
“I also had some uncles and aunts on my mom’s side who served in the Navy in Peru,” Rotolo said.
Rotolo had a bilingual upbringing and is fluent in Spanish and English. His mother, Jassely Rotolo, was born in Peru. She settled in the Oneonta and Laurens area more than 20 years ago after marrying David’s father, an American.
“I have always been a patriotic person, but my son’s decision to serve has given that patriotism a deeper, more personal meaning,” his mom said. “Watching him follow this path has been one of the greatest honors of my life.”
Jassely Rotolo and her sons visit Peru often. She raised the boys as single mom in a tight knit family unit.
“The worst part of being enlisted is being away from my family,” David Rotolo said.
For the Christmas holidays, he had 11 1/2 days of leave and visited his family in Laurens. His brother came home from Buffalo, and his grandfather came from Peru to see him, too.
Rotolo flew back to Texas before the new year. He has been assigned to spend the next year on a U.S. Air Force base in Adana, Turkey.
The best part of the Air Force so far for Rotolo “has been the friends that he has made,” he said. He considers airman Braden O’Hearn, from Ohio, his best friend.
There were 54 people in his class. About 20 were women and the rest were men. One of his classmates was from London, and another from Africa. The rest were from all over the United States.
Only two recruits dropped out. One person in his squad did not pass the physical exam at the end of bootcamp, and one left due to mental health issues.
Of the 52 men and women who graduated from basic training in Flight 631, some were assigned to Air Force bases in Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Italy and Korea.
Rotolo also considers himself “lucky enough to meet Sgt. (Richardson) Pangan,” saying that he made the process of enlisting a smooth one.
An Air Force recruiter, Pangan, who is based in Oneonta, was instrumental in Rotolo’s decision to join the Air Force. Rotolo said he did not even consider the Army, Navy or Marines.
The recruiter came to visit Laurens Central School. He explained the requirements, the career options available, the benefits and remained in contact with Rotolo.
Pangan summarized the benefits of being enlisted. Airmen start earning full-time pay on Day 1 of basic training, which is about $29,000 per year or $2,400 per month. They also receive housing, medical care, dental care, a food allowance and education if they choose to go to college, he said. During training, airmen earn between 25 and 30 college credits.
Pangan said there are more than 100 Air Force bases around the world. He recruits between 25 and 30 men and women from upstate New York every year who enlist in the Air Force. His reach extends from Delhi to Cobleskill.
According to airforce.com, there are more than “200 active duty career fields.” Rotolo chose security forces — another name for military police — as his area of interest, which is the largest career field in the Air Force. Rotolo’s job is to protect and defend air bases around the globe and enforce laws on those bases.
Rotolo enlisted in active duty for four years. There is a six-year commitment option that comes with a $40,000 bonus, which Rotolo decided to pass up “in case I change my mind,” he said.
Rotolo completed basic training Sept. 15 and went straight to technical school from September through December on the same base in San Antonio.
There were 105 people enrolled in technical training. They learned how to shoot guns with greater accuracy, how to build fox holes and how to challenge someone in combat. They also learned the history of security forces. Only six people did not graduate with Rotolo.
During basic training, all the men slept in one large room in barracks separate from the women. They were only allowed to use their mobile phones once every three weeks for the first nine weeks.
This restriction lightened in technical school. Recruits were free to use their mobile phones after classes ended at 5 p.m.
After one year in Turkey, he expects to be on duty in Germany for the remaining three years of his four-year commitment.
“I pray to God for him daily, grateful for his safety and strength,” Jassely Rotolo said. “The day of his graduation remains one of the most powerful moments of my life. I cried tears of pure happiness, overwhelmed by pride as I watched him step into his future with confidence and purpose.”