Senior Airman, Intelligence Analyst, U.S. Air Force
Chief Business Development Officer, Saving Sight
For some, military service is a calling –something they know they are destined to do. Such was the case for Patrick Gore. Without any real family or outside influence, he always knew he wanted to serve in the military, specifically the U.S. Air Force.
After high school in Tampa, FL, Patrick reported to basic training in San Antonio, TX. Military life was as he expected, and he didn’t experience any real culture shock while transitioning from civilian life.
From 1988 – 1993, he was stationed in Omaha, NE, in the Middle East, and South Korea. Patrick’s time in the service coincided with the Persian Gulf War, and looking back on the experience, he considers it “pretty remarkable.” “You don’t think about it much while you’re living the day-to-day,” he says. “The gravity sets in later, being part of such a huge, historic undertaking.”
Patrick’s role was as an Intelligence Analyst, and the details of his work can’t be discussed because much of it is still classified. He does reveal that being part of real-time live missions is an adrenaline rush. “When SCUD missiles were launched at us, we were part of the chain that went and looked for them,” he explains. “We helped notify aircraft to find and destroy them.” He describes the work as, “Long hours of boredom followed by intense moments of adrenaline.”
Because of his high-level security clearance, Patrick made good use of the military transport system and was able to travel extensively, including places like Greece, England, Germany, and throughout South Korea.
After completing his military service, Patrick was drawn to medicine. He enrolled in college, earned his RN, and became aware of eye banking during that time. His grandmother was an eye donor, making eye banking even more appealing as a career choice.
Patrick finds that eye banking has a lot in common with military service. “A lot of the same elements are there – the teamwork, discipline. It’s mission-driven, completing service to others, for a greater good.”
He looks back on his military experience with “no regrets” and recommends military service to others, especially the Air Force. “It’s a great branch,” he says, with a hint of a biased laugh in his voice.
