GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Goodfellow Air Force Base’s Equal Opportunity office, with assistance from the San Angelo community, hosted the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day luncheon Jan. 17 at the Event Center.
“The observance is a day dedicated to reflect upon how King’s principle and vision relates to ourselves individually and also who we are as a military force,” said Staff Sgt Kelton Eddins, 17th Medical Support Laboratory NCO in charge. “It’s an opportunity to internalize how far we have progressed and the journey we still have to conquer.”
Chief Master Sgt. Lavor Kirkpatrick, 17th Training Wing command chief, was the guest speaker at the event. He based his speech on a sermon King gave on April 4, 1967, called “The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life.”
“I can’t imagine a message more relevant today,” said Kirkpatrick.
The first dimension from King’s sermon is, “the length of life.” During his speech, Kirkpatrick described this as self-value and love.
“We have to appreciate and love ourselves, we can’t allow the outside world to tell us that we are less than who we really are,” said Kirkpatrick.
The second dimension from King’s sermon is, “the breath of life.” Kirkpatrick explained this dimension as loving others.
“If you really love yourself, then and only then, I believe you are capable of loving others. Too many times fear is the thing that drives us, it causes us to be selfish. King challenged us to overcome fear with love. Love that drives you to be selfless and to think about someone else.”
The third dimension from King’s sermon is, “the height of life.” Kirkpatrick broadens it to the power inside a promise.
“Those of us who wear the uniform, we should know this very well,” said Kirkpatrick. “Because we made a promise to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. The Civil Rights movement was really about getting America to honor its promise.”
Goodfellow is scheduled to be closed Jan 21, to celebrate the life of King.
“The observance is not just a day off, but a day on,” said Eddins. “A day to reflect on Dr. King and the impact he made on our great nation.”