Sam was only a few days old when found outside a Utah Fire station. They named her after the fireman who found her. Never finding her parents, she became a ward of the state. Growing up in Foster care, she lived in over a dozen different homes by the time she turned 18.
Early on, she learned only she could protect and defend herself. As a small town tomboy, her athletic abilities allowed her to excel in sports to the point they looked at her as one of the boys. Her standard clothes were sweats and jeans, and never a dress or anything attractive. Didn’t wear make-up or do anything girlish and insisted on being called Sam. The only feminine thing about her was her hair. She always preferred her hair long.
A loner, and with few options at 18, she joined the Air Force as a communications specialist. She spent 2 years in Germany, followed by a year at a remote site in Alaska and a year in Georgia. During this time she completed her college degree with an on-line University maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
Her last assignment was Robins AFB in Georgia. As her enlistment was ending, her supervisor encouraged her to reach out and see what else was out there. Knowing her personal abilities, he made several suggestions. Throwing caution to the wind, she took leave and traveled to Washington D.C. to see what might happen. Her dream was to work at CIA, but with her past, she knew dreams were only that and expected nothing to come of it.
Wearing her best dark slacks, matching jacket, white shirt, sensible flats, and hair in a bun, she arrived at Langley hoping to down play her feminine attributes and present a serious and qualified person. Once In the HR office, she recognized the negative attitude she often received from people coming from the HR person . The superior looking down on the less deserving. It was like they knew she was not one of them. One of the normal people who grew up with a family and close friends. Went to parties and celebrated Holidays with loved ones. Had someone besides themselves to count on and to care for. She faced this often. It was obvious this person saw little value in her military experience or her on-line degree. She even told Sam the best she might hope for is a starting position as a secretary, but since there were none of these positions open, she couldn’t help her.
Discouraged, Sam was about to leave, when a well-timed phone call changed her life. Her dream of being CIA was no longer a dream.
