An Armed Forces Veteran Connection
I’d Be Honored to be Your Scottsdale Realtor®
Veterans and U.S. Military individuals are special people. They give honor and pride to our country. They put their lives on the line. They sacrificed many comforts of home to serve their country.
As a way to say “thank you” to our U.S. Military Veterans and those who are currently serving our country, I would like to show you my respect and appreciation by offering you a special discount. I will give you back 10% of my earned commission when you buy a home through CLA Realty. If you have a home to sell, we will discount our commission by 1/2%. On a $500,000 home, that could save you $2,500!
Colleen McElmell, a “Force” to be Reckoned With
You might be surprised to learn that I am also an Armed Forces Veteran. I served in the U.S. Air Force from 1976 – 1980. Here’s my story…
Just out of high school I was a little lost with no real direction to take. I was on my own with no job and going to community college and barely getting by. After one semester in college, I was getting pretty frustrated. It was then when a friend of mine told me he was joining the military. He told me about all the great benefits and endless opportunities I would have by enlisting.
The next day (yes, I’m a bit impetuous) I visited the local Air Force recruiter to talk about if enlisting was the right choice for me. After a lengthy discussion, it sounded like a win-win situation. I would learn a skill (or several), travel and earn great veterans benefits (like having my education paid for). On top of that, I would be able to serve my country and feel like I was giving something back to my country. Sign me up!
Within weeks, I was inducted into the Air Force and sent to San Antonio, TX for Basic Training. That was the longest six weeks of my life, but I learned so much from it and made some friends I’ll never forget. After learning that my specialty was going to be in Supply Logistics (64550), I was off to Denver, Colorado for another six weeks of specialty training.
During this time I found that I was enjoying some great freedoms I never experienced before and felt so proud to serve my country. There is nothing like the feeling of being in your dress blues while marching in unison for the Pass in Review to “Stars and Stripes Forever”! I get goose bumps just thinking about that to this day.
My four year term brought me overseas to the Philippines on my first assignment. That was an amazing place. I was able to see so many beautiful places that I didn’t know existed. And I was one of the lucky ones who was there in a relatively peaceful time. Not like my uncle Stan, who was there as a POW many years ago. I learned how to shoot an M-16 (really!) and jump out of perfectly good airplanes (although that part was for fun).
After a year and a half I left Clark AB in the Philippines and was assigned to Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs, CO. Again, another beautiful place to see and experience. I was becoming better at what I did and found that I was rewarded with more responsibility and better jobs. I even earned the Air Force Commendation Medal for my service.
Even though I was only in the service for four years, the experience totally changed how my life is to this day. I’ve seen so many places, grown confidences at an early age and know that I was able to make a difference with my country. How many people can say that (except for us Vets!)?
I hope you accept my offer as a way of saying thank you for your proud and honorable service! Contact me today if you are interested in buying or selling a home in Arizona. It will be my honor to work with you.
